Doe Creek School & Church 1980 - Photo contributed by Laura Stricklen
The Doe Creek, One-Room School and Church, has been restored to its original
grace and beauty. The "Dedication Day Ceremony" was July 15, 2007.
After months of planning and organizing, we have reached our goal.
It would not have been possible without the untold people who were, and continue to be,
involved in this project. There is no way to truly express our thanks to all the helping hands that made this dream a reality.
The old building has been dismantled and put back together again. The restored building now stands in its place.
My name is
Christine Walters, the County Co-ordinator of the Henderson County Website for Genealogy Trails.
This website will keep you informed about the past, present and future of Doe Creek School & Church.
I live near by
and can meet with you anytime its convenient. Please contact us with any photos, stories or family information you might have, no matter how small.
With your help the Doe Creek School & Church of old will come alive again and stand forever.
We still have a lot of work to do in compiling the Doe Creek History - we need to know who the teachers and ministers
where and when they served (and when they left).
We want to find the names of all who attended here and photos when possible.
Mr. Elmer Duck was the primary teacher for the later years, but who were the teachers
who came before him?
Doe Creek Committee
Contact any of them for questions and information
Freddie Kennedy 2420 Doe Creek Rd. Sardis TN 38371 (731-549-9698)
Regular meetings are every 2nd Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.
We are working on a "Doe Creek Book".
If any of you have any stories about your family,
we would love to know about them!! If you have photos to share, they are also welcome.
Please send your information to Betty Hughes
or Gail Stanfill.
Michael Thomas Gavin, with the "Center for Historic Preservation", the office of which is located
on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University, provided us with the Physical Condition
Assessment and Restoration Recommendations for this projects. Click here to read all about the
Restoration Recommendations
Without the important contribution of South central, in providing the men who
labored so hard on this project, none of this could have been accomplished so quickly.
Larry Staggs was in charge of the men throughtout this entire project, he was there everyday to oversee the work.
He brought the men out every morning, staying with them all day and took them back each night. We are so very proud of these
men, who got as involved as anyone could ever be. They took great pride in what they were doing and what they labored to sccomplish.
We thank you all very much and hope that when you leave your temporary home at South Central, that you will carry this experience with you and take pride in the fact that
you had a major hand in seeing it completed.
Want to Know Who Donated for this Restoration?
Just click here Contributors
Contact anyone on the committee if you would like to help !!
In Memory of Those Who Have Left Us
Just click here Benefactors
The new pavillion at Doe Creek School is now ready. We are very proud of our new beautiful and spacious pavillion.
We had some fantastic contributions and a great deal of help from a lot of people.
If anyone wants to use the new pavillion just contact
Freddie Kennedy and he'll let you know if the dates are available for your event.
We do ask that you "Pick up your own garbage".
Your donations are always much appreciated and helps us to keep and maintain the area nice.
Historical Doe Creek
Fundraiser June 26, 2010
Click here for the Photos
The Doe Creek School in the Sardis community has been placed in the National and Tennessee Registers of Historic Places by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of Interior.
The designation comes after years of dedicated work by local citizens who took to heart the preservation and enhancement of the landmark that was such a historic part in the lives of their families.
The State of Tennessee shares the pride we hope you feel resulting from this (National Register) designation," and E. Patrick McIntyre Jr., Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer with the Tennessee Historical Commission.
The Doe Creek one-room school and church has been restored (in 2007) to its original grace and beauty. Doe Creek was built in the Reconstruction Era, c. 1870, as a meeting place for a Baptist congregation. The building still contains many of the original hand-hewn poplar logs which were "snaked" to the site by a team of oxen.
It is Tennessee's oldest existing original one-room log school. Currently, it is a museum of its earlier place in the heart of the community. It includes photos of students of the day and legendary schoolmaster, Elmer Duck, who taught there for 54 years, and the bell which signaled to students when it was time "to take up the books." Elmer Duck dismissed the last Doe Creek class in 1949. Doe Creek's new designation on the National Registry of Historic Places should protect the rich legacy and promote the preservation of the historic school's future, including grants to make sure the treasure continues to stand tall.
From the Lexington Progress December 29, 2010
We have photographed the entire cemetery adjacent to the school/church. The early burials go back as far as
1864-65, before the school house was built. This is the final resting place of many of the old pioneers
of this community along with several Confederate War Veterans.
If you have family or connections with the cemetery, church or school please Email Me.
The restored Doe Creek School is available for weddings and events.
If you are interested in using the Doe Creek School please contact
Freddie Kennedy and he'll be able to let you know if the dates you need are available.
There will be a fee for using the Doe Creek School, and Freddie will be able to let you know about that as well.
What a great little place to have a wedding - perhaps a class reunion -- special meetings -- all sorts of good uses.
Doe Creek School
The First and Second grade students from Scotts Hill Elementary School visited the Historic Doe Creek Schoolhouse recently to
learn about one room schoolhouses during the 1800's and early 1900's.
While there they were taught a lesson, touring the grounds and interviewing Mr. Carl White who attended the school before it closed.
The First and Second grade students from Scotts Hill Elementary School visited the Historic Doe Creek Schoolhouse recently to
learn about one room schoolhouses during the 1800's and early 1900's.
While there they were taught a lesson, touring the grounds and interviewing Mr. Carl White who attended the school before it closed.
