Bailey Springs, Alabama

Bailey Springs, also known as Chalybeate Springs, is an unincorporated community in Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States.

Bailey Springs, Alabama
Unincorporated community
Bailey Springs
Bailey Springs
Coordinates: 34°53′44″N 87°34′17″W
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyLauderdale
Elevation
525 ft (160 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)256 & 938
GNIS feature ID113361[1]

History

A post office was established at Bailey Springs in 1854, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1901.[2] The community was named for Jonathan Bailey, who started a resort on several mineral springs.[3] The spring waters here have been classified as chalybeate, iron water, and alkaline-saline springs. A large number of people came from Memphis and surrounding areas for the purported healing qualities of the springs.[4] At one point, the water at Bailey Springs was bottled and shipped around the United States.[5] The springs were opened as a resort and hotel until 1910. A school for women, Bailey Springs University, was founded in 1893 on the resort grounds. It remained open until 1900.[6]

During the American Civil War, troops from the 7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel Richard Rowett camped at Bailey Springs.

Notable person

Henry W. Collier, the 14th Governor of Alabama, died at Bailey Springs on August 28, 1855.[7]

References
  1. "Bailey Springs". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Lauderdale County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  3. Darby, A. J. (1 March 1962). "The Historical Highways and Byways of Lauderdale County". TimesDaily. pp. Page 7, Section 3. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. Eugene Allen Smith; Frank P. Chaffee (1907). The Underground Water Resources of Alabama. Brown Printing Company, State Printers and Binders. pp. 103.
  5. Water-supply and Irrigation Papers of the United States Geological Survey. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1905. pp. 170.
  6. James Frederick Sulzby (1960). Historic Alabama Hotels and Resorts. University of Alabama Press. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-8173-5309-4.
  7. The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year. Gray and Bowen. 1856. p. 347.


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