Faces and Places 2018

2018

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF

CHILTON COUNTY FOR VISITORS, RESIDENTS AND NEWCOMERS

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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FACES&PLACES2018

Chilton County.........................................Legacy of Coach Littleton........................................................... 4 Clanton........................................................... Pierce Farms.................................................................. 16

Jemison...................................................Hidden Meadow Valley.......................................................... 24 Maplesville............................................. Maplesville Senior Center........................................................ 29 Thorsby........................................................ Farmhouse Café............................................................... 34 Important telephone numbers................................................................................................................ 38

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

CHILTON COUNTY

THE LEGACY OF COACH LITTLETON STORY BY SARAH GRAHAM PHOTOS BY CONTRIBUTED

R

ex Littleton dedicated himself to Isabella High School for 28 years, serving students and the larger community in a number of ways, before retiring

this year.

Littleton graduated from Chilton County High School in 1974 after playing halfback for the Tiger football team.

He then attended college at Troy State University, University of Alabama and Alabama State University, receiving his undergraduate in 1990.

He is known as Coach Littleton by many.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

He started at Isabella in 1992 and has worn many hats throughout his years.

Littleton taught several subjects of history for seventh-12th grade students, such as World History, geography, civics, U.S. History and Government & Economics.

He was the Historical Society director for 22 years, vice principal from 2007-2009, drove a bus for 28 years, did custodial work and cooked the steaks for athletic banquets and Mustang Feasts.

Littleton began coaching football in 1991, along with co-heading girls basketball, baseball and later track and field in 2013. He became the head coach for the JV football team in 1994.

Littleton was a part of several accomplishments throughout these years, including 12 State

Championships in track and field along with three Voices of Democracy winners through Historical Society.

Voices of Democracy was a speech contest for students sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

His favorite memory out of all these accomplishments was when the Mustangs went 13-1 during the 2002 football season. It is a memory that will last a lifetime!

His hard work and dedication were recognized at the 2018 Isabella Athletic Banquet as

COUNTY COURTHOUSE 500 Second Ave N Clanton, AL 35046 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 1948 Clanton, AL 35046 PHONE NUMBER (205) 755-1551

an award was created in his honor known as the “Service Award,” and will be given out annually at the banquet.

“I wasn’t expecting that, and thank them so much,” Littleton said.

In his classrooms, he not only taught subject matter but tried to prepare his students for life after high school.

His favorite sayings are “Do you have your ducks in a row?” “You may prepare and fail, but you never fail to prepare,” “I see said the blind man,” and “Who’s gonna be there when the good

CHILTON COUNTY FAST FACTS

WEBSITE www.newchiltoncounty.org POPULATION 44,067 (2017 estimate) LAND AREA 693.98 square miles

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN Allen Caton (205) 351-2107 COUNTY COMMISSION Joe Headley 205-287-1689 Jimmie Hardee 205-389-2181

LEFT: Coach Rex Littleton of Isabella High School.

RIGHT: Rex Littleton with his wife Jane, and daughters Nicole and Natalie in 2001 at Isabella High School.

Joseph Parnell 205-688-6991 Steve Langston 205-755-1551 Greg Moore 205-351-1266 Matthew Mims 205-389-6161

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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TOP: Rex Littleton and his family at his retirement celebration.

BOTTOM: Rex Littleton along with Buddy and Crystal Baker receiving the Service Award named after Coach Littleton.

Lord calls?”

Littleton married Jayne Scott Littleton on Aug. 4, 1979 as they are celebrating their 39th anniversary this year. He also has two daughters Nicole Bolton along with grandson Nash and Natalie Ellison.

His plans for retirement are to spend time resting, gardening, raising cows, time with family and playing with his grandson Nash and future grandchildren.

“I am very appreciative of my years at Isabella and to the Mustang family,” Littleton said.

Others around him have said it will be hard to find another “Coach Littleton,” to take up the slack of all he did.

His impact was felt in the little things that got done with no one knowing who did them, because that’s who Coach Littleton was, he just did them.

Rex Littleton will always be part of the Mustang family and community.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

Peach Festival

P

erhaps Chilton County’s best known annual event is the Peach Festival, which occurs during harvest time in June. For two weeks, many events occur throughout the county, including a 5K run, cook-off, pageants, parade, auction and the Peach Jam.

PEACH RUN

The annual Peach Run is sponsored

by Cornerstone Fitness & Wellness in Clanton. In 2018, the Peach Run was held June 16. There are both a 5K and a 10K run through downtown Clanton.

One of the best places to watch the race is along Alabama Highway 145 between Cornerstone and downtown.

There are cash prizes and winners named in several age divisions in both male and female categories. For more information, call fitness director Lesia Childress at 205-280-6450.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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PEACH COOK-OFF

The annual Peach Cook-off is held at Senior Connection in Clanton. It is sponsored by the Alabama Cooperative Extension Chilton County Office, Chilton County Farmers Federation Women’s Committee and the Clanton Lions Club.

The contest includes all kinds of dishes — and they must include Chilton County peaches.

There is always a guest chef demonstrating a dish. Admission is free, and people do not have to compete to attend. Cash prizes are awarded in two age divisions, adult and youth for three categories: sweet, savory and canned.

After judging, people in attendance have a chance to sample all the entries.

For more information, call the local office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at (205) 280-6268.

MISS PEACH PAGEANTS

There are four categories in the Miss Peach Pageants: Little Miss (ages 5-7), Young Miss (8-11), Junior Miss (12-14) and Miss (15-18).

The pageants are always on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night during the Peach Festival. Winners earn scholarships and other prizes.

The 2018 queens are Zoey Collum (Miss Peach),

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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Mattie Woodall (Junior Miss Peach), Mary-Henning Dale (Young Miss Peach) and Anna Mims (Little Miss Peach).

PEACH JAM JUBILEE

The annual Peach Jam Jubilee, sponsored by the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce, is held the last Friday night in June.

Local entertainment also performs. There are food vendors and arts and crafts vendors, as well as kids’ rides, games, and more.

Call the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce at 205-7552400 for more information.

PEACH PARADE

The annual Peach Parade is held the Saturday after the Peach Jam. It starts at the Park Plaza shopping center near Clanton City Park and circles through downtown Clanton. Participants will line up at 8 a.m. For more information, contact Lions Club chairman Tony Hughes at 205-389-4253.

PEACH AUCTION

The Peach Auction is held at Senior Connection, and always directly follows the Peach Parade. The 2018 event raised $22,325.

The fundraiser benefits Clanton Lions Club and its charitable work, which includes providing glasses and eye care to children through Alabama Sight.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

July Fourth Celebrations

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ach year, Chilton County hosts several events to ring in America’s birthday. Clanton’s annual fireworks show is held on the July 4. For more information, contact City Hall at 205-755-1105.

The town of Thorsby also holds an annual celebration.

Each year, the event is held at Richard Wood Memorial Park and is filled with music and fireworks. For more information, contact Thorsby Town Hall at 205-646-3575.

A couple of celebrations are also held on Lake Mitchell, including the Cargile Creek Fourth of July fireworks show and boat parades. For more information, contact Jim McCormick with Lake Mitchell HOBO at jmac51@bellsouth.net.

Maplesville also hosts a Fourth of July celebration on July 4. For more information, call town hall at 334-366-4212.

Christmas in Chilton

E

very year, the towns of Clanton, Thorsby, Jemison and Maplesville get into the holiday spirit by hosting Christmas parades.

Each parade features marching bands, pageant queens, rescue vehicles, politicians, children, flashy vehicles and lots of candy.

Clanton’s Christmas Parade is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chilton County, and is held the first Friday in December at 6 p.m. It involves a route that weaves through downtown and showcases Peach Queens and the Pride of Chilton County High School Band.

The town of Maplesville holds its parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It often hosts a large number of floats, as well as the MHS Band.

Jemison traditionally holds its parade early in the Yuletide season and prominently features Jemison High School’s Blue Regiment Marching Band.

Thorsby’s parade is traditionally held the first weekend in December and features the Swedish Queens and the Thorsby High band.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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Relay

C

for Life

hilton County’s Relay for Life event, held every April, raises money for the American Cancer Society. Relay was held at Corner Park in downtown Clanton in 2018. The high-spirited event includes entertainment, cookouts and fun activities. Cancer survivors and their supporters walk around downtown to celebrate the continued fight against the disease.

For more information, contact Jeannie Smith at jeannie.smith@cancer.org.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

Art Festival

T

he Chilton County Arts Council sponsors an annual art festival. The 2018 festival was on July 28 and featured a variety of works from regional artists. More than 40 artists participated. The event is held at the Clanton Performing Arts Center. For more information, contact the Arts Council at chiltoncountyartscouncil@hotmail.com.

Veterans Memorial

T

he Chilton County Veterans Memorial stands in front of the county courthouse on Second Avenue North in Clanton as a reminder of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

The memorial bears the names of Chilton County residents who died in combat in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon and Iraq.

Veteran Morris Price is credited for coming up with the idea while he worked as a property tax appraiser in the courthouse.

Price, once a prisoner of war in Korea, also lost a brother in combat.

A drive was started to raise funds for a monument in 1985, and the dream became reality on Memorial Day 1986. The committee that oversees the memorial is made up of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Disabled American Veterans Associations.

Every Memorial Day, each name is read aloud as a crowd of citizens gathers to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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E

n Fuego is a large, outdoor Christian music festival held every August in Chilton County.

More than 15,000 people come to a farm in Verbena to enjoy some of the top Christian recording artists from around the country.

Over the years, En Fuego has grown to be one of the biggest Christian music festivals in the Southeast. Often called “The Woodstock of Christian Music,” En Fuego has hosted many acts, including Third Day, For King and Country, TobyMac, Kari Jobe and Kutless.

It is held on an inconspicuous hillside along County Road 23 near Verbena. The all-day event is attended by all ages but especially targets student groups.

En Fuego 2018 will take place Aug 25 in Verbena. Skillet will headline the event. For more information, including directions, complete band lineup and how to volunteer, visit www. enfuegoinfo.com.

Submit Your News Tips 755-5747

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

Confederate Memorial Park

T

he Alabama Historical Commission’s Confederate Memorial Park near Verbena is a museum, research facility, authentic historical structures, ruins and two cemeteries with more than 300 Confederate soldiers.

The 102-acre park hosts both local guests and tourists, and has the only museum in Alabama that is strictly devoted to the Civil War. The park includes a pavilion for visitor use, signs built along Interstate 65 North and South attracting tourists, a replica of Civil War barracks and a nature trail.

The park hosts an annual battle in April to offer an up-close and personal view of the Civil War. Confederate Memorial Park is located at 437 County Road 63 near Verbena. For more information about the park, call 205-755-1990.

Lake Mitchell

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ake Mitchell is a component of the Coosa River that lies 10 miles east of Clanton.

The 5,850-acre lake averages 29 feet in depth and includes 147 miles of shoreline. Alabama Power constructed Lay Dam in 1923 to provide flood control and hydroelectricity to central Alabama. Since then, Lake Mitchell has become a source of recreation with attractions such as boating, swimming and fishing.

The lake supports high densities of sport fish, such as largemouth bass, spotted bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, walleye, striped bass, hybrid and white bass.

The Lay Dam tailwater area at the upper end of the lake is a popular recreational area for fishermen.

The Marina restaurant offers food seasonally, and specializes in crawfish, gumbo and barbecue.

The Higgins Ferry boat launch is open to the public, and can be accessed by taking the Lake Mitchell exit off I-65, and taking County Road 28 until it dead-ends at Higgins Ferry Park.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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CLANTON

PIERCE FARMS

FOCUSES ON QUALITY Many customers come to Pierce Farms year after year.

STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE PHOTOS BY KEITH MCCOY

P

ierce Farms produce stand has been a staple in Clanton for more than a decade. Drivers along Seventh Street will spot their stand in front of the John Deere tractor store.

The stand is run by Tim and Cindy Pierce.

Tim said he focuses on having “the best that is available at the time.”

Many of the customers come back year after year.

Tim said he has enjoyed meeting the people that come to buy produce.

Tim Pierce started out selling out of the back of

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

his pickup truck on his family’s property.

“We started out in my pickup, just to see if there was a need for having something like this,” Pierce said. “It went over pretty well, and the following year I built the fruit stand. It just started growing.”

A wooden structure with shelves and refrigerators now houses and displays the produce. The Pierces’ Farm, which is located in the Fairview community, grows the majority of the produce sold at the stand, but the peaches and plums come from another Chilton County grower.

“Ever since we’ve been open, we have gotten our peaches from him,” Tim Pierce said.

Tim said farming is “in his blood” because his grandparents farmed.

“Actually, most of my farming experience came from my grandmother,” Tim Pierce said.

Eloise Wilkins, Tim’s grandmother on his mother’s side, grew a variety of vegetables each year, and taught him how to care for them.

“Just about everything that she was growing then, we are still growing today,” Tim Pierce said.

Cindy Pierce said she had helped her grandparents pick peas and butterbeans.

Tim Pierce started farming long before he opened the Pierce Farms produce stand.

“I think I planted my first cantaloupe crop when I was 11,” Pierce said.

When harvest time came, he sold cantaloupes to a local grocery store. Later, he would increase the stores he was selling produce wholesale to.

“Selling wholesale wasn’t paying off, so I decided I needed to get into the retail end of it,” Pierce said.

Peaches, peppers, squash, plums, sweet potatoes and lemons are all sold at the stand.

But, the top selling items are tomatoes, watermelon and peas.

This year, there were 10 different varieties of tomatoes.

One of the top selling tomato varieties, and Tim’s personal favorite, is Better Boy. “A lot of people know that one by name, and they ask for it,” Tim Pierce said. “It is not an heirloom variety, but it is a variety that has been here for years.”

They sell a variety of colors too, from not quite ripe for fried green tomatoes to almost purple Cherokee Purple varieties.

Tim Pierce said the Cherokee Purple tomatoes became popular when people started wanting heirloom varieties.

“They have that homegrown taste,” Tim Pierce said. “I still grow everything the way my grandmother did ... that way the quality is there.”

Pierce Farms grows two or three kinds of watermelons each year. The goal is to have local watermelons by July 4, but that is not always possible.

At the beginning of the summer, watermelons are brought in from Dothan where the harvest season starts a little sooner.

However, as soon as the Chilton County ones are ripe enough, Pierce Farms will switch to selling the local variety.

Cindy said there are challenges to growing produce.

“It’s a lot harder work than what people realize,” Cindy Pierce said.

Because numerous factors can impact a crop, Cindy Pierce said “you’re taking a gamble” in the farming industry.

A diversity in types of fruits and vegetables and planting multiple varieties keeps the stand stocked.

Cindy Pierce said if their crop does not grow as planned they FACES AND PLACES 2018

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will buy from another farmer as close to Chilton County as possible in order to have it.

Additional staff members help run the produce stand. Makayla Mims said she had started after a close friend told her they needed additional employees.

“Tim and Cindy, they are really good people to work with,” Mims said. “They are really friendly.

They are just really good to get along with.”

Pierce Farms is open March to December from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. offering seasonal produce, including pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees in the winter.

“One of the other things we do that is kind of unheard of is we do an honor system,” Tim Pierce said.

Produce is left out after hours to allow customers to purchase and place the money in the box.

“Chilton County is a very unique place for having something like this, it says a lot for the people,” Tim Pierce said.

He said customers watch out for the business, letting them know about any suspicious activities or things at the stand that need to be taken care of.

He said the system was implemented because there were customers who were coming by after the staff had already left for the day.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

highway sweet stoPs

C

“Sweet as a Peach Boutique” is located inside of Todd’s Produce, and features clothing for infants, toddlers and children to age 12.

For more information, call Todd’s Produce at 205-755-3433.

hilton County has several attractions located right off Interstate 65, exits 205 or

208.

For years, people traveling to and from beaches on the Gulf Coast have been stopping off I-65 to enjoy the delicious summer treats at Durbin Farms Market, Peach Park, Todd’s Produce and Heaton Pecan Farm.

HEATON PECAN FARM

DURBIN FARMS MARKET

Danny Jones bought Durbin Farms Market in 2005. Located off Exit 205, Durbin’s seated 54 people at the time, but now seats about 200.

Durbin Farms Market specializes in peach pecan ice cream, and averages 180-200 gallons of ice cream sold per day during busy weekends in the summer.

Durbin’s began as a seasonal fruit market located off Highway 31 in Clanton, and now features a sandwich shop, fruits and vegetables and a selection of plants and gifts at LJ’s Boutique. The business is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week and is closed only two days a year.

For more information, contact Durbin Farms Market at 205-755-1672.

PEACH PARK

Gene and Francis Gray built Peach Park in 1984, so they wouldn’t have to haul peaches to New Orleans to sell them.

Their two sons, Mark and Derek, still run the business.

The park is located off Exit 205, and includes a fruit market with homemade peach ice cream, homemade cobbler, fried

CITY HALL 505 Second Ave. N., P.O. Box 580 Clanton, AL 35046-0580 PHONE NUMBER (205) 755-1105 FAX NUMBER (205) 755-7650

pies and a gift shop.

Peach Park has added a garden area with a walking path, a food menu featuring barbecue and a playground. Peach Park is open during the peach season from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, contact Peach Park at 205-755-2065.

TODD’S PRODUCE

Located off Exit 205, Todd’s Produce offers fresh fruits and vegetables, an ice cream parlor and a new children’s boutique. Founded in 1988, owners Hal and Dordie Hayes named the stand after their son, Todd Hayes.

In addition to fresh produce and ice cream, Todd’s specializes in peach bread and peach preserves.

CLANTON FAST FACTS

WEBSITE www.clanton.al.us

POPULATION 8,765 (2017 estimate) LAND AREA 20.3 square miles (52.7 square kilometers) ZIP CODE 35046-0580

ELEVATION 600 feet (183 meters) MAYOR Billy Joe Driver (205) 755-4051 CITY COUNCIL Jeffrey Price (District 1), 205-280-1792

Heaton Pecan Farm, located off Interstate 65 Exit 208, features treats and homemade delights for everyone to enjoy.

John and Billie Heaton opened The Barn, which first began as a hobby, 12 years ago.

The doors of the white barn, trimmed in green, are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Milk chocolate and white chocolate pecan halves are the farm’s best sellers.

Other pecan delicacies include: pecan brittle, pecan logs, billionaires, chocolate pecan bark, pralines, milk chocolate pecan fudge, peanut butter fudge, pecan pies, pecan pie tarts and pecan fruitcake.

Pecans are not the only things the Heatons have to offer. The Barn serves several flavors of homemade ice cream and milkshakes, Belgian Waffles, salads, soups and grilled gourmet, specialty and deli-style sandwiches.

Other favorites include their pecan chicken salad plates and homemade cakes.

In addition to sweets and lunch, Heaton also sells gifts, home decor, jewelry and other items.

For more information, call 800-4463531 or visit www.heaton.com.

Bobby Cook (District 2), 205-755-3418 Sammy Wilson (District 3), 205-755-4841 Awlahjaday Agee (District 4), 205-755-5075 Mary Mell Smith (District 5), 205755-0410

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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Emergency Management Agency

B

oth the Chilton County and Alabama Emergency Management Agency Headquarters are located in Clanton, separated by just a few miles on U.S. Highway 31.

The AEMA serves as the coordinating agency for disaster preparation, response

and recovery statewide. The fact that the AEMA is headquartered here provides the county with an estimated 100 jobs, not to mention the revenue that comes with it.

On the county level, the Chilton County EMA helps prepare residents for all kinds

of disasters and threats to the area. This includes winter storms, tornados, fires, drought and hazardous material spills.

For more information on the AEMA, visit www.ema.alabama.gov, and for the Chilton County EMA, visit www.chiltonema.org.

Chilton County Extension

T

he Chilton County Extension Office serves as the county’s branch of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, which connects Alabamians on the significant issues the state is facing at any given time.

The system’s mission inlcudes 4-H and

Blast

youth development, economic and community development, food safety and preservation, animal science, farm management, forestry and nutrition. Chilton County’s office offers several programs throughout the year, including canning workshops, gardening classes, youth outdoor adven-

from the

Past

ture camps and volunteer opportunities.

For more information on the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visit www. aces.edu. For more information on the Chilton County Extension Office, contact County Extension agent Gay West at 205280-6268.

O

ne of the most enduring events in Chilton County has been the musical fundraiser “Blast from the Past” at Chilton County High School. Chilton County High School students sing popular songs from past decades. Each song also includes choreographed dance parts or skits performed by students.

Ricky and Sheri McKee started the program in 1993. The cast practices for two months leading up to the opening night.

The show is offered three times during the last weekend in February Tickets are $7 and can be purchased from CCHS starting in January.

Pancake Day

P

ancake Day is held at First United Methodist Church of Clanton on the second Saturday of February each year. It is a fundraiser organized by the United Methodist Men. All proceeds go toward charity and mission work.

Plates consist of about three pancakes 22

FACES AND PLACES 2018

and two sausage patties, plus all the seconds (or thirds) you can handle. Because of the day’s proximity to Valentine’s Day, many couples make the trip each year.

The Methodist Men work a dry run the Friday night before each Pancake Day to ensure things go smoothly the follow-

ing morning. Ten men usually come in at midnight to grill the sausage ahead of time, which takes between four and five hours.

Just a few hours later, at 5:30 a.m., the real show starts. To purchase a ticket, see a Methodist Men member or call the church office at 205-755-0490.

Yellowleaf Creek Mill

Y

ellowleaf Creek Mill is a grist mill in Clanton that dates back to the 1850s.

While most of the original equipment — such as the millstones, sifter, grain elevator and pulleys — are still in good shape, several improvements and additions were made to the mill, including new plumbing, patios and décor suitable for gatherings.

A popular wedding venue, the grist mill contains furnishings that provide a modern flair to the historic site, while still restoring its original beauty.

In addition to weddings, Yellowleaf

also hosts parties, banquets, receptions, proms, reunions and other events.

Previously owned by the H.H. Miller family, the mill is connected to Yellowleaf Creek, which runs into Lay Lake.

Although the machinery isn’t currently producing corn meal, the site is excellent for tourists who wish to reconnect with 19th century history.

To make an event reservation or schedule a tour, call Yellowleaf Creek Mill at 205-280-0903, email info@ yellowleafcreekmill.com or visit the website at yellowleafcreekmill.com.

St. Vincent’s Chilton

S

t. Vincent’s Chilton is Chilton county’s only hospital. Established in 2016, the hospital has an emergency room, intensive care, surgery and a wing of specialty clinics. The hospital is a part of St. Vincent’s Health System allowing for shared electronic medical records by request among the six locations in three cities. St. Vincent’s Chilton was designed to be one of the most energy efficient hospitals in the country with the latest medical technology.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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JEMISON

UNIQUE FLAVORS

Hidden Meadow Vineyard and Winery offers 20 wines Hidden Meadow Vineyard and Winery is located in Jemison near Smith Road.

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CARMICHAEL

H

idden Meadow Vineyard and Winery is a quiet treasure tucked into the Jemison community, drawing visitors from across the world to sample its assortment of wines.

“The majority of everything we sell is grown right here or purchased locally,” Bill Bailey, coowner of Hidden Meadow, said.

Hidden Meadow wines are distributed to approximately 60 retailers across the state through a network established during Bailey’s former position as a food broker business owner.

The Bailey family manages the entire winemaking process, from harvesting and fermentation to bottling and distribution.

FACES AND PLACES 2018

“We touch every bottle,” Jeff Bailey, son of Bill Bailey, said.

Certainly, operating a vineyard and winery is no easy task. But, the Baileys enjoy it.

“You’ve got to like it all, because you’ve got to do it all. We just do what we have to do,” Bill Bailey laughed. “[Jeff] doesn’t work for me, I don’t work for him; we just work together. We both know what has to be done, and we do it.”

The Baileys harvest Cynthiana grapes and three types of Muscadine grapes from their vineyard. Three varieties of Cynthiana and five varieties of Muscadine wines are created from the crops.

Peaches, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and plums are purchased locally to be made into sweet wines and dessert wines.

According to Bailey, the winery first opened for business on June 17, 2011, as Chilton

County’s first and only farm and winery since prohibition.

Hidden Meadow was born from Bailey’s love for making homemade wine in years prior to both Jemison’s institution as a wet city and the vineyard property’s inclusion inside Jemison city limits.

“Our intention, really, since the county was dry, was to plant the vineyard and sell all the grapes and Muscadines to other wineries — and then, of course, make our own homemade wines,” Bailey said. “Then, it came about where Jemison was going to go wet, so we jumped on that idea.”

Convinced a winery would benefit the city, the Jemison City Council agreed to move the property inside city limits if the January 2010 wet vote passed.

It did.

“We were in the city the first of April 2010, right after that vote, and we started construction on our winery that month,” Bailey said.

Hidden Meadow has since grown steadily with each pass-

ing year.

“We opened with about 12 varieties (of wine). We’ve got 20 approved labels now.”

Currently, 14 labels are available.

The winery’s most popular products are Smith Ridge red and white wines.

“We just named it after the community,” Bailey said, since Hidden Meadow is located near Smith Road. “We’re not Smiths, but we wanted it for our community.”

“Rapidly catching up” to the Smith Ridges’ popularity is a newer, red variety called Meadow Rose, according to Bailey.

Bailey said he wants to see the business “just grow slow.”

“We’re debt-free. We don’t owe anything on it, and we don’t want to owe anything on it, so we just grow slow,” he said. “I figure as long as we grow a little bit every year, we’re fine.”

Supporting local businesses and groups is important to Hidden Meadow, which features locally-produced merchan-

FACES AND PLACES 2018

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dise in its gift shop and has hosted events for Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center and the Chilton County Humane Society.

The venue accommodates up to 100 guests.

In general, Bailey said running the family business is a pleasant endeavor.

“We love the business — it’s very gratifying,” he said.

For more information about Hidden Meadow Vineyard and Winery, visit hiddenmeadowvineyard.com or call (205) 688-4648.

Hidden Meadow Vineyard and Winery is located at 664 County Rd. 606 in Jemison.

JEMISON FAST FACTS

CITY HALL 14 Padgett Lane Jemison, AL 35085

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 609 Jemison, AL 35085 PHONE NUMBER (205) 688-4492

FACES AND PLACES 2018

MAYOR Eddie Reed P.O. Box 609 Jemison, AL 35085 (205) 688-4492

FAX NUMBER (205) 688-1109

CITY COUNCIL George Brasher (District 1), 205-688-2560

WEBSITE www.jemisonalabama.org

Donnie Lane (District 2), 205-688-2898

POPULATION 2,627 (2017 estimate)

Robert Morris (District 3), 205-688-2538

LAND AREA 8.1 square miles (21.1 square kilometers)

Rex Bittle (District 4), 205-396-4145

ZIP CODE 35085

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ELEVATION 719 feet (219 meters)

Sam Reed (District 5), 205-238-9288

Starwood II Farm

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tarwood II Farm is located in Jemison and was purchased by Buddy and Diane Stith in 2005.

Starwood offers a rustic setting with a lakefront, covered pavilion and ventilated barn creating the dream wedding scene.

Four cabins are available for the bride, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen and family to have a comfortable environment to prepare and dress for the big day.

It is not available for an overnight stay but one can come to the venue anytime the week of the wedding to decorate and check on details.

Valet parking, tables and chairs are provided.

“We don’t put a stop watch on them, we want them to feel completely comfortable,” owner Buddy Stich said.

Corporate meetings or outings also can be hosted with fly fishing, skeet shooting, an outdoor pavilion and more available.

This is a great way for Boy Scouts to Fly Fishing offered onsite teaches the techniques of casting, tackle, cleaning and earn their “fly fishing” badge.

Team building events for up to 10-35 catching. It usually runs around four hours for beginners with breakfast and brunch people are offered to conduct off-site meetings, manage sessions or provide provided. director meetings.

The scenery provides great photo opportunities for engagement, family, senior portraits and more. For more information, call (205) 936-5308 or stithbuddy@gmail.com.

City Hall Complex Center

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he Jemison City Hall Complex Center is available for events. It is also the site of the annual Jemison Library Fairytale Show and Master

Gardener meetings. It can hold up to 440 Reservation of the space is available by people. and has a sound board, micro- appointment. To reserve, call the library phones, a laptop plug in, two screens at (205) 688-4491, ext. 318. and two projectors available for use.

Minooka Park

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inooka Park located between Jemison and Calera in North Chilton County on U.S. Highway 31 offers a 25-mile trail system, used for ATV and dirt bike riding, walking, hiking and horseback riding. The trails offer views of some of Central Alabama’s most breathtaking scenery and cover various terrain. A wide variety of birds can also be seen, which has led to this trail being added to the Piedmont Plateau Trail. Minooka’s

trails are also part of the National Trails System and the Passport to Fitness, a project of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to promote fitness opportunities in Alabama.

The park offers several piers for fishing in Minooka Lake, and rods and reels may be rented from the park office.

The lake is also visible from a large deck behind the main office building, the main pavilion and an overlook

below the pavilion.

Minooka overs many RV campsites equipped with 30- and 50-amp electrical service and water supply, and 10 sites offer sewage hookup. A dump station is located just outside the campground.

For more information, including maps and complete list of fees and regulations, visit the park’s website at newchiltoncounty.org/minookapark/ minookaparkhome.htm.

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Hidden Meadow Vineyard

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ill and Janette Bailey’s family-owned Hidden Meadow Vineyard and Winery opened for business in Jemison on June 17, 2011.

Bill became interested in starting his own winery and now owns a four-acre vineyard at 664 County Road 606.

The first grape vine was planted in 2005 and is still producing.

Wine sold at Hidden Meadow is crafted on site from the vineyard’s fruit, which includes Muscadine (Noble, Carlos and Magnolia) and Cynthiana grapes. There are 15 varieties including thos made from local blueberries, blackberries, and Chilton County peaches.

In addition to the vineyard, visitors can sit out on the winery’s the winery includes a familybuilt wine selling and tasting house with wooden porch overlooking the vineyard and have a glass of wine. a processing room behind it.

The winery is open Friday and In addition to buying bottled wine,

Petals From The Past

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etals from the Past is a nursery in Jemison that specializes in heirloom plants. They also have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Their plant inventory includes antique roses, perennial flowers, herbs, fig trees, citrus trees and many more.

The nursery also holds regular events, including herb cooking classes, tomato contests and gardening workshops For more information on Petals from the Past, call 205-646-0069 or visit their website at www.petalsfromthepast.com.

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Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For questions or more information, call 205688-4648 or visit the website at www. hiddenmeadowvineyard.com.

sp Sa

MAPLESVILLE

Je tim Se

vi fu

LO

SECOND FAMILY

Maplesville Senior Center creates close knit fellowship STORY AND PHOTO BY JOYANNA LOVE

J

ust inside the town limits of Maplesville sets the historic Maplesville Train Depot.

Although no longer used by the train system, the building serves purpose as a museum and meeting place for the Maplesville Senior Center.

The wooden interior and exposed ceiling beams give the Maplesville Senior Center meeting room a cozy feel as it fills with the smells of the daily meal and the sounds of good conversation.

“We are one big family,” Center manager Sandy Madsen said. “They’ve watched my children grow up.”

Madsen has worked with the Center for 17

years, starting as a van driver to pick up meals back The porch of the old train depot provides an when the program was run by the county. outdoor place to talk In that time, Madsen has built relationships and and have fun at the learned about member’s children and grandchilMaplesville Senior Center. dren.

“Sometimes they’ll bring their grandchild in with them,” Madsen said.

She said this is always a special event.

An average of 23 seniors come for lunch each day.

Bingo is a popular activity and is offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Jeanene Atcheson, a Maplesville native, is president of the bingo club. She and her husband Thomas have been a member at the Center for 12 years.

She took on the role of leading the group when FACES AND PLACES 2018

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the position became available. She said she has enjoyed it.

She said she enjoys “meeting the people and being with the people, learning things about the community.”

Thomas Atcheson said he enjoys the companionship at the Center with fellow members and staff.

Alma Shields, who has lived in Maplesville almost her entire life, said she had known about the Center because her mother had been a member.

“After I retired, I came up here, and I joined about 13 years ago,” Shields said. “I enjoy meeting the new people.”

Local businesses and groups sometimes donate items for prizes. Sometimes players can get pretty competitive.

“I enjoy talking to the people,” Fred May, who has lived in Maplesville most of his life, said.

He also enjoys the bingo games.

TOWN HALL P.O. Box 9 Maplesville, AL 36750 PHONE NUMBER (334) 366-4212 FAX NUMBER (334) 366-4210

MAPLESVILLE FAST FACTS

WEBSITE maplesvilletowno@bellsouth.net POPULATION 703 (2017 estimate) LAND AREA 3.3 square miles (8.5 square kilometers) ZIP CODE 36750

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

Meals are prepared by Valley Services in Brent, Alabama.

In addition to being a place for food and fellowship, the Senior Center hosts education opportunities.

“We have all the health groups come in,” Madsen said.

This year the Center also participated in the county picnic and an event in Alabaster.

The Center also has volunteer opportunities available.

A program to deliver meals to seniors who cannot make it to the Center is also run out of the depot.

A corner book rack also provides a few titles for the seniors to enjoy and take home to read and bring back or to take home and keep.

The Maplesville Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. New members (60 and older) are always welcome.

ELEVATION 351 feet (107 meters) MAYOR W.C. Hayes Jr. (334) 366-4383 CITY COUNCIL John Caudle (District 1), 334-366-4211

Sheila Hall (District 2), 334-366-0052 Hal Harrison (District 3), 334-645-7026 Richard Davis (District 4), 334-366-5214 Patty Crocker (District 5), 334-366-4432

Maplesville Railroad Depot

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irst built in the 1850s, Maplesville’s train depot marked the end of the age of the stagecoach in the town, as businesses moved to create the current downtown around the railroad.

But as the automobile became the preferred means of transportation, the depot fell into disuse.

The Maplesville Historical Society has worked to transform the depot into a museum.

The society was founded in 2007 in an effort to prepare the town for its bicentennial celebration as part of former Gov. Bob Riley’s Great Alabama Homecoming initiative.

One of the group’s first projects was to build a pictorial museum in the town’s historic depot and several other projects are in the works.

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Go to Clantonadvertiser.com

maPlesville heritage day

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he town of Maplesville’s first Heritage Day was held in 2010 as part of The Year of Small Towns and Downtowns in Alabama. The event was turned into an annual homecoming for those who call or once called the Maplesville area home. It also encompasses surrounding communities such as Lawley, Randolph and Stanton.

The annual Heritage Day was held April 7, and sponsored by the Maplesville Volunteer Fire Department. Aside from street vendors and the typical festival fun, many historic homes and businesses were open for tours. These included Maplesville Methodist Church and the Southern Depot Museum, the latter of which contains 100-plus historic pictures and documents.

To learn more, call Town Clerk Dawn Smitherman at 334366-4211.

ebeneZer baPtist church

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benezer Baptist Church in Stanton was the site of a Civil War battle on April 1, 1865.

According to the marker in front of the church, Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led 1,500 Confederate cavalrymen into Union Army General James H. Wilson’s force of 7,500 near Ebenezer, hoping to stall Wilson on his march toward an arsenal at Selma.

Ebenezer’s pastor, Bro. Danny Rasberry, said people still visit the church hoping to find a rumored bullet hole on the exterior, but that was likely located at a previous building that burned in 1916. One clue to the past is the cedar trees that tower over a cemetery up the hill behind the church. On a tombstone is written that the federal government asked the church not to cut down the trees because Union soldiers are buried there and the trees would serve as a memorial to the dead.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

24-Hour Challenge

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he Perry Mountain 24-Hour Challenge is an annual motorcycle race held at Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club on the first weekend in June. The event pits riders from all across the country against each other, against the 10-mile course and against the clock.

The concept is simple: Go as hard as you can as long as you can. The team/ rider with the most laps completed after 24 hours wins the event. Riders tackle all kinds of terrain and elevation changes, along with mechanical issues. There are more than 14 classes of riders, with most entries coming from teams. Riders

in the Ironman class, however, choose to take the challenge by themselves.

The event brings in dozens of vendors and hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts from all across the country into Chilton County, as it is only one of two events like it in the nation.

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THORSBY

INGREDIENTS AND ATMOSPHERE Farmhouse Café hits the spot for lunch The meats and certain vegetables on the food bar at Farmhouse Café change each day.

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RICHARDS

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ver the past five years, Farmhouse Café in Thorsby has become a destination lunch spot.

Word has spread since the restaurant opened its doors, and it is a popular locale even beyond of the northern end of Chilton County.

“It has been one of the best things in my life,” owner Tiffany Collins Hammock said.

Hammock is quite familiar with the ingredients that she uses in her recipes; having grown up in a farming family entrenched in the business of wholesaling their crops.

According to Hammock, she has always been

FACES AND PLACES 2018

around the food industry process, but now she is on the other side of the spectrum as a restaurant owner instead of a wholesaler.

She continues to try to work closely with local farmers when purchasing her vegetables.

The best way to describe Hammock’s management style is hands-on. She is a visible presence in the restaurant and is often times the one serving patrons behind the food bar.

This is a style that suits her personality perfectly while giving the restaurant its unique charm and family-friendly atmosphere.

“I’m dealing with them face-to-face,” Hammock said. “They work hard for their money, and I want to give them the best food and service possible.”

She takes pride in bringing families and the com-

munity together through her food.

“I bring families to the table,” Hammock said.

The Farmhouse staff includes seven full-time employees, half of which are family. Many of them have been with Hammock for all five years, including head of the kitchen Dawn Birchfield and waitress Meryl Beane.

“They are the people that have helped me build this up to what it is,” Hammock said. “They’re my support system through it all.”

Although there is a consistent menu, the majority of regulars opt to go with the featured daily specials on the food bar.

The food bar offers the option for one of two meat choices along with a selection from several vegetables.

Each day will have varying meat and vegetables options with certain meats on a rotating basis.

“We cook what people remember growing up with,” Hammock said.

One of her treasured childhood memories is eating pot roast at

the family meal on Sundays.

As a result, beef pot roast with carrots and potatoes is a staple meat option on Wednesdays at the Farmhouse.

Other primary meats include meatloaf on Tuesdays, pork chops on Thursdays, catfish and hamburger steaks on Fridays and chicken and dressing on Sundays.

According to Hammock, a lot of importance is placed on which food items get paired each other especially when it comes to the meats.

She experiments with new dishes from time to time, but is cognizant of the fact that popular dishes can prevent new dishes from standing out.

That is what Mondays are for. The start of the week acts as a wild card day with a pair of meats that were not available on the previous Monday.

“We hand turn everything,” Hammock said. “Nothing is ever out of a can. I can guarantee what’s in the food.”

Farmhouse Café is open Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Swedish Festival

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he town of Thorsby gets together every October to celebrate its heritage by hosting the annual Swedish Festival.

The event is held each year at Richard Wood Park.

The festival features numerous activities for the entire family, including a parade, car show and 5K Viking Run. Richard Wood Park has most of the activity with arts and crafts booths, food vendors, games and other attractions.

The beauty pageant takes place on two nights during the week, with the official date to be announced.

For more information regarding the event, contact Thorsby Town Hall at 205-646-3575.

Scandinavian Cemetery

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he Scandinavian Cemetery in Thorsby came into existence when Swedish Lutheran Church members bought the land in the late 1800s. Two founders of Thorsby, T.T. Thorson and J.F. Peterson, have several relatives buried in the Scandinavian Cemetery, formerly known as the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery. In 2009, the cemetery was added to the Alabama Historical Commission’s Alabama Historical Cemetery Registry.

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FACES AND PLACES 2018

helen Jenkins chaPel

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elen Jenkins Chapel, located on Concordia Avenue across from Thorsby High School is a window to the town’s past.

The chapel is named after Helen Jenkins, a former principal of Thorsby School.

Built in 1903 by Norwegian Lutherans who had been meeting in homes and businesses, the building served as a church until the early 1960s. The last Lutheran pastor, however, served until 1911 and the church was sold to the Congregational Church.

Local historian Jane Sutlive said many of the original settlers who came to Thorsby from the Northern U.S. had found life to be more difficult than expected. People came to the area and cleared the land, but many were not farmers and they looked for opportunities elsewhere. As church members dwindled, the Lutherans had no choice but to sell the property.

The Congregational Church was a major supporter of Thorsby Institute, a private school open from 1906 through 1957. Many students and faculty members attended the church, so when the school disbanded the church followed

TOWN HALL P.O. Box 608 Thorsby, AL 35171 PHONE NUMBER (205) 646-3575 FAX NUMBER (205) 646-2414 WEBSITE www.townofthorsby.com

soon thereafter. But the school would ultimately be what helped save the chapel.

In the early 1960s, the building was sold to the Masons and became the Thorsby Masonic Lodge.

“The Masons had it until they gave it to the town in the late 1980s,” said Sutlive. “The town allowed the board of

THORSBY FAST FACTS POPULATION 2,054 (2017 estimate) LAND AREA 5.2 square miles (13.4 square kilometers) ZIP CODE 35171

education to use it as a band room for Thorsby High School until 1997.”

The following year, the town formed a committee to restore the structure, which was in despair.

Graduates of Thorsby Institute, along with local businesses and other generous individuals, raised the money to restore the chapel back to its former glory

ELEVATION 696 feet (212 meters)

Marilyn Collins, 205-646-3782

MAYOR Robert Hight 205-646-3575

Chastity Chapman, 205-646-3575

CITY COUNCIL Neil Benson, 205-646-2936

Marvin Crumpton, 205-646-3575 Glenn Littleton, 205-646-3638

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Important Telephone Numbers Emergencies: 911 ABC Board: 334-271-3840 Family Planning Office: 205-755-6973 American Red Cross: 205-755-0707 Family Violence Shelter: 205-263-0218 Appraisers Office: 205-755-0160 FBI: 334-263-1691 Auto Tag and Title: 205-755-1258 Food Stamps: 205-280-2500 Better Business Bureau: 800-824-5274 Forestry Commission: 800-242-2504 Board of Education: 205-280-3000 Girl Scouts: 800-734-4541 Board of Registrars: 205-755-3820 Health Department: 205-755-1287 Boy Scouts: 800-977-2688 Chilton County Humane Society: 205-755-9170 Bureau of Investigation: 334-242-4372 Human Resources: 205-280-2000 Child Abuse: 205-280-2000 Industrial Development: 205-755-5934 or 205-755-1120 38

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Jail:

Property Tax:

205-755-1053

205-755-7228

SPAN Program:

Driver’s License:

205-755-2779

205-755-155

Higgins Ferry Park:

Tag Division:

205-755-5952

205-755-1258

Minooka Park Ranger:

Emergency Assistance Center:

205-312-1376

205-755-9467

Poison Control:

Title and Mfg Home:

800-462-0800

205-755-7257

Consumer Protection:

Emergency Management Agency:

205-261-7334

205-755-0900

Probate Judge:

Sheriff:

205-755-1555

205-755-4698

Council on Aging:

Engineer:

205-670-5770

205-755-0530

Social Services:

Unemployment Services:

205-280-2000

205-755-6695

Department of Human Resources:

Chilton County Extension System Office:

205-280-2000 State Troopers: 205-755-1120 District Attorney’s Office: 205-755-4242 Tax Assessor: 205-755-0155 District Court: 205-755-7233 District Judge: 205-755-1558

205-280-6268 Chilton/Shelby Veteran’s Service: 205-669-3835 Chilton/Shelby Mental Health: 205-755-5933 Alabama Power Company: 800-245-2244 Central Alabama Electric: 800-545-5735 Chilton County Water Authority: 205-646-3300

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