Sorghum Flat, C.N., I.T.

Price's Falls showing the water wheel and the grist mill - 1890.

The establishment of the community of Sorghum Flat, in the 1870's,  is generally attributed to William Nathan Price.  There is some evidence that Price was in the area before the Civil War.  Prices Falls was named after him where he had a large mill powered by an overshot water wheel.  The wheel is still there today at the falls.  Price had a grist mill as well as a cotton gin.  Sorghum Flat got it's name from the large amount of cane raised and cooked down to make sorghum molasses.  The custom of the time was to use sorghum for cooking rather than using sugar as sugar was scarce and expensive.  Sugar had to be imported from Texas. 

The water wheel was said to be installed by Dave Smith in 1882.  They are said by some to have installed the first wheel on Falls Creek at Prices Falls.  Along with the grist mill was a saw mill.  It was operated by Tom Akins.  The general store and post office was operated by Al Taylor.  Although there is no known post office attributed to Sorghum Flat, there is one for Price.  Most likely the same place.  Just a more uptown name.

In 1900 a tiny church known as Price's Chapel was built and the school was moved there where both church services and school were held.  As Dougherty came into being and began to grow because of the Santa Fe and it depot, business began to move there and Sorghum Flat slowly faded away.  The cemetery and Price's Chapel still exist on the Healy Brother's Ranch between Dougherty and Davis.

Dennis Muncrief, November, 2000.