Long before Burnt Chimney, which was later to become Forest City, was incorporated, it was a small settlement of rich, fertile soil located in the heart of Rutherford County with no doubt that it had lasting roots for eventual cultivation and growth.

James McArthur built a large house near the crossroads in what is now downtown Forest City, but a devastating fire claimed the dwelling, leaving a lone blackened and bleak old chimney standing from which the community was to be labelled with the name Burnt Chimney. In the earlier days of this young settlement, it had served as the official muster ground for the Burnt Chimney Volunteers' training before the Civil War.

The first school was Burnt Chimney Academy, built in 1874 the rambling size of 30' x 45' and stood on the same site as the present Cool Springs School.

Cool Springs Baptist Church was the first church organized in the community with a log building just north of Cool Springs Cemetery and is now the First Baptist Church.

Most Enterprising Town

Incorporated 27 Feb 1877 as Burnt Chimney and presenting itself as promise for the largest and most enterprising town in the county, some residents with pride and vision, had grown restless and offended with the indignity of Burnt Chimney as its name. Mrs Jenny Lee Eaves Davis, editor of The Weekly Times was such a person. She wrote letters to our representatives in the Lower House of Commons and suggested to the Town Council that the name of her young son, Forest Toliver Davis, be used adding City to his first name. On 27 Feb 1882, in response to petitions, the post office was changed to Forest City, but not until 27 Feb 1887 was it ratified by the General Assembly as The Town of Forest City.

Barely organized as an incorporated town, the small citizenry was to see most of its previous progress go up in a blaze in 1886 which also destroyed the newspaper establishment. But the ravages of accomplishments were met with the pioneer spirit of determination and came the foundation for building anew the town which was destined to be.

Boosting development at a time most desperately needed, the breakthrough came with the locating of Florence Mill and the building of the railroad. Both of these accomplishments were completed in 1897 bringing Forest City from its budding youth to a more mature status of its place among small towns USA.

With new industry and a railroad providing employment and transportation, the population grew rapidly as the census disclosed.

Following the location of an industry of such ennormity as Florence Mill, other development took place orderly. In 1901 Forest City Telephone Company was chartered. 1904 saw the First National Bank established serving the town until 1915 when The Farmers Bank and Trust Company was organized. Later that year, the two consolidated making a stronger bank but unable to withstand the last of the Great Depression the doors were closed in 1930. To relieve the crippled town's need for banking facilities, Union Trust Company opened a branch bank 17 Feb 1930 which is being operated today as BB&T. Security Bank and Trust opened 1 Jul 1942, but is now operated by Northwestern.

In 1903 the Forest City public school system built a graded school just one block north of Main Street. This served as the public school until 1922 when the Forest City Elementary School was built just off Caroleen Road.

"City Look"

As one can see the community's growth was certainly in an orderly sequence. On 4 Jun 1910, electric lights were turned on and the town was lighted that night, giving her the sophisticated "city look". During that same month on 24 Jun, the public water system began operating. Before these advancements came into being, a community well in the public square furnished one and all, both people and animals.

Growth has been almost too rapid to keep accurately recorded. From 1877, when Dr G E Young was named Mayor of the incorporated town, to the present time, with T Pryor Smith serving, Forest City has had twenty-six mayors altogether, three public schools within the corporate limits, a public library, recreation complex, twenty-nine churches, a large number of privately owned businesses and twenty industries.

Energetic people with diversified interests have brought culture, education, sports, industry, and deep spiritual values into a format of pleasant and productive life for the municipality of Forest City.

Submitted by Shirley G Smith to the Rutherford County Heritage Book