Cold Springs School was built in May 1857 on land donated by Thomas Baskerville to be used as both a school and meeting-house. Early in the Civil War, it was used by Camp Trousdale as a military hospital. Many young men of Sumner County enlisted at Camp Trousdale. There, in 1866, David Lipscomb organized the Portland Church of Christ. Landowners Jim and Bill McGlothlin gave the schoolhouse to the citizens of Portland for a museum of local history. In September 1975, it was relocated to Richland Park.
Cold Springs School is an historic display of the Highland Rim Historical Society in Portland (Sumner County), Tennessee. Over the years, Cold Springs School has served a variety of purposes, including:
- A Civil War Hospital
- A One-Room Schoolhouse
- A Private Residence
- A Farm Building
- A Museum
Today, Cold Springs School has been fully restored into a one-room schoolhouse and is now located in Richland Park, just north of the Portland Public Library of Sumner County. The Library is located at 301 Portland Blvd, Portland, TN 37148.
*Renovations began April 2021 and the site could have limited or no hours available until the project is complete.
Accessibility:
There is a wheelchair ramp at the front of the school.
Restrooms:
There are no (and never have been) restrooms inside Cold Springs School.
There are restrooms in Richland Park.
For the most up-to-date hours and information, please contact Cold Springs School directly.
