Proposed rock quarry leaves residents stone-faced

Full story here.

The Portland Leader

By Bonnie Fussell

July 13, 2011

Residents of Castalian Springs have organized to stop a rock quarry from coming to their historic area.

State and local historians are getting involved and providing support. Tom Henry Neal has become one of the leaders of the grass roots movement called Save Castalian Springs.

Recently, Rutherford County’s Hoover Inc. purchased over 350 acres of land in Castalian Springs to operate a rock quarry. Additional parcels of land were purchased to be leased for asphalt and concrete plants.

The Charles Haynes’ family sold the property to Hoover through a company Hoover recently formed which they named Western Farm Products. The Haynes family deny that they knew the property was being sold for a rock quarry.

Ironically, the Haynes familyare known throughout the state for their interest in conservation and historical preservation.

The area has several historical sites. It is home for Wynnewood, a stagecoach inn, Bledsoe’s Fort Historical Park, Castalian Springs Mound site, and the home of General William Bate, a former governor of Tennessee. The state has recently spent several million dollars for repairs to Wynnewood which was damaged by the 2008 tornado; and the state has recently purchased the General Bate’s home and Hawthorne farm.         ` 

The area has Indian mounds and burial grounds. It is also an area where students from Middle Tennessee State University conduct archeological digs.

Tennessee State Historian Walter Durham, who has written books about the area, has spoken out strongly against the rock quarry because of the historical significance of Castalian Springs.

Hoover held a meeting on July 7 at the Sumner County Administration Building to explain their position. Area residents turned out for the meeting and produced a standing room only crowd spilling out into the lobby. Citizens voiced their concerns at the meeting.

On July 14 at 6 p.m. the Sumner County Zoning Board of Appeals will address the zoning of the area for the rock quarry. The meeting will be at the administrative building. Each side will be given thirty minutes to make their case and there will be an opportunity for input from the community.

Portland’s David Amonette is an attorney working with the Save Castalian Springs group.

“Historic Castalian Springs is in the fight for our very existence with the greedy Hoover Quarry Company,” said Neal in an appeal for support,. This is an important fight for “all” residents of Sumner County. “If you are in an RIA Zone you are at risk just as much as Castalian Springs. Our hearing is before the County Zoning Board of Appeals at 6 p.m. July 14 in the County Administration Building. Please be there; it’s your fight also.”

A bank account has been opened at GreenBank in Gallatin for people who wish to make donations to help with the fight. Checks should be made out to Save Castalian Springs and mailed to the bank at 710 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066.

There is a blog with more information at:  http:savecastaliansprings.blogspot.com