HISTORY OF THE CLEVELAND SPRINGS
By Mrs. J. P. Caldwell in The Charlotte Observer in 1921 for the Grand Opening of the new hotel.
After 15 years of desuetude Cleveland Springs, one of the most famous watering places in the south and one of the most widely known in the south, has Come into its own again. A new and more brilliant era dawned last Friday. An elegant and costly new hotel beautifully located and with all the modern comforts and convenience was formality opened by the Cleveland Springs company which is composed of monied men of Shelby. With ex-Mayor J.C. Smith of Shelby as president and O. M. Wall, also of Shelby as secretary treasurer. Opening day was marked with a big dinner and a brilliant ball. Nearly 300 people sat down to dinner which was served in the splendidly equipped and beautiful ball room and there were 500or more people who attended the ball in the evening music was furnished by the Merrymaker's orchestra and the affair was one of brilliance and beauty. The hundreds participating, danced in the era of a new life and even more popularity and fame than Cleveland had in days ranging from 1870 to the middle 80s.
All the counties in this section and those across the line in South Carolina were represented at the dinner and ball. It was not only a large but a representative gathering. The hills sounded with the sound of music, the dance and merry laughter after several decades of silence. Not in the south is there to be found at a summer resort a handsomer hotel or one more elegantly furnished or a better cuisine. Each and every department has been arranged with the idea of pleasing the public both summer and winter, for the water is just as efficacious in cold as in hot weather. Sunday there were hundreds of people from all over the Carolinas and other states, the whole face of the earth being covered with autos, which bore the tag of at least four different southern states.
Cleveland Springs has been known ;to the public nearly 200 years. The property was owned by the Wilson family of Cleveland county, the last Wilson owner, “old Mrs. Wilson” lived to be nearly a hundred years old. She was born on the place and lived there until it was leased to the late Mr. John Blackwood, father of Mrs. R. M. Oates and Mrs. Edward Dickson, in the middle 60's, Mr. Blackwood and family resided there for a number of years. The place had always been called Wilson's Springs until the name was changed by Mr. Blackwood to “Cleveland Springs” in order to identify it more with the county and-as a better advertisement.
A three-story brick hotel was built by Mr. Blackwood. It was on top of the big hill from under which flows the water of the famous white sulfur springs, the building facing the east. There was three long porches on each floor extending the length of the building. On the lower floor was an immense dining room which was used also as a ballroom, a large room, used as a parlor and a smaller room, and the office. Immediately across the “plane” --as the West Pointer would call it --from the hotel was the original Wilson home, a two-story white house splendidly constructed and which was perfectly preserved, and the writer hopes is still there us a monument to the past and to the splendid folk who built and lived in it for years upon years.
After Mr. Blackwood gave up his lease, coming to Charlotte to live, the Wilsons were again in charge of the Springs. About the year 1870 the late Judge Brevard and Mrs. Brevard, parents of the late Robert J. Brevard, who had been living in Lincolnton, Mrs. Brevard having a girl’s school there, leased the Springs property and opened the place for visitors in the summer, and in the winter had a girls’ boarding school there being from 25 to 40 girls there, the writer being one of them.
Cleveland Springs was one of the most widely known and most fashionable watering resorts in the south. There was no more charming society to be found anywhere, the old time aristocrats of the south journeying there season after season, and spending weeks at a time there. Mrs. Brevard was the active manager as Judge Brevard was not able physically to act in that capacity. Judge Brevard, Mrs. Brevard and her son, ‘the late Dr. Brevard, moved into Shelby and lived there for several years, then Dr. Brevard was married to Miss Mamie Stoney, of Charlotte, and he came to Charlotte, and lived in this city up to the time of his death, his mother living with him at his home on South Tryon street, where the Latta arcade now is, and there Mrs. Brevard died. . A nobler, sweeter, purer character never lived.
After the Brevard's left Cleveland "old Mrs. Wilson” moved back to the old place--being up in the 80's then, her grandson, ( S McBride Poston) Mr. Poston taking charge of the Springs, and operation it until his death. (1879). The place was the bought by John Wilkerson, of the Maxton section, a brother-in law of Mr. J. A. Fore of this city, the two being in the lumber business together near Maxon. Mr. Wilkerson owned and operated the Springs for eight years. His health failed and by strain of circumstance he failed, losing about $60,000 by his purchase of the Springs property. The property reverted to the Wilson heirs, among them the Poston family who operated the springs.
Afterward the late William Miller and his sister-in-law, Miss Lee, of Shelby, purchased the place and operated it as a watering resort. The hotel was destroyed by fire shortly after the property was purchased by Mr. Darwin, of Georgia, who had the idea of the club plan of development, but this did not materialize. After 15 years leading citizens of Shelby succeeded in purchasing the property and the present magnificent development has been the result of that purchase.
NOTE: The fire happened in 1907 before John Darwin purchased the property.