The following account was prepared by R. C. Spann, Lewis County, whose father worked in the Colans (woods where timber was cut and made into charcoal) of Allen's creek in 1898.  An additional article has been submitted by Pattie Jean Davis Hedge and is listed after this account by R. C. Spann.

R. C. Spann, worked in the General Merchandise Store from 1919 to 1921.  At that time, there were eight clerks.  The eight were W. H. Walker, Dickson; Hollis Nutt, Riverside; Harry Helton, Waynesboro; Oakley Staggs, Lyles; Cazy Tatum, Linden; Buy Craig, Lobelville; Eddie Wilburn, Lobelville; and R. C. Spann, Riverside.

At the beginning of Riverside, 1893, there was a general Merchandise Store, owned by Coble and Son until purchased by H. N. Mann in 1895.  In the year 1902 there was a railroad from North Riverside to what is known as Perry Hollow where there was an Iron Ore Washer and where ten families lived.

The ore was brought down and shipped up to Allen's Creek, a distance of about four miles, where this washer continued to operate until 1913.  There was an Iron Ore Washer about one mile south of North Riverside, which was called Warner Hill.  This ore was shipped out to Cumberland Furnace in Dickson county.

About the year 1889, the railroad from Hohenwald, was extended to Allen's Creek. It was called a narrow gauge and frequently used. The Allen's Creek mines were opened in 1890 by the southern Iron Company of Nashville and was worked until 1892. the mines remained idle until 1895, at which time the property was sold to the Buffalo Iron Company of Nashville. This company mined the property from October, 1895 until July, 1902. Shortly thereafter, the property was acquired by the Bon Air Coal and Iron Company which operated the mines until April, 1913. Mining was resumed in January, 1916 by the receivers of the Bon Air Coal and Iron Company and continued by them until June 15, 1917, when they sold it to the reformed bon Air coal and Iron Corporation. This company operated the mine for several years and then became a part of the Tennessee Products Corporation in about 1923
                                                                          

Approximately two million tons of iron ore have been mined in the Allen's Creek area, most of which was smelted in local blast furnaces to produce raw pig iron.  The iron industry at Allen's Creek was of considerable economic importance to the people of North Wayne County and South Lewis County, for more than a quarter century.  In the year 1917 to 1919 there were more people at North Riverside, south Riverside, Warner Hill, and Allen's Creek than there was at Hohenwald.  In 1910, there was a depot at south Riverside and about six stores.  The Church of Christ was built in North Riverside about 1902.  The train bridge was washed out across Buffalo River in 1903.  Dave Voorhies had just walked out on the bridge and back off before it washed away.             

In 1862 near Texas bottom at Riverside, W. E. Voorhies after having rescued a fox from dogs, met up with part of the Confederate army.  After answering several questions about the capture of the fox, the captain asked Voorhies for the fox's tail.  The tail was cut off and given to the captain of the army.  He was so interested in the fox, that he forgot to induct Voorhies into the army, being the only thing which saved Voorhies from being in the Civil war.

All food, horses and other valuable things were kept hidden from the house for fear if found the army would confiscate it.  In 1850 to 1868 the night riders were very bad up and down Buffalo river.  Their hide-out was on 48 Creek, which is known as Rock Courthouse.  The first Church of Christ at Mannie Furnace was a colored congregation about the year 1892.  About 1895 a white congregation was established and met in a school house.

Around 1845 to 1860, Texas bottom was filled with sugar trees.  They were tapped in the spring and cooked down.  Three to three and a half pounds of maple sugar could be made from a wash kettle full of juice.  This sugar was for ones own use.

At this writing there is no store at Allen's Creek and South Riverside.  At North Riverside, Mann, Voorhies, and Adcox sold out to Marvin Patton and wife, Irene, in the year 1937.  This store had a very good business through the years.  In the year 1921, there was an oil well drilled on the farm of H. N. Mann in North Riverside.  We drilled 1,300 feet.  The money was put up by a firm in Nashville for 1,200 feet.  The last 100 feet was never paid for.  This well is capped off today.