The Van Buren County Historical and Heritage Museum

10/07/2026

10/04/2026

Hey y’all! Take a look at this piece of Van Buren County school history! 🏈🐐

This photograph was recently brought to the museum with a handwritten note identifying the team members and dating it to 1943.

The note says they were called the Presidents and that “the girls” were called the First Ladies, in honor of President Martin Van Buren. It doesn’t specify whether that refers to cheerleaders or another school group. If you know, we’d love to hear from you!

The photograph itself is captioned “Tennessee Billy Goats”—and you’ll notice an actual goat standing right in the middle! He even gets his own spot on the list of names as “Billy Goat.”

Those identified, from left to right, are:

Front row: Edward Clark, Johnny Passons, Hubert Bumbalough, Billy Goat, A. C. Templeton, Willis Joe Brock, and Ralph Hutchinson.

Back row: Lane Cunningham, Johnny Hillis, Joe Sparkman, Carl Miller, and Glenn Grissom.

We’re glad someone kept these names with the photograph and that both made their way to the museum.

Do you recognize anyone or have a family connection? Do you know any stories about the Presidents football team—or their goat? Share them in the comments! We’d love to learn more.

10/03/2026

Hey y’all! The museum is open today from 10 AM to 3 PM at the Old Courthouse on the square in Spencer.

If you’re looking for something to do on this rainy Saturday, stop on by, have a look around, and sit down and talk with us!

Everything is still a work in progress, but we’re getting a lot done up here and would love for you to see how things are coming along. We’ve still got a few flags for sale, too.

Come on in and see us!

09/30/2026

The stories and places that define Van Buren County are not only part of our past—they are also key to welcoming visitors and building a stronger future.

Last night’s Tourism Forum brought together residents, business owners, city and county leadership, and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to discuss opportunities for Spencer and Van Buren County.

Fall Creek Falls brings people to our area, and our community has more stories, places, and local businesses for them to discover. At the Van Buren County Historical & Heritage Museum, we’re proud to help share the history that makes this place our home.

Thank you to Mayor Alisa Farmer for organizing the forum, County Mayor Barry Austin and the county commissioners who attended, the state tourism team for their guidance, and everyone who participated. It was encouraging to see people come together with a shared interest in our community’s future.

We look forward to working together to preserve our heritage, support local businesses, and help visitors discover all that Van Buren County has to offer.

09/25/2026

Hey ya’ll, we’d love to see a good turnout for the Tourism Forum next Tuesday. Van Buren County’s history and heritage are a big part of what makes this place special, and this is a chance for everyone to be part of the conversation about its future.

You don’t have to own a business or work in tourism to come. If you care about Spencer and Van Buren County, you’re invited.

📅 Tuesday, September 29 | 5:00–6:30 PM
📍 UT Extension Ag Learning Center, 288 Spring Street, Spencer

Staff from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development will be joining us. Hope to see you there!

09/21/2026

👀 I KNOW you’ve been wondering what we’ve been working on…

And if you know us, you KNOW we’re not about to do anything halfway. 😉

We’re talking OVER-THE-TOP. EXTRAVAGANT. FESTIVE.
And we’re making this the MOST SPECIAL Christmas celebration yet. 🎄✨

🎄 DR PEPPER FESTIVAL 🎄
📍 Spencer, Tennessee
📅 Saturday, December 5, 2026
⏰ 2–6 PM

Here’s just a taste of what we’re cooking up…

🎂Sweets Competition
Think Dr Pepper recipes AND I want to see your best Sundrop cake there😉 — because we had to make it interesting!

🥩 Meats Competition
Dr Pepper-inspired recipes, because apparently we believe everything tastes better with Dr Pepper. 😂

🎅 Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition

🎨 “Dr Pepper Through the Ages” Art Gallery
A little history, a little nostalgia, and a whole lot of red.

🎄 Our Annual Christmas Tree Decorating & Lighting Ceremony

🍴 FOOD VENDORS GALORE
And yes — we’re asking our vendors to bring their best Dr Pepper-inspired creations to the table!

☕ The Chamber’s Hot Dr Pepper Flights + Appetizers
Non-alcoholic, of course — and we’re bringing some fun twists to a classic.

🎶 LIVE MUSIC

…and probably a few surprises we aren’t ready to tell you about just yet. 👀

But here’s the BIG question:

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?!

This is a celebration for our community, and we want to make it something you’ll look forward to every single year.

👇 Tell us in the comments:
What would make you say, “I WOULD NOT MISS THAT”?

More competitions? More Christmas? More Dr Pepper? Kids’ activities? Something completely wild?

WE’RE LISTENING. ❤️🥤🎄

And most importantly, MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🗓️

09/19/2026

🏛️ We’re open today!

The Van Buren County Historical & Heritage Museum is open today from 10:00 AM–3:00 PM.

Come by, explore some of Van Buren County’s history, and see what’s been happening at the museum. We’d love to have you stop in!

📍 Spencer, Tennessee
🕙 Open today until 3:00 PM

08/31/2026

September 11th at 6 PM - September 13th

48th Annual Mountaineer Folk Festival
We are just 4 weeks away. Here’s your list of "don’t miss" activities:

🍂Friends of Fall Creek Falls Booth – Grab your festival shirt, pick up your scavenger hunt form, and get information for the whole festival.
🍂Visit the demonstrators – See traditional skills and crafts in action.
🍂Join a competition – Watch or participate on Saturday!
🍂Explore the “Little Mountaineer Hideaway” – Fun for the younger festival-goers.
🍂Enjoy live music – All day, every day throughout the festival.