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Blount County Circuit Court Clerk (1822-1836 and 1840-1848) Daniel D. Foute built the first Montvale Hotel at the foot of Chilhowee Mountain. A rustic log structure, it opened in 1832.

Prior to 1830, the location was an unclaimed virgin wilderness. Animals frequented the area to partake of water from the mineral springs. Jesse Wallace and Jesse Thompson apparently discovered the springs while searching for lost cattle.

The hotel site included two fine springs within a few steps as well as Black Sulphur, two or three miles away. Foute purchased Black Sulphur from David Delzell in 1834 in order to offer a wider variety of mineral springs.

Black Sulphur Spring has a high content of minerals with a sulphur (rotten egg) odor. Many who visited the resort hotels near these springs thought them to be a curative for a number of ailments. The waters cause slight diarrhea for some. However, the peace and quiet of the mountain or just getting away from it all may have been even more effective.

Location of springs in the mountains at a higher elevation also made it attractive to many who lived in southern Mississippi and Alabama where the threat of typhoid fever was greater.

Foute's hotel (1832-1850) was described as being two stories high, about 10 rooms long with a two-story veranda (covered porch) extending the full length. It had a kitchen and dining room in an ell that extended to the rear. A post office was established at the site in 1837.

Foute also built a road by way of Murray Gap (Look Rock) through Happy Valley to intersect the Calloway and Parson's Turnpike, a short cut for travel to Georgia.

In 1850, Foute sold the 3,840-acre Montvale site, including Black Sulphur, to Asa Watson of Mississippi who built a three-story, seven gable frame hotel. Known as the largest and best in the Southeast, it was referred to as the Saratoga of the South, a comparison with the then-famous Saratoga Springs in New York state.

In 1860, a group including Sterling Lanier and his sons purchased the property for $25,674. In was during this period that his grandson, Sidney Lanier, spent his summers at Montvale. No doubt it was the setting for the poet-musician's only novel, "Tiger Lilies." Lanier Elementary (former high school) bears his name.

In March 1863, the Laniers sold the property to Joseph L. King of Knoxville for $40,000. Fire destroyed the hotel in 1896 and the property was sold through chancery court. In 1901, Andrew Gamble built a smaller hotel which burned in 1933 when the property was owned by Ludwig Pflanze of Maryville. At some point along the way the Black Sulphur Spring property was separated from Montvale Springs and is owned by Doris Johnson Crowder.

In this setting, Black Sulphur Spring was an important stop along the way. Even in the early 1930s when Maryville residents often took a Sunday afternoon ride into the country, Black Sulphur Spring was frequently a stop, exposing unsuspecting youngsters to the mineral water.

All of this is to set the scene for what has happened in recent months. Mrs. Crowder was unable to do some much-needed clearing of brush and sediment that had created a flooded area around the spring which is located along side Montvale Road.

Times Editor Dean Stone, who recalled sampling the water as a youngster, had been concerned for some time over the flooding of the spring. Alerting Billy Minser to the problem, Minser and William "Booty" Miller of the Raven Society came to the rescue initially. They did yeoman's work in clearing and establishing drainage from the spring. Along the way many have helped with Booty taking the lead.

The spring and the roof over it were in pretty good shape until a few days ago when strong winds caused a tree to fall on the canopy over the spring, demolishing the roof which was held up by four cedar posts.

As the original volunteers began work to repair the damage, the help increased. Keith McCord passed by and offered to replace the posts; Doyle Tipton, a roofer, volunteered to furnish and apply new shingles; Carl Walker volunteered to supply the plywood on which to attach the shingles.

A whole host of others are providing the manpower for the project. Some of the volunteers include Bob Miller, Joe Bowers, Jim Sturgeon, Joe Gallagher, Bill Hedberg, John Skinner, Elise LeQuire, Eddie Box, Dean Cooper, Jim Cooper, Joe Walker, Roger Mason, Otis Bowers, Tom Abbott, David Smith, Bob Price who pumped the sludge accumulated around the spring, and Robert Tindell who provided concrete blocks and plastic drain pipe. Two of Bootie's grandchildren, Rose Spurrier and Ben Spurrier, received credit in a UT geology class for their work on the project.

While it is typical of the Blount County neighborhood spirit, it is always inspiring to see such volunteer spirit translated into productive work, all just to build a better community with no one seeking any credit for the good deed.