Nestled in the hills of southeastern Henderson County, a few miles south of Scotts Hill, adjacent to the Decatur County line, stands the last of the one-room log schoolhouses that once abounded in rural West Tennessee. Despite years of neglect and the actions of vandals, the old log building still stands as a reminder to all of the lasting importance of education.

The rectangular, hewn log building was erected during the Reconstruction period as a meeting place for a Baptist congregation. Large yellow poplar trees were cut from the nearby woods and hauled to the site by a team of oxen. Carpenters, working on site, hewed the logs on two sides and used them to construct the walls. The original roof is believed to have been wooden shingles; now it is corrugated metal. A brick chimney, which still stands at the center of the room, was part of the original structure. The sturdy old structure served as both church and school until the early 1950's when legendary Doe Creek Schoolmaster, Elmer Duck, dismissed the last class.

Plans are underway to restore the building to its original character. A Restoration Committee has been formed with Freddie Kennedy, Chairman; Wayne Stanfill, Secretary/Treasurer; and Jerry Taylor, Advisor/Liason. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Scotts Hill, under the leadership of Mayor Carey Johnson, has adopted a resolution in support of the restoration. With the assistance of the Tennessee State Representative, Steve McDaniel, Henderson County Mayor Dennis Ray McDaniel, and the Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University, an analysis of the physical condition of the building with restoration recommendations. The analysis was done by Preservation Specialist, Michael Thomas Gavin. The restoration will be part of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area which is a statewide program dedicated to the interpretation and preservation of Tennessee's Civil War and Reconstruction Legacies. A National Register of Historic Places nomination was submitted to the State Board at the January meeting.

The Restoration Committee invites anyone with ties to this historic building or a love of heritage to participate. All of the original desks have been removed from the building, and it is possible that someone may still have some of these. It is known that Doe Creek had a basketball team in the 1920's, and a portion of the project is a restoration of the dirt basketball court. If you have knowledge or pictures of this team, your assistance would be appreciated. In summary, we need pictures, stories, original equipment, period schoolbooks; and of course money. If you would like to be a part of this project, please contact one of the following: