Harpersville, originally called Big Springs, is one of Shelby County’s oldest communities, with roots that reach back to around 1815, before the creation of both Shelby County and the State of Alabama. The Harper and Kidd families first settled there, drawn by prime farmland and abundant creeks, springs, and branches, and they were soon joined by residents from North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia. The growing community established a store, blacksmith shop, steam-driven cotton gin, and other businesses, gained mail delivery, and became a regular stage coach stop. Early one-room schools led to the construction of Elmhill Academy, which attracted boarding students from both out of town and out of state, and the community became known for its educational facilities and cultural activities. Harpersville was also the home of Henry B. Walthal, a stage and silent film actor and a pioneer in Hollywood. Highway 280, known as “The Florida Short Route,” brought many opportunities, and in 1945 Harpersville officially incorporated; soon afterward, the town purchased the old Harpersville School and converted it into the Town Hall and municipal complex. Harpersville has also been associated with NBA players George McGinnis and Warren Kidd, with the Tulane brothers as former prominent residents, and with two Revolutionary War heroes buried there. Its historic sites and structures include Civil War fort ruins, Wallace-Klein Plantation, Chancellor Home, Newman Ruck House, Borum-Darby House, Old Baker Farm, Scott-Bradford Estate, and Harpersville Garden of Memories, where Chief Boz Sheppard, the last chief of the Kewohatchie Indians, and his family are buried.