Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

The Oldest Town in Henry County
The founding of Calhoun, the oldest town in Henry County, is credited to James Nash of Tennessee in 1835. Nash donated the two-acre square for a public park and procured the services of John S. Lingle to plat the new village in 1837. Calhoun is named in honor of John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), the "cast-iron" senator and vice president from South Carolina. Benjamin L. Durritt, a school-teacher, purchased the first lot on May 1837; however, it was Calhoun's postmaster who built the first house.

One writer described the town in those early years. "There were in this village (which was called Calhoun) twelve houses besides the hotel and the blacksmith's shop; there were no stores, and no wagon road; and the grass grew as luxuriantly in the street as out on the prairie."

Soon, Calhoun became the center of Henry County commerce, boasting one dry goods, two grocery and three general stores. Although more populated at the time, Calhoun lost its bid for county seat to Clinton in 1841. Its location was not central to the county.

Jugtown: the Queen of Pottery
The pottery business was one of the earliest industries in Calhoun. Six companies were in operation at one time, and a total of eight were located here. The exceptional clay deposits nearby supplied a thriving business even prior to the railroad. After the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Co. arrived in July 1870, the potteries enlarged operations and began to ship their products (crocks, bowls, jugs, etc.) to other states, earning Calhoun the nickname Jugtown.

The last of the potteries closed around 1910, and little evidence is left today of the once-thriving industry. Potter Street, where a few of the crockery works were located, was changed to Depot Street. As a testament to change, even the depot is gone. Still, one historian writes that Calhoun was the Queen of Pottery. In celebration of this history, the Calhoun Pottery Festival is held each year in conjunction with the Colt Show.

[Upper Photo: Calhoun was platted as a town in 1837. Note that the previous name for Henry County was Rives.]
Photo Courtesy of Henry County Courthouse.

[Lower Photo: This jug was one of many styles produced by G.A. Jegglin and Son Pottery.]
Used by permission, Henry County Historical Museum.

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment