The northern district of historical Pike County is part of Griggsville, Perry and Chambersburg Townships. The town of Griggsville was laid out in 1833 by Joshua Stanford, Nathan W. Jones and Richard Griggs who the town was named after. The original plat of the town consisted of eight blocks on the north and south side of Quincy Avenue. The town was incorporated by a vote in the General Assembly on September 10,1872.
Perry Township contained a unique geographical feature on the eastern boundary. Early on mineralized springs were discovered and used for all kinds of medical conditions. The first spring that was used was known as the Magnesia Spring or “spring in the rock” because it bubbled out of a large rock.
By 1856 Zack Wade who visited the springs for his own personal health built a very fine hotel for guests to stay. Eventually B.A. Watson of Springfield began to develop the springs and property. Watson built another fine hotel and made other springs nearby available to his guests. The various springs contained high levels of magnesium, lime, iron, potassium, soda and salt. The three largest springs were the Magnesia, Iron and Sulphur. In time a small community known as Perry Springs developed offering carriage service to the springs from the railroad depots.
Located within Perry Township is the village of Perry. The town was founded in 1836 by Joseph S. King. First settled by Kentuckians it was first name Booneville after the famous Kentucky frontiersman and explorer Daniel Boone. Later the town was named Perry in honor of Commodore Perry of Lake Erie fame. In time the town prospered containing several good stores, blacksmith shops, one mill, six churches and one newspaper. The first schoolhouse was a of a log structure built in 1835. The new schoolhouse was built for the cost of $4,000.00 and had four rooms with an average attendance of 200 students.
East of Perry Township is located Chambersburg Township and the town of Chambersburg which sets on the north fork of McGee Creek. The town was surveyed and laid out on May 7, 1833 by Seaborn Gilmore and B.B. Metz. Two gentlemen by the last names of McIntosh and Givens were the first settlers of the town. Prior to the town being laid out the two had operated a distillery and store on the property. At its peak years the town had several stores, church’s, shops and a schoolhouse.
