Mountain Springs

Mountain Springs is at the intersection of Farm roads 922 and 372, twelve miles southeast of Gainesville in southeast Cooke County. The first school in Cooke County was established in 1847 three miles north of the community. It was conducted in the home of a Mrs. Underwood by Jane Shannon, a member of one of the pioneer families in the county. Joe R. Burch, who was married to Mary Strickland, moved to Texas in the early 1850s and built a home about 1856 in the area that later became Mountain Springs. The post office, established in 1875, was located in Burch's cabin. The name Mountain Springs (Mountain Spring) was selected because of a spring on the hillside next to his home. About 1877 Ed Runyon established a store 2½ miles south of Burch's cabin, and the post office was moved to the store. In 1884 the county commissioners established common-school districts to replace the former community schools. Land for the new school at Mountain Springs was given that year by Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Hodge and Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Rayzor. The community seems to have reached the height of its development in the 1890s; the population was 150 in 1892. In 1890 Mountain Springs had a gristmill and gin, a general store, a grocer, a druggist, and a blacksmith-wagonmaker. In 1904 the post office was discontinued. A population of twenty-five was recorded from 1933 to 1947. The school was closed in the latter year, when its territory was absorbed by the Valley View district. The Mountain Springs school building belonged to the community in 1989. At some time before 1948 the Mount Zion Methodist Church was torn down, and the New Hope Baptist Church was moved to Burns City. Another Baptist church was established, however, and served, along with a store, as one of the few remaining community institutions at midcentury. In 1963 the county map noted one business, a church, and a clubhouse. The population, not listed between 1949 and 1987, was recorded as 100 in 1988. In 1989 the community had one store, a community building, and several residences. Through 2000 the population was still 100.