Jones’ Sprint's Hotel, ns it looks today. It was one of the populnr re¬
sorts of many years ago. Shocco Springs hotel, featured in the accom¬
panying article, was burned to the ground in 1889.
66 At The Springs"
There were many famous springs in
I lie old days, bnt most of them faded
out of the pieture many years ago.
although a few still remain.
By INEZ PITTMAN CKATEII
VACATION time is approach¬
ing. Before long thousands of
North Carolinians will be going
to the beach, to the mountains and
to other places for the purpose of
Stting a little rest and relaxation
>m their daily work. Some will
go for just a day or two; others
will spend a month or longer.
Vacations have changed con¬
siderably in North Carolina, like
practically everything else. Nowa¬
days folks say they’ll be “at the
beach." "in the mountains," or
"on the lake." But in the days of
long ago in this state, it was often
a case of meeting "at the springs."
In Warren County
There were quite a few spring
resorts in North Carolina to choose
from a quarter of a century be¬
fore the devastations of The Civil
War set in. but Shocco and Jones'
springs in Warren County appear
to have been top favorites for
many of the elite of the two
Carolinas, Virginia and even other
states more remote. And of those
two springs, which were only
three miles apart, it seems Shocco
was the most preferred. From June
to October a steady stream of car¬
riages and buggies came and went
on the good and easily accessible
roads to Shocco, which was situ¬
ated about ten or eleven miles
south of Warrenton, and about
equal distances from Henderson
and Louisburg.
No part of it is in existance now,
but in its heyday the hotels at
Shocco sprawled all over the top
of a gently sloping hill, while
around it hovered little cabins
ready to offer shelter to any who
were unable to obtain accommoda¬
tions in the main building. In and
around the grounds, which were
thickly shaded by great oak trees,
were little tributary paths leading
to the main "highway" to the
springs, a few 100 yards away. In
midsummer this arterial lane was
a veritable Peacock Walk as the
wasp - waisted ladies in their
sweeping, many-ruflled skirts, and
the mustachioed gentlemen in
their long coats met and ambled
along or rested and chatted on
quaint rustic scats.
A Day at Shocco
In describing a day at Shocco,
George Anderson Foote, in his
"Old Watering Places in Warren
County," written before the turn
of the century, said:
"The life . . . was one of utter
idleness and gaycty. All came
presumably for health's sake, but
the greater part spent their time
in social enjoyment. A long build¬
ing near the hotel contained bow-l¬
ing alleys and billiard tables, a
feature of special interest to the
male portion of the visitors. The
day was passed there in very much
the same way as at our fashionable
summer hotels of today. After a
late breakfast, everybody strolled
in the grove, gradually wending
their way towards the springs.
Then billiards, cards, ten-pins,
novel reading, and the like, en¬
gaged their attention till dinner
time. When the afternoon siesta
was over, almost the entire crowd
spent the remainder of the day in
riding and driving. Everybody
owned a horse, young men with
their light buggies, and families
with the stately carriage and pair.
While at supper the guests ate to
the strains of a stringed band, and
after tea, each one had an oppor¬
tunity to show his grace and skill
in the minuet and Virginia Reel.
Ladies and their gallants seemed
the impersonation of beauty, ease
and grace, as they lightly danced
in and out the intricacies of the
fascinating figures. When the
dance was over, by a few covert
winks, a certain set of young men
knew in whose room they were
to meet and play poker till the rosy
streaks of dawn warned them 'twas
time to stop. The neighboring
families often invited the Springs
guests to their homes, and in many
ways rendered them little courte¬
sies, which conduced to the enjoy¬
ment of their stay at The Springs.
Tournaments occasionally varied
the amusement, where, after the
victor was proclaimed, in the
crowded ballroom, he crowned
the queen of his heart, 'Queen of
Love and Beauty’."
In its most thriving time Shocco
was the property of Mrs. Robert
Johnson whose brother-in-law was
William R. Johnson, known far
and wide in his time as Napoleon
of the Turf. Later The Springs
exchanged hands several times,
and finally, in 1889, all the build¬
ings were burned.
Among the prominent people in
the state at that time who fre¬
quented Shocco were: Judge Bad¬
ger, Governor Ellis. Colonel Polk
of Mexico fame and Mrs. Polk, the
Grahams, Moreheads, Burgwyns,
( Continued on page 26)
22
THE STATE. June 22. 1946
