Sulphur Springs Drive-in Volcaino
The Sulpur Springs Park is located in Soufriere. ..........
Sulphur Springs derives its modern name from the fact that when the area was first settled, springs of sulphur water were abundant. Before the first settlers arrived, local Native American tribes often used the areas around the springs as their home. When the settlers began arriving, they, too, used the springs as their camping grounds.
Hopkins County Courthouse, currently undergoing restoration. It was constructed in 1895.
Hopkins County Courthouse, currently undergoing restoration. It was constructed in 1895.
A man by the name of Eli Bib, one of the first settlers, ran a store from his cabin that sold staples, whiskey, persimmon beer, and slabs of ginger cake. In 1849, Dr. and Mrs. Davis moved into the area. Dr. Davis envisioned the spot as a future city.
In 1850 the residents organized the area's first church, the Methodist Episcopal. Construction of the church was completed in 1853. In 1852, the Presbyterian Church was organized. At this point in time, the population of the village was 441. In order to serve the growing group of people, commodities began to be brought in from nearby Jefferson and new stores began to spring up.
The village became a city in 1854 when the first post office was established. The city's name was originally Bright Star. Mail to and from the city was delivered by the Pony Express.
On May 18, 1871, the county seat of Hopkins county was moved from Tarrant to Sulphur Springs. The name "Bright Star" was removed from the postal directory.
The exact date of the first government's formation is unknown, but one of the first to hold the mayor's office was William A. Wortham. In 1854, Wortham bought the Texas Star press and moved to Sulphur Springs where he, his brother-in-law, and Bill Davis established the city's first newspaper.
The Echo Publishing Company was founded in 1897. It was the first steam-powered press in Sulphur Springs. After the first plant was lost to a fire, a new plant was constructed which used gasoline as fuel. In 1884 the Sulphur Springs Enterprise was founded. In the same year, leading exponent of Populism James Harvey "Cyclone" Davis founded the Alliance Vindicator, which was published until 1901. John S. Bagwell bought the Hopkins County Echo in 1916. In 1924, the Texas Star was merged into the Daily News Telegram. The Daily News Telegram changed its name first to the Daily Gazette and later to the Weekly Gazette. Eventually all these newspapers were merged into the Sulphur Springs News Telegram and the Hopkins County Echo, both of which still exist.
Ten acres (40,000 m²) of land were set aside for the Bright Star University in 1857. The Sulphur Springs District Conference High School began in 1877, established on the Bright Star University land on College Street. In December 1882, the school became known as Central College. It was owned by the Method Episcopal Church. It was later renamed Eastman College and Conservatory of Music and Art under a new charter. Before the year 1900 the college burned and Professor Eastman left the area.