BLUEFIELD — PRINCETON — The Mercer County Historical Society has announced plans to dedicate a historic marker at the site of the “Old Town Spring” on March 17 at 11 a.m. at the Mark Woods State Farm Insurance Agency located at the corner of North Walker Street and Honaker Avenue in Princeton.
The celebration will be a little bigger than just the spring. The MCHS will also wish Mercer County a happy birthday, as the town that later grew into Princeton and Mercer County was dedicated March 17, 1837, by Capt. William Smith. Before it’s development, Princeton was mostly forest area, with giant oaks, stately maples and huge weeping willows.
“March 17 is a great day for Mercer County history, and a great day to commemorate the Old Town Spring marker and preserve it’s significant history,” MCHS President Lois Miller said.
In those early days, Chrispanos Walker was chosen by local commissioners to select the site for the courthouse, thus ensuring that North and South Walker streets were named after him. The town was set, and 38 half-acre lots were surveyed and declared ”Old Town Princeton.”
Smith donated the courthouse lot and reserved the “town spring” as the water source. Although somewhat primitive, the spring was Princeton’s only water source for 50 years. From 183—1887, there were 40 homes in the area, and two hotels — one situated on each side of the court house. One was owned by James C. Bailey, while the other was owned by Charles W. Calfee.
Harrison W. Straley II wrote in his “Memoirs of Old Princeton” that he dreaded Wednesdays, because he had to haul water all day by bucket for his mother to wash clothes. The Old Town Spring is on the corner across from the Dr. Robert B. McNutt home, the current site of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce.
As Princeton began to grow, on Feb. 20, 1909 the Town of Princeton changed it’s name to City of Princeton, and a public water source was being designed by officials.
Princeton Times
March 12, 2010
Mercer County Historical Society to dedicate ‘Old Town Spring’ marker
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