Camp Springs History
Located midway between Alexandria and Silver Grove, Camp Springs, once known as Indian Springs and Four Mile Creek, is an old German settlement with a rich architectural history. Many of its stone and brick buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a creek flowing in this area known as Four Mile Creek. Settlers used field stones and rock from Four Mile Creek to build their homes.
Four Mile Creek/Hayfield/Camp Springs was settled in the mid 1800s by Germans, who first tried growing grapes and then turned to farming.
Among the buildings is St. Joseph Catholic
Church which is perched on a hill above Camp Springs. The church was
established in the 1850s and the present church building was dedicated on June
15, 1865.
St. Joseph Camp Springs Elementary School-Four Mile began around 1851-53 in a log building that was torn down around 1968. A one story frame and stone building was built in 1868 and used until 1933-34. Another school building was added in 1933-34 and is presently in use.