Merry Christmas

Christmas Thoughts

 

Some people think of Christmas As sleigh rides in the cold A tree that glistens of tinsel And decorations of silver and gold.

  Some people think of Christmas As stockings dressed in red A crackling glowing fireplace And a warm and cozy bed.

 

Some people think of Christmas As faces filled with glee Sharing stories, fun and laughter And gathering 'round the tree.

Some people think of Christmas As gifts wrapped up in blue Writing letters to their loved ones And Christmas caroling too.

 

Some people think of Christmas As snow falling on the ground The hustle and bustle of shoppers And the joy that's spread around.

Some people think of Christmas As Christ on Christmas Day And families joined together With head bowed down to pray.

 

Some people think of Christmas As the Lord who dwells above Who sent his Son to die for us And gave the gift of love.  

~ Marilyn Ferguson ~

Oh There's No Place Like Home

Oh, there's no place like
home for the holidays
'Cause no matter how far away you roam
When you pine for the sunshine
Of a friendly face
For the holidays, you can't beat
Home, sweet home 

I met a man who lives in Tennessee
And he was headin' for Pennsylvania
And some home made pumpkin pie
From Pennsylvania folks a travelin' down
To Dixie'’s sunny shore
From Atlantic to Pacific, gee
The traffic is terrific 

Oh there's no place like home 
For the holidays, 'cause no matter 
How far away you roam 
If you want to be happy in a million ways 
For the holidays, you can't beat 
Home, sweet home

Source: mamarocks.com

Lost In The Fifties...

 
The difference with this one is either you recognize the faces or you don't, no name captions - very nostalgic...  Miss those times - we'll never get them back either.............

Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.....Click on following. Lost in the Fifties- Another Time, Another Place - Safeshare.TV

Click Here to view. 

The Old Paths

I liked the old paths, when

Moms were at home. 

Dads were at work.

Brothers went into the army.
And sisters got married
BEFORE having children!

Crime did not pay;
Hard work did;
And people knew the difference.
Moms could cook;
Dads would work;
Children would behave.

Husbands were loving;
Wives were supportive;
And children were polite.
Women wore the jewelry;
And Men wore the pants.
Women looked like ladies;
Men looked like gentlemen;
And children looked decent.

People loved the truth,
And hated a lie;
They came to church to get IN,
Not to get OUT!
Hymns sounded Godly;
Sermons sounded helpful;
Rejoicing sounded normal;
And crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked;
Drugs were for illness;
And divorce was unthinkable.
The flag was honored;
America was beautiful;
And God was welcome!

We read the Bible in public;
Prayed in school;
And preached from house to house
To be called an American was worth dying for;

To be called a Christian was worth living for;
To be called a traitor was a shame!

Preachers preached because they had a message;
And Christians rejoiced because they had the VICTORY!

Preachers preached from the Bible;
Singers sang from the heart;
And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!

A new birth meant a new life;
Salvation meant a changed life;
Following Christ led to eternal life.
Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;

Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;
And being a sinner meant someone
was praying for you!
Laws were based on the Bible;
Homes read the Bible;
And churches taught the Bible.
God was worshiped;
Christ was exalted;

Church was where you found Christians
on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden, on the creek bank, on the golf course, or being entertained somewhere else.

I still like the old paths the best!

Just For Today

(and maybe tomorrow)

Stand tall.

Start fresh.

Let go of guilt.

Don't look back.

Take an inventory.

Make amends.

Trust others.

Believe in yourself.

Discover God's love.

Appreciate your specialness.

Accept your humanness.

Ask for help.

Trust enough to take.

Have the courage to change.

Accept the unchangeable.

Be patient. Keep promises.

Bury regret. Discard hate.

Transcend self-doubt.

Don't dwell on the past.

Love each moment.

Live each day.

Build a better tomorrow.

Open your heart.

Explore your soul.

Expect the best.

Let miracles happen.

And smile!

Angry? Make Doilies!

As a new bride, Aunt Dottie moved into the small
 home on her husband's ranch. She put a shoe
 box on a shelf in her closet and asked her husband
never to touch it. For 50 years Uncle Ed
 left the box alone, until Aunt Dottie
 was old and dying.

One day when he was putting their affairs in order,
he found the box again and thought it might hold
something important.
Opening it, he found two doilies and $82,500 in cash.

He took the box to her and asked about the contents.
"My mother gave me that box the day we married,"
she explained. "She told me to make a doily to help
 ease my frustrations every time I got mad at you."

Uncle Ed was very touched that in 50 years she'd only
  been mad at him twice. "What's the $82,500 for?"
 he asked.
  "Oh, that's the money I made selling the doilies."

Source: mamarocks.com

How To Have A Good Life

If you want your dreams to come true...don't oversleep.

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends....B1.

The 10 commandments are not multiple choices.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

Minds are like parachutes...they function only when open.

Ideas won't work unless YOU do.

One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.

One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.

The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.

Don't learn safety rules by accident.

We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.

Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.

Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.

One thing you can give and still keep ...is your word.

A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

The pursuit of happiness is: the chase of a lifetime!

Giving Thanks

 
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

Source: mamarocks.com

Baby Boomer Boogie

Are you a baby boomer? If you remember any of these things you can call yourself one of "us."

        

Cruising on a Friday night, listening to the Top 40 on your AM radio.

You remember the thrill of watching television for the first time. . When there were only 3 TV channels -- and it was so hard to choose what to watch!

What a TV test pattern looked like, when the channel went off the air at midnight.

Where you were when JFK was shot...(or RFK)...(or MLK, Jr.)...When the Beatles sang "I want tohold your hand" to Ed Sullivan.

Watching the first man walk on the moon with "one small step."

You washed your hair with Halo or Breck shampoo.

You remember Burma Shave. Bryl Cream.....a little dab will do ya!

When the price of a brand new car $3000.

You were born before:

 Television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, frisbees and The Pill. We were born before radar, credit cards, laser beams, and ballpoint pens. Before panty hose, dishwashers, clothes dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes and before man walked on the moon.

Back in the good old days...

Cigarette smoking was fashionable.
GRASS was mowed.
COKE was a cold drink.
POT was something you cooked in.
AIDS were helpers in the Principal's office.

So What's The Difference?

Then: Rolling Stones. Now: Kidney stones.

Then: Keg. Now: EKG.

Then: Passing the driver's test. Now: Passing the vision test.

Then: "Whatever" Now: "Depends"

Source: mamarocks.com

Compliments That Our Kids Need To Hear

Children look to their moms for encouragement. These compliments for kids go a long way in giving them the boost they need.

1. Compliment their character.

We live in a world where integrity is neither consistently taught nor widely expected. When our children demonstrate honesty, kindness, trustworthiness and reliability, that’s a great time to take them aside and offer a sincere compliment.

2. Compliment obedience and respect.

It’s too easy to fall into patterns of disapproval, where the only time we notice is when kids do wrong. Rather than waiting for disobedience or disrespect (then coming down like a ton of bricks) try noticing obedience and respect: “I don’t always remember to tell you, but you are an awesome young man, and I appreciate the way you treat your mother”.

3. Compliment them for simply being part of the family.

“Every time I see you, I’m thankful that I’m your Mom.” Kids need to understand that they are valued simply because they are.

4. Compliment contributions to the family.

“Clearing the table (sweeping the porch… putting out the trash) makes a real difference. I appreciate your contribution.” Kids need to understand that what they do makes a difference, that the adults notice, and that pitching in is a good part of family life.

5. Compliment the quality of their work.

“This is one clean porch, mister!” “You mowed the lawn right up to the edge.  Way to go!  I’m so glad you take this job so seriously, it shows.” Doing a job at a high standard is always worth noting.

6. Compliment the effort, even when the result is not the best. 

“Your willingness to help makes me happy! Now we need to take a look at how you can get the trash to the curb without leaving a trail!” Compliments can be an important part of our role as teachers.

7. Compliment when they achieve something new. 

“Wow! That’s a huge leap forward for you there in math, pal.” “Awesome! I’m not at all surprised after you worked so hard.” A well-placed compliment can keep a positive ball rolling.

8. Compliment their sense of style even if we don’t exactly share their taste. 

We don’t want to force our kids into being clones of us. “When it comes to putting together an outfit, you certainly have some flair!” “I can tell that you put a lot of thought into the way you look.” “I’ve never seen a table set quite like that before – you have an amazing imagination!” It’s not useful to limit compliments to the narrow range of our own taste.

9. Compliment steps toward a long-term goal. 

“Son, the improvement you’re showing is commendable. Thanks for trying.” Waiting for perfection before we’re willing to dish out a compliment is inefficient, may dampen enthusiasm, and does little to help the process of growth.

10. Compliment their friends. 

But only do this when you can do it honestly! “Your friends are the greatest!” “That Jake is such a good kid.” “You know, it gives me a lot of confidence to know you use common sense in choosing your friends.”

Source:  imom.com

Why Men Are Never Depressed

Men Are Just Happier People --

What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put.

The garage is all  yours.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack...

You can never be pregnant.

You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal.

You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too  icky.

You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a  bolt.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress $5000. Tux  rental-$100.

People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

You know stuff about tanks.

A five-day vacation  requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own jars.

If someone forgets to invite you,  He or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

Everything on your face stays its original color.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.

You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life.

One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.

You  have  freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas  shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in  25 minutes.

 ________________________________

Men Are Just Happier  People

Nicknames:

If Laura, Kate and  Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.  If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each  other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman.

Eating Out:

When the  bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though  it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none  will actually admit they want change back.

When the  girls get their bill, out come the pocket  calculators...YEP!!!

Money:

A man will pay $2 for a  $1 item he needs.

A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

Bathrooms:

A man has six items in  his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of  soap, and a towel.

The average number of  items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to  identify more than 20 of these items.

Arguments:

A woman has the last word in any  argument.

Anything a  man says after that is the beginning of a new  argument.

Future:

A woman worries about  the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries  about the future until he gets a wife.

Marriage:

A  woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.

A  man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

Dressing Up:

A woman will dress up  to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone,  read a book, and get the mail.

A man will dress up for church, weddings and funerals.

Natural:

Men wake  up as good-looking as they went to bed.

Women somehow  deteriorate during the night.

Offspring:

Ah, children. A woman  knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and  romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and  dreams.

A man is vaguely aware  of some short people living in the house.

Thought For The Day:

A married  man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering  the same thing!

SO,  send this to the women  who have a sense of humor and who can handle it  ....

and to the men who will  enjoy reading it.

Happy Grandparents Day

Grandparents bestow upon their grandchildren
The strength and wisdom that time
And experience have given them.

Grandchildren bless their Grandparents
With a youthful vitality and innocence
That help them stay young at heart forever.

Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past with the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part...
~Author Unknown~

What A Difference One Day Makes

In Memory of 9-11-2001

On Monday we emailed jokes.
On Tuesday we did not.

On Monday we thought that we were secure.
On Tuesday we learned better.

On Monday we were talking about heroes as being athletes.
On Tuesday we relearned who our heroes are.

On Monday we were irritated that our rebate checks had not arrived.
On Tuesday we gave money away to people we had never met.

On Monday there were people fighting against praying in schools.
On Tuesday you would have been hard pressed to find a school
where someone was not praying.

On Monday people argued with their kids about picking up their room.
On Tuesday the same people could not get home fast enough to hug their kids.

On Monday people were upset that they had to wait 6 minutes in a fast food
drive through line.
On Tuesday people didn't care about waiting up to 6 hours to give blood for the dying.

On Monday we waved our flags signifying our cultural diversity.
On Tuesday we waved only the American flag.

On Monday there were people trying to separate each other by race,
sex, color and creed.
On Tuesday they were all holding hands.

On Monday we were men or women, black or white, old or young, rich
or poor, gay or straight, Christian or non-Christian.
On Tuesday we were Americans.

On Monday politicians argued about budget surpluses.
On Tuesday grief stricken they sang 'God Bless America'.

On Monday the President was going to Florida to read to children.
On Tuesday he returned to Washington to protect our children.

On Monday we had families.
On Tuesday we had orphans.

On Monday people went to work as usual.
On Tuesday they died.

On Monday people were fighting the 10 commandments on government property.
On Tuesday the same people all said 'God help us all' while thinking 'Thou shall not kill'.

It is sadly ironic how it takes horrific events to place things into perspective, but it has.
The lessons learned that week, the things we have taken for granted, the things
that have been forgotten or overlooked, hopefully will never be forgotten again.

~ author unknown ~

Bad News On 7-1-2014

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU 7-1-2014?

Here  is  what happened on July 1st 2014:

Top  Income Tax bracket went  from 35%  to 39.6%

Top  Income Payroll Tax went  from 3.74% to 5.22%

Capital  Gains Tax went from  15 % to  28%

Dividend Tax went from 15%  to 39.6%

Estate  Tax went from 0% to 55%

Corporate rates went up and they're leaving the USA.

These  taxes  were all passed under the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known  as ObamaCare.

All  these taxes were passed  with only Democrat votes.  Not one Republican voted for these taxes.

Random Thoughts

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

  2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. 

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

 4. There is great need for a sarcasm font. 

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

  6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

 7. Mapquest really needs to start their directions on #5.I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.


 8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

 9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

 10. Bad decisions make good stories.

 11.You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

 12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

 13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

 14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

 15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

 16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

 17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

 18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

Red Boiling Springs, TN

City Hall

Red Boiling Springs is a city in Macon County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,023 at the 2000 census.

History:

Founding:

The area was originally known as Salt Lick Creek due to a salt lick that was located nearby, approximately four miles northwest of current day Red Boiling Springs. The salt lick attracted animals, and, in turn, attracted Native Americans as well as other peoples. Among the people who came to hunt the animal trails was Daniel Boone, who reportedly carved his name and the year, 1775, into a beech tree in a nearby community.

The area was first surveyed and land grants were first awarded in the mid-1780's. The first post office was established in 1829 and was named the Salt Lick Creek post office. In 1847, the post office was renamed "Red Boiling Springs." Sometime in the 1830's, a farmer named Jesse Jones noticed red-colored sulphur water bubbling up from springs on his farm. In 1844, a businessman named Samuel Hare, realizing the springs' commercial potential, purchased a 20-acre (8.1 ha) plot of the Jones farm surrounding the springs, and constructed an inn. The inn's remote location and the region's poor roads likely doomed the venture, however, and the inn was gone by the 1870's.

Tourist attraction:

In 1873, a stagecoach line was established between Red Boiling Springs and Gallatin, where there was a railroad stop. This likely led to renewed commercial interest in the springs, and by 1876, a general store owner named James Bennett had purchased the springs tract and had built a hotel. Bennett's hotel consisted of a row of log cabins flanking a central frame dining hall. In the late 1870s, Nashville newspapers first started mentioning Bennett's hotel and its guests' activities, as it was vogue during the Gilded Age for newspapers to report on daily happenings at upper class and upper-middle class resorts.

The Thomas House, formerly the Cloyd Hotel

 

The 1880's saw a boom in the development of mineral springs resorts as "summer getaways," due in part to the publicity received by places such as Saratoga Springs in New York. During this decade, New York businessman James F. O. Shaugnesy purchased the Red Boiling Springs tract and began development of the area as a resort. In 1889, the town first made the Nashville newspapers' front pages when former Tennessee Governor John C. Brown died of a hemorrhage at one of the hotels. The papers emphasized that due to the isolation of the town and a lack of a telephone or telegraph, there was no way to get help.

During the following decade, a railroad line was extended to Hartsville, and the railroad established a stagecoach line to Red Boiling Springs. With the continued rise in the number of visitors, two local general store owners— Zack and Clay Cloyd— opened the Cloyd Hotel during this period.

In 1905, several investors formed the Red Boiling Springs Water and Realty Company, and the following year purchased the original springs tract from Shaughnesy. By 1916, the company had replaced Shaughnesy's hotel with a lavish 64-room structure named "The Palace." During this same period, road improvements allowed the stagecoach lines to be replaced with automobile taxis, reducing the travel time from the railroad to just three hours. In 1918 there were four hotels in town— the Palace, the Cloyd, the Donoho, and the Central Hotel; a decade later that number doubled and soon after, over a dozen hotels and at least that many boarding houses had been erected to take advantage of tourism. The hotels all followed a similar design plan— two stories with elegant verandas spanning the facade, and interiors containing large dining halls and 50 to 60 rooms (some later doubled or tripled their roomspace with annexes).

While most mineral water resorts fell out of favor as medical science began to question the healing properties of mineral springs, Red Boiling Springs persisted, reaching its peak in the 1920's and 1930's. The resort was visited by many famous personages in the first half of the 20th century. The hotel registers included the names of judges, lawyers, heads of business and industry, famous musicians and singers, and politicians, among them Jo Byrns, Al Gore, Sr., Nathan Bachman, and most notably President Woodrow Wilson.

Although the Great Depression destroyed many Americans' disposable incomes and hence budget for travel, Red Boiling Springs still had large numbers of visitors. The Summer of 1936 brought over 14,000 people to the little hamlet of approximately 800.

The mineral springs and daily life in the resort period:

Mineral springs pump

 

Almost uniquely, five different types of mineral waters are found at Red Boiling Springs. These springs are "mineralized" by their contact with exposed black shale, from which iron sulfate is dissolved into the waters.

Some were named for the color they would turn a silver coin; two, dubbed "Red" and "Black", were from springs which were capped off and then piped throughout the town to a series of wells with manually operated pumps on both public and private property. Along with iron and sulphur, Red and Black waters both contained relatively high amounts of calcium and magnesium. The flavor of the "Red" water was only somewhat sulfurous and seemed to be at least slightly agreeable to many; the "Black" was very-strongly flavored, off-putting to the novice, and an acquired taste (at best) for most. "White" was used only to cure dyspepsia. "Freestone" water contained none of the trace minerals that brought the crowds to the springs but it was by far the most palatable. The most mineralized water, known as "Double and Twist," was named for the effect it had on the person drinking it. "Double and Twist" was advertised as the "only water of its kind in the United States."

Armour Hotel, formerly the Counts Hotel

 

"Taking the waters" at Red Boiling Springs generally consisted of more than merely ingesting them; steam and tub baths featuring the waters and their alleged therapeutic properties were often featured. The bathhouses followed the hydrotherapy regimen developed by John Harvey Kellogg at his Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, which was very popular at the time. The various waters contained several minerals but sulfur was predominant, giving the waters the scent (and some would say, the flavor) of rotten eggs. There were medical doctors on hand to prescribe which treatments would work for a particular ailment. The mineral waters, either from ingesting them or bathing in them, were touted as cures for diseases such as dyspepsia, hydropsy, diabetes, rheumatism, neuralgia, kidney stones, gonorrhea, and various eye and skin diseases.

An advertising brochure claimed "sickness among the year 'round residents is practically an unknown thing."

As the resort grew, it became the stopping point for minstrel shows, circuses and other entertainments to a far greater degree than typical for towns of its small size. The town boasted a number of "diversions": bowling alleys, tennis courts, shuffle board, croquet, a ballroom, swimming pools, a small golf course, theatre, and an amusement park. The hotels also provided picnics and barbecues. Dancing was the most popular nighttime activity, and many of the hotels had their own orchestras for nightly ballroom dances. String bands also frequented the town, playing mostly at the many taverns scattered around the town's periphery.

Decline:

Red Boiling Springs park

 

Several factors contributed to the town's decline as a major resort. One was a general loss of confidence and interest in the purportedly curative powers of mineral waters by Americans as the 20th century progressed. A new highway system made it easier for people to travel, but it also meant they could travel to other places as well, such as the state parks that were opening. Those who had promoted tourism and the mineral resorts had retired or died and the next generation was not as interested. Some of the hotels had been left in the hands of managers that did not reinvest the profits in the upkeep of the buildings. A number of the hotels burned and were not rebuilt. The townspeople were hesitant to support tourism. The area's general remoteness began to work against it; this was greatly aggravated by World War II and the resultant gasoline rationing. Tourism focus shifted within Tennessee to more highly developed areas such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

By the time the postwar period had arrived, most of the hotels had closed and the area was a shell of its former self. There was a slight rebirth during the 1950's. The town was incorporated on April 27, 1953. A booster club was formed, two of the hotels were restored and new attractions were added. A drive-in billed as the only one of its kind in Middle Tennessee outside of Nashville joined the local theatre. By the early '60's only five hotels remained, then, by the end of the decade, it was back down to three.

1969 Flood:

At 3:30 AM on the morning of June 23, 1969, it started raining. A newspaper reported that by 6:00 AM, the water had risen "about 5 feet above maximum flood level". In six hours the entire Salt Lick Valley was under water. An unofficial report stated that 10 inches of rain fell in 6 hours. Overall, 15 businesses and 35 houses were either heavily damaged or destroyed, and a Trailways bus had been swept approximately 500 feet into a steel-concrete bridge. Whole houses and many cars floated through town. Two young girls were killed in the flood. One was not found until four days later after being swept 4 miles downstream.

State and Federal grant money aided businesses, built watershed dams and help the townsfolk rebuild. By the late 1970's the town began to revisit its history in earnest with an eye to marketing it a tourist destination again, if only on a small scale. Two covered bridges were built, and park lands were developed. Later, a library was built on the site of a former hotel.

Present day:

At the beginning of the 21st century, a large water bottling plant was built on the outskirts of town by Nestlé, where water is bottled from Bennet Hill Springs, a source of Freestone water. Ironically, the plant removes all the natural minerals from the water by reverse osmosis and later adds a specific mixture of minerals to give it a consistent taste.

Salt Lick Creek

The old hand pumps that stood on public land were made inoperable because of liability issues that could occur. The hand pumps can still be seen on private property around town, and some people still believe in the curative powers of the mineral waters. As of 2010, three of the historic hotels were in operation, with The Armour Hotel still offering a full complement of steam treatment, mineral tub baths, and therapeutic massage.

Education:

Red Boiling Springs School is a K-12 public institution that is overseen by the Macon County School System. It has 671 total students and 41 teachers, making a student-teacher ratio of 1:16.

The school offers the following sports:

• Basketball
• Baseball
• Softball
• Golf
• Volleyball
• Cheerleading
• Football

Festivals and attractions:

The town is home to several annual events. The first Saturday in June brings the Folk Medicine Festival back to the city parks along the banks of the Salt Lick Creek. The goal of the festival is to pass on knowledge, skills and traditions that ensure the survival of folklife activities from old time medicine and natural healing arts to the skills of the home and farm.

The Donoho Hotel hosts the annual Red Boiling Spring Bluegrass Festival on the first Friday and Saturday in June. The event is for both professional and "shade tree pickers".

One of the biggest annual festivals in Tennessee, The Summer Solstice, attracts around 2,000 people every year for 3 days of camping out on an organic farm listening to live music, and eating fresh organic food. Marked by the 1st day of summer and longest day of the year the celebration is usually put off until the following weekend.

The Middle Tennessee Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America holds their antique car show in Red Boiling Springs each year. The event is always scheduled for the first Friday and Saturday after Labor Day and held on the lawn of The Thomas House Hotel. This event has been held for over 50 years.

How'd Dey Do Dat? Day is held the second Saturday in October. It is a rural heritage celebration held just outside of city limits on the Ritter Farm with demonstrations of "old time skills", i.e. blacksmith shop, grist mill, horse drawn equipment, quilting, candle making.

Red Boiling Springs is also home to Tennessee's only motorcycle museum, Cyclemos, which holds an annual Show and Old School Swap Meet that draws thousands of visitors and bikes.

The Thomas House Hotel is home to a series of year round Ghost Hunt Weekends where guests get to search for clues to the paranormal with celebrity ghost hunters, while staying and eating at this historic hotel.

External Links:

• Red Boiling Springs official website
• Red Boiling Springs School official website
• Middle Tennessee Antique Automobile Club of America
• National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Early Twentieth Century Resort Buildings of Red Boiling Springs
• Tennessee Historical Society
• Red Boiling Springs History