Silerton Celebrates a Centennial of Memories
UPDATE 10/16/23: The Silerton history book One Hundred Years of Memories: A Celebration of Silerton, Tennessee’s Centennial, 1923-2023 is available to order through Monday, October 30, 2023. Order information is at the end of the article.
The community of Silerton gathered on Saturday, October 7, 2023, to mark the centennial of the Town. A reflection of 100 years, from 1923 – 2023, was celebrated with a program, music, antique displays, and the traditional cake walk.
The Silerton Centennial Celebration program was held in Silerton Baptist Church commemorating 100 years. Attendees had the opportunity to fellowship and reminisce about growing up and living in Silerton, as well as a telling of its history.
“Growing up in Silerton was like being raised in Mayberry,” said Silerton Centennial committee member Mary Lambert who noted how the population has changed over the past 100 years. “So much has changed where probably less than 20 people who now live in Silerton have deep roots.”
That did not lessen the interest of the almost 200 people who attended the celebration. According to Wikipedia, Silerton has history that dates back as far as 1869 and a current population of about 100 people. Jesse, Spencer, James, and Horace Siler, sons of Solomon Siler, and James, John, Josiah, and Edward, sons of James all from Siler City, North Carolina purchased land that spans between Hardeman County and Chester County. Silerton, incorporated in 1923, is the smallest town in Hardeman County.
Lambert shared other memories of growing up in Sileton. She graduated from Silerton School where students were educated through the eighth grade. According to Lambert, Silerton School later closed in 1965 and was consolidated with Toone Elementary School.
“Silerton School had an annual harvest festival that was held to raise funds for the school,” said Lambert. “A cake walk was a regular event at the festivals.”
Tours were given in the Town Hall, and several antique pieces were displayed in the fellowship hall. Some of the items that took people back in time were a spinning wheel from the 1800s, Atlas Rush’s high school diploma, a wedding photograph of Rush and Betsy Siler, a molasses jug, flat iron, an antique butter churn, a Fitts Grocery sign, and more.
Souvenir T-shirts and hats were available for preorder purchase. The preorder Silerton history book, One Hundred Years of Memories: A Celebration of Silerton, Tennessee’s Centennial, 1923-2023 which highlighted the past 100 years of the Town including the history of families from the community was popular and sold out.
“It was a great turnout,” said Lambert. “Everyone had a good time.”
Silerton Celebrates a Centennial of Memories photographs courtesy of Silerton Photographs from the Past.
Order the Silerton history book One Hundred Years of Memories: A Celebration of Silerton, Tennessee’s Centennial, 1923-2023 through Monday, October 30, 2023, for $25 plus $9 shipping and handling. To order the books, call Vicki at (901) 277-1420 or William at (731) 267-2170.
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