"Our Heritage: Past, Present and Peaches"

OUR HERITAGE Past, present and peaches

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FROM THE CHILTON COUNTY 150th COMMITTEE COďšşCHAIRS

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n Dec. 30, 1868, a new political and North Alabama Railroad. In December subdivision was created in central 1874, Baker County was renamed in honor of William Parish Chilton, forAlabama from land obtained from surmer Chief Justice of the Alarounding Autauga, Bibb, Perry bama Supreme Court. and Shelby counties. The esThe history of Chilton Countablishment of Baker County ty is more than a timeline of was approved by an Act of the significant events; it is the stoAlabama Legislature during ry of its people. For more than the period of Congressional Re150 years, the people of Chilton construction that followed the County have maintained a steadAmerican Civil  War. fast commitment to their beliefs, In accordance with the act of their families, their communities establishment, the settlement of and the county that is home. Grantville was selected as the seat As we continue toward our of government for Baker Coun200th anniversary, the commuty. Named to honor Ulysses S. nities that serve as the foundations of Chilton County; Grant, commanding general of Clanton, Isabella, Jemison, Mathe Union Army during the Civil plesville, Thorsby and Verbena War, the establishment of Grantwill continue to evolve as they ville as the county seat illustrates have for generations. However, the sense of independence preit will be the people who ensure dominant among the first settlers the legacy of Chilton County as of Baker County. The end of the Civil War the history of our future is writand the birth of the new counten. ty were symbolic of a new bePlease join us as we commemginning and renewed sense of orate the sesquicentennial anniopportunity for the people of versary of the establishment of Baker County. During the forChilton County; remembering mative years of the county, the and rejoicing the history of the people experienced a number lives and events that have made of significant changes. In April 1871, a new Chilton County the heart of Alabama. county seat was established in Clanton, located adjacent to the rail line of the Louisville Derric Scott and Nashville Railroad, formerly the South Billy Singleton

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PUBLISHER Tim Prince

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL MANAGER Brandy Clackley

Calendar of Events ......................................................... 5

EDITORIAL Joyanna Love, Editor J.R Tidwell, Managing Editor Anthony Richards, Writer Scott Mims, Freelance Writer Emily Reed, Freelance Writer Cheryl Holmes, Freelance Writer Billy Singleton, Freelance Writer

Step Back in Time........................................................ 10

MARKETING Zack Bates, Marketing Consultant Brittani Ellison, Marketing Consultant

Lay and Mitchell Dams ............................................... 26

CUSTOMER SERVICE Jessica Patterson PRESSROOM & MAILROOM Jimmy Ruff, Production Manager Michael Turner, Press Operator Jimmy Huett, Press Maintenance Scott Mims, Mailroom Manager Malinda Nance, Mailroom Manager

Celebrating History ........................................................ 6 Stories From History.................................................... 13 Quintessential Quilts................................................... 15 In the Orchard ............................................................. 16 Memories of the 1968 Centennnial ........................... 22 Local Seniors Talk Past, Present and Future................ 23 History Photo Page ..................................................... 31 Memorable Happenings............................................. 32 Clanton........................................................................ 34 Jemison ....................................................................... 35 Maplesville.................................................................. 36 Thorsby........................................................................ 37 Verbena....................................................................... 38 What Will Chilton County Be Like in 50 Years? ........... 39 Driving through History ............................................. 44 97 Years of Service ...................................................... 52 Historic Churches Story ............................................... 54 Climbing the Family Tree ............................................ 58 Highlights of 2018 So Far............................................ 60

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SESQUICENTENNIAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS Oct. 14

Mulberry Baptist Church 200th Year Great Celebration

10 a.m.

Oct. 22- Oct. 25

Chilton County Museum at Senior Connection

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Oct. 21

Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel countywide congregational singing

2 p.m.

Oct. 22 6:30 p.m.

Courtney Pinkard from the Alabama Department of Archives and History presenting the lecture “Abandoning a Community: The History of Salem” at the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library

6:30 p.m.

Billy Singleton will present a lecture about his recent book, “Images of America: Chilton County,” as well as recount some of his personal experiences with Nell Harper Lee at the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library

Oct. 25

Glenn Wills, author of “Forgotten Alabama” at the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library

Oct. 23

6:30 p.m.

Oct. 27 (times are subject to change): 8 a.m.

Sesquicentennial Sprint, a fun run through the historic city of Clanton organized by the Chilton County YMCA.

9 a.m.

Peach Capital Parade set to start at 9 a.m.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Quintessential Quilts: Examples of old time quilting will be highlighted in a quilt show at Clanton First United Methodist Church presented by the local group Cotton Patch Quilters.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Goose Pond Gala at Clanton City Park featuring live music, food, entertainment, amusement park rides and contests. The music lineup includes Blast from the Past, Chilton County Mass Choir, Holy Destiny, Southern Pride, and Cotton Bird. A living history of Chilton County will be exhibited through examples of period skills and trades that were necessary and common in the times of Chilton’s founding, such as blacksmithing, horseshoeing, outdoor cooking, syrup making and more.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chilton Chrome and Spoke Car Show, sponsored by Stokes Automotive, featuring classic automobiles, muscle cars, motorcycles and other unique modes of transportation on display at the park.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Chilton County Arts Council will present an art show showcasing local artists and their work about the people and places of Chilton County. This will be held at the Arts Council’s building on Second Avenue North in Clanton. The art will remain on display through the end of November.

Chilton 150th 5

CELEBRATING HISTORY Goose Pond Gala climax of county’s 150th birthday celebration 6 Chilton 150th

Men participated in the beard contest during the 1981 Clanton Centennial, back row from left, Tol Kunkle, Morris Moatts, Richard Davis, Dan Nolan, Jack Whaley, Herb Salter and Douglas Scott as well as, front row from left, Hub Brigance and Denver Walker.

STORY BY SCOTT MIMS PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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ilestones that mark centuries and half-centuries are usually once-in-a-lifetime experiences for those participating. Anyone with ties to Chilton County has the opportunity to participate in something truly historic in 2018. Chilton County will observe its 150th anniversary — or Sesquicentennial — of the county’s formation this year during the month of October, culminating on Oct. 27 with a main event to be held at Clanton’s City Park. Derric Scott, president of the Chilton County Historical Society, said it’s important to host a celebration every 50 years. “You always need to remember your history and remember where you came from,” he said. “It’s good to know the how’s and the why’s of things that happened. If you wait longer than 50 years, a lot of people will miss out on participating in a big anniversary celebration.” The Goose Pond Gala, as the main event has been named, will include rides, amusements, contests, entertainment, food and music from local performers. Many other events are planned for that day as well, such as the Peach Capital Parade, displays of arts and crafts, a fun run, car show and more. The parade will line up at 8 a.m. and begin at 9 a.m. The parade will follow the same route as the annual Peach Parade, which starts at the Park Plaza shopping center near Clanton City Park and circles through downtown Clanton. Organizer Ivan Smith said the parade will be led by a distinguished “Vanguard,” including Eagle Scout Donnie Martin, Girl Scout Gold Star Kelly Garrett, Korean War Veteran POW Morris Price and Gold Star Mother Ann Spence, whose son was killed in Iraq. Smith said local queens will also be in the parade and veterans representing those “who have served in the last 70 years of conflicts,” Each municipality is also expected to be represented. Smith said the parade is open to anyone who would like to participate. “We want to give people the opportunity if people want to put something in the parade to do that,” Smith said. To register, contact your local municipality or Smith at 755-2673.

During the planning of the parade, Smith said he has enjoyed “getting to meet and realize just basically how many heroes we have in this county, both male and female.” Everyone Smith has talked to about being in the parade has agreed to participate. Chilton County was first known as Baker County when formed in an act of the Alabama Legislature on Dec. 30, 1868, and named for Alfred Baker, the founder and first mayor of Clanton. “[Baker] is the driving reason it was formed,” Scott said. The land was carved out of portions of Autauga, Bibb, Perry and Shelby counties. When Baker fell out of favor politically with locals in 1874, county residents petitioned for the renaming of Baker County to Chilton County, in honor of William P. Chilton, a well-liked chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. “[Chilton] had no real ties to the area, but he was popular,” Scott said. In 1968, Chilton County’s Centennial was celebrated, and this year residents will look back on yet another half-century of county life. Following is a brief rundown of events that will take place on Celebration Day, Oct. 27 (times are subject to change): • Things start moving at 8 a.m. with the Sesquicentennial Sprint, a fun run through the historic city of Clanton organized by the YMCA of Chilton County. • Also at 8, setup will begin for the Peach Capital Parade set to start at 9 a.m. Highlights will be historic dress and methods of transportation. The parade is sponsored by the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce. • The Goose Pond Gala is the center of all the festivities, held at Clanton City Park from 11 a.m. -5 p.m. with live music, food, entertainment, amusement park rides and contests. The music lineup includes Blast from the Past, Chilton County Mass Choir, Holy Destiny, Southern Pride and Cotton Bird. • During the week prior to the event, Senior Connection (next to Fred’s) will host a museum which will display historic artifacts, photos and articles on the history of Chilton. • Stokes Automotive is sponsoring the Chilton Chrome and Spoke car show fea-

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The parade was a highlight of the 1968 Centennial Celebration. (City of Clanton Archives)

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8 Chilton 150th

turing classic automobiles, muscle cars, motorcycles and other unique modes of transportation on display at the park. • The Chilton County Arts Council will present an art show showcasing local artists and their work about the people and places of Chilton County. Local artists 19 and older are invited to submit two pieces of visual 2D or 3D art. This will be held at the Arts Council’s building on Second Avenue North in Clanton. To sign up for the show contact the Arts Council at (205) 217-3027. The art will remain on display through the end of November. • Ladies from the famous Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers will exhibit their creations at Senior Connection. Their artwork has been the subject of major art museum exhibits nationwide and featured by many news organizations and books. • A living history of Chilton County will be exhibited at City Park through examples of period skills and trades that were necessary and common in the times of Chilton’s founding, such as blacksmithing, horseshoeing, outdoor cooking, syrup making and more. • Senior Connection is also hosting 150 Cents Dine and Discover, where for just 150 cents you can have a bag lunch while learning about events that are the history of Chilton County. This will be done in the form of informative talks the week of the celebration. A shuttle service will operate throughout town to assist attendees in getting place to place, Scott said. For more information, please visit www.CelebrateChilton150.org or visit the group’s Facebook page.

IMAGES FROM HISTORY Industrial Electrical / Instrumentation Contractor

Power Line Construction Substation & R/O/W Clearing

The movement of raw materials and finished products at the Twin Tree Lumber Company was dependent on the continuous operation of its rail system. Railcars would be moved along a rail spur to the mill or to connect with the Southern or Mobile and Ohio Railroad near Maplesville. Maintenance crews inspected and maintained the 26-mile company rail system to prevent disruptions to production.

Chilton County

Water tower, Alabama Mills in Clanton

BURNETT’S TAX SERVICE 755-7800 Constructed in 1897, the Louisville and Nashville rail depot was vital to the economy of Thorsby. The north and southbound rail service not only provided transportation for the residents but for the shipment of locally grown fruit and berry products to distant markets. Other critical services included the delivery of mail and freight.

Income Tax Preparation

“We Specialize in Electronic Filing” Chilton 150th 9

STEP BACK IN TIME

Chilton County celebration presents history museum STORY BY CHERYL HOLMES PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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he Chilton County 150th Celebration Museum will provide an opportunity to see historic and lifestyle memorabilia. Located at the Senior Connection, the museum will be open from Oct. 22 to 25 from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Oct. 26 from

10 Chilton 150th

8 a.m. to noon. Ivan Smith is busy collecting items for the museum. Generous citizens are loaning historical artifacts related to Chilton County for the display. In an era when families are endeavoring to minimalize and antiques are not as valued as they might have

been in the past, it is important to chronicle and keep reminders of what used to be. Smith said even a dial up phone would be something that could go in the museum. Many people are cleaning out the homes of grandparents and parents. The tendency is to get rid of a lot of things that might be an item to donate to the museum. Old pictures, clothing from a particular era and items used in the past that are not used anymore would be welcomed by the museum. When Smith was asked about the age of things for the museum, he replied, “anything 50 years or older.” Items that have been already donated include: a dress from the 100th celebration in 1968, pictures from Chilton County, farm implements, kitchen utensils and other similar items. Several churches have items they will be loaning for the display. Those who would like to loan an item to the museum, help set up the display or volunteer to be a host can contact Smith at (205) 755-2673 or any member of the Chilton County 150th Celebration Committee. Security is being provided by Crystal Keys Locksmith and the Clanton Police Department. Knowledge of the past is not only interesting, but it gives a sense of where we have come from and hopefully guides us to the future. County residents are encouraged to bring their grandchildren and children to share how life “used to be.”

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Examples of Gee’s Bend designs.

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Senior Connection will also feature the Gee’s Bend Quilters on Oct. 27. This group of ladies have been making quilts for over four generations. The quilts, at least the original quilts, do not follow a normal quilt pattern. Interviews with the older members seemed to have a theme of using the good parts of worn out clothes. They were recycling out of necessity, not out of a popular trend. Creola B. Pettway said, (in an interview in 2002), “… a quilt would come in my mind, what I want to make, and I put it there on the bed, I didn’t even have to have a pattern. It just came right in my mind. I said, ‘I believe I can do this.’ I would just get me some scissors and make anything I want.”

Sometimes the patterns turn out like they see in their minds and others take unexpected directions. Reminders of days gone by are evident in the time spent around the stitching of the quilts and the singing that goes on while they are quilting. Gee’s Bend, officially known as Boykin, Alabama, is an isolated peninsula that is on the Alabama River near Camden, Alabama. Access is by ferry, but if you miss the ferry, you can expect to drive an hour or more out of the way to reach it by land on County Road 29 from Alberta. This area was founded by the Gee family in the early 1800s, and the land sold to Mark Pettway in 1845. After the Civil War, the freed slaves took the name Pettway and founded their own all-black, isolated community. Since then, Gee’s Bend has made headlines and fascinated outsiders. Their quilts have been featured in art exhibits around the country, Kathryn Windham Tucker visited them in the early 60s and chronicled their story, and the Souls Grown Deep Foundation supports them. This is what the Souls Grown Deep website says about them:

“Gee’s Bend quilts carry forward an old and proud tradition of textiles made for home and family. They represent only a part of the rich body of African American quilts. But they are in a league by themselves. Few other places can boast the extent of Gee’s Bend’s artistic achievement, the result of both geographical isolation and an unusual degree of cultural continuity. In few places elsewhere have works been found by three and sometimes four generations of women in the same family, or works that bear witness to visual conversations among community quilting groups and lineages. Gee’s Bend’s art also stands out for its flair—quilts composed boldly and improvisationally, in geometries that transform recycled work clothes and dresses, feed sacks, and fabric remnants.” Chilton County is blessed to have these ladies visit. They will be at the Senior Connection on Oct. 27 during the Gala Event.

Glenn McGriff Chilton County Circuit Clerk

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DID YOOU U K N O W?

During 1945, 206 German Prisoners of War were housed in the former Civilian Conservation Corps facility on Highway 22 in Clanton.

STORIES FROM HISTORY Library to feature 150th celebration lecture series Glenn Wills

STORY BY EMILY REED

Chilton 150th 13

Experienced. Conservative. Leader.

Happy 150th birthday

Chilton County! Paid for by the Committee to Elect April Weaver. P.O. Box 1349, Alabaster, AL 35007

14 Chilton 150th

Courtney Pinkard

A

Billy Singleton

s part of the Chilton County 150th celebration, the Chilton/Clanton Public Library is gearing up for a lecture series beginning Oct. 22. “The library is always looking to be involved in any community events, and the 150th birthday celebration of Chilton County is an especially important and unique event,” library director Savannah Kitchens said. “We could not pass up the opportunity to be involved. The topic of local history is also a great reason to host local authors and historians, so we took advantage of that.” The series will begin Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. featuring Courtney Pinkard from the Alabama Department of Archives and History presenting the lecture “Abandoning a Community: The History of Salem.” Local author Billy Singleton will present a lecture about his recent book, “Images of America: Chilton County,” as well as recount some of his personal experiences with Nell Harper Lee on Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The final installment of the series will be Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. with Glenn Wills, author of “Forgotten Alabama.” Kitchens said Pinkard was selected to speak because she has local ties to Chilton County. Pinkard is a reference librarian at the Alabama Department of History and Archives. Singleton has several books on Alabama history, and Wills was a “perfect fit” for the 150th celebration, according to Kitchens. “I know that a lot of people in our community are very interested in local history, and this event is all about local history,” Kitchens said. “I’m hoping people will enjoy learning new aspects and insights into Chilton County’s rich and interesting history.” While the library has featured author events in the past, with a variety of topics and authors featured, Kitchens said this is the first time the library has been involved with an event that focuses largely on local history. With technology playing such a prominent role in society, Kitchens said libraries offer two things to their communities: access to collections (checking out books and movies, etc.), and programming. “A lot of times the programming that gets the most attention focuses on children — our four weekly story times across the county, our summer reading program, and even our new monthly teen events,” Kitchens said. “We are thrilled to offer programming aimed at adults that has such a uniquely specific link to our community.” While the lecture series is aimed for adult listeners, Kitchens said any age that would find the topic of local history interesting and engaging is welcome. The lectures are free and open to the public. All of the events for the lecture series are featured on the “event calendar” on the library’s website at www.chiltonclantonlibrary.org, and calendar handouts are available at the library’s circulation desk. For any additional questions, call (205) 755-1768.

American heritage from past to present STORY AND PHOTOS FROM STAFF REPORTS

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he Cotton Patch Quilters Guild will participate in the Chilton County Sesquicentennial Celebration on Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Clanton with a quilt exhibit. The guild was formed by a group of eight ladies in 1991 with assistance from Gay West of the Chilton County Extension Office. The membership grew, and they moved to the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library. One of their first projects was a donation quilt to be given as a fundraiser for a local organization. This first quilt was given to the library.

DDIDD YOU OU KNOW? O ?

QUINTESSENTIAL QUILTS

In 1947, Mary Joe McGowin was married to future Governor of Alabama John Malcomb Patterson in a ceremony at the Clanton First United Methodist Church.

Jewel Robinson, local resident and member of many local organizations, was the proud winner. Each year, they continue the tradition of making a donation quilt. After several years meeting at the library, they moved to their current location at the Chilton County Extension Office. The Cotton Patch Quilters meet the second Thursday of the month Sept. through June at 1 p.m. For more information, call (205) 2806268.

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Size, color and firmness are important factors growers look at to determine quality.

IN THE ORCHARD Chilton County peach farmers overcome adversity STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE PHOTOS BY SARAH GRAHAM AND CONTRIBUTED

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eaches are a central part of Chilton County history and commerce. Each year growers, sellers and other community members keep an eye on the weather hoping for just the right combination to produce the perfect peach. 2018 was a good year for peaches. “It seems so much better, coming off such a bad year,” Andy Millard of Mountain View Orchards said. The previous year had seen many weather challenges reducing some orchards to only a 25 percent crop, according to Millard. Peaches were in season in early May and lasted until late August. “Despite the spring freezes, this year turned out to be a remarkable season,” Edgar Vinson, Alabama Cooperative Exten-

16 Chilton 150th

1948 Peach Festival billboard

Peach Queen Contestants -1948

sion Fruit Crop Specialist, said. “The peaches were naturally thinned by the early freezes. Though this resulted in severely thinned trees in some cases, the trees supplied a greater portion of nutrients to a smaller number of peaches on the tree causing them to be larger. In fact, several growers reported packing the largest peaches they have ever produced.” The annual Peach Auction hosted by the Clanton Lions Club as a part of the Peach Festival raised $22,325 to support local projects and Alabama Lions Sight, an eye care clinic in Birmingham. Mark and Melissa Knight of M&M Farms won first place. M&M Farms has placed first “10 times out of the last 11,” Mark Knight said. Only Jerry Harrison has been named first more times than that. “It’s been a great year,” Mark Knight said. “Bad years will make you say that, because last year we had about as bad a year as we have had in a long time.” Early spring freezes have always presented challenges to peach farmers, but in recent years lack of chill hours has also become a concern. “We have been fortunate,” Knight said. “There have only been two complete losses in about 50 years, so that’s great.”

Mrs. Lonnie Minor and Mrs. Clyde Headley display baskets of prize-winning peaches. Producing the best peaches in Chilton County affords peach growers bragging rights for the year.

Chilton 150th 17

Although this year’s crop was favorable, Matthew Price, director of the Chilton County Research and Extension center, said “there were several cases of bacterial spot which reduced the numbers of marketable fruit.� “But, as far as I could tell, there were still a lot of peaches out there, prices were good, and there was a good demand for them,� Price said. GROWING PEACHES To ensure there will be enough peaches to last through the season, peach growers have several varieties in their orchards, each needing a different length of chill hours (temperatures below 45 degrees) and time to ripen. Regardless of the variety of peach, the blooming process takes three or four weeks and usually happens around late February or early March. Those varieties that require for 500 to 700 chill hours have been the better varieties. Mark Knight said he has been a peach grower since 2003. Both his father, his uncle and brother had grown peaches

previously. His father left the industry in the 1960s. He grows at least 30 varieties each year. Some orchards have up to 50 varieties. Knight said the number of trees a grower has of each variety depends on how much they plan to sell. Growers, like Henry Williams and Hal Hayes who ship peaches on a large scale, may have 400-500 trees of each variety, Knight said. However, Price said most Chilton County peaches are sold straight to the customer, rather than being packed and shipped to grocery stores. “So great care is taken to thin the number of fruit on each tree down to a number that a tree would be able to grow to the desired size,� Price said. “Earlier ripening peaches require earlier and heavier thinning than mid-season or later ripening peaches. Say on the earliest ripening peaches a grower may only leave 200-300 fruit per tree if that many, on mid-season to late season peaches a grower may leave 500-600 fruit per tree.� The desired size in Chilton County is usually 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches wide.

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18 Chilton 150th

The prize-winning Hale Haven peaches of the 1947 Peach Festival were escorted to Birmingham by the festival Queen and King. The peaches were presented to President Harry Truman in a ceremony at the White House after being flown to Washington D. C. Attending the presentation were (left to right) Representative Pete Jarman, Senator Lister Hill, Truman and Senator John Sparkman.

“It takes a grower between 20-30 varieties to make it from early season to late season with no gaps in between where they don’t have peaches,” Price said. “Some of the more popular varieties in my opinion from earlymid-late season are: Flavorich, Rubyprince, Harvester, Fireprince, Bounty, Loring, Sunprince and O’Henry.” Both yellow cling and white varieties of peaches can be grown in Chilton County. According to Knight, Georgia Belle used to be the most popular white variety, but now that there are so many varieties to choose from growers have shifted to varieties that do not bruise as easily. “They are a great peach to eat, but they get soft very, very quickly,” Knight said. WHAT MAKES A GOOD PEACH? “Most peach orchards are small, family-owned operations,” Vinson said. “This allows time for more intense management of peaches. Farmers are then able to provide better care and harvest fruit at the peak of ripeness.”

Mountain View Orchards is proud to join with Chilton County in celebrating 150 years of community. Located in the northern part of the county, Mountain View grows fresh fruit and berries and sells directly to the public from our farm market and outdoor cafe. OPEN MARCH - SEPTEMBER.

In a 2014 interview for an Auburn University Food Systems Institute publication, Jim Pitts, who was the director of the Chilton Research and Extension Center, attributed the consistent high quality of Chilton County peaches to being picked at the peak of freshness and having small orchards. “These smaller operations allow more attention to detail, usually meaning an overall better selection of peaches,” Pittts said. Decreasing the length of travel time to distribution also ensures optimal freshness. The Research and Extension Center has also had a positive impact on Chilton County Peaches. In 2000, research was conducted on different varieties of peach root stock, the root that a peach bud is grafted onto to grow a new tree “We had done some work on the root stock that is now called guardian,” Pitts said in an interview with The Clanton Advertiser. “The particular location here the trees survived longer than they had the other places.”

16045 County Road 29 Jemison, AL 35085 (across from Petals From The Past)

Chilton 150th 19

He said the trees with this root system had also produced more peaches than the other varieties tested. A good peach for resale is one with average size, a reddish tint and stays firm long enough to be fresh when it gets to the customer, Knight said. He said fruit that will be sold straight to the consumer is riper than fruit that is picked to be shipped. HISTORY One contributing factor to the early success of fruit distribution was likely the formation of growers associations. The Thorsby Fruits and Truck Growers Association was formed in

Chilton County peach growers each have several varieties of trees to ensure production all through the season.

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20 Chilton 150th

1908, and a Jemison association was established shortly thereafter. It was not until 1928 that the Clanton Berry Growers Association was formed. “These three associations have handled hundreds of (train) carloads of berries and peaches, making for the growers of the county as high as a million and a half dollars per year,” said T. E. Wyatt in his book, “Chilton County and Her People: A History of Chilton County, Alabama.” Trains were a major way to ship peaches even into 1960. Unfortunately, the 1950s were a tough time for Chilton County peaches, and production dropped drastically. Even though production picked up in the 1960s, the 1970s saw a devastation of the Alabama peach industry. According to “Alabama Peach Industry,” by John Fair of the University of Texas, only 300,000 bushels were sold in the early 1970s. The Chilton County Peach Growers Association was formed in the late 1970s in an effort to increase production. Just how peaches became a mainstay in Chilton County is not specifically known. Some believe it was the settlers of Thorsby in 1894. Others, including Wyatt in “Chilton County and Her People,” state that peaches grew in Chilton County before 1540. “History tells us that when Hernando DeSoto and his group of explorers marched down Coosa River in July 1540, there was an Indian town near the mouth of Walnut Creek in what is now Chilton County by the name of Pokana Talahassi,” Wyatt writes. Pokana Talahassi in the Native American Muscogee lan2018 was a good year guage translates to “Old Peach for Chilton County Tree Town” in English. peaches. Prohibition in the 1920s has been linked to the planting of peach trees in Thorsby. Thorsby had been known for its grape vineyards, but townspeople turned to peaches after prohibition made growing grapes less profitable, according to Wyatt in “Chilton County and Her People.” Although there are peach orchards in Thorsby today, initial orchards planted during the Prohibition Era died out because of blight and insects. Production rates have changed throughout the years for Chilton County’s peach industry, but local peaches remain a source of pride for residents.

www.chiltoncountyso.org Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Sheriff.

John Shearon Sheriff Chilton County Sheriff's Department

(Editor’s note: Billy Singleton, Sarah Graham and Caroline Carmichael contributed to this article.)

Chilton 150th 21

MEMORIES OF THE 1968 CENTENNIAL

Members of the First United Methodist Church dress for the 1968 Chilton County Centennial. Photo from the Clanton Advertiser. (City of Clanton Archives)

The parade was a highlight of the 1968 Centennial Celebration.

Members of the Jaycees ready for the 1968 Centennial Celebration.

Herb Salter

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Pilot Club members in Centennial dresses. (City of Clanton Archives)

The Chilton County Centennial Committee dressed as residents would have in 1868. Back row, from left, souvenir chairman Jim Willis, Beard Chairman for Brothers of the Brush Judge Thomas Hayes, Centennial Chairman Burnie Mullins, Chairman of Clanton Centennial Ball Jim Lenoir, Sheriff of Centennial Herbert Salter, Centennial Chairman Morris Moatts. Front row, from left, Jaycette sister of Swish Vickie Seales, Gayla Knapp, Courthouse Belle of Swish Mrs. Joe Smith and Chairman of Women’s Activities Mary Mims. (Union-Banner Archives)

The parade was a highlight of the 1968 Centennial Celebration. (City of Clanton Archives)

The street where Clanton City Hall and the Chilton County Courthouse is located as it looked in 1968

Margaret and Herb Salter (back row), Sharon Salter Liebe, Bert Salter, Suzanne Salter Brooks (front row) dressed in 1868 attire for the centennial celebration.

Peggy Porter sits at a table meant to recreate the feel of a 1950s-era diner during a sock hop and tailgate party held at Senior Connection in Clanton. Porter came to the event wearing her actual high school cheerleading outfit. (J.R. TIDWELL/ADVERTISER)

LOCAL SENIORS TALK PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE STORY BY J.R. TIDWELL

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here is no denying that life as we know it has gone through some very large, serious changes over the past 50 years. The 1960s was a decade of war and division, peace and love and giant leaps in technology for mankind. The Vietnam War raged a world away while some people at home immersed themselves in the counterculture movement. All the while the United States put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.

Given the technological leap forward and vast changes in society the world has seen since then, one can only wonder just how different life will be in another 50 years from now. When it comes to pondering how life has changed over the last 50 years, who better to ask than those who lived through those changes themselves? Chilton County Senior Connection in Clanton is populated with members age 55 and older who know these changes better than anyone.

Chilton 150th 23

When asked how life has changed over the last 50 years and how they thought life would further change over the next five decades, local seniors mentioned technology, religion and a shift in social values more than anything else.

been a big change because most children now go by car. Prices have really changed. You used to be able to get a loaf of bread for a dime. You can’t now. You could get a Coke for a nickel. We didn’t have all of this technology (when I was younger), and we never dreamed we would. I’m sure it will grow more and more.” — Peggy Porter

TECHNOLOGY “It’s been exciting. My dad saw the transition from a horse and buggy to cars. I have seen space travel. We can land a man on the moon. Now we have the internet and smartphones. It’s something to look forward to. I think it’s going to be exciting for the next generation. There will be a lot of changes, some good some bad. We are talking about space travel now. I suppose we have the possibility of going to other planets maybe, who knows. It’s exciting.” — Hershel Smith

RELIGION “The thing that bothers me, is they’ve taken God out of everything. That’s the main thing that affects me. Christians have to fight for their rights, and it’s just bad. They are taking God out of the schools and everywhere. They don’t even want ‘In God We Trust’ on anything. Even at the World War II memorial, when they wrote what (Franklin D.) Roosevelt said, he said ‘so help me God’ at the end of it (they left that out), and they admitted that. They did not want God’s name on anything, and they are doing their best to get “The thing I hate the most is everybody is on their little cell God out of the United States. We don’t need God to leave us; we phones. People don’t want to talk to each other.” — Sandra Little need God with us.” — Laura Johnson “People are always texting while driving.” — Sheila Austin

“They get God out of everything. We need God every day. I think it might get worse, taking God out of everything.” — Sheila Austin

“Obviously technology has changed. We don’t communicate the same way. We don’t have entertainment the same. Entertainment “I am afraid it’s going to get worse and worse if the Lord doesn’t for young people today is totally different than it was in my time. come back. I don’t see how things can keep getting worse and (the Technology is the biggest thing.” — Martha Thornburgh world) stand.” — Nell Littleton “For me, it has been a big change. I came from the country with “It will get worse, unless we get God back into our lives.” — cotton and pea growers. I rode the school bus to school, which has Sandra Little

24 Chilton 150th

SOCIAL VALUES “In my era, people still knew how to cook, to garden and to quilt. These are talents that are no longer valid. Men are much better at cooking now than women. I have three boys that are married. They do all the cooking. One wife even said ‘the only reason we have a kitchen is because it came with the house.’ “Men and women’s roles have changed so much. When I was first starting out, even if you worked the (wife) did all Martha Thornburgh the housework, which was not fair. But things have taken a swing the other way. “Women’s jobs have changed so much. In my day, women were either teachers, nurses, bookkeepers or homemakers. That’s a big change there. I’d say 95 percent of all women work now. I think that we have lost a lot by it. I have always worked. Women used to spend so much more time on good and evil and were much more ‘in your face’ with their children than they are now. Children do not have the same values now. We cannot expect our teachers to teach children to have good manners and to be nice to other people. That is not an educational function. Unfortunately, there are very few parents that have the kind of time for mentoring their children now. I think we’ve lost a great deal by it. “It seems now that having things is more important. It is more important that their children have the latest things, which is just wrong in my opinion. “Parents don’t have the time anymore. It’s really amazing, because the jobs women did before like washing and ironing, everyone has vacuum cleaners and washing machines and dishwashers, and everyone should have more time now, but they don’t. People are rushing so much more these days, and they don’t have time to do things with their kids like they used to. Everybody is way too busy. I don’t think people enjoy life as much now.” — Martha Thornburgh “When I was growing up, we always talked to each other. We did our jobs, we played and we enjoyed life. I don’t think people enjoy life today. They don’t have time for each other. We could get out and do what we wanted to then. Now you’re scared to leave your doors unlocked at home.” — Nell Littleton “I hope we will get back more to being better people and not being so critical of everybody. I hope the world will be safer. I worry about my grandchildren and what they have to face. It’s a sad thing.” — Laura Johnson “Our morals have changed a tremendous amount. Life itself has changed. A lot of it has been for the good, but we are living in a time that a lot of bad is going on. It will probably change as much over the next 50 years as it has the past 50 years. I hope it will be in a good way.” — Otha Little

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Named in honor of William Patrick Lay, a third-generation riverboat captain and founder of the Alabama Power Company, construction of Lay Dam began in 1912 at the Lock 12 site on the Coosa River. Lay Dam represented the first hydropower project of the Alabama Power Company. The dam at Lock 12 was constructed by the MacArthur Brothers Company of New York.

LAY AND MITCHELL DAMS Birthplace of hydroelectric power in Alabama STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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n a Saturday afternoon in November 1929, more than 2,500 people endured frigid temperatures and dreary skies to attend the dedication ceremony of the first hydroelectric dam to be constructed on the Coosa River. Festivities included a barbecue lunch and speeches by politicians and local civic leaders as the Goodyear blimp Vigilant floated lazily overhead.

26 Chilton 150th

Originally known as the Dam at Lock 12, the structure was dedicated in honor of William Patrick Lay, founder and first President of the Alabama Power Company. In “Putting Loafing Streams to Work,” author Harvey Jackson III describes Lay as a “third-generation river man and pioneer in electrical power production in Alabama.” In 1906, Lay founded the Alabama

The second hydropower project in Chilton County was located 14 miles downstream from Lay Dam at Duncan’s Riffle. Completed in 1923, the structure is 1,277 feet in length and 106 feet in height. Lake Mitchell encompasses 5,850 acres and contains approximately 56 billion gallons of water at full pool. Mitchell Dam was named in honor of James Mitchell, who succeeded William Lay as President of the Alabama Power Company.

Power Company to pursue his dream of harnessing the power of the river to produce electricity on a scale greater than residents of Alabama had ever known. The site selected for the first hydroelectric dam was a remote spot on the Coosa River located 11 miles east of Clanton. Described as a “rapids-infested site between high bluffs surrounded by forests,” the Corps of Engineers proposed construction of a lock at the site as part of a project to open the river to navigation. However, the cost of making the river navigable was determined to be excessive, and the plan was abandoned. Construction of the dam began in 1912 following a change in management in which Lay placed “the good name and destiny of the Alabama Power Compa-

A March 1914 image showing assembly of one of the water wheels used to rotate the generator units in the powerhouse of Lay Dam. In April 1914, the construction project was concluded and the first of six generator units began operation. The remaining units were brought on line over a period of three years. Today, each generator unit produces 29,500 kilowatts of electricity.

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ny” into the capable hands of James Mitchell and Montgomery Attorney Thomas W. Martin. By 1913, construction of the all-concrete dam employed more than 1,500 workers who were housed in a village located near the construction site. During the peak of construction, the village became the largest population center between Montgomery and Birmingham. Building materials were transported to the site on a rail spur that originated on the main L & N rail line at Ocampo. The project contractor, the MacArthur Brothers Company of New York, established two quarries near the site to supply material for the 343,985 cubic yards of concrete required to build the dam. At the time, the Dam at Lock 12 was the largest, most complex and most expensive construction project in the state of Alabama. In 1921, the Alabama Power Company began construction of their second hydroelectric dam project in Chilton County. Located 12 miles downstream in an area known as Duncan’s Riffle, the site was one of the most isolated and least accessible sections along the Coosa River. Surveyors and project engineers initially obtained lodging at the Porter House Hotel in Verbena. Because the Duncan’s

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Riffle location was so isolated, the Alabama Power Company erected a construction village to accommodate 2,000 workers and members of their families. An independent community in every regard, the village included a large commissary that carried an extensive assortment of goods normally found in the better establishments of Clanton and Verbena. Free health care was provided for workers and their families at the modern 15-bed infirmary. The village school offered courses of instruction identical to those provided to students in nearby communities. Transmission lines from the hydroelectric plant at Lock 12 furnished power for lights and appliances in the homes, bunkhouses and offices of the village during a time electricity was not readily available to most residents of Chilton County. In the October 1921 issue of Powergrams, newsletter of the Alabama Power Company, the village was described as having “most conveniences of the city, with none of the congestion.” Recreation was an important aspect of life in the village and included a new gymnasium for basketball games and boxing matches. The baseball team competed against teams

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from other communities. During baseball season, it was not uncommon for a worker to be hired more for his ability to throw a fastball than his skill as a carpenter. Dances and other social events were often attended by guests from the neighboring communities of Verbena, Coopers and Clanton. The Masonic Hall also served as a theater, showing recently-released movies three nights each week. On weekends, workers and their families enjoyed picnics, fishing and other outdoor activities in the scenic surroundings along the river. For some, a joyride in one of the construction buckets that were suspended from cables high above the river was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Completed in August 1923, the new hydroelectric dam was named for James Mitchell, former president of the Alabama Power Company. Construction of the hydroelectric dams on the Coosa River was a turning point, not only for Chilton County but for the state of Alabama. According to Harvey Jackson III, “When their turbines began spinning and electricity began to flow to farms, towns and cities, Alabama moved from the 19th into the 20th century. The state and its people would never be the same.�

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Post Office, Stanton, Alabama

Post Office Mountain Creek, Alabama

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DID YOU KNOW?

HISTORY An Alabama “Gold Rush” resulted from the discovery of gold in 1830 along tributaries of Blue and Chestnut Creeks in what would become Chilton County.

PHOTO PAGE The Thorsby Winery Company made use of locally grown grapes to produce various types of wine. Wine production in Thorsby ended prematurely with passage of the Volstead Act in 1920 that prohibited the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages.

In the late fall of each year, farmers throughout Chilton County would begin to transport their cotton crop to rail depots for shipment to northern markets. To transport the cotton, farmers utilized wagons pulled by oxen, mules or horses. While waiting to unload at the shipping platform, farmers could spend time trading gossip, discussing politics or the price of cotton or truck crops.

Methodist Church Mountain Creek, Alabama

Methodist Church Maplesville, Alabama

Oakside, the Gibson home in Verbena. Sidney Lanier Gibson was the nephew of poet, author and musician Sidney Lanier. Oakside was constructed in 1875 by Major Joseph Carr Gibson.

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Located near Verbena, the Coopers community is one of the oldest settlements in Chilton County. During the construction of Mitchell Dam, materials were transported to the Coosa River on a rail line that that originated at the Louisville and Nashville main line at Coopers. In 1932, a modern school building was constructed using stones collected on farms in the surrounding area and transported to the site on wagons.

Merchants and customers take a moment from their busy schedules in the summer of 1900 to pose for a photograph in downtown Maplesville. The proprietors of the Maplesville Drug Company advertise their products on a sign board display along the dirt street in front of the business.

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MEMORABLE

Completion of South & North Alabama Railroad in County

Originally known as Langston Station, the town of Jemison was established adjacent to the rail line of the South and North Alabama Railroad. In 1872, a railroad depot was constructed to accommodate passenger, freight and mail service. The establishment of the railroad was the catalyst for growth.

Goose Pond renamed Clanton Completion of South & North Alabama Railroad in County

Town of Clanton Incorporated

1874

1872

1868 1870

1873

Baker County Established

Clanton becomes county seat

Thorsby Institute

Montgomery to Birmingham Highway Completed

Town of Jemison Incorporated

Thorsby Institute opened in September 1907 and included dormitories for male and female students. The school library maintained more than 5,000 volumes. In 1957, facing financial difficulties, the Board of Trustees of Thorsby Institute received a grant to operate within the Chilton County School System for two years. The land and buildings were subsequently deeded to the state of Alabama to be used as a high school.

Baker County becomes Chilton County

1918

1914 1915

1907

First Brick Courthouse Destroyed by Fire

Town of Maplesville Incorporated

Porter M. Plier Becomes First Casualty From Chilton County in a Foreign War

1954

Chilton County School system desegregated

1962 1960

1954 Peach Queen and Court

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Members of Blackwood Brothers Quartet Killed in Accident At Chilton County Airport

1919

Construction of Lay Dam Completed

Interstate 65 Completed in Chilton County

First Peach Festival Held in County

Construction of New Courthouse Completed

1976 1969

New Chilton County High School opened to students Construction of Present Courthouse Completed

Town of Verbena listed on National Register of Historic Places

HAPPENINGS Baker County becomes Chilton County

1896

A native of Kentucky, William Parish Chilton (1810-1871) moved to Alabama in 1834 to establish a law practice. In 1848, Chilton became an associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and in December 1852, succeeded Edmund Strother Dargan as Chief Justice. From 1861-1866, Chilton served as a member of the provisional and permanent congress of the Confederate States of America. Chilton never resided in the county that bears his name (ADAH).

Construction of First Brick Courthouse Completed

1923

USS Chilton Christened in Honor of County

1901

Thorsby Institute Established

USS Chilton Christened in Honor of County

1947

1932 1926

Construction of Mitchell Dam Completed

1942 Deadly Tornadoes Ravage Chilton County

Commissioned on May 29, 1943, the USS Chilton, APA-38 (Auxiliary, Personnel, Attack) was named in recognition of the people of Chilton County for their support of the war effort through purchases of War Savings Bonds. During the Second World War, the ship and crew served with distinction in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

Eddie Reed becomes first minority to be elected to public office in Chilton County

First Peach Festival Held in County

Construction of Peach Water Tower in Clanton

1984 Eddie Reed has devoted his life to serving the people of Jemison and Chilton County. 1976, he was elected to the Jemison City Council, the first minority elected official in Chilton County. In 2004, Reed was elected to his first term as mayor of the town of Jemison.

1906

In 1896, construction of the second Chilton County Courthouse was completed. The two-story brick structure was located on the site now utilized as the west parking lot of the current courthouse. The building was extensively damaged on September 5, 1918 in a fire of suspicious origin. Many early education and tax records of Chilton County were lost in the blaze (Gillespie).

Dixie Bee-Line Highway (Highway 31) Established

Eddie Reed becomes ďŹ rst minority elected

Town of Thorsby Incorporated

Construction of First Brick Courthouse Completed

1976 Billy Joe Driver elected to first term as mayor of Clanton

Billy Joe Driver In May 2011, Business Alabama Magazine named Billy Joe Driver one of Alabama’s Favorite Mayors. Elected in 1984, Driver has served eight terms and more than 30 years as mayor of Clanton. First elected to the City Council in 1972, Driver has never been defeated in a local election.

2018 1992 Sesquicentennial Anniversary of Chilton County

Chilton 150th 33

The Gateway to Chilton County STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

DDIDD YOU OU KNOW? O ?

CLANTON

The ďŹ rst county seat of Baker County, predecessor of Chilton County, was Grantville, named in honor of Commanding General of the Union Army Ulysses S. Grant.

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significant milestone in the history of Baker and Chilton Counties occurred in April 1871 as residents participated in a referendum to establish a new county seat to replace the original site of Grantville. Two ballots were required before the town of Clanton was selected as the new seat of government to serve residents of Baker County. The land that would eventually comprise the town of Clanton was first owned by Thomas Williams, who acquired the property through a federal land grant. The property was subsequently purchased by Alfred Baker who conceived the idea of developing a town adjacent to the new South and North Alabama Railroad that traversed Baker County. Originally known as Goose Pond, the town was renamed in late 1870 for James Holt Clanton, former state legislator and brigadier general in the First Alabama Cavalry during the American Civil War. By 1872, the streets of Clanton had been laid out in regulation order and designated by numerals. The original streets and avenues are still identified by these designations. In February 1887, an Act approved by the Alabama Legislature provided for the first election in Clanton. The Act authorized the probate judge to distribute a ballot for the purpose of electing one intendent and five counsellors for the town.

The W. I. Mullins building stood on the northeast corner of 7th Street and 2nd Avenue North for more than fifty years. Originally constructed in 1889 to house the Earhman General Mercantile Company, the building was later purchased by W.I. Mullins (seated) and became the center of business activity in Clanton. The building was demolished in 1935 during a modernization of the downtown area.

34 Chilton 150th

Born in Columbia County, Georgia, James Holt Clanton (1827-1871) attended the law school of William Parish Chilton. Clanton served in the state legislature before joining the First Alabama Calvary during the War Between the States. As a Brigadier General, Clanton served with distinction until March 1865 when he was seriously wounded and captured at Bluff Springs, Florida. In 1870, the settlement of Goose Pond was renamed in his honor.

By 1930, Clanton had grown to a population of more than 2,500 residents. Second Avenue North served as the center of commerce for Chilton County. In addition to rail service provided by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the all-paved Dixie Bee-Line Highway connecting Miami with Chicago traversed downtown Clanton. Since its founding, Clanton has served as the gateway to Chilton County. Located within the geographical center of the state, three major highways converge in downtown while Interstate 65, the most heavily traveled route in Alabama, passes through the eastern section of Clanton. As the center of county government and largest municipality, the city of Clanton will continue to lead Chilton County into the future. Throughout its history, Clanton has remained a good place to visit, but a better place to live.

JEMISON A town built on transportation STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON

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Born in Lincoln County Georgia, Robert Jemison, Jr. (1802 – 1871) co-owned and operated the Jemison, Powell, Ficklen and Company Stage Line. A pioneer industrialist and entrepreneur, Robert Jemison was instrumental in the development of the city of Birmingham and the mineral district of Alabama. Jemison served as a member of the Alabama Senate and Confederate Congress. Originally incorporated in 1907, the town of Jemison is named in his honor.

ccording to “Chilton County and its People” by Thomas Eugene Wyatt, the town of Jemison has been identified by more names than any other community in Chilton County. Originally situated along the Montgomery to Talladega stage coach route, the settlement was known as Langstonville or Langston’s Station for prominent resident and land owner Louise Langston. Construction of the railroad in 1870 attracted additional settlers to the area. The following year, a post office was established in the general store of D. A. Aliston. By 1872, a rail depot had been constructed to accommodate passenger, freight and mail service. The economic growth created by the railroad soon attracted a saw mill, hotel and additional businesses. At the suggestion of railroad developer Col. John T. Milner, Langston Station was renamed in honor of Robert Jemison, Jr. of Tuscaloosa. A pioneer industrialist and state senator, Jemison was instrumental in the development of the city of Birmingham and the mineral district of Alabama. From 1871 until 1890, the town of Jemison was predominantly shown on railroad and other maps as Jamison. Following an attempt by a local politician to have the name of the town changed to Bristol in 1890, the name Jemison has been used exclusively. The proximity of Jemison to major transportation systems, specifically the railroad and the Dixie Bee Line Highway, has significantly influenced and contributed to the economic and social development of the community. The establishment of these transportation systems is a significant element of the history of Jemison. In 1976, the citizens of Jemison would achieve a milestone in the history of Chilton County by becoming the first municipality to elect a minority to public office when retired educator Eddie Reed was elected to the Jemison City Council. In 2004, Reed was elected to his first term as mayor of the town of Jemison. Today, Jemison is the second largest municipality in Chilton County as measured by population. The proximity of Jemison to Interstate 65 will ensure the future growth and economic development of this town that was built on the foundation of transportation.

Chilton 150th 35

MAPLESVILLE A community older than Chilton County STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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ounded in 1829, Maplesville is a town older than Chilton County. Named for Stephen W. Maples, an early merchant and postmaster, Maplesville has been included in the boundaries of four sectional divisions of Alabama: Autauga, Bibb, Baker and Chilton counties. Originally located approximately three miles east of its current site at the junction of two heavily traveled overland routes, Maplesville experienced considerable growth during the period that Tuscaloosa served as the capital of Alabama. The town consisted of a post office, inn, taverns and horse racing tracks. Residents had convenient access to fertile farm land, fresh

36 Chilton 150th

water from nearby streams and abundant tracts of timber for building construction. In March 1848, the establishment of the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad would have a significant impact on the future of Maplesville. The section of rail line from Plantersville to Montevallo was routed through the small community of Cuba, located approximately three miles west of Maplesville. In 1856, the post office was relocated to a site near the depot to allow convenient access to the railroad. Local merchants soon began moving to locations adjacent to this modern transportation system. In time, the town of Maplesville would be reborn along the railroad. Throughout its history, Maplesville has been a community built on the foundations of rail transportation and the timber industry. For many years, the town was served by two rail systems, the Southern Railway and the Mobile and Ohio. Rail systems were also instrumental in supporting the timber industry, used in transporting harvested timber to the mill for processing and the finished products to distant markets. Today, the town of Maplesville continues to contribute to the prosperity and economic development of Chilton County through the harvesting and transport of timber products. Members of the community have also memorialized their association with rail systems through the establishment of the Railroad Historic District that is included on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. As the town of Maplesville approaches its bicentennial anniversary, it has and will remain an integral part of the history and future success of Chilton County.

The Thorsby Hardware Company maintained a stock of stoves, paints, varnishes and farm implements to meet the needs of their customers. At the time of this image, the store was owned and operated by J. L. and Ruben Foss. The brick exterior of the structure indicates that this is one of the buildings reconstructed after the 1914 fire that destroyed a majority of the Thorsby business district.

THORSBY

A Scandinavian village in Chilton County STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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Located on Highway 31 south of Thorsby, Cox’s Fancy Fruits was a popular curbside market operated by Enoch and Maude Cox. Offering a variety of fresh peaches, watermelons, strawberries and other produce, Cox’s Fancy Fruits enticed transient and local travelers on Highway 31 to stop and take advantage of some of the best fruits and vegetables produced by Plainview Farms (Chilton County Extension Service).

ounded in 1895, the Town of Thorsby was envisioned to be a community of craftsmen, musicians and merchants. Seeking a mild climate and suitable farmland for the cultivation of fruit crops and vineyards, Theodore Thorson and his Scandinavian and Norwegian partners, J. F. Petersen and E. M. Faegre chose an area along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad near the Strasburgh depot to establish a community based on the foundations of religion, education and economic opportunity. The youngest town in Chilton County, Thorsby is known as a town of churches and schools. Established in 1907, Thorsby Institute became the first accredited high school in Chilton County. Founded by local residents, the school was consistently rated as one of the best preparatory institutions in the state of Alabama in providing educational opportunities for students who had conceived a serious purpose in life. Helen Jenkins Chapel, the former Norwegian Lutheran Church, is named in honor

of a beloved member of the faculty of the Thorsby Institute who devoted her life to education and the spiritual growth of her students. Located adjacent to the Thorsby School, the Helen Jenkins Chapel is an enduring testament to the influence of religion and education among the residents of Thorsby. In 1908, the farmers and businessmen of Thorsby, recognizing the necessity of an organization for the advancement of agriculture, formed the Thorsby Fruit and Truck Growers Association. The organization grew to more than 250 growers who shipped hundreds of rail cars filled with fruits and vegetables each year to markets throughout the United States. In July 1947, the first Chilton County Peach Festival, organized to promote the local peach industry, was held on the grounds of Thorsby Institute. The foundations of religion, education and economic opportunity on which Thorsby was established have remained intact since Scandinavian and Norwegian settlers made the area their home. It will be the strength of these foundations that ensure the growth and prosperity of this little Scandinavian village in Chilton County.

An ad for the inaugural Chilton County Peach Festival proclaims “Chilton County Peaches Are Tops.” The one-day festival began with a parade from Clanton to Thorsby. Hundreds of automobiles and trucks participated and required two hours to travel the seven mile route. Festival activities included an all-day picnic, baseball game and a dance with music provided by the Lewis Simpkins Orchestra (Thorsby Historical Preservation Museum).

Chilton 150th 37

DID YOOU U KNO NOW??

In 1934, Mary Carr Gibson of Verbena was married to Governor B. B. Comer in a ceremony at the family home of Oakside. In April 1902, workers began construction of a facility at Mountain Creek in southeast Chilton County to house indigent or disabled Confederate veterans. Mountain Creek was considered an ideal site because the combination of a high elevation, fresh air and abundant springs created a healthy environment for the veterans. The facility consisted of 22 buildings, including 10 cottages, administration building, hospital, mess hall and barns.

VERBENA A community born of yellow fever STORY BY BILLY SINGLETON

38 Chilton 150th

With the passage of time, families accustomed to spending their summer months in Verbena began to make the town their home. As the population increased, businesses, churches, a school and post office were established. By 1890, Verbena had become the largest community in Chilton County. Although its prominence as a summer resort has faded into history, the solitude and beauty of Verbena remain unchanged. One hundred years ago, the reporter for the “Goodwin’s Weekly Magazine” observed, “An occasional gentle wind causes the leaves of the trees that shade the town to sigh one of those sighs of contentment that men breathe after a good meal, a good sermon or a well-rendered piece of music.” The simple pleasure of finding contentment in a gentle wind among the trees may be the greatest legacy of Verbena, Chilton County’s oasis among the pines.

DDIDD YOU OU KNOW? O ?

I

n an article published in the July 1917 issue of “Goodwin’s Weekly Magazine,” the community of Verbena was described as “fragrant as a southern flower and as peaceful a place as can be found in Alabama. The advantages of an elevation well above sea level, fine water and no mosquitoes give the town priceless features of both health and comfort.” Verbena was originally known as Summerfield, in part because prominent residents of the Alabama Black Belt region spent their summers in the area. Residents decided to change the name after learning of another Summerfield community located near Selma. Local history suggests the name Verbena was favored because of an abundance of the verbena plant native to the area. Following completion of the South & North Alabama Railroad from Montgomery to Decatur in 1870, Verbena became a convenient and popular resort destination. A haven for affluent families of the Montgomery River Region seeking refuge from recurring epidemics of yellow fever, Verbena became known as a town born of this often-fatal disease. Situated among gently sloping hills, the town provided an outlet for visitors to spend summers enjoying the cool temperatures and clean, fresh air that many believed important in preventing disease.

In the early 20th century, Chilton County was one of the largest producers of graphite in the United States.

Isabella High School comments on the future.

WHAT WILL CHILTON COUNTY BE LIKE IN 50 YEARS?

I

n 50 years, Chilton County will celebrate its Bicentennial. We asked some residents what they think the county would be like and what they hope will have happened by then.

“Large population centers along the I-65 corridor. Economic development that will bring well-paying jobs, increased retail opportunities and entertainment.” — Jason Griffin, Superintendent of Chilton County Schools

Chilton 150th 39

“I would hope that in 50 years the county would be a place to be proud to live in. A place where you can raise children safely. A place where the communities come together as one to celebrate holidays and events, not because it involves free stuff, but just because your happy to be a part of it. I would hope we still have farmland, and we have raised our children to grow the best. A place where people are positive and respectful, a smile or holding the door for someone behind you never hurts. A place where neighbors help each other when needed. Where men and women help tackle issues and work together in harmony as the children play together. We are the heart of Alabama and should shine bright.” — Kathy Giles, resident

“What I would want is more things that are available for the teenagers to have fun, like movie theaters or just more places to hang out. It would be really cool to get a frozen yogurt place. I hope that Chilton County always stays the small town, homey place that it has always been. I feel like it will have grown some, but not too drastically. I want that homey feel that it’s always had.” — Daphne Magness, Isabella High School senior

40 Chilton 150th

“Clanton will have to look for new property to expand onto. The exit 212 will look like Alabaster with restaurants and shopping plazas. Many old buildings in town will be torn down for new business: present day WalMart, old Wal-Mart all old brick buildings around Peoples Bank will likely be developed into something new. Glad I won’t be here to see it.” — Elisabeth Altamirano-Smith

“There will probably be more food places considering home many we have had added lately. Maybe there will be more shopping. I mean they took the time to build that whole new car wash, maybe they will bring more shopping here.” — Tess Batson, Isabella High School senior

“Hopefully, Chilton County will have grown and developed enough to be on the list of one of the best counties in all of the USA to live. A safe and secure place to live and raise a family with many new developments and interesting attractions. Preserve the old yet allow our county to grow and develop by bringing in new industry.” — Peggy Bullard, resident

“Chilton County will more than likely grow as a whole in 50 years. I believe everything will become more useful too, more people living in Chilton County ... I hope more entertainment activities will become activated in Chilton County so that the county will not be boring and people will not have to drive an hour to get these benefits.” — Noelle Fjeldstad, Isabella High School senior

Happy 150th Chilton County! “A more diverse range of people.” — Abbey Giles, Isabella High School senior

Proud to be your hometown realtor for 12 years. Amber Darnell • 334-233-5555

Chilton 150th 41

“With being centrally located in the state, Chilton County will see a growth of expansion of Birmingham and Montgomery. People will still have the enjoyment of living in the country, but have easy access to larger cities. With the growth in population, our county will see a growth in modern technology and appreciation of the old ways. Chilton County Arts Council will lead the way in bringing attention to the Arts and Artists who will be wanting to learn more of the creativity of the Arts. It would be great to have a Community Arts Center to support the Arts. The future of our county is looking great in the future. “ — Mack Gothard, Chilton County Arts Guild

“I think this community in 50 years is going to be a lot more diverse. our schools are excellent, and I believe we are educating a generation that is going to pursue opportunities ... bring back world experiences that are only going to enrich this community and that’s really exciting. I would like to see a lot more civic parks, places for families to get together ... There are a lot of empty buildings that I think could be taken and turned into (something) if there was a group, and it may come from this generations, willing to invest the time, money and effort to revitalizing some of the areas of the county. “ — Rachel Hartselle, IHS teacher

“More food places — Applebee’s, Chick-fil-A. A movie theater, just entertainment like a mall ... I hope it will grow more, so more people will come, but I don’t think that will happen. We need like a Sam’s and a Costco. It will give more jobs to us.” —Kiara Ford, Isabella High School senior

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“It will have grown more, like Alabaster has, and the infrastructure will be better, no more potholes. There will be paved roads ... I also think it will be more diverse culturally, more people from other countries, not just in the county, but in the state. Add more jobs and better jobs, and jobs acclimated to the growth and technology ... also more activities that the younger generation can do, like movie theaters and bowling alleys and arcades.” — Cole Reeves, Isabella High School senior

“When I first moved here from the Birmingham/Vestavia Area in 1988, Chilton County was very different than it is now. I remember both of my parents working an hour or so away because the job market in Clanton was pretty small. Considering the job creation that has taken place here in just the last 15 or so years, and with all of the manufacturing continuing to come into the state, I think that Chilton County will become the buckle of an industrial belt in Alabama. Our sheer number of junctions onto the I-65 corridor make it difficult to imagine anything but that coming in our future. I foresee many technical and trades jobs in demand here, and infrastructure necessary to support it. I hope that an uptick in commerce would allow things to generally improve; roadways being well-maintained, education being funded, an informed population, access to quality medical facilities, and a Milo’s Hamburgers.” — Bobby Windham, resident

(205) 280-1101 1011-082 )502( (205) (205) 280-1101 280-1101 Chilton 150th 43

DRIVING THROUGH HISTORY HIGHWAY 31 NORTH

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4 17

14 15 13

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MOUNTAIN CREEK (1) Confederate Memorial Park (CR 63) Founded by Jefferson Manly Falkner in April 1902, the facility housed house indigent or disabled Confederate veterans. During 37 years of operation, 650 – 800 veterans, their wives and widows resided at the home. The facility was closed in October 1939. In 1964, the Alabama Legislature established Confederate Memorial Park.

Verbena* (2) (AL HWY 22, MM 212) Settlers arrived in the area as early as 1832. Completion of the South and North Alabama Railroad in 1870 enabled Montgomery citizens to escape yellow fever epidemics by establishing summer homes in the fresh air and high elevations of Verbena. In 1976, the town of Verbena was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

(a) Verbena United Methodist Church (8060 CR 59)

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Verbena United Methodist Church

Organized in 1871 by an 11 member congregation, a fund was established in 1875 to purchase four acres of land for construction of a permanent place of worship. Completed in September 1876, the white frame building was the first church to be constructed in Verbena. The church is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

(b) Verbena High School (202 CR 510) The school was constructed in 1925 using funds from a local fundraising campaign. The unique construction includes rocks taken from Chestnut Creek. All of the original structure remains in use today.

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COOPERS (3) (AL HWY 22) Originally known as Barbersville, the Coopers community is one of the oldest settlements in Chilton County. During the construction of Mitchell Dam, materials were transported to the Coosa River on a rail line that originated at the Louisville and Nashville main line at Coopers.

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(a) Coopers School (CR 597) 1

In 1932, a modern school building was constructed using stones collected on farms in the surrounding area and transported to the site on wagons.

(b) Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel (CR 597) Established in 1818, the Chestnut Creek Baptist Church was the center of the Coopers community. Today, the Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel is a nonprofit corporation created to “to preserve the historic church building, to educate the public about the history of the building and the Coopers Community by conducting historical and educational programs, and to serve the public by sponsoring community events that promote an ongoing sense of community.”

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CITY OF CLANTON (4) Second Avenue North (Main Street) Historic District (a) V.J Elmore Home This was the home of the founder of the V. J. Elmore Five and Dime chain of stores. The first of store of a chain that would grow to 68 outlets and 2,500 employees was opened in November 1925 on Second Avenue North in Clanton.

(b) Pledger Manor Formerly Reynolds Mansion, this Greek Revival Home was completed in 1909 and was initially the home of Dr. Emmitt A. Matthews. The property was later purchased by William A. Reynolds. The home included in publication “Historic Sites of Blount, Chilton, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker Counties� in 1975 by the Alabama Historical Commission. In 1976, the home was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

(c) Hotel Willingham Constructed in 1914, the three-story brick building has been known as the Wilson Hotel, the Thomas Hotel and the Hotel Willingham. Built by Peyton D. Wilson, the 16,000-square-foot structure served as the first home for many people relocating to Clanton. The building was placed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2008.

(d) Methodist Church (207 Eighth St. N) Constructed in 1923, the First United Methodist Church is situated on the same parcel of property as the first wood-frame church building, constructed in 1873. The current building, constructed in 1923, is the third to serve in this capacity at the same location.

(e) Railroad Depot Original building constructed about 1870 on land donated by Alfred Baker, founder of the town of Clanton to serve the South and North Alabama Railroad and subsequently, the Louisville and Nashville. The depot was one of six that served Chilton County and is one of only two that remain standing.

(f) Peoples Savings Bank (620 Second Ave. N) The original front of the Peoples Savings, now Peoples Southern Bank, remains a local landmark. Founded in 1901, the bank was the first to be established in Chilton County. Following construction, the bank was one of only three brick buildings in the Town of Clanton. The bank was founded by W. T. Holloway of Montgomery. W. T. Callen of Clanton served as cashier.

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Peoples Savings Bank

(g) Clanton First Baptist Church (210 Sixth Street North) Established in 1872, the First Baptist Church was originally located on the corner of Second Avenue North and Fourth Street. In 1893, a new wood frame building was erected two blocks to the west on 6th Street. The congregation moved the church to the current site in 1962.

(h) Chilton County Courthouse (500 Second Avenue North) Dedicated in February 1962, the current building is the fifth structure to serve as the county courthouse. The first was located in the settlement of Grantville. After Clanton became the County Seat, a wood frame building was erected at what is now the intersection of Sixth Street and Second Avenue. The third and fourth buildings were situated on what is now the west parking lot of the current building.

Veteran’s Memorial, Clanton

(i) USS Chilton Commissioning Bell (Courthouse Entrance) Commissioned in 1942, the USS Chilton was named in honor of the residents of Chilton County for their efforts in exceeding the goals of the War Bond Drive. The ship and crew served with distinction as part of the naval forces of the United States of America. The Commissioning Bell is the sole remaining artifact of this proud vessel.

(j) Veteran’s Memorial (Courthouse Lawn) Permanently inscribed on the Veteran’s Memorial are the names of 106 soldiers from Chilton County who gave their last full measure of devotion in service to their county and fellow citizens.

Dr. Hirenkumar Jani 260 Health Center Drive, Clanton, Alabama 35045

205-280-1080 internalmedicinesouth.com

(k) Upchurch Drug Company (621 Second Ave. N) Founded in 1903 by E.E. and Rhonda Upchurch, the Upchurch Drug Company was located on the corner of Second Avenue North and Seventh Street in the building that now houses Morlyn’s Fine Jewelry. The corner drugstore was a destination for resident of Clanton for more than 50 years.

(l) Clanton Cemetery (First Street and First Avenue) Established on property donated by Alfred Baker, founder of the town of Clanton, the cemetery is the final resting place of many notable individuals in the history of Clanton and Chilton County.

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(m) Old Post Office Building (601 First Avenue)

The Theodore Thorson home

Completed in 1935, the old Post Office was constructed as a project of the Works Progress Administration. Upon completion, the limestone and brick structure was described as one of the most attractive buildings located between Birmingham and Montgomery.

(5) Cotton Mill and Village (1400 Eighth Street) Initiating production in December 1929, the Alabama Mills Company facility employed more than 300 workers. To house the employees, 41 apartment homes were constructed adjacent to the mill. The mill ceased operation in 1977 because of the transfer of textile manufacturing to overseas locations.

TOWN OF THORSBY (6) Town of Thorsby* (US Hwy 31)

nue and Jones Street. The design included a large tower and balcony that provided Thorson a panoramic view of the town and surrounding area.

Founded in 1895, original settlers were of Scandinavian origin (d) Thorsby Historic Preservation Society seeking a favorable climate for growing fruit and other agricultural (Montgomery Avenue) staples. Known as a town of churches and schools, the name of the Housed in the original Bank of Thorsby building that opened in town originated from the name of the founder Theodore Thorson. 1909, the Thorsby Historic Preservation Society maintains a museum and repository of historical documents relating to the rich histo(a) Helen Jenkins Hall (Concordia Street) ry of the town and Chilton County. The former Norwegian Lutheran Church is named in honor of Helen Charlotte Jenkins who was one of the original members (e) Thorsby Public School (95 Illinois Avenue) of the faculty of the Thorsby Institute. Jenkins spent her entire Located on Illinois Avenue adjacent to the First Baptist Church, career at the school. the former school was opened in 1925 and served as an elementary school until closing in 1974. During its 49 year history as a school, (b) Scandinavian Cemetery* (Alabama Avenue) the building also served as a center of community activity as the auIn 1896, Swedish settlers organized the Concordia Methodist ditorium was the largest venue for public events. Church and acquired the land for the Concordia Cemetery. The cemTOWN OF JEMISON etery became known as the Scandinavian Cemetery because those laid to rest were of Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish descent.

(7) Town of Jemison (US HWY 31)

(c) Theodore Thorson Home (Jones Street) This iconic structure epitomizes the history of the Town of Thorsby. The Victorian structure was the home of Theodore Thorson, one of the founders of the town. This June 1900 image shows the Victorian style home located on the corner of Michigan Ave-

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Originally incorporated in 1907, the town is named for Robert Jemison, Jr. who co-owned and operated the Jemison, Powell, Ficklen and Company Stage Line. A pioneer industrialist and entrepreneur, Jemison was instrumental in the development of the City of Birmingham and the mineral district of Alabama.

Central Alabama Airways Flying Club, Chilton County Airport

(8) Chilton County Airport (702 Airport Road) Construction of the Chilton County Airport began in 1934 under the provisions of the Depression-era Civil Works Administration and subsequent Works Progress Administration. Dedicated in July 1937, the facility is one of the oldest continually operating airports in the state of Alabama.

(a) Blackwood Brothers Memorial (702 Airport Road) This memorial is dedicated to the memory of R. W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles, members of the Blackwood Brothers Gospel Quartet who perished in an aircraft accident on the Clanton Airport in June 1964. Johnny Ogburn, a local resident, also perished in the accident.

(b) Tuskegee Hangar (702 Airport Road) Originally constructed on the Tuskegee Army Air Field, the hangar was relocated to Chilton County in 1948 through the federal War Assets Administration. The hangar served as a venue for numerous community functions and as an aircraft storage facility for more than 70 years.

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(c) Works Progress Administration Hangar (702 Airport Road)

(11) Lay Dam (County Road 794)

Lay Dam was the first Alabama Power Company Hydroelectric dam project in Alabama. More than 1,500 workers were employed in conThis brick hangar was originally constructed in 1937 as part of the structing the dam. In November 1929, the dam was dedicated in honor of Works Progress Administration project to construct the Chilton CounWilliam Patrick Lay, the first president of the Alabama Power Company. ty Airport. It is the last remaining original structure on the airport. The dam is included on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

(9) Walnut Creek United Methodist Church* (314 County Road 458)

(12) STANTON (AL HWY 22)

Walnut Creek United Methodist Church was established Stanton, Alabama is the site of the April 1, 1865 battle to defend in 1820. The original log church building was the site of the Selma from General Wilson and his advancing troops. first convened court proceedings to be held in Baker County (a) Ebenezer Church* (5349 AL HWY 22) (1869) when County Seat was located at Grantville. Established in 1819 in what was then Bibb County. Battle of Ebenezer (10) Yellowleaf Creek Mill Church took place in proximity to current church building. The bat(1321 County Road 249) tlegrounds can be seen looking across the highway from the Ebenezer The former Shannon Mill, previously known as Miller Mill, was once Church parking lot and on the hill behind the church where the Ebenezer a hub of the community, producing up to 4,500 pounds of cornmeal, Cemetery is located and where the left of Forrest’s line was formed. flour or grits each day to be sold in area stores. The mill was renamed Yellowleaf Creek Mill and opened for business as an event venue. (b) Ebenezer Cemetery (County Road 45) Burial site of Union soldiers killed in Battle of Ebenezer Church. th Graves are located in the southeast corner of the cemetery and marked by a cluster of Cedar trees, many of which remain standing.

Happy 150 Birthday Chilton County!

Grand Opening 1997

Proud to be a part of Chilton County history

(c) Old Post Office (County Road 45) (13) MAPLESVILLE RAILROAD HISTORIC DISTRICT (AL HWY 22) (a) Dr. Parnell House (Parnell Avenue) The C. N. Parnell House is situated on the southeast end of the District. The house was constructed circa 1908. After relocating to Maplesville in 1906, Parnell practiced medicine in Maplesville for approximately 45 years.

(b) Southern Railway Depot (AL HWY 22) Constructed in 1912, this building replaced the circa 1867 depot that was destroyed by fire in 1911. The original depot was destroyed by the Union Army in 1865. Today, the depot building serves as a Senior Center and museum.

(c) Methodist Church* (Rail Road Street) An example of vernacular Gothic Revival ecclesiastical architecture, the building was first located on the site of the current cemetery. Later, circa 1850, the building was dismantled and then rebuilt in 1887 using some of the original material.

(d) Crumpton Store (AL HWY 22)

The T. U. Crumpton Company, purveyor of furniture, coffins, dry goods and notions.

The Crumpton Store was constructed in 1907. A general mercantile business, the original painted sign “TU CRUMPTON CO” remains visi-

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ble beneath the corbelling. At the rear of the building is the “Coffin House,” the only place in the area where coffins or caskets could be purchased.

(14) Old Maplesville Cemetery (AL HWY 191) Located on Highway 191 0.5 miles north of the Highway 22 intersection, the cemetery was originally in Old Maplesville and is the last remaining evidence of the former site of the town.

(15) The Walker–Klinner Farm (AL HWY 22) The site is an historic 1,600acre farm and historic district near Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama. The two-and-ahalf-story Eastlake-style farmhouse was built in 1890. The farm is significant for its intact mid-19th century farm boundWalker–Klinner Farm, historic 1,600-acre farm and aries and for being maintained historic district near Maplesville, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1987. as a farm for more than 135 years. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1987. Located 3.5 miles east of Maplesville.

(16) ISABELLA (a) Isabella United Methodist Church (CR 29) The church was organized circa 1828. Graveyard includes burial sites of veterans of American Civil War and many early residents of the area who died before the county was established. Methodist Church Isabella, Alabama

(b) Mulberry Baptist Church (CR 15) Founded in 1818, one year before Alabama became a state, the church first met in a dirt-floor log cabin. The logs to build the cabin came from trees along the nearby Mulberry Creek. The log cabin burned down in 1833 and was replaced with a building constructed with boards from local sawmills. In 1853, a larger, two-steeple style building was constructed. The current sanctuary was built in 1951.

(17) Chilton County Training School* (CR425) The Chilton County Training School was the only facility in the county to provide a secondary education for African-American students. The original wood frame building was destroyed by fire in 1949. A new brick building was constructed in 1951. The school was listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2007.

(18) Mitchell Dam (CR 93) Mitchell Dam was the second Alabama Power Company Hydro-electric dam project to be constructed on the Coosa River. The site of the dam was originally known as Duncan’s Riffle. Competed in 1923, the dam was dedicated in honor of James Mitchell, the second President of the Alabama Power Company. * Historic marker on site

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Employees of Martin Funeral Home focus on being “Dedicated to those we serve.” Three generations of Martins work at the funeral home.

97 YEARS OF SERVICE Martin Funeral Home serves generations as a family STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE

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enerations of the Martin family have helped generations of Chilton County residents make funeral arrangements after the passing of their loved ones. Today, three generations of Martins are a part of daily operations at Martin Funeral Home. This includes Donnie, Jimmy, Bobby, Jim, Mell and Kristen Martin Mims, who works three days a week in the office. Martin Funeral Home was founded in 1921 by J.Mell Martin. “He came across the Coosa River on the ferry and brought his family with him, which was his wife, two sons and a daughter,” Jimmy Martin, part owner of the business, said. J.Mell had been an undertaker in Coosa County. Jimmy is J.Mell’s grandson. “My grandfather’s first office was on Seventh Street ... we moved out into South Clanton in 1954,” Jimmy said. Initially, the full-time employees were J.Mell and his sons with part-time help being called in when needed. J.Mell went on to become city manager for Clanton. The oldest son died in 1940, followed by J.Mell in 1945.

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“When he died, my father (Leroy “Peewee” Martin) took over,” Jimmy said. Leroy Martin was given his nickname because of his height of 5 foot, 6 inches. Leroy had Jimmy join him in the family business when he needed help. “In December of ‘59, he asked me if I would run it until he got well, and, of course, he never got well, and so here I am still here,” Jimmy said. He initially was going to leave the family business, but when his father died and selling the business was not a viable option, Jimmy stepped into the role. “I just went to work,” Jimmy said. “I’ve been going ever since. A lot of people don’t believe that I was a heavy equipment operator at one time (and) helped build Interstate 65.” Jim said there were several people who helped out during the transition. “I was really blessed with people helping me,” Jimmy said. Like his father, Jim Martin, Jimmy’s son, did not picture himself continuing in the family business.

Jim Martin, who is now a funeral director, said he started working in the family business “when I was 9 years old cutting grass in the cemeteries.” When he was older, Jim started a career in construction. At the age of 45, the family business drew him back. Jim’s daughter Kristen joined the team as an administrative assistant in 2013. She had worked in the office some while in high school but worked in home health/ hospice before returning to Martin Funeral Home. She said the timing was good for her to come back, and now, she loves it. Kristen said she enjoys being able to offer customized options for each customer and personalizing the cards and guest books to be used. Even while pursuing another career, Jimmy never totally left the funeral business, amassing 72 years of experience in the industry. His motto for the company has always been “dedicated to those we serve.” He said the company has worked based on this principal ever since its founding, but it was made official 50 years ago. Each funeral director has a degree in mortuary science and has completed a two-year apprenticeship. In 2018, the funeral home had two apprentices. Part of the apprenticeship is learning how to work with the families. “No two families are alike,” Jimmy said. “You have to learn what they want and how much they demand.” Jimmy said just like in any other business working with the public can be challenging, but preparing the body of the deceased for the funeral can also be challenging. There have been several changes to the funeral industry and the funeral services throughout the Martin history. In 2018, many funerals are shorter than in previous years. The number of families that choose cremation has also increased. “Used to we would have anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, hour and a half on a funeral,” Jimmy said. When Jimmy took the reins of the business, bodies of the deceased were taken to the family’s home after the embalming was complete, and almost all the funerals were held in churches. After the move to South Clanton, “we started having more and more of them lie in state at the funeral home,” Jimmy said. This change came around 1955 or 1956. Martin Funeral Home relocated to its current location in February 1966.

“We had an opportunity to purchase our competition (Speigner Funeral Home),” Jimmy said. “Our competition built this building, and we had the opportunity to buy them out.” From that time until 1973, Martin Funeral Home was the only funeral home in town. “My grandfather actually had the first ambulance service,” Martin said. “He had a horse drawn hearse for the first several years, then he got a motorized hearse that he used as an ambulance.” People would have called the funeral home if they needed an ambulance. Eventually, changes in government regulations brought an end to the funeral home providing the service. Jimmy said it would have cost too much to meet the new regulations, instead the funeral home donated a vehicle to the hospital. For several years, a member of the Martin family was the County Coroner. Jimmy said his grandfather, father and himself had been coroner. In 2018, Martin Funeral Home has 15 employees, including the family members. There are seven funeral directors. “It’s a unique thing,” Kristen said of working for a company that had been in the community and family owned for so many years. “Most people come in and they say the Martins have taken care of our families for as long as I know.” Jim said many of the families the funeral home serves have never gone through this before. The thank you cards from families are “what makes this business worth it,” Jim said. Jim said he is looking forward to being a part of getting the business past the 100-year mark.

Martin Funeral Home was founded in 1921 by J.Mell Martin.

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The Chestnut Creek Baptist Church held a summer baptism in 1929 after a revival. (Contributed photo)

FOUNDATION OF FAITH Several churches date back to before establishment of county STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

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ong before Baker County, which became Chilton County, was established people were settling in the area and forming established groups to meet and worship God. Some of these groups grew into churches that are still in the community today. Here are a few of their stories:

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CHESTNUT CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH ESTABLISHED 1818 At first, meetings were held outdoors. The congregation’s first permanent meeting place was a log cabin. “This was early pioneer days for Chilton County in 1818, and the Creek Indians were still just over across the Coosa River,” said Ola Taylor of Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel, which preserves one of the church’s former locations and its history in the area.

The original wood interior has been preserved in the former Chestnut Creek Baptist Church.

Chestnut Creek Baptist Church built this church building in 1925 and held services there until 2007. By 1840, the church had 65 members. Later, a frame building was constructed. In 1922, a committee was established to pursue building a larger second wood frame building to meet in. Actual construction did not begin until 1926. The church building was complete by 1929. It is this building which is Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel today. By that time, Rev. A.L. Nichols was leading the congregation. This original portion of the chapel is made entirely of wood with very high ceilings. Taylor said wood was likely chosen because Verbena was a logging community at the time. Although the intent was to simply make a functional building, the result was also a place of beauty. Taylor said the original wooden tongue and groove walls and ceiling have been preserved. A balcony at the rear of the chapel has been enclosed. By 1930, the congregation added two wings for Sunday School classes. When the public school in Cooper (or Coopers as the locals often call it) the church acquired the building. The church used it as a Family Life Center for many years. It was also used by the church’s softball team. Another addition in 1961 included classrooms, a kitchen, fellowship hall and restrooms.

The church h h grew tremendously d l from the 1970s to 1990s, according to Taylor. By 2005, a larger building down the road had been completed, and the church had moved to the new property. The church added more programs and activities for children and youth, including a puppet ministry, classes and drama ministry. The church has held celebrations for its 150th anniversary and 175th anniversary. For several years, the church has held a Homecoming with a special service and dinner on the grounds. Now, Homecoming is still held, but dinner is inside the fellowship hall. The church celebrated its bicentennial during Homecoming this year on Sept. 9.

MULBERRY BAPTIST CHURCH ESTABLISHED 1818 Mulberry Baptist Church in Isabella is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. The church first met in a dirt-floor log cabin on Edmond Beaird’s property from 1818 to about 1833. The logs to build the cabin came from trees along the nearby Mulberry Creek. The first several pastors of the church were Pioneer Preachers, who served a group of new churches, church history committee member Sherrell White said. The log cabin burned down in 1833 and was replaced with a building constructed with boards from local sawmills.

CLANTON

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“Mulberry has always been a mission-minded church, and our early history is proving that,” White said. “Mulberry has always been supportive of our state missions.” The church has been a part of disaster relief efforts and missions trips to other countries. The church has also helped those in need in the local community. Mulberry Baptist Church members were influential in establishing the volunteer fire department in Isabella. A highlight of the Mulberry 200th celebraBetty Kendrick and Louise Williams enjoyed tion will be to host a Chilton Baptist Associathe Good Old Days celebration at Mulberry tion meeting. Baptist Church. The church has several commemorative events planned to celebrate. The first was The The 1833 structure is thought to have had wooden siding and posGood Old Days on April 21 with games and demonstrations from sibly shutters over the windows, White said. early days of the church. A banquet with historic exhibits will be held In 1853, a larger, two-steeple style building was constructed. on Oct 6. Th e celebration will climax with the 200th Year Great CelIn addition to two main entrances at the front, there was also a ebration Day on Oct. 14. A memorial will be set up at the estimated separate entrance elsewhere for slaves. White said this was the time when sacred harp music would have location of the original church building. The church’s cornerstone time capsule from 1951 will be opened. been used in the church. Many of the men would sit in one section, and many of the women would sit in another section with a mix of different musical ranges sitting in the middle, turning the entire congregation into a choir. The current sanctuary was built in 1951. An educational building was added in 1965. The church’s Family Life Center was constructed in 2005. Information for the first 30 years of the church was harder to collect than more recent years, because the official church records from those years have been lost.

EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH  ESTABLISHED 1819 Ebenezer Baptist Church was founded by seven members. The first pastor was Isaac Suttle. The church first met in a log cabin near Charles Arnold’s home. The membership soon grew to 50 members. “When the church was organized, a revival commenced at once and about 50 were baptized, five of whom became ministers of the gospel,” according to the church’s “History of Ebenezer Baptist.”

Ebenezer Baptist Church’s current building, circa late 1940s-1950s, before the addition was built.

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The church would experience revival again in 1825 and 1839. The 1839 revival is said to have lasted for two years. The Gorden brothers established a singing school at the church and used instruments, including the violin. According to the church’s history, a very active member of the church “was so grieved by this desecration, as he saw it, of God’s house that he never entered the house again.” In the 1830s, a new church was built up on the hill, where the house for the pastor is now. The church purchased six acres of land from George Oden in 1854, according to “History of Ebenezer.” The church’s graveyard became the final resting place for soldiers and officers killed in the Battle of Ebenezer during the Civil War in 1865. A marker in front of the current church states that the battle involved Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and 1,500 Confederate cavalrymen and Union Army General James H. Wilson and 7,500 troops. “Our government asked that the cedar trees be left standing as a memorial to the dead, thereby marking the graves of the men who were killed,” according to the church’s “History of Ebenezer Baptist.” In 1916 or 1917 the church burned down. Lumber for the present-day building was provided by Columbus Dyer from his mill. He also donated the work of his employees for construction. Alfred Dyer donated theater-style seating of the era to the church. The church later replaced the seats with pews. Classrooms and a fellowship hall were added on to the main sanctuary in 2007. The addition allowed the church to host more youth and children’s programs and events for the entire church. The church now has 230 members. In recent years, Ebenezer has become known for its kayak ministry. Since 1819, there have been at least 18 ministers ordained in the church. The church is planning to create a timeline of its history in time for its bicentennial. A bicentennial celebration is being planned for July 2019. Celebrations will be held throughout the month, culminating in an event on July 19.

WALNUT CREEK METHODIST CHURCH  ESTABLISHED 1820 Walnut Creek Methodist Church’s first building was a log cabin with a stone fireplace. Court was even held in the building when a judge from Montgomery came to town and there was no courthouse, according to “History of Walnut Creek Methodist Church.” Back then, the Walnut Creek community was

Baptisms in the creek were important events in the history of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

a central spot for official business. It was the site of the first courthouse in Chilton County, which was built near the church. The church built a frame building after the Civil War. In 1935, a brick building replaced the wooden frame building. “It has always had a progressive Sunday School, and at one time the membership of the church totaled around 300,” according to “History of Walnut Creek Methodist Church.” In 1967, a fellowship hall as well as a porch and a steeple were added. Prior to that, events had been either outside on in the sanctuary. “I can remember when we had our Christmas dinners in the sanctuary,” Popwell said. Homecoming was an annual event for several years. “We always had Homecoming on the second Sunday in May,” Norma (Coggins) Popwell, who has attended the church most of her life, said. “We had dinner on the grounds. We had concrete tables out there.” Each year the event featured convention-style singing led by Reuben DeVaugh. The current church building was constructed in 2007. The church celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1970. Photos were taken of the leaders and faithful members of the church at the time and are commemorated in a plaque on the back wall in the current sanctuary. There are approximately 150 members today. Popwell said she also remembers being a part of the Women’s Society of Christian Service. One of the projects for the group was to help with barbecue chicken dinners to raise money, Popwell said. “We made our own slaw, and cakes and things,” Popwell said. The semi-annual fundraiser became an anticipated event in the community. A bell on display outside the church hung in the steeple in 1960. “They were retiring a freight train, a locomotive, and some of the members heard about it ...They made arrangements to get the bell,” Jim Popwell, Norma’s husband, said. The display was dedicated to This locomotive bell once hung in the steeple of Walnut Tony Hughes when he retired afCreek Methodist Church. ter 28 years as pastor in 2015.

Chilton 150th 57

Those looking for history about their family in Chilton County might be able to find something in “The Heritage of Chilton County, Alabama� at the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library.

CLIMBING THE FAMILY TREE Library offers genealogy resources STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOYANNA LOVE

T

hose with family ties to Alabama and Chilton County wishing to research their history have a good place to start in the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library genealogy section. This collection of archives and resources is nestled in a back corner of the library, but library staff are available to lead patrons to it. In addition to bound copies of local newspapers going back as far as 1911, reference books chronicling families of Alabama divided by county, old yearbooks from local schools and state colleges as well as other information on specific families is available.

58 Chilton 150th

Books on the heritage of many of the counties in Alabama are available at the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library.

DID YOU KNOW? Library director Savannah Kitchens said some back issues of local newspapers are also available on microfilm or microfiche. She said library staff would help those wanting to do research get set up on the machines.

Resources in the genealogy sections cannot be taken out of the library, but Kitchens said many people will take pictures of the pages that they need. “A lot of them are self-published, and they are the original copy,” Kitchens said. “There are no other copies.” However, resources in the genealogy section are a part of the library’s online catalog, which can be searched to see if the library has a book that might have helpful information. Kitchens gave the example of doing a keyword search to find a resource for marriages and deaths in a certain county in a particular year. She said the publications do require “more legwork, you have to do some good old fashioned elbow grease research, going through kind of knowing what you are looking for.” “You have to be willing to be the detective,” Kitchens said. The genealogy section is used on average three times a week. “We do have people that work on a special project, so they’ll come every day or once a week until they finish their project,” Kitchens said. Local residents are not the only ones that have benefited from the reference materials. “We have gotten a lot of people this summer on their way down to the beach on vacation stop by and look up long lost family members, maybe they grew up here, maybe their parents were here, so on their way down they can swing by and take a look,” Kitchens said. One of these families knew their grandparents had grown up in Chilton County. They had a last name and an approximate year. After doing a keyword search, they found a book in the library’s catalog about the family with information dating back to the 1800s. “It was exactly what she needed, and she was able to take pictures, go back and share them with her family,” Kitchens said. “It was really good ... that makes us happy.” The library edition of Ancestry.com can also be accessed in the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library.

“It is something that you have to be on a library computer to use, but it is completely free,” Kitchens said. “It is a wonderful resource for finding the hard to find stuff.” Kitchens said her family was able to find her great-great grandfather’s immigration record from Hungary. “Being able to see an image of that actual record on my computer screen was really cool,” Kitchens said. Those starting genealogical research at the library need to have as much information about who they are looking for as possible. Kitchens said the more information a person has starting out, the easier it will be to find new information. She recommended having the person’s full name, what county they lived in, what year they may have gotten married and when they died. She said those wanting to do genealogical research need to keep in mind that it is unique and is not as simple and immediate as searching for other information on the internet. “That’s part of the challenge, and I think that’s part of what makes it fun ... and interesting,” Kitchens said. Some newspaper archives are also available digitally, but are not searchable. “We also have access to our digitized Union-Banner archives, which is probably my favorite thing about our genealogy section ... you do it on the computer, but it looks like you are flipping through pages of the paper,” Kitchens said. “It was digitized through a partnership collaboration with the University of Montevallo, their Carmichael Library department.” A link to the digitized archive is available on the Chilton/ Clanton Public Library’s website under the resources tab. Those who need a little help with research can contact the Alabama Department of Archives and History with specific questions. The department also has online resources available at archives.state.al.us.

DDIDD YOU OU KNOW? O ?

On Dec. 7, 1941 three men from Chilton County perished aboard the U.S.S Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

News of the first automobile to pass through Clanton was reported in the Sept. 15, 1904 issue of the UnionBanner newspaper. Chilton 150th 59

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2018 SO FAR January

April

Linda Smitherman retired from the Maplesville Utility Board after 26 years.

Heard’s BBQ and Soul Food in Maplesville was named a finalist in the Bama’s Best BBQ.

Linda Smitherman

February The Thorsby Rebels put a cap on a flawless season in n area play with a 72-60 victory against Billingsley g y in the Area 9-2A championship p p on Feb. 9..

Sew Charming in Clanton is up and running at its new location on Seventh Street N.

The Chilton/ Clanton Public Library received over o 1,000 books as a Bookapalooza grant recipient. Mr. Taco opened in Jemison. Sew Charming in Clanton moved to a larger location.

Billingsley 72-60 to win The Thorsby Rebels defeated the Area 9-2A title on Feb. 9.

Jim Pitts, director of the Chilton Research and Extension t Center, retired after 35 years.

James Ja Osgood, 48, was once again sentenced to death Clanton Intermediate School won first place overall at for the rape, torture and murder of Tracy Brown of Clanthe Elementary Science Olympiad at Jacksonville High ton, 44, on Oct. 13, 2010. School on Feb. 24.

March

May

Jemison High School’s softball team dedicated its county title win to 2017 Jemison graduate and former Lady Panther Jessica Paschal who had died in a recent car accident. Jimmy and Karen Crane became the new owners of Hayes Drug and Gift Shop in Jemison. Head Start returned to Jemison.

60 Chilton 150th

nah Wilson, Anna Allie Lightsey, Madi Price, Han erwater robot. und ir Smith and Tilby Miller with the (Contributed)

The Chilton County High School Tigers Robotics team according to a release from the office of state attorney general placed in the top 10 at the Northern Gulf Coast regional site for Steve Marshall. She has also been ordered to pay full restitution the Marine Advanced Technology Education competition with to Franklin County. its underwater robot. John Shearon was re-elected as Chilton County sheriff. Isabella capped a marathon day with a 14-11 victory in eight innings over county rival Maplesville in the Area 5-1A champiJuly onship on May 1. Robert M. “Bobby” Martin announced his retirement as probate judge.

Heard’s BBQ and Soul Food receives a plaque for being a finalist (KEITH MCCOY/ ADVERTISER)

Sylvia Singleton was hired as county administrator.

June

Heard’s BBQ and Soul Food in Maplesville was named a finalist in the Bama’s Best Catfish competition.

nts Cawaco RC&D presented gra

to the Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel.

Tommy Glasscock was named deputy state superintendent of Career and Technical Education with the Alabama State Department of Education.

First Class Pre-school classes were offered at Verbena, Ma Maplesville and Isabella high schools for the first time, and Francine Wasden was hired as the new Chilton County Clanton Elementary added another First Class Pre-school class. Chamber of Commerce Director. Isabella teacher Rachel Hartsell attended the annual Summer Whitney Barlowe was hired as the Industrial Development Institute for Holocaust Educators hosted by the Jewish FoundaBoard director. tion for the Righteous. Jason Griffin was elected Chilton County Schools Superintendent. Cawaco RC&D presented grants to the Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel.

nt during aust survivor Roman Ke Rachel Hartsell met Holoc e 24-28. Holocaust Educators Jun the Summer Institute for ADVERTISER) (ANTHONY RICHARDS/

Jemison Elementary School teacher Beverly Wyatt and Verbena High School teachers Michael Martin and Beth Ann Popee experienced five days of mission simulations and exploration at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville as a part off Alabama Space Academy for Educators. Former county administrator Crista Madden was sentenced to two concurrent 20-year prison terms for embezzlingg $753,889 in funds from a previous position in Franklin County,

Chilton 150th 61

EMT training was added as a dual enrollment course at the Chilton-Clanton campus of Jefferson State Community College. Matthew Price was named the new Chilton Research and Extension Center director. The Clanton Walmart decided to add a grocery pickup option. Dollar General announced opening a location in Enterprise.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Peoples Southern Bank merged with River Bank & Trust.

Chilton County 2018 Population: 44,067 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division 2017 Population estimate) Male: 21,669 Female: 22,398 Under 18: 10,521 Median Household Income: $42,594 (2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates) Number of Companies in Chilton County 3,130 (2012 Survey of Business Owners)

Clanton Intermediate School was awarded $20,000 based on the previous year’s third -grade reading scores on state testing. Skillet returned to En Fuego as the headliner. Former Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell was sentenced Aug. 28 to 10 years in prison for his conviction of an ethics violation and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Thorsby defeated Jemison on the football field for the second time in the history of the rivalry after a 44-26 victory by the Rebels on Aug. 23. The only other victory for Thorsby came 48 years ago in 1970.

Clanton Intermediate and Maplesville Elementary students participated in new programs that sorted them into team, called Heard’s BBQ and Soul Food in Maplesville was named a fihouses at their schools. nalist in the Bama’s Best Burger competition.

August

Maplesville High School, Thorsby High School, Verbena High School and Jemison Intermediate School were named Bicentennial Schools and received $2,000 each. Thorsby High School alum Rianna Green has been named a finalist for the National FFA Proficiency Award in the field of agricultural sales-placement. New Life Community Church purchased the former hospital property and began the transition to a new location. Dan Cook, former employee of The Clanton Advertiser, died.

Maplesville Elementary holds a sorting ceremony to divide the students into houses.

62 Chilton 150th

Cawaco RC&D presented grants to Minooka Park.

Patty Bingham 205-351-1930

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Cody Beasley 205-389-3371

Pete Bernier 205-405-6990

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