Alabama’s Hidden Gem Recreation l Economics l History l Healthcare l Education l Religion l
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Discover St. Clair County, Alabama INSIDE
Unlimited Recreation.......................... 4 Investing in the Arts.......................... 12 Preserving History............................ 18 St. Clair Happenings........................ 24
Staff
Downtown Revitaliztion..................... 28 Economic Leadership........................ 29 Diverse Manufacturing...................... 34
Editor
Carol Pappas
Homegrown Businesses.................... 39
Design Editor
A Land of Plenty.............................. 48
Graham Hadley
Quality in Education......................... 52
Advertising Director
Pam Adamson
Jefferson State................................. 56
Photographers
iCademy......................................... 60
Bob Crisp Brian Schoenhals
Healthcare Hub............................... 62 Airport Takes Off............................. 64 Role of Religion............................... 66 Destination St. Clair......................... 68
Writers
Will Heath, Gary Hanner, David Atchison, Meredith McCay, Elsie Hodnett, Laura Nation-Atchison A cooperative effort of the St. Clair Economic Development Council, 205-814-1440, and The Daily Home newspaper
www.stclairedc.com
2 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Unlimited
Two giant lakes and access to two race
Story By WILL HEATH
Greensport Marina (top) and sunset over Logan Martin Lake
Margaret Evans remembers the water that overtook her family’s farm more than 40 years ago. “We lost 428 acres of land when the water backed up,” Evans said. “That was in 1966. “We’d never really done any business in fishing up to that point. We really knew nothing about it.” It’s turned out to be a positive, both for her family and for St. Clair County — that farmland became Greensport Marina, which Evans now runs, and the water is now known as Lake Neely Henry, home to both fishing and boating enthusiasts alike. The Coosa River created two lakes in the county – Neely Henry and Logan Martin Lake.
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Recreation tracks are just the tip of the iceberg for St. Clair
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 5
Recreation
Barber Mortorsports Park “The Coosa River has really given a lot,” Evans said. “I can see a lot of good things in the future for St. Clair – the water has afforded us a lot of opportunities to expand.” It’s just one of the many recreational opportunities within St. Clair County. Blessed with abundant waterways, mountains and pasturelands, St. Clair now affords its residents myriad extracurricular opportunities. Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes, for example, play host to multiple fishing tournaments throughout the year — the FLW professional fishing tour has visited Logan Martin on several occasions in the last few years as has the BASSMasters. And, of course, boating enthusiasts and skiers have plenty of room
to stretch out at both lakes. Racing enthusiasts in the county certainly have no shortage for quenching their appetites as well. Famously, Talladega Superspeedway is located just beyond the borders of St. Clair County, along Interstate 20. The 2.66-mile oval hosts races twice per year and regularly draws more than 100,000 devoted fans to its grounds. Slightly less well known is Barber Motorsports Park, which lies just beyond county borders to the west. The park and museum are technically located in Birmingham, just off Exit 140 on Interstate 20 in Leeds. It’s a project that began as a tribute to one man’s love of motorcycles and eventually became an inter-
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ST. CLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT One Of St. Clair Counties Greatest Assets!
lirport offers a A ty n u o C ir The St. Cla for a growing l e v a tr f o s n a ternative me rivate pilots. p d n a s e ss e n si list of area bu re hangars o m 6 d n a s r ga to a With 77 han has grown in it , n o ti c u r st under con cy airport. n ie c ffi su s lf se full thority consist u A d r a o B t r The Airpo ide the direcc e d o h w s r e of five memb considers all d n a s e k ta t r tion the airpo e airport th y b e d a m s on recommendati ls manager. airport officia , n la p r a e -y e 0 Under a fiv y another 1,00 a w n u r e th d plan to exten 00 foot run,0 6 a t r o p ir a e feet, giving th e will allow g ta o fo l a n io it way. The add te aircraft. a r o p r o c f o lass mfor a bigger c e a ground co d lu c in to e r a ch Also plans cision approa e r p t, e tl u o munication and paving. g in c n fe w e n lights,
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Pine Harbor Country Club
Recreation national phenomenon. “We fast realized that people enjoyed what we do,” executive director Jeff Ray said. “They appreciated what we did, and they appreciated the attention to detail we’d done. “When you come to the museum, it is very impressive — people in Birmingham and around the country who’ve never been here, they come over that hill and they see it, and there’s an ‘oh-wow’ factor.” In April, the track will host the first Indycar racing in Alabama. On a more local level, Moody plays host to the “Miracle League” facility as part of its recreation park. The “Field of Dreams” is a specially designed facility for those with special needs. As exciting as all those attractions are is what may be in the county’s future. Currently, Springville
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Fishermen flock to local lakes.
Growing Industry For Pell City The Pell City Industrial Development Board is keeping pace with one of the fastest growing cities by aggressively recruiting new industry and assisting expansion of existing industry in the city’s massive industrial parks. With its proximity to Interstate 20, railroad and strategically located between two major metropolitan areas – Atlanta and Birmingham – Pell City is an ideal place to do business.
Its Industrial parks are impressive, providing top-notch facilities, plenty of land to grow and empowering companies to create more jobs for a quality workforce pool.
The Pell City Industrial Development Board is helping Pell City grow by promoting it as the place to do business.
205-814-1440
See what the IDB has to offer – working hand in hand to grow industry for Pell City. 254150
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Recreation A concept drawing of the new event center for Moody
is investing money and time into renovating its own athletic fields as part of the Wright Technology Park project. In Moody, the city is investigating construction of a 5,000-seat domed “event center” as part of the Gateway Towne Center project. According to Commercial Development Authority chairman Joe Kelly, the facility would be able to host “everything from rodeos to ice hockey.” “St Clair County has a myriad of recreational opportunities for citizens and tourists alike,” said Candice Hill, retail marketing specialist for the county’s Economic Development Council. “From the unique outdoor arenas, such as our numerous lakes and rivers, all the way to the local PeeWee football games, St. Clair County offers a wide variety of activities for people of all ages and interests.”
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Steele -
St. Clair Growth
Groundbreaking for Love’s Travel Center
From our industries representing companies around the world to our new travel center, Steele has it all.
A progressive city with progressive leadership, Steele has been keeping pace with the growth of St. Clair County with growth of its own. The quality of life is outstanding, and the city’s proximity to larger metropolitan areas makes Steele an ideal location for home or business.
Visit Steele, Alabama, a city that is truly on the move.
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Investing in the The Pell City Center
ARTS
Story By LAURA NATION-ATCHISON Opportunities to enjoy the performing arts and fine arts along with educational and entertaining programs are offered throughout St. Clair County, with events that include professional and community theater, visiting speakers at libraries and other events. The Pell City Center for Education and
the Performing Arts opened its doors three years ago and has offered events that have attracted thousands. It opened with a classic, with the Monroe County Community Theatre giving its performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” There was a full house that night in the 400-seat theater at Pell City Center, and since then, many more have come for the
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St. Clair County Visit once ... and you’ll admire the history of a county older than the state.
Visit twice ... and you’ll fall in love with its beauty and charm.
Visit thrice and you just might call it home! ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 13
The ARTS line-up of top entertainment that has taken the stage. National and international names, such as the Platters and Three on a String, have performed at the center, and it’s been the place for youth drama camps and productions as well. Pell City Center is home to the acting company that has evolved from the theater, the Pell City Players, who are now in their third year of offering theatrical productions from the center. One of the most interesting things is how the center came to be, notes its executive director Kathy McCoy. “It was a collective effort from individuals in the community, city officials and our school system,” she said. “Everyone worked together to make this beautiful theater and sports complex become a reality.” In addition to providing a performing stage and theater and a 2,200-seat sports complex, the center is available for rent by groups and organizations needing space for a variety of events. In keeping with the way Pell City Center came to be a reality, there is membership available in the center for individuals, businesses and organizations. Individual and senior citizens may become members for $25 yearly, and family memberships are $35. Those who become individual or family members receive advance notice of events and first ticket sales before notice is given to the general public. Supporting members who join the center with a contribution of $100 a year receive these benefits, along with 10 passes for Movie Nights held at the center.
Artscapes Gallery
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Supporters of Pell City Center may also “Adopt a Chair,” and for $250, they receive the benefits of individual and supporting members along with their name inscribed on a plaque placed on a theatre seat. Those who join the center’s Founding Circle pledge a contribution, which is made over a five-year period at levels beyond the membership levels. Those interested in supporting the center at this level may contact McCoy at 205-338-1974. The 2009-2010 season at Pell City Center brings another collection of variety and top entertainment. The season started Sept. 26 with a performance from the Crystals, one of the best loved “girl groups” that came to the forefront in the 1960s. Their very first recording shot straight to the top and what followed was a list of hits still loved by audiences almost 50 years later. The Crystals are coming to the Pell City Center for just one show Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. Their first recording and hit was “There’s No Other (Like My Baby),” done in 1961. Other hits included “Da Doo Ron Ron” and “He’s a Rebel” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” all part of the performances
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Dearly Beloved performed by the Pell City Community Players
The ARTS
the Crystals offer on their tours. In October, the center hosts the Alabama Association of Community Theatre Festival, with live theater performances ongoing for the public Oct. 24 and 25. The event is also a competition for the association members. Actors from each company will have 10 minutes to set up their stage and then each group gives their performance. The Pell City Players take the stage in November with their production of “Smoke on the Mountain,” a gospel comedy set in the south. Performances are Nov. 20 and 21, at 7 p.m. and Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. The Drifters, who have sold more than 80 million records over almost 50 years, perform at Pell City Center Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. The audience can expect to hear classics that include “Under the Boardwalk,” “This Magic Moment” and “Save the Last Dance for
Wallace Bromberg photo
Me,” among many other hits. Three on a String makes its fourth appearance at the center, mixing humor and music and down-home fun in their show set for Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. The touring division of the Birmingham Children’s Theatre brings its musical adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” to Pell City Center March 13, at 2 p.m. “St. George and the Dragon,” an operetta, will be performed May 8, at 2 p.m. by the Children’s Opera Theatre of Jacksonville. Tickets to events may be ordered by calling Pell City Center at 205-338-1974.
Leeds Arts Council offers entertainment
The city of Leeds Arts Council offers community theater productions that have included “My Fair Lady,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “The Sound of
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Music,” and performances have also included variety and specialty shows. The Leeds Arts Council was organized in 1985, and in 1993, it became formally organized as a 501c3. Its purposes are to build and maintain a program for the advancement of the arts, cultivate an interest in the arts, provide an opportunity and a place for participation in the arts and to foster and encourage public appreciation for the arts and teaching of art, drama, theater, music history of music and art and art appreciation. In May of 2000 the Council opened its current center on Parkway Drive, where events and exhibits are offered. There have been poetry readings, art exhibits, theater productions and musical concerts. The council also hosts children’s drama events and productions. The center is open three days a week from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. for the public to view exhibits and tour the center. Regina Arnold is executive director for the council. Upcoming events for October, November and December include a Fashion Show and Luncheon Fundraiser Oct. 1, an artist’s reception for Diane Hathcock Oct. 4, and Oct. 17, 23 and 24, the council presents the “Let’s Murder Marsha” Dinner Theatre at 6 p.m. There’s the “Let’s Murder Marsha” Dessert Show Oct. 18 and 25 at 1:30 p.m. and an artist’s reception featuring Marie Roberts Nov. 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 5, at 7 p.m., the Tablescapes opening at 7 p.m. Tablescapes continues through Nov. 8. The council hosts a free poetry reading Nov. 30, at 7 p.m., and Dec. 6, the artist’s reception for Marie Manning is at 1:30 p.m. The 2009 Christmas Home Tour is Dec. 6, starting at 1:30 p.m., and Dec. 12, the Leeds Community Chorus Christmas Concert is at 7 p.m. Contact the Arts Council at 205-699-1892.
Artist colony takes root in downtown Pell City
The Artscapes Gallery located in downtown Pell City is operated by members of the Council on the Arts with participating artists staffing the gallery. ArtScapes Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and offers work from approximately two dozen artists. Pottery, jewelry, paintings, glasswork and much more made by local artists can be found in the gallery. Contact the gallery at 205-884-2787.
Library offerings abound
Libraries stretch throughout the county, with library services offered by the St. Clair County Library System in Springville, Ashville and Ragland; the Pell City Library; the Moody Library; the Odenville Library; and the Jane Culbreth Library in Leeds, part of the Jefferson County and Birmingham Library systems. The Pell City Library hosts its Wild and Wonderful Wednesdays Series, which includes a variety of entertaining and educational programs held the third Wednesday of each month at noon. Programs range from local authors, entertainers and special speakers to musical groups. There are two Adult Book Clubs a Writer’s Group, various educational classes and an Interlibrary Loan Service. The library also offers free computer use for the public. Children are a main focus of the libraries, with summer reading programs employing a variety of ways to get children involved in reading and building a lifelong love for reading.
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 17
Understanding the importance of
HISTORY
Preserving the heritage of St. Clair County a top priority Story By MEREDITH McCAY At almost 200 years old, St. Clair County is one of the oldest counties in Alabama. Since its founding on Nov. 20, 1818, the county’s citizens have been dedicated to preserving as much of their past as they can. This passion for preservation and restoration is evident from the historic buildings still standing in downtown Ashville to the restoration of the Old Rock School in Springville. Archivist Charlene Simpson, who oversees the Ashville Museum and Archives, said it is important to preserve the past so we can learn from our ancestors. “All these houses tell a story about the people who lived there, the society at that time, the politics and more,” Simpson said. “It is so interesting to get to know these people through researching the older buildings. “We need to know about our past to know what mistakes were made so we can avoid doing the same. If we don’t preserve our history now, we are going to lose it. We are losing a lot of historic places in the national historic districts because we don’t have an ordinance to protect these homes.” Simpson also said the history of St. Clair County has been well documented almost since its beginning, with record books dating back to 1819. This makes it much easier to do research on titles and deeds in the county named for Pennsylvanian
Gen. Arthur St. Clair. Ashville’s St. Clair County Courthouse, which is currently undergoing a 14-month renovation, is actually not the first county courthouse, according to those records. “The county acquired the land for what would later become the square in 1822,” Simpson said. “A log courthouse and jail were built in another part of town in 1824, but were inadequate. In 1842, a special tax was created to help build the official courthouse still standing today, which was
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The historic St. Clair Courthouse in Ashville
BUSINESS HOURS
Monday through Thursday - Lobby 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. • Drive Thru 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Friday - Lobby 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. • Drive Thru 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday - Lobby 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon • Drive Thru 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
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47537 Highway 78 Lincoln, AL 35096 (205) 763-2265
2325 Hwy. 77 Southside, AL 35907 (256) 456-0099
Teller Station: 1920 Martin St., South Pell City, AL 35128
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Roses and Lace Bed and Breakfast
HISTORY
first completed in 1844.” Houses were being built around the square by the 1830s, and some of those houses are still standing today. Other historic houses have also been preserved or restored to give visitors a glimpse into the past. One nearby home, now known as the Roses and Lace Bed and Breakfast to those who rent rooms in the house, was built in 1890 by Judge Elisha Robinson. Current owners Jim and Suzanne Haley came to Ashville about four years ago in search of a Southern historic home to do their part in preserving a piece of history. “We had looked all over the South, and none of the homes had passed all their inspections except the Elisha Robinson House,” Suzanne Haley said. “There is a whole generation growing up that won’t know what our history looks like unless we preserve it, and we wanted to do our part.” Robinson had fought in the Civil War and was eventually appointed as probate judge of St. Clair
County, where he served for three terms. He and his wife, Susan, built their Queen Anne home within walking distance of the courthouse. Eventually, Robinson sold the house to his Inzer-Montgomery cousins. “Miss Mildred” was the final heir to the home and stayed there until she passed away in the 1980s. Later that same decade, Tony and Meredith Sparks invested in a major restoration of the home and had it listed on the National Historic Registry. For 10 years after that, Faye and Wayne Payne ran the house as the Roses and Lace Country Inn. Since taking ownership, Haley said, she has experienced having guests from all over the world and from many different age groups. “We have probably had guests from every one of the 50 states in the Union,” Haley said. “We have had guests stay over from Switzerland and London. Newlyweds, usually in their 20s, have stayed here and said they never knew houses like this existed.”
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For example, Haley discovered that no two windows in the house seemed to be exactly the same size when it was time to install storm windows in the house. This meant each window had to be measured to make sure the new window would be a proper fit. Also, if any part of the plumbing becomes an issue, Haley is aware that the connections and parts might not be standard sizes. “We hope we are providing a truly historic but comfortable stay for our guests,” Haley said. “We feel we are stewards of history, and we hope this house will be around for future generations to experience.”
Ragland preserving depot
Ragland Depot The bed and breakfast successfully mixes the old with the new by having claw foot tubs and plaster walls harmoniously incorporated with updated plumbing and modern electricity. Antiques also play a key role in helping guests feel they are taking a step back in time when staying at Roses and Lace. Haley said some unusual maintenance problems have come up in keeping the home up to snuff, but she and her husband care enough to pay attention to the details necessary to running the household.
In Ragland, work is under way to create a Ragland Depot Museum that will house artifacts documenting the town’s history. Geri Bunt said that, while trying to restore the depot, a group is also trying to redevelop the town’s historical society so that more events can be organized and more items can be collected for the museum displays. “For now, our goal is to find a place to put all these items until the depot can be fully restored,” Bunt said. “More money and more interest developed in the community would be a great help. We have to get the younger people involved, because once you lose your history, it’s gone for good.” Bunt grew up in New York, where many historical sites have been preserved. She later moved to Miami before coming to Ragland with her husband, who was a native of the town. She said his love of the town combined with her love of history has inspired her to continue trying to preserve
MOODY A city on the move
Come home to Moody and find a small, close-knit community with big city amenities. As one of the fastest growing cities in the state, Moody’s quality of life continues to be a city that serves its citizens well. An impressive park, new schools, modern city hall center and plans for retail development, Moody has it all. Come take a look at this growing city. If you haven’t seen us lately, you haven’t seen us.
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HISTORY The Old Rock School
the history of Ragland. “I inherited his commitment to Ragland,” Bunt said. “People here care about the town. There are so many different things here for people to see.” Other sites Bunt would like to make sure Ragland keeps alive for future generations include Fort Strother, the National Cement Company and the Blue Springs Nature Preserve. The group hoping to redevelop a historical society in Ragland meets the third Thursday of each month at the Ragland Public Library.
Saving the Old Rock School and other landmarks
In Springville, the focus has been on the restoration of the Old Rock School, located near what currently serves as the campus for Springville Elementary School and Springville Middle School. The school was constructed in 1921 from chert rock, and has served as everything from classroom space for the high school to a meeting place for a local Boy
Scout troop. Some believe the building to be the largest surviving chert structure in the county. In 2008, Springville City Council realized the building was not city property, but belonged to the St. Clair County Board of Education. Once the BOE signed over ownership to the city, fundraising efforts and applications for grants became a major part of trying to save the structure. Sandra Tucker, a member of the Springville Preservation Society and the St. Clair County Historic Development Commission, said work has been going strong on other projects in Springville and throughout the county, despite a lack of governmental funding. “The County Commission has tried to help us by giving us money every year,” Tucker said. “But it is only $1,000 a year, and that’s not much for all these projects. We know the financial picture. People are out of work and afraid of the financial situation, but we are still working on it.” Tucker has been involved with the Springville Preservation Society since its start some time in 1993. She has been involved with the St. Clair County
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Historic Commission for the past 10 years. In Springville, one of the first projects she tackled was working on the old Masonic Lodge. Since then, projects have included developing a museum and library and trying to preserve a St. Clair Springs cabin. “It’s important that something of it is saved,” Tucker said. “The springs were so important in the 19th century.” St. Clair Springs was a place of social gatherings and healing for many during the 1800s. People traveled to the springs convinced the waters had healing powers, but some of the younger set would come to picnic, swim and otherwise socialize near the springs. Tucker is proud to say Springville is on the National Historic Registry because of the citizens’ work to preserve their downtown buildings. “Those are the same buildings that have been there since the beginning,” Tucker said. “Think what the world would be if we couldn’t see buildings like those with their beautiful colonial architecture.” When it comes to her work with the county, Tucker has been involved in the publishing of two books through her work with the commission. She has helped publish a pictorial book and “The Heritage of St. Clair County, Alabama.” Projects in the county have included the Masonic Lodge and the Inzer Museum in Ashville and the Fortson Museum in Odenville. This also has led her to volunteer her time with the St. Clair County Historical Society. “I think the organizations in the county share a passion for preserving history, and that is why we all work so well together,” Tucker said. “We have different cities represented on the commission to preserve all aspects
Old Springville Library of the county’s heritage.” Simpson said she hopes that since the county has stayed the way it has for so long, it will continue to maintain its historic buildings. She also believes preservation is a way to make history more tangible for current and future generations by bringing the stories we read to life. “We are fast losing historic buildings because of what some people call progress,” Simpson said. “The purpose of preservation isn’t to freeze history, but to encourage people to think more about the past. Landmarks have so many stories to tell.”
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 23
St. Clair Happenings Horse Pens 40
Horse Pens 40 in Steele is a 120-acre historic outdoor nature park, offering hiking, camping, picnicking, bouldering, exploring and more. The park is open for day use seven days a week from 9 a.m. until after sunset. The park features primitive campsites and 100-plus RV hookups. The day use fee is $5 per person per day. Camping fee is $10 per person per night (includes day use). Children under 10 are free with paid parent. Electricity and water hook-ups are $5 extra. Check-out time is sunset.
Springville Easter Egg Hunt
The Springville Chamber of Commerce Easter Egg Hunt is from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. the weekend before Easter at Big Springs Park in Springville. The event is free to attend.
Springville Take Your Kid Fishing
The Springville Chamber of Commerce Take Your Kid Fishing event is from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on the third Saturday in May. The event features fishing with the family and is free to attend.
Hometown Block Party
Thousands of residents pack downtown Pell City each year for the Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce Annual Hometown Block Party. The Hometown Block Party is always the first Friday in June, starting at approximately 5 p.m. and lasting until approximately 11 p.m. It features live music and other entertainment, and a wide selection of vendors. Food choices run the gamut, with something for every taste. The event is free to attend.
Pell City Kids’ Catfish Classic
The Pell City Kids’ Catfish Classic is held from 8:3010:30 a.m. on the first Saturday in June every year at Lakeside Park in Pell City. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The event is for children ages 12 and younger and is free to the public. Children fish for approximately 1,500 pounds of catfish in a netted area. Children may keep up to three fish to take home with them, and they catch and release as many fish as they want.
Pell City Annual Fourth of July Fireworks
The Pell City Annual Fourth of July Fireworks show is held on July 4 each year. The event can be viewed from Lakeside Park in Pell City and from the Pell City Sports Complex or by boat on Logan Martin Lake. The fireworks show begins at dark, approximately 8:45-9 p.m.
Pell City Float ‘Yer Boat Regatta
Each year, local residents test their craftsmanship by creating lake-worthy vessels of cardboard and duct tape. Hundreds of residents gather and speculate on which of the “boats” will float and which will sink. The Float ‘Yer Boat Regatta is held each August at Lakeside Park in
Pell City Block Party Pell City and is sponsored by the Pell City Civitans. The event is free to attend.
Springville Chamber of Commerce Springfest
The Springville Chamber of Commerce Springfest in Springville is in August on the Saturday before school starts from 2-10 p.m. The event features music, fireworks, food, and carnival rides and games. The event is free to attend.
Homestead Hollow
Homestead Hollow 2009 festivals in Springville feature fine arts, unique hand-made crafts, pioneer demonstrations of the old-time days (wood carving, ironwork, blacksmithing, smokehouse cooking, gardening, quilting, whiskey making at the original working still), and tours of the original cabins built by early settlers. Children’s activities include pony rides, wagon rides, a rock climbing wall, a petting zoo, and more. The festivals feature live music and great food. The Harvest Festival is Oct. 2-4, 2009, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Christmas in the Country is Nov. 6-8, 2009, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Crawfish Boil is every April. Gates open at 2 p.m. Springfest is May 7-9, 2010, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adult ticket price is $7, children ages 3-12 is $3, and children 2 and younger are free. Ticket prices may vary for non-festival events.
24 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
tions of pioneer activities such as spinning wool, candle making, and soap making, a blacksmithing demonstration, tours of the house, music, and a variety of food and craft vendors. The festival is always the second Saturday in October. The festival is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $4 per adult, $1 for children ages 6-12, and children younger than 6 are free.
White’s Mountain Bluegrass Festival
White’s Mountain Bluegrass Festival on the Mountain in St. Clair Springs features Bluegrass music in a natural bluegrass atmosphere. The festival is Oct. 16-17, 2009, and June 11-12, 2010. Admission is $10 for Friday and $15 for Saturday or $20 for both days. Children 12 and younger are admitted at no charge. The festival lasts from 6-10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. Primitive campers are welcome. Campgrounds are open Wednesday-Sunday. Campfire pick’n is Thursday night. The festival features stage performances and mountainside pick’n under the shade trees.
Homestead Hollow
Wings over Ashville Air Show
The Wings over Ashville Air Show is at noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. The air show features professional air show pilots performing breathtaking aerial stunts. The event is free to the public. Parking is $5 per vehicle. Gates open at 10 a.m. Each car receives one free ticket to the $1 raffle for prizes, including a chance at an aerobatic ride in a stunt plane. Concession items include BBQ sandwiches, hotdogs, drinks, and chips.
John Looney Pioneer House Museum
The John Looney Pioneer House Museum Annual Fall Festival and Craft Show in Ashville features demonstra-
Paws in the Park
Each year, the Animal Shelter of Pell City Inc. hosts Paws in the Park. Paws in the Park is the third Sunday in October at Lakeside Park in Pell City. Paws in the Park is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and is free to attend. All animals are welcome. The event features a mobile adoption, live music, an antique car show, climbing rock, inflatables, craft and food vendors, and pet contests such as the pet/owner look-a-like contest, biggest ears, longest tail, and more. Information about spay/neuter and microchipping is available. For more information, visit www.aspci. petfinder.com.
Harvest Center
Reaching The Harvest – One Life At A Time!
Ministries To The Entire Family / Discipleship & Outreach! Nursery & Toddlers Element (Youth 12-19) Singles & Couples Ministry Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Worship 10:30 a.m.
Fire Escape (Age 6-11) SENT (Young Adult 19-33) Music, Drama, Dance for all ages Sunday Evening 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night 7:00 p.m.
www.harvestcenterchurch.com 205-338-2853 3209 8th Ave. N. - Pell City, AL 35125
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 25
Happenings Pell City Lights in the Park
Every December, area businesses create light displays in Lakeside Park in Pell City. The Pell City Lights in the Park lighting is usually on the first Saturday in December. Lakeside Park hours are extended, and the decorative lights and displays are turned on from 5-9 p.m. each night for motorists to drive through the park and view the splendor of Christmas displays. It is free to the public and runs through the month of December.
Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce Annual Christmas Parade
The annual Pell City Christmas Parade is always the second Thursday in December at 7 p.m. through the streets of downtown Pell City. It is a feel-good, hometown event to celebrate the holiday season. The parade features floats, bands, beauties, churches, schools, businesses, Shriners and more, ending with a visit from Santa Claus himself. The event is free to attend and is for children of all ages, from one to 99.
Moody Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade Horse Pens 40
Treats on Main
Springville business owners dress in costume and provide candy to children during Treats on Main, a fun and safe Halloween activity from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009.
Oktoberfest
The Moody Chamber of Commerce hosts Oktoberfest each year on the last Saturday in October at Moody City Park. Oktoberfest 2009 is from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 31. The event features helicopter rides, “Moody Idol” contest, a place to have fall or Halloween photos made of your family, Paws ‘N People Costume Contest, karaoke on the stages all day, entertainment, pony rides, hayride, petting zoo, Eurobungy, and more. Admission is free. There are more than 70 vendors at Oktoberfest 2009 with games and entertainment for all ages.
The annual Moody Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade is at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009, through the streets of downtown Moody. The parade features floats, bands, civic groups, horses, motorcycles, dogs, Santa Claus and fun for all ages.
Springville Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade
The Springville Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade is at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009, through the streets of downtown Springville. The parade features floats, bands, horses, Santa Claus and more.
White’s Mountain Chimney Corner Celebration
White’s Mountain Chimney Corner Celebration in St. Clair Springs recreates many early rural home activities and styles of entertainment. The celebration is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, from 8 a.m. until. Admission is $15 per car or wagon load. Vendors and craftsman will produce everything from great food to homemade soap. Attendees can visit a variety of activities, including an operating blacksmith shop complete with hand forge, corn shelled with modern and turned shellers, soap making in the old black pot, grits and cornmeal ground from homegrown corn, and butter churning, as well as listen to great period music.
26 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
The Looney Pioneer House Museum
Pell City
where progress thrives
Pell City, a rapidly growing city in St. Clair County, has it all–a small town look and feel with the benefits of larger, metropolitan areas right here at home. Progressive leadership has brought this city into the 21st century, capitalizing on its key assets – its people, its business and industry, its government and its resources. Pell City is a model city with community projects like Pell City Center for Education and the Performing Arts – a state-of-the-art theatre and sports arena all under one roof. It’s library is a leader in the state with a multitude of services. A social services building brings all agencies together in a single location to assist citizens with issues that face them. And a thriving retail base gives citizens a reason to shop at home.
MAYOR: Bill Hereford
With a top notch school system, a community college, a new hospital on the horizon and a veterans nursing home, Pell City is on the move.
COUNCIL: Greg Gossett James McGowan Dot Wood Donnie Todd Donnie Guinn
And with 240 miles of lake shoreline with resort-like amenities right in its own backyard, it is no wonder Pell City continues to grow. Pell City is where quality of life is second to none – an ideal community to live, work and raise a family.
254149
The Greater Pell City Area Chamber of Commerce WE’RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
The Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce rolls out the carpet for its members, acting as their public relations firm to help them market their products and services.
We turn challenges into opportunities with “meet and greet” coffees held each month to spotlight businesses and provide a venue for networking with other businesses. Each year, Pell City’s population swells with thousands turning out from near and far for our Hometown Block Party, an outdoor music festival extravaganza held on the first Friday in June. At Christmastime, you won’t want to miss St. Nick or our Christmas Parade, which has become one of the largest in the region, held on the second Thursday in December.
We are continually striving for ways to better serve our businesses and our community.
Lynn Batemon
Executive Director
1618 Cogswell Ave. Pell City, AL (205) 338-3377 pellcitychamber@centurytel.net
254151
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 27
Downtown Rebound
Communities breathe new life into historic business districts Pell City
St. Clair Countians recognize the value in pumping new life into once thriving commercial centers. And Springville, Leeds and Pell City are leaders in that arena, revitalizing their downtowns to draw visitors and shoppers to the heart of their cities and giving them a glimpse of their historical roots. In Springville, a stroll through downtown is a walk into the city’s past with an eye toward today’s marketplace. For Leeds, retail is thriving once again in downtown with specialty shops and other features that make it worth the trip. Pell City has focused on filling its storefronts with new business while maintaining a look of yesterday. Loft apartments have even been built above some of the stores. Downtowns are on the rebound, and these cities are making it happen.
Springville
Leeds
28 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Bass Pro Shops in Leeds
Leading the way St. Clair blazes
key economic path for region Story By WILL HEATH
The key to economic development in St. Clair County, according to the engines that drive it all, is simple. And it’s also somewhat complicated. The St. Clair County Economic Development Council has now been in existence for a decade. During that time period, St. Clair County has attracted numerous industries and developments, both from this country and others. “There is no quid pro quo,” interim director Don Smith said. “If we’re doing our job properly, then everyone else should be able to benefit. “If there isn’t a contact – you can look at other counties that don’t have a good economic development organization: whenever economic troubles hit, they’re usually hit the hardest, and whenever prosperity’s taking place, they’re usually lagging behind. It’s really an investment in everyone’s future from a business standpoint as well.” Smith, along with marketing and retail specialist Candice Hill, has been with the EDC since 2007. Both of them believe that teamwork between communities has been the county’s greatest asset. Through programs like the Mayor’s Association Breakfast — held monthly — and Leadership St. Clair County — which brings together officials from different communities each year — the EDC hopes to foster a spirit of cooperation among the county’s municipalities. “We have the monthly Mayor’s Association meeting, which I think is a fantastic idea,” he said. “I think that
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 29
Concept art of the Grand River Project
30 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Red Diamond
every county should have something like that, with open communication between different municipalities. At the end of the day, it’s all about communication and making sure that everyone understands what other parties are going through. “At the end of the day, anyone who thinks they can do everything on their own is going to have a lot of difficulty. There’s no reason why someone has to go through the same learning pains that other communities have. “When companies come here, the first thing we do is introduce their plant manager to other plant managers – the HR directors to other surrounding companies’ HR directors. A lot of times, these folks may not know the areas well, and we want to make sure we give them a head start on being successful. “Working together, sharing experiences is something that I think other communities could definitely do that we do in St. Clair County very well.” That spirit of cooperation has shown in the types of development attracted to the county: Bass Pro Shops came to the county largely due to a cooperative agreement between Leeds, Moody and St. Clair County. And similar cooperation has allowed Wal-Mart (Springville), Red Diamond (Moody) and even a technology park (in Springville) to come into play. It is also playing a role in a $120 million retail outlet as part of the Grand River Project in Leeds. But while cooperation is imperative, Hill notes that all the county’s municipalities are not all the same.
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32 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Leading the way “Because of the location of, for instance, Moody, its population is full of young families,” she said. “In Pell City, they’re on (Logan Martin) lake – their population is full of retirees. So the needs for those two groups are just different.” Smith says every community has a different idea of its goals. “I think, at the end of the day, all the communities want to have a prosperous community with a lot of amenities for their citizens,” he said. “I think that can be said for all the municipalities. The question is, ‘how do they get there?’ Not all the communities are the same – they have different geographical characteristics, different cultures and also different population sizes, different tax structures, and some of them just have different history. “What we do, we sit down with those communities and we ask them, ‘Where do you want to see yourself in 10 years?’ We ask them what they want, and then we come back and look at what is the best practice or the best way to meet their goals. We look at the best way of them being able to reach those goals.” Because of the developments in the county — as well as its strategic location
— Smith and Hill are looking forward to further business growth, including possibilities in biotechnology and the auto industry. And Hill notes that development has continued, even in the worst of economic climates.
“It’s interesting, because even though a lot of things have slowed down, nothing has gone away,” she said. “And so, that’s, I think, one of the things that just shows how St. Clair County has grown and how industries and commercial developers see it as a positive place to be.”
Groundbreaking was held earlier for Love’s Travel Center in Steele.
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 33
Manufacturing Economic Diversity
St. Clair a ‘melting pot’ of international industry 34 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Story By WILL HEATH The immediate associations that come to mind when thinking of St. Clair County may not necessarily have anything to do with overseas industry. And that’s a shame because, thanks to the efforts of the St. Clair Economic Development Council, the county has definitely developed something of an international flair over the past few years. From Yachiyo Manufacturing (Japan) in Steele to Eissmann & Associates Auto Manufacturing as well as WKW (both German, both in Pell City), the EDC has welcomed businesses from outside the United States and made them feel right at home in the county. “We want to make sure we’re bringing in the best companies that are out there,” EDC director Don Smith said. “It doesn’t have to be international – we work with domestic companies as well.” Smith, along with marketing and retail specialist Candice Hill, are currently the two most active of the organization that brought companies like these to St. Clair. Among the county’s strengths is its location: with Interstates 59 and 20 running through the county, circumstances are ideal for suppliers to Mercedes (Tuscaloosa), Honda (Lincoln), BMW (South Carolina) and Volkswagen (opening in Chattanooga). “St. Clair County is (home to) German automotive suppliers to all of them,” Smith
said. “And we think we’re in a good position for that, so we’re able to get some quality German or European companies here for that. And then, with our proximity to Honda, we do have some Japanese companies that have come to St. Clair County, as well.” It’s something the community has been happy to welcome, Smith said. “I think America was always based on people moving in from somewhere else,” he said. “So I think that’s just continuing on, America attracting some of the best individuals there are out there, no matter where they may be based – coming here, sharing their experiences, and I think the community is a better place because of that.” The county has shared its experiences as well — in the recent Cardboard Boat Regatta on Logan Martin, both Eissmann and WKW sponsored vessels in the event. The county also was host to a German-style Oktoberfest. “The community really has embraced the international people who have moved in,” Hill said. “WKW and Eissmann really have become part of the community. The school system has been great for their kids. We hear a lot of positive things about that.” With the county’s proximity to Birmingham’s medical facilities — as well as the announcement of a new hospital facility and Veterans Affairs nursing home in Pell City — the county is likely to become attractive to what Smith called “biomedical” research as well.
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Manufacturing
WKW Erbsloeh Smith says his organization remains committed to recruiting industries that are “leaders in their field,” whether domestic or international. He says the companies who come to St. Clair from overseas are a credit both to their home country and to their new home.
“I think the cultures, the individuals that have come, have been great examples and great spokesmen for their areas,” he said. “I think the local citizens – the historic citizens of St. Clair County – have learned a lot from them and become better because of that.”
October 2009
Alabama Association of Community Theatre Festival Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 – All Day Event Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 – All Day Event
The Pell City Center is proud to host AACTFest, which will feature community theatres around the state and the Pell City Players competing for the chance to perform at the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
Pell City Center Fall 2009 - Spring 2010
November 2009
Smoke on the Mountain Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 7:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 2:00 p.m.
Season of Shows Wallace Bromberg Photography
Smoke on the Mountain, presented by the Pell City Players, is a hilarious gospel comedy musical that blends story and song and features some of the best gospel tunes ever written. Part of proceeds will benefit Pell City Rotary Foundation.
May 2010
March 2010
St. George and the Dragon
The Wizard of Oz
March 13, 2010 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 8, 2010 2:00 p.m.
January 2010
The Drifters
Featuring Charlie Thomas Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 7:00 p.m.
February 2010
Three On A String
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 7:00 p.m. Three On a String are back by popular demand for their 4th appearance at the Pell City Center. Jerry Ryan, Bobby Horton, and Brad Ryan have been having a good time right along with their audiences all over the country for over 35 years.
Pell City Center
25 Williamson Drive, Pell City, AL For more info or to purchase tickets, call 205-338-1974 Tickets can be purchased online at www.pellcitycenter.com 254153
38 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Home-grown industries Local businesses continue to thrive Curtis Capps at Royal Sausage in Pell City
Story By WILL HEATH Curtis Capps admits he can barely recognize the area surrounding his business. “When we came here, there was nothing on (US) 231,” he said recently. “Nothing but some of the old buildings — the only two new businesses out there were Alabama Power and Metro Bank.” Capps, who moved his Royal Sausage business from Enterprise to Pell City in 1992,
is now part of an exciting time in St. Clair County. In the last few decades, economic development has gripped the entire county — areas from Steele to Odenville to Pell City are teeming with development. For Capps, that means nothing but a brighter future. “I don’t see it (the future) as anything but a positive,” he said. “We’re in a little bit of a downturn (in the economy) right now, but our
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 39
Home-grown industries business has continued to stay strong.” Capps’ Royal Sausage isn’t the only homegrown business continuing to thrive, even as the county expands its horizons economically. Evelyn Criswell has enjoyed similar success. Her catering business in Springville has been in existence for 38 years (15 in its current location in Springville), and recently even began selling her gourmet sauces in grocery stores. “These are the sauces we use that the brides just love,” Criswell said. “It’s the recipes we’ve used for so many years,” she said. Criswell says her catering business is primarily “second-generation brides,” and during her time in the county things have changed substantially. “We never had very many people come up the mountain (when we first came here),” she said. “Now it’s a steady stream of cars.” Businesses like Royal Sausage and Criswell Catering have definitely benefited as the county has moved forward. In recent years, a number of busi-
nesses from outside the county have inquired about making St. Clair their home as well. One of the most notable is Red Diamond Coffee and Tea, which opened a new facility off Carl Jones Road in Moody this past April. “The second that we announced that we would be at this location, people that live in and around the Moody area began to apply to us for jobs,” said Bill Bowron, CEO of Red Diamond. “So, as we had people that naturally evolve out – as they retired or quit for whatever reason – we were able to replace them with people from this area. “We’ve been doing that the last two years. You’d be amazed at how many people have a five-minute drive to get home from here today.” That kind of development has allowed the county to progress. “The thing that makes our county special is the economic development people,” said Capps. “They’ve been very successful, and they’ve made us all better.”
40 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Evelyn’s Gourmet Sauces
Red Diamond Tea for sale in a local supermarket
The EDC is a public-private partnership started in 1999. Interim director Don Smith says that growth is for the benefit of everyone in the county. “Any private companies that would benefit from St. Clair County continuing to grow and prosper were companies that contributed to the organization,” he said. “Going forward, partnering with the private industries and also public entities, they were able to hire me on to
specialize in workforce development and existing industry.“ And along with the economic development growth, Criswell says, the natural attraction of the county continues to help. “Everybody just loves it up here,” she said. “I’ve had people say, ‘If I lived here, I would just sit on the back porch all day.’ “It’s just really pretty up here, and we just love it.”
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 41
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 47
A land of plenty
St. Clair Agriculture Still a Way of Life Story By ELSIE HODNETT St. Clair County is home to many hidden gems, from bamboo gardens to horse, cattle and tomato farms. “I started growing bamboo in my teens,” said Steve Ray, owner of Steve Ray’s Bamboo Gardens and Nursery. “I have been growing bamboo for more than 50 years.” His Bamboo Gardens and Nursery is located in New London, near Pell City. Ray began growing bamboo on his family’s farm 30-plus years ago. “I mainly grow bamboo, but I raise exotic trees and cactus, too,” Ray said. “I have over 100 varieties of bamboo.” He said the gardens include approximately 25 acres full of bamboo, including a two-and-a-halfacre lake surrounded by bamboo. “There are at least 400 plantings of over 100 varieties of bamboo,” he said. A planting is a
48 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
grouping of growth of one type of bamboo. “I sell bamboo, and also give bamboo to various civic organizations if they are willing to help get it out,” he said. “I have given bamboo to various churches and groups, and even Native Americans who used the bamboo for sweat lodges.” Ray said he uses a barter system to trade bamboo for help clearing the property and other work. “If someone is willing to work and help clean and manicure (with supervision), then I can give them some bamboo,” he said. Ray said the bamboo varies in size. “Some tropical bamboo reaches 8-10 feet tall, while the Moso bamboo grows to 65-70 feet tall,” he said. He experiments with different bamboo varieties to see which grow well in Alabama. “I am growing some giant black bamboo, which can grow to 60 feet tall and 3 inches in diameter,” he said. “I am trying to see if it will grow that large here.” Tours of the bamboo gardens are available by appointment only. For more information or to schedule a tour, call Steve Ray at 205-594-3438 or visit www.thebamboogardens.com.
Steve Ray’s Bamboo Gardens and Nursery
www.sccboe.org
Jenny Seals
St. Clair County Board of Education 410 Roy Drive Ashville, AL 35953 205-594-7131
Ashville Elementary Ashville Middle Ashville High Moody Elementary Moody Middle Moody Jr. High Moody High Odenville Elementary Odenville Intermediate Odenville Middle St. Clair County High Springville Elementary Springville Middle Springville High Ragland High Steele Jr. High Coming soon.. Margaret-Argo Elementary
Superintendent
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 49
A land of plenty Farms, forests dot county landscape
St. Clair County is also home to forest land and numerous farms. Derrick Heckman, county forester, said St. Clair County encompasses 417,700 acres. “St. Clair County has an estimated 289,600 acres of forest land,” he said. “Approximately 70 percent of the county is forest land.” Many county roads are dotted by picturesque scenes of white fences and happily grazing horses and cows or fields lined with rows of produce. “St. Clair County had 621 farms according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture (the most recent data available),” said Kent Stanford, state extension specialist who covers St. Clair County. Stanford said the county has a total of 71,574 acres of farmland, with an average farm size of approximately 115 acres. “Agriculture brings in more than $58 million a year to the county,” he said. Of that $58 million, the vast majority comes from livestock and poultry. “There are roughly 50 poultry farms in the county, which account for $45 million in income yearly,” he said. “Combined, livestock and poultry account for $51 million in yearly income.” Stanford said the county does not have a lot of production horse farms (breeding farms, boarding,
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training, etc.). “The horses you see throughout the county mainly belong to individuals who have horses on their property for pleasure purposes, such as trail riding,” he said. “That is one big drawing point to St. Clair County. The county has affordable land, and individuals have room for their horses.” Chandler Mountain, known as the “Garden of St. Clair County,” is home to the county’s tomato farms. “I was born and raised up here,” said Chandler Mountain native Janet Smith. Smith said her father was farming on the mountain since before she was born in 1942. “Corn and cotton used to be the main thing we farmed here,” she said. But due to boll weevil infestation, the family, along with the other neighboring farmers, swapped crops and began growing tomatoes. Today, Chandler Mountain is home to one of the largest tomato crops in the country. “I farmed tomatoes for 52 years,” she said. Smith said she and her husband, Rayburn, owned Rayburn Smith Farms. “We retired and our sons, Jeffery and Phillip, now own S&S Farms,” she said. Jeffery Smith said the main tomato grown at S&S Farms is the Mountain Fresh tomato, a regular round tomato. The farm also produces Roma and grape tomatoes and other varieties depending on the season. “Chandler Mountain is known as the ‘Garden of St. Clair County’ for a reason,” Janet Smith said. “It is home, and I plan to stay right here.”
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Concept drawing of the new school for Margaret and Argo
Quality in Education
Building the future begins now in St. Clair schools Story By GARY HANNER When it comes to public education in St. Clair County, the area can boast of two quality school systems. Sixteen schools make up the St. Clair County School System and offer learning environments for more than 8,400 students. With the growth the county has experienced, the need for new schools has been a priority. Two new schools are under construction — one in Margaret/ Argo and the other in Moody. Both should be completed by the start of the next school year. An addition is almost complete on the campus of Ragland School. Jenny Seals is in her third year as St. Clair superintendent, and her message is clear: Failure is not an option for her system’s students. “We want our students to try and succeed,” she said. “We don’t want to accept average, we want their best work. All of our administrators are on board with this as are the seven board members. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful school board. We have a wonderful working relationship, and they truly care about the children.” The seven-member board consists of President Scott
Springville High School
Suttle; Vice President Pat Noah; and members Angie Cobb, John DeGaris, Randy Thompson, Allison Gray and Terry Green.
52 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
St. Clair County High School
Pell City system continues growth trend The Pell City School System was established in 1982 after breaking away from the St. Clair County system. Eight schools with more than 4,150 students serve the system, growing by 1,000 students since its inception. Dr. Bobby Hathcock was appointed superintendent in 2002, and he works closely with a five-member Pell City school board – President Cecil Fomby, Vice President David Murphy and members Mike Price, Dr. Eric Hicks and Norman Wilder. County system on the move A number of programs are on the 2009-2010 school year agenda. “Some programs have been implemented that will help our students as we focus on 21st Century learning,” Seals said. “Our district vision is ‘Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.’” One of the special features the county school system offers is kindergarten for 4-year-olds being taught at four sites throughout the county — Springville Elementary, Odenville Elementary, Moody Elementary and Ragland Elementary. All total, there are about 75 4-year-olds who are taking advantage of this opportunity. “This is possible by a grant through the state department’s Office of School Readiness,” Seals said. “This supports the pre-school initiative. Research shows if you have early intervention that a child’s learning is going to be successful. Next year, we want to have pre-school learning at Ashville Elementary.” Seals noted that any student throughout the state could come take part in this pre-school program and that it is just not limited to St. Clair County kids. “The grants are very competitive and we are fortunate to have received these grants for the past few years,” Seals said. St. Clair is the only school system in the state that has received a grant for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The SS/HS Initiative focuses on five elements: • Safe school environments and violence prevention
activities. • Alcohol and other drug prevention activities. • Student behavioral, social and emotional support. • Mental health services. • Early childhood social and emotional learning programs. “This is a partnership with our law enforcement, mental health, children’s first and our early childhood programs.” Currently, this program focuses on the Odenville community, but Seals expects to have grants available for the other communities. The current grant worth $1.5 million covers a four-year period. In 2008, the county school system was the only one in the state to receive the Carol M. White PEP grant, that aids schools and physical education departments with the task of helping the students become more physically fit. The three-year grant totals $714,000. At Eden Career Technical Center, an at-risk program challenges students not to drop out of school. “This is offered to the St. Clair and Pell City school students,” Seals said. Since the system’s mission is to help students learn about serving, officials are planning to implement “Give Me Five” in January 2010. “This program provides all students the opportunity to learn about and participate in hands-on community service,” Seals said. “They will earn credit for serving the community, and it basically shows students how to serve in their community.” Capital improvements dominate in Pell City During Hathcock’s tenure, a new multimillion-dollar facility was built next to the Pell City High School, the Pell City Center for Education and the Performing Arts. The building venture was a joint effort by the school system; community; and state, county and city governments. The new Pell City Center has a 2,200-seat sports arena and a 400-seat, state-of-the-art theater for plays, entertainment and musical performances, including pro-
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 53
Education
fessional performances. A new ROTC facility was built in 2006 to help house the new ROTC program. More than 175 students are participating in the program. Construction of two new storm shelters, one at Walter M. Kennedy Elementary School and another at Pell City High School, were built with federal funds secured by the school system. The storm shelters were added onto the schools’ lunchrooms, providing not only a safe place for students during storms, but also more cafeteria space at the growing schools. A new school, Elouise and Harold Williams Intermediate School, opened this past school year, and the Ninth Grade Academy opened at Pell City High School this year. Hathcock said he and the Pell City community are lucky to have good board members who serve on the board of education and have helped turn plans into reality. “All of them are different, and they bring different things to the table,� Hathcock said. “They all want what’s best for Pell City and our people here. All of them have a sincere interest in trying to make us as good as we can be. I have been very fortunate to work with that group.� Hathcock said education is an ongoing process and that every year is different due to different personnel and different students. “The most important thing we can do is give these
students a safe environment to be in,� Hathcock said. “The second thing is to try and give them the best educational opportunities we can. From the time they start in kindergarten all the way through high school, we think we have done that. Even in our elementary schools, we have art, music, clubs, organizations they can be involved in — over and above just the academics.� Hathcock said they have to be prepared to meet the needs of all students. Some go straight to work after high school while others will join the military. Many head on to college while others are interested in a technical type training. “We want to meet the needs for them so they can be productive, successful citizens,� Hathcock said. “We want to guide them and help them in whatever they want to try and do. We want to challenge them during their time here in school. School should be fun, and we want to make it fun. It should be a place they like to go. It should be a place where learning is enhanced and discipline problems are down. We should provide them with as many broad opportunities as we possibly can in a safe environment.� Sometimes, that is a tough task, Hathcock admits, because they have a broad spectrum of students who have different needs, special needs and learning abilities. “We feel like we are meeting the needs of our students,� said Hathcock. “Our students are leaving here and being very successful in all kinds of different ventures. It is always an ongoing process, and we feel good about what we’ve accomplished. We strive for excellence, not perfection.�
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54 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Odenville
A Special Place To Call Home
NEW ST. CLAIR COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL At the heart of the fastest growing county in the state, Odenville boasts of its own growth with the highest growth rate in St. Clair County. It hosts a major utility operation for the county, and retail outlets and restaurants are finding it a great place to do business. Gorgeous subdivisions against the backdrop of a pastoral setting make life in Odenville one that others want to emulate. Odenville cares about its historic roots but does not lose sight of the future. And that’s why Odenville is such a special place to call home.
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 55
The next level
Beyond the community college experience Jefferson State Community College in Pell City
Jeff State serving St. Clair Story By David Atchison In August 2006, Jefferson State Community College was wide open and full of students beginning classes for the first time at the Pell City site. Since that time, Jefferson State Community College in Pell City has continued to grow. Since 2006, student enrollment has more than doubled and today, the college has 543 students enrolled at the Pell City site. Danielle Coburn, director of instructional sites for Jefferson State Community College, said 47 courses are offered at the Pell City site. Jefferson State Community also has campuses in Jefferson and Shelby counties. Some of the courses offered at the Jefferson State Community College site in Pell City include computer science, physical science, biology, music and art appreciation, sociology,
56 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
math, English, music history, psychology, speech, philosophy, economics, accounting, Spanish, health, and child development. Online classes, classes that are not available locally, are made available to students at the Pell City site through the use of computers and other technology. Proof of its popularity and usefulness, the new college site recently surpassed the milestone mark of 500 students, the number of students required before Jefferson State Community College can apply for “College Campus� status. And it now has a new library for students, located on the first floor and has one full-time librarian. Before Jefferson State opened its doors, students wanting comprehensive post-secondary classes had to travel to other cities to further their education. Now, it’s right in their own back yard. It offers a wide variety of educational opportunities for local students at an affordable price. Students can earn general education degrees that will prepare them for four-year universities. Students can receive an associate of science degree or an associate of arts degree at the Pell City site. Jefferson State also offers dual enrollment courses, so local high school students can take college courses for credit while still attending high school.
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Jefferson State
Coburn said the students can earn associate of applied science degree in the newly established iCademy program, which focuses more on technological studies, so they are better prepared for today’s workforce. “We also have GED classes and a career center to assist those seeking employment,” Coburn said. Jefferson State Community College is a viable part of the community, and the college has an open door community policy. “This is the ‘community’ college,” Coburn said. “We have functions here all the time for the community.” Former Pell City Mayor Guin Robinson, who now works for the college, agreed, saying not only is the community college serving its students, but its entire community. Robinson was Pell City’s mayor when Jefferson State announced it was opening a new college site in Pell City. “I felt like it was a top-three announcement for Pell City,” Robinson said. “I felt that way then, and I feel that way now.” Robinson, who is institutional development director for Jefferson State in Birmingham, said Pell City and the surrounding area were missing a community college, and the new school filled a huge void. “It filled a really big piece of the community puzzle,” Robinson said, adding that the new community college was not only a catalyst for economic development but for the entire community development. “It’s what every community needs.” He said since the community college was built, it has grown, and a new building is now constructed for the new
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Danielle Coburn, director of instructional sites for Jefferson State Community College, talks with a student. iCademy program, which offers a variety of programs for students wishing to gain the skills needed in today’s workplace. The iCademy facility is behind the main Jefferson State Community College building. In addition, the recent announcement that construction of the new St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital and the new Veteran’s Administration Nursing Home will start next year shows how the college helped spark new economic development. These facilities are planned to be next to the community college, which currently offers an LPN program, with more nursing programs possibly on the horizon. “I would be proud if the community college just stood alone, but we never thought it would stand on its own,” Robinson said. “This is just playing out quicker than what we thought. Three years – and look what has happened.”
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58 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
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iCADEMY
A NEW WAY TO LEARN Story By GARY HANNER
Jefferson State Community College’s new iCademy is rightly being called a winwin situation. It’s a win all the way around for students, parents, citizens and the college in Pell City. “There is not a negative to it at all,” said Marie Manning, enrollment counselor for Jeff State. “This has been a year-long process in getting all this together, and we are so pleased today.” What Manning is talking about is the new iCademy program that students are taking advantage of starting this fall. It was developed through a joint effort of Jefferson State, which wrote a plan and received $250,000 to do this dual enrollment program. “This was written to address workforce development,” Manning said. “A survey was done in this area, and it was noted that there was a great need by industry in St. Clair County and Honda to provide workers who are ready to join the workforce. We also find there is a great shortage of healthcare workers.” Students enrolled in the program will be earning college credit while they are earning their credits in high school, and
60 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
their parents are getting tuition free of charge. iCademy was brought to fruition through the efforts of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, the St. Clair County Board of Education, the Pell City School System, the St. Clair County Commission, the Alabama Office of Workforce Development and the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. “These are the four entities that came together to fund this project,” Manning said. “This is what we call a dual enrollment project. The two school systems participate with Jeff State already in dual enrollment. We teach college classes to students. This program is a dual enrollment program where the student is getting college with us and high school credit back at the high school. It is totally geared toward the needs of the students and industries in this area.” An 8,000-square-foot building is under construction next to Jeff State that will house building science and technology. The equipment will be furnished by Jeff State, as will the building and the teachers. During the day, students from high schools across St. Clair County will come
to the iCademy for dual enrollment classes in technical areas, such as welding, robotics, programmable logic controllers, blueprint reading and manufacturing fundamentals. And students will receive college credit for these courses. “Through the collaborative effort of the four entities, the students, while in high school, do not have to pay tuition,” Manning said. “The grant from these entities is providing the students a tuition-free college.” Manning said the grant is possibly renewable, and they expect the funding to continue. She said students should be able to attend tuition-free as long as the grant is available. The program is designed for students who are academically sound and ready to learn workforce skills, helping them earn better-paying jobs upon high school graduation and providing the business community with the skilled workforce it needs. “A student cannot take remedial courses through this program,” Manning said. “If a ninth-grade student goes through iCademy the four years he/she is in high school, they will have earned a two-year degree one semester after graduating high school.” iCademy is scheduled to start in the Fall of 2009, and they have a goal to initially enroll 100 students and hopefully enroll 200 students by the Fall of 2010. Currently, there are 30 students enrolled in iCademy with the majority in the LPN program. “Currently, the sky is the limit,” Manning said. “We feel the nursing program is going to increase. There is a plan in the works right now to use the iCademy facility at night for training purposes for the community and students in the community college. “The iCademy is an extension for some of our kids in our schools that will be able to go to a two-year
iCademy construction is under way. college, and it will be paid for,” said St. Clair Schools Superintendent Jenny Seals. “We want our students in the county school system to have those opportunities as well as other students. I believe this is a good opportunity for students who are in the nursing field. Students can go there and have a two-year degree paid for if they follow the course from ninth-grade to when they are a senior.” “The iCademy at Jeff State has a chance to really revolutionize what we are doing with education,” said Pell City Schools Superintendent Bobby Hathcock.
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 61
Healthcare Hub Combining the best of medicine and education Concept drawing of the new St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital
Story By DAVID ATCHISON It was once only rolling hills and tall standing pines; now it’s fast becoming the medical and education hub of Pell City and St. Clair County. “One thing feeds another thing,” said Terrell Vick, the president and chief operations officer for St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital. St. Vincent’s Health System plans to start construction of a new state-of-the-art hospital in early 2010 on property just north of Interstate 20 where the Jefferson State Community College site in Pell City is located. A new facility, the iCademy, is currently under construction, and drawings for a new $40 million Veteran’s Administration
Nursing Home are being finalized. “Our hospital staff is excited,” Vick said. Officials say the new $28.4 million hospital will take about two years to construct and will provide 73,000 square feet of medical services for the St. Clair County public. “It will be conducive to outpatient services,” Vick said, adding that there are 40 inpatient beds with 34 private rooms. The new facility will have a segregated emergency department and will be located adjacent to the new V.A. nursing home, offering quick, professional medical services for veterans. “We’ll have 280 new people who are high risk for medi-
62 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
cal health coverage,” Vick said. He said the new hospital will also attract specialty medical professionals. The new hospital will have a new intensive care unit, and expansion is possible with the design of the new hospital. “I don’t think we’ll do open-heart surgery here, but the medical services will drastically improve,” said Bob Barnett, who serves on the St. Vincent’s Health System board of directors. He said the new hospital will not only offer quality health care for St. Clair County residents, but will help spark economic development. “I don’t think we can picture all of what will happen there,” he said. Jefferson State Community College officials are talking about the possibility of a new nursing program at the Pell City site, and the new iCademy program offers a LPN program for students. “Our largest enrollment is in our pre-nursing program,” said Danielle Coburn, director of instructional sites for Jefferson State Community College. “To offer it here would be huge.” Vick said a nursing program at Jefferson State would provide a pool of newly trained nurses for St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital. Guin Robinson, institutional development director for Jefferson State Community College, is optimistic that a nursing program will come to the new Pell City college site. “I think one day that’s going to be a reality,” he said. And while the new hospital and nursing program appear to be on the horizon, Kim Justice, state veteran homes coordinator for the Veterans Administration, said construction of the new proposed $40 million, 254-bed nursing home should begin in spring 2010. “It will take 18-24 months to complete the construction project,” Justice said. She said 80 beds are set aside for assisted-living veterans. “There’s a large population of veterans in that area,” she said. Justice said the design of the new nursing home has a “home feel” and plenty of green space. Each house or unit will have 12-14 private rooms with a private bedroom and bathroom. Veterans will share a common living room area, which will include a dining room and kitchen. Justice said the Veterans Administration is forming a partnership with Jefferson State Community College and St. Vincent’s St. Clair Hospital, and officials are looking
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at possibly sharing common services. Don Smith, interim director for the St. Clair County Economic Development Council, said the EDC wants to attract medical-related services, possibly medical research facilities, to the EDC professional medical/educational park. “We have about 65 acres left,” Smith said, adding that Jefferson State has more than enough to handle their needs for the future. “Not only does a new hospital improve the quality of life here, but it helps us to recruit outside industries. “If you tell someone this is one of the best places to locate, you have to be able to show it,” Smith said. He said the EDC’s new medical/education campus is a showcase for economic development recruitment. “When people visit and have to come to the third floor of an educational building (where the EDC office is located), they can see education is important to us,” Smith said. “It speaks volumes about the entire county.”
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 63
Taking off
St. Clair Airport an asset to growth in county Story By David Atchison No pun intended, but the St. Clair County Airport is taking off these days, offering an alternative means of travel for a growing list of area businesses and private pilots. “We have 102 planes based at the St. Clair County Airport,” said Terry Capps, director of capital improvements for the airport. Capps served on the Airport Authority for 10 years. “When I got off the board, I continued as the capital improvement director and working on grants.” The airport depends on matching federal and state grants for many of its costly airport projects. Capps said the airport is supported by fuel sales and money received from airport hangar rent. The airport has 77 hangars, and six more hangars are under construction. “If we had another dozen hangars, we could probably fill them up tomorrow,” Capps said. “The majority of the people here are from Birmingham. It costs so much to be
based in Birmingham. We have a couple of people who have homes on the lake but live out of state.” It has now grown into self sufficiency. “The airport pretty much stands on its own now,” Capps said. Corporate planes and jets stop frequently at the airport located along Mays Bend Road in Pell City. Larry Davis, 29, is the St. Clair County Airport manager. He took the top job at the airport in November 2007. “I started here in August but was appointed as manager in November,” said Davis, who is originally from Pell City. Davis received his degree in aviation management from Auburn University. Although Davis oversees the day-to-day operation of the airport, the five-member airport authority decides the direction the airport takes and considers all recommendations made by the airport manager. “This board has been real active. So has the County Commission,” Capps said. Since 1997, $5.2 million has been spent on capital
64 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
improvements. More than $446,500 is being spent on capital improvement projects at the airport this fiscal year alone. Improvements this year include a ground communication outlet so pilots can talk to the Birmingham airport tower from the ground at the St. Clair County Airport, precision approach lights, new fencing, paving and six new hangars. The county airport, which was officially opened in 1962, covers 212 acres, and about 67 acres of airport property is not developed. Capps said there are plans to have an airport-related industry built on the undeveloped property remaining at the airport. Under a five-year plan, airport officials want to extend the runway another 1,000 feet, giving the airport a 6,000foot runway. The additional footage will allow for a bigger class of corporate aircraft, Capps said. Probably the largest project within the past five years was the construction of the new airport terminal, which was completed in July 2006. The new terminal cost $390,000 and includes a conference room, board room, manager’s office, large lobby, authority office, a kitchen
602 Martin St. S. (Hwy. 231 S.) • Pell City, AL
and vending machine area, restrooms, a pilots’ lounge, flight planning room, storage room and two office spaces the airport authority rents. It also has a large airplane apron with 21 tie downs. “The new terminal building is outstanding and well designed,” said Pell City Mayor Bill Hereford, who is also a pilot and has a single-engine airplane at the airport. Hereford said that, in the past five years, the airport has made huge strides. “It is a different airport,” he said. “The airport is just a good-looking facility. It’s one of the greatest assets in St. Clair County.” The airport also has a restaurant, just off the runway, which attracts pilots from across Alabama and the Southeast. People fly into the St. Clair County Airport just so they can eat a hamburger at Sammie’s Touch & Go Restaurant. Hereford said someone will decide to fly from Huntsville to the St. Clair County Airport for a quick bite of food, even though fuel costs have doubled. “We use to call it a $50 hamburger,” Hereford said. “Now it’s a $100 burger.”
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Young people today enjoy more contemporary worship services.
Story By GARY HANNER Faith — One of the definitions found in Webster’s Dictionary says faith is “secure belief in God and acceptance of God’s will.” Right under that definition is yet one more, and it simply says, “a religion.” The Rev. Ben Chandler, director of missions for the St. Clair Baptist Association, said mankind is made to worship. “Evidence of the need for man to worship comes in the form of efforts by man to find a higher being and connect with that entity,” he said. “Deep down, every person knows there is something missing within. The Judeo Christian roots of our nation have positioned our country for over 200 years to be a nation that is predominantly Christian. Our country is made of many communities, many that are predominantly one form of religion.” That faith, Chandler said, is central to St. Clair County. “People of faith live moral lives,” Chandler said. “They become what one national figure called the ‘nation’s conscience.’” In St. Clair County, Christian evangelical churches are predominant. And there are more Southern Baptists churches than any other one kind of church family. The
Religion Playing a pivotal role in St. Clair
66 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
St. Clair Baptist Association is the largest religious organization in the county, with 69 churches affiliated. There are many other kinds of Baptists — Freewill, Independent, General, National, etc. Then there are other Christian groups — Presbyterians, Methodists, United Methodists, Lutherans, Christian, Church of Christ, Church of God, Episcopal, Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Holiness, and more. All are present in St. Clair County. “Every church family is unique,” Chandler said. “Each church has its own personality. Every soul in the United States of America has the privilege to express his or her faith as they so desire.” The Rev. Ken Jones has been pastor of New Life Assembly of God Church in Pell City for the past 14 years. “St. Clair County is a very blessed area to have various groups of denominations with accessibility and acceptability,” Jones said. “There is a brotherhood here in the different cities and towns across this county between the different churches like I’ve never seen before anywhere else. There is a strong ministerial association, where we all work together. It is one of the best pastoral groups I’ve ever been associated with. There is more concern about the souls than there is about the church and the number.” Jones said at Assembly of God, they are all about the increase of God’s Kingdom, not increasing the Assemblies of God. And he enjoys working hand-in-hand on occasions with pastors from different denominations. “We have discovered that we have so much more in common than we do differences,” Jones said. “We’ve learned to focus more on the things we do have in common. There is going to be only one way into Heaven, and we are all going to be God’s people. There will not be an Assembly of God bunch over in one corner and a Baptist bunch in another corner and a Methodist bunch in yet another corner. We are just all going to be God’s people. That’s one of the things that is so enriching about being a pastor in this area. I love the unity with the brothers and working with them. That’s what it takes to work for God’s Kingdom.” According to the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 67 percent of Americans believe religion is losing its influence in America. “This is most likely typical in St. Clair County as well, especially with the influx of more and more people,” said Chandler. “People have a tendency to hesitate in identifying with a ‘new church family’ when making a move. However, those congregations that have an evangelistic commitment will usually find the newcomers and help
them make the transition to their place of worship. This same church will also assimilate them into the body.” The St. Clair Baptist Association is 100 years old this year. Chandler said many of these 69 Baptist churches have been steadily growing. “Over the years, the churches which experience growth realize the newness of their life in terms of the number of people who are members,” Chandler said. “Most of the churches that have grown in terms of membership also see a growth in terms of building space, and ministry. Some of the churches have developed day cares, preschool ministries, senior adult ministries, youth ministries, children’s ministries, food pantries, and much, much more. The St Clair Baptist Association has one of the strongest Disaster Relief Teams in Alabama, and it is all volunteers.” Ragland’s Lanis White is a retired United Methodist preacher who shared the Gospel from the pulpit for 20 years. In St. Clair County, White was pastor of the Ragland United Methodist Church from 1988 through 1992. Several years later, White was pastor of Ebenezer United Methodist Church four years in the late 1990’s. “Religion is very important in this county and should be around the world,” White said. “It should be the foundation of our lives, our business and our families — anything we deal with. God should come first.” Chandler said there are many other ministries that need to start in the county. He would like to see tutoring classes started, as well as a Christian Vocational school. He also believes a Christian Women and Men’s Job Corps in the county would be very beneficial as well as a need of a strong military educational and support ministry. “There are many strong Christian churches in the county,” Chandler said. “These churches are on the cutting edge of dynamic religious activity – Biblical concepts applied to the culture. “Therefore, these churches are impacting schools, civic organizations, politics and the marketplace. That is the freedom Americans hold in trust. Religious activity is seen most easily in those churches that provide for children and youths and that support adults in their quest for vitality in living.” And as fast as St. Clair County is growing, there is still room for more churches in the county, Chandler said. “If every building in the county was filled on any given Sunday morning, there would not be enough room to hold everyone,” he said. “I’d like to start at least three more churches in the next five years. The church is the voice for freedom – true freedom – not the freedom to do what we want, but the freedom to do what we ought.”
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ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 67
Destination: St.
The places that draw people from near and far By MEREDITH McCAY
St. Clair County has become one of the fastest growing counties in Alabama, and it offers a diversity of activities to reflect that growth. Perhaps the most noticeable activity center is Logan Martin Lake, built by Alabama Power Company in 1965. The 17,000-acre reservoir along the Coosa River about 30 miles east of Birmingham has acquired quite a reputation for bass fishing in recent years. The biggest draws for anglers are largemouth bass and spotted bass, which are both abundant in the area. But also present are striped, white and hybrid bass and crappie. The lake provides 275 miles of shoreline for less ambitious fishing, but also has 48.5 miles of waters between a downstream dam of the same name as the lake and the Neely Henry Dam ranging from 35 to 110 feet for those interested in fishing, boating, skiing or swimming. Locals have nicknamed the lake the “Lake of a Thousand Coves” because of such favorite fishing holes as Ohatchee Creek and Choccolocco Creek.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
On the outskirts of Leeds, just off the 140 exit of Interstate 20, is a collection of motorcycles and cars most people can only dream of. Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is dedicated to the presentation, interpretation, exhibition and history of motorcycles, vintage vehicles and motorsports. Between 600 and 1,200 motorcycles, Lotus and other racecars are on display at any given time. The bikes range from 1902 to current models, and from common street bikes to rare Grand Prix racing machines. The museum is located on 740 acres of land that includes a 2.38 mile racetrack and has been open at its current location since September 2003. The museum had previously been located on Birmingham’s Southside from 1995 to 2002. The museum’s founder, George Barber, first became interested in cars while racing and maintaining Porsches in the 1960s. By 1989, he had begun collecting classic cars, but then saw a need to preserve the history of motorcycles. The collection has now been featured in exhibits worldwide from the Guggenheim’s New York and Bilbao Spain locations to the Field Museum in Chicago and the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Even the Birmingham Museum of Art has held a special exhibit featuring Barber’s motorcycle
collection. Motorcycles have been acquired from Australia, New Zealand and Sweden, but have also come to Barber from just down the street. For more information about Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, call 205-699-7275.
Homestead Hollow
Springville has a unique property just off Interstate 59 and Alabama Highway 174 that allows visitors to experience a little bit of everything. Homestead Hollow has been the location for festivals featuring fine arts and unique, one-of-a-kind handmade crafts two to three times a year in the past. Also available during the festivals are pioneer demonstrations such as wood carving, ironwork, blacksmithing, smokehouse cooking, gardening, quilting, whiskey making at an original working still and tours of original cabins as they were built by early settlers. Visitors are welcome to relax by the many streams on the property and listen to live local entertainment and great food all day. An herbalist is even available to talk about “Grandma’s remedies” and natural cures. Children’s events include riding ponies, a circle in our wagon ride, jumping in the moon walk, or climbing the rock wall. A petting zoo is also open for children and adults. The owners are now branching out and offering the property for rentals at other times of the year. Events have included Civil War reenactments, crawfish boils and Springfest. For more information on Homestead Hollow, call 205-467-2002 or 205-467-3681.
Lakeside Park
For those looking to spend the day at Logan Martin Lake, many different activities are available at Lakeside Park in Pell City. Family gatherings of any size are easily accommodated with picnic tables and large and small pavilions for rent. A nature trail provides more than a mile of paved walking area for those who like to exercise outdoors. Benches along the trail encourage visitors to take it easy and enjoy the scenery of the park. Boat launches are also available for anyone who wants to get out on the lake. But a fishing pier and a bridge allow for fishing without the need for additional transportation. In 2001, local volunteers built the Kids’ Kastle playground to provide wooden play and exercise equipment so children can run off any extra energy while parents enjoy the park.
68 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
Clair County The park on Stemley Bridge Road also holds an annual “Float Yer Boat” regatta in which competitors must construct mostly cardboard boats. While successful vessels win prizes in the contest, the SS Minnow Prize for the most spectacular sinking always brings excitement to the races. For more information on Lakeside Park, call 205338-9713
Bass Pro Shops
Leeds has been the home of a new Bass Pro Shops store for less than a year, and already the draw of the 150,000-square-foot store, complete with indoor waterfall, is evident. While the typical hunting and fishing supplies are for sale at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Leeds, the store also offers equipment for hiking, backpacking, camping, outdoor cooking and more. Bass Pro also prides itself on creating stores that are part museum, art gallery, education center, conservation center and entertainment center all in one location. The store also offers outdoor apparel for men women and children and outdoor, casual and athletic footwear. Lamps, dishes, bird feeders and furniture are also available. For the hungry shopper, the store even has a sandwich shop and a fudge shop. For more information about the Leeds Bass Pro Shops store, call 205-702-7500.
John Looney Pioneer House Museum
The Looney House, located on Greensport Southeast of Ashville, preserves what some believe to be the oldest example of a dogtrot house in the state. John Looney built the house in 1820 and made the unusual decision to have a dog trot, or open-ended hall, through the middle of the house, on both levels of the house. The house was restored by the St. Clair Historical
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The Leeds Water Works Board supports Leeds City Schools. Make your donations to the Leeds Education Foundation right on your water bill each month. 253782
Horse Pens 40
Horse Pens 40 is a historic nature park of unique rock formations nestled atop Chandler Mountain in the foothills of the Appalachians in Steele. Evidence has been found to indicate the land on which Horse Pens 40 sits has been inhabited for 15,000 years, and at least 8,000 of that was nearly constant use. The only peace treaty signed between the Creek and Cherokee nations was signed on the Horse Pens 40 property, and many burial grounds have been found in the area. Confederates used the land to store and distribute supplies to the troops, while outlaws used the land as a hideout. In the 1880s, the area was settled by a Georgia family named Hyatt, and the original deed refers to “the home 40, the farming 40, and the horse pens 40,” meaning 40 acres of land for each, thus the origin of the park’s name. Such artists as Emmylou Harris, Three on a String and Marty Stewart got their start in the natural amphitheater on the property used for concerts. The current owners, the Schultz family, have restored the park to make it a world-class bouldering site and a premier venue for various special events, concerts and bouldering competitions. RV parking and tent camping are available to enjoy the beautiful land and rare species of plants and animals on the property. A Country Restaurant provides food, but visitors are welcome to bring their own. Bathhouses, hot water showers, electric and water hookups and pavilions are there to make your stay more comfortable, but the owners ask that no pets or guns be brought onto the property and that visitors pick up after themselves.
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Society in 1972. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. To make an appointment to see the John Looney Pioneer House Museum, call the St. Clair County Tourism Office in Ashville at 205-594-2116.
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 69
For more information about Horse Pens 40, call 256-538-7439.
Blue Springs Nature Preserve
Blue Springs Nature Preserve was created in hopes of providing an outdoor classroom and nature retreat in the Ragland area. The preserve is the result of a collaboration between public and private entities in National Cement Company of Alabama and citizens and elected officials in Ragland and St. Clair County. Possible educational uses for the preserve include a hands-on teaching, field and laboratory experience for students in the St. Clair County area. Additional uses include guided and unguided nature walks following a number of trails that highlight the area’s outstanding environmental features. Blue Springs also provides a venue for outdoor recreation where visitors can enjoy activities such as birding, hiking, camping and picnicking while minimizing their impact on the environment. Trout Creek was an area rich in fish and wild game, according to historian Rubye Sisson. Coal-mining and railroads brought more people to the bustling community, which was incorporated as Ragland in 1899. In 1908, the business today known as National Cement Company began construction on its plant. Eventually purchased by the Vicat Group, National Cement remains the largest employer in Ragland. The first recorded deed for the land that now makes up Blue Springs Nature Preserve was recorded in 1836. Davis Charlie Grant purchased a tract of land in Ragland in 1930. His family sold the land to National Cement in the 1970s. In 2003, National Cement Company set aside the land and donated approximately $250,000 in “seed funding” for development of the Preserve as 501C 3 non-profit organization. The seed money came from the company’s sale of land to St. Clair County for use by the Coosa Valley Water Supply District as a surface water treatment plant.
law in Talladega when Alabama decided it was time to secede from the Union. Although he was the youngest member, Inzer attended a secession convention in Montgomery, where he encouraged the other members to wait until other states also seceded. He was outnumbered, but agreed to sign the secession document drawn up at the convention. A lithograph copy of that document is on display at the museum today. Inzer joined the Confederacy in 1862 and quickly rose from the rank of private to lieutenant colonel. He was wounded in battle and captured during the war. He was a prisoner of war for two years before his captors finally chose to close their prison. Inzer had refused to sign an oath that would have released him earlier. While recovering at Cook Springs, Yankee soldiers rode up and asked for Inzer. He was shocked when the informed him he was probate judge of St. Clair County and needed to report to Ashville immediately. Inzer’s heirs requested that his house in Ashville be looked after by the Sons of the Confederacy, and the group has been happy to oblige. They have put $200,000 toward restoring the home, and only have a bedroom, the kitchen and a hallway left to be restored. The Greek revival architecture of the house and countless artifacts found in the home have made the job easier for those working on the restoration. The walls are stacked brick and range from 16 inches thick to 14 inches thick going all the way to the ground. Many of the items found throughout the house are on display now that it is a museum. For more information on the John W. Inzer House or to schedule a tour, call 205-338-2412.
Another historic home in Ashville, built by Moses Dean, has been converted into a museum and the home of Sons of Confederate Veterans St. Clair Camp 308. John W. Inzer, whom the museum was named for, moved to Alabama from Georgia and began studying
Other places of interest in the county include Shoal Creek Valley between Ashville and Ragland for fishing or camping and the Ashville Museum and Archives, the Springville Library and Museum, the Ragland Depot Museum and the Ashville Masonic Lodge Museum for those who enjoy a visual history lesson. For more information about the Ashville Museum and Archives, call 205-594-2128. For more information about the Springville Library and Museum, call 205-467-2339. For more information about the Ragland Depot Museum or the Ashville Masonic Lodge Museum, call the Tourism Office at 205-594-2116.
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Pell City Location 1911 Martin St., South, Suite B Pell City, Alabama 35128
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70 • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • ALABAMA
253767
John W. Inzer Museum
St. Clair County
Alabama
Building on Tradition.
Focused on the Future. 500 College Circle P.O. Box 1999 Pell City, AL 35125 P. 205.814.1440 F. 205.814.1441 www.stclairedc.com
ALABAMA • DISCOVER ST. CLAIR COUNTY • 71
WMW&H
Weathington, Moore, Weisskopf & Hill, P.C.
Attorneys At Law
(205) 640-2000
Governmental . Domestic . Real Estate . Personal Injury
Partnering with St. Clair County
to Develop Our Future
2603 Moody Parkway, Suite 200 . Moody Alabama 35004 . Tel. (205) 640-2000 . Fax (205) 640-2010 No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.