BACK CREEK
According to information supplied by Dennis Tickle, the Back
Creek Community in Pulaski County historically has been located
at the head waters of Back Creek and Thorn Springs branch about
six miles north of Pulaski on State Route 636.
About 1850 Kent BENTLEY owned a large farm. The waters on the
south part of his farm went to the Thorn Springs branch, waters
on the West part of his farm went into Peak Creek. The main large
spring on his farm was the head water of Back Creek.
About three miles from the head waters of Back Creek, East through
Back Creek Valley and where 636 crosses is what once was known
as Slabtown branch there was an old building foundation where
an old home was used to make flour, corn meal and buckwheat flour.
It was known as the Slabtown Water Mill. The mill's name came
from the shape of the rocks that it was built with, also from
the wood shape material the water dam was made from. The old mill
was last operated by a man named GUNN. TICKLE didn't have
the first name. Later Back Creek farmers took their wheat, corn
and buckwheat to the Pulaski Mill. They'd have to make two trips
each year, fall and spring. The farmer would leave at about 11
a.m. then return home about 8 p.m.
The James B. MILLER farm in Back Creek would for many years take
a wagon load of side and shoulder bacon with hog jowls to Pulaski
P.D. Iron Furnace Store and sell all the meat for cash to buy
groceries such as white and brown sugar, coffee, some clothes
and shoes.
Back in 1885 farmers on Back Creek would join together in the
Spring and take a wagon load of bacon, poultry and other farm
products to Lynchburg and sell it then buy fertilizer, flour by
the barrel, plaster for corn crops, coffee and sugar, again by
the barrel, stock and table salt by the hundred pound bags and
other farm supplies.
According to reports it would take several weeks to make the trip,
especially if the road was muddy.
About 1890 there were 11 large farms in the area. Among the prominent
farms there was the Crockett Ingles Jordan Farm, the Miller Farm,
part of which is where Back Creek Community Center (formerly the
Back Creek School) is located. Later a prominent member of the
community was C.E. RICHARDSON, who headed Pulaski Furniture and
owned over 1,000 acres of farmland in the Back Creek - Thornspring
area.
Source: SW Times, 1988