Nestled west of the base of Snows Hill, Dowelltown is concentrated north of Highway 70, near where Dry Creek feeds into the larger Smith Fork. The confluence of those two water sources appealed to an earlier age, as remnants and relics of Native American occupation can still be seen in the area today. The town is named for its founder who starting selling lots about the same time a mill was constructed below the area’s main freshwater spring. That was in 1867 and the town slowly developed over the ensuing century along the streets built around the mill. Today, its population barely tops 400, as many residents who get their mail through the local post office reside in the scenic countryside surrounding the town in every direction.

Residents of the area enjoy a slice of country life which has already been lost in most places: casual strolls along back roads, fishing and swimming the creek by summer, and hiking, biking or driving the scenic area in any season. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll be out of place here.

Dowelltown itself is characterized by mostly modest older homes, as more spacious modern homes take shape on the affordable lots around them. In the country, most of the hillside farms are returning to woods, though some farming continues along the creek bottoms. Some large tracts of undeveloped land remain, though many larger farms are now being divided and sold as smaller more manageable settings for rural retreats. If that’s what interests you, Dowelltown and its surrounding area may be a good place to start. Search by the town name or zip code or contact Ron Sifford at Center Hill Realty at Silver Point.