Sulphur City
The post office at Sulphur City was established in 1882 and closed around 1960. The community was first known as Sulphur Springs but another post office already had that name so Mankins was chosen but soon changed to Sulphur City. The post office was initially called Mankins after Peter Mankins, who was born in 1770 in Maryland and died in 1881 at 111 near Sulphur City.
County court records show that a school existed in Sulphur City as early as 1877 and operated until 1948 when it was consolidated with Elkins.
The first store in Sulphur City was established in 1876 by Johnson Crawford. Other stores, blacksmith shop and apple dryer operated for some time. A spring house was built at the sulphur spring with hopes of a health resort being built. All stores, school and the spring house are now gone. The spring flows only a little water but was still flowing in the 1960’s. Other springs also exist in the vicinity but do not have sulphur water.
Peter Mankins Sr. is thought to have arrived in the Middle Fork valley in the 1830s. He developed a significant livestock business. Blevins reported that Mankins made cattle drives to Chicago and hog drives to Louisiana and is said to have participated in the first cattle drive to California. In 1857, he sold $34,000 worth of cattle to the U.S. government. Like so many other prosperous activities in the area, the Civil War brought an end to Mankins’ livestock business. Mankins died in 1881, just a short time time after seeing the first train arrive in Fayetteville.
Peter Mankins Jr. likely took over some of his father’s businesses. He was a member of one of the groups who went to California for the gold rush. One story says he made a good deal of money in California but lost most of it gambling and arrived back home with little. He also formed and supplied a troop of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. His troop was eventually joined with a regular unit of the Confederate army.
Sulphur City is just east of the Middle Fork of the White River. A number of settlements grew along this river, from the south were:
- Osburn, post office established 1901, discontinued 1929
- Hazel Valley, post office established 1875, discontinued 1951
- Arnett, established 1883, discontinued 1951
- Hicks, established as Carter’s Store in 1875, discontinued in 1953.
Bibliography:
Washington County Postoffices and Postmasters, 1829-1976, by Deane Carter, published 1976 by Washington County Historical Society.
“Sulphur City,” by F.M. McConnell, Flashback, May 1968.
“Middle Fork Valley, etc.,” by Frank M McConnell, Flashback, August 1961.
“History of the Middle Fork,” by Frank M McConnell, Flashback, July 1965.
Washington County History, by Joe Neal, Shiloh Museum.
Hill Folks, by Brooks Blevins.
School Days, School Days, by Billie Lee Griffith.
