Coventry Roots: Whaley's Hollow

With the increased travel along the North Road (see ), Thomas Whaley settled into the area and operated a saw mill; thus the name Whaley’s Hollow came into existence. Thomas Whaley’s home still stands today on Maple Valley Road. 

Around 1747 Waterman’s Tavern was built by John Waterman.  As you will recall from the Rice City article, taverns were established as a place for food and rest. This Tavern was also used for town meetings until the new Town House was built in 1835 at the intersection of Maple Valley Road and Matteson. (The Town House was later moved to in 1941 to Washington where it is now located on Flat River Road adjoining the .) 

In 1766 stocks and a whipping post were added in front of Waterman’s Tavern for doling out punishments. During the American Revolution, the French Army under Rochambeau (whose march had begun in Newport, RI) established a camp in the fields below the Tavern on their way to Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. The French officers resided in the Tavern while the French soldiers camped in the field. They camped here again on their return trip from Yorktown in 1782. 

On February 11, 1851, an agreement was drawn up between Robert Potter, John Potter II and Albert Potter to establish a bobbin mill in the area of Whaley's Hollow.  The bobbin mill was converted from Thomas Whaley’s saw mill and was water-powered and employed local people. Bobbins were made of wood, turned on the lathe, and the end product was a spindle or spool of various sizes used to hold thread.

Because of the Potter family, Whaley’s Hollow then became known as Pottersville. On August 21, 1872 Henry P. Burlingame, Jenkins J. Johnson, John Potter II, Silas B. Havens and Samuel W. Pray filed Articles of Incorporation to form the Union Bobbin Manufacturing Company.  Each man contributed $900 for the establishment of the company. The Union Bobbin Manufacturing Company was in operation until 1895 until the land was sold to Lewis E. Williams.    

Today the Waterman’s Tavern is a single family home still standing on Maple Valley Road and it is on the National Register for Historic Places. Also found on Maple Valley Road not too far from the Whaley homesteads are three family cemeteries. Whaley’s Hollow is known as Maple Valley today.