Volume I, Issue 2
A Day on the Lake
with Marine Police officer
Barry Popham Also inside this issue:
Summer 08
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Chris Hammond on faith, family and the Foundation Octacello—Lake Wedowee’s magnificent octagonal house Alabama’s first Olympic champion Kids Fishing Day Indian place names of East Alabama Worship on the Water
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Volume I, Issue 2
contents
10 features 10 Kids’ Fishing Day 232 kids. 350 fish. 575 hot dogs. and 1,200 pounds of catfish. More fun than you can shake a stick at.
18
18 A Day on the Lake with Barry Popham
Matt Shelley recounts a day on the lake with Lake Wedowee Marine police officer Barry Popham
26 Going Up
Rising fuel costs hit boaters hard, too.
28 What’s in a Name?
28
Don East gives an overview of the Indian tribes of East Alabama and the places names they left behind.
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 3
46
38
features cont... 38 Worship on the Water
58
Inspired by Lake Martin’s Church of the Pines, services start on Lake Wedowee.
46 God, Family, and Baseball
Chris Hammond talks about faith, family, his youth foundation, and keeping priorities in order.
58 Alabama’s First Olympic Champion
The story of Clay County native Eddie Argo, Alabama’s first Olympic gold medalist.
64 Light & Air
64 On the cover: Barry Popham has been working for the Marine Police Division on Lake Wedowee for the last 20 years. Read more about Barry starting on page 18. Photo by Matt Shelley, sports editor of the Randolph Leader.
4 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
A tour of the magnificent octagonal house built by Kara O’Brien and Paula Rose on the shores of Lake Wedowee.
in every issue 6 Editor’s letter 8 Contributors 74 Calendar
84 Lake map
86 Index of Advertisers
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welcome to the
Lake
... and to an exciting time on Lake Wedowee. This time last year the area was responding to a drought and watching lake levels drop below full summer pool long before the normal winter drawdown. This year frequent rains since the first of the year combined with water conservation efforts helped the lake reach full pool early in the season. February was the first month since November 2006 with a normal level of rainfall, and we have been blessed with frequent showers throughout the first half of this year even though drought conditions still exist for much of Alabama. In spite of low water levels last year, optimism about the lake area’s future never waned. Evidence of this can be seen in the new development announcements and real estate sales that continued throughout the worst of the drought months. More people continue to discover a treasure that has long been known to those who live here. We at Lake Wedowee Magazine certainly are optimistic about the future of both the lake area and our new publication. Our first issue was extremely well received and has been distributed not only throughout the areas surrounding the lake but also as far away as South Korea. One of our goals was to create a quality publication that would be used to promote our area to others, and that goal is being met. Through the design talents of Emily Wilkins, we feel we are creating a work of art as well. In this, our second issue, you’ll find many interesting stories about people and places that make the Lake Wedowee area unique. People stories include our cover story about a day on the lake with Alabama Marine Police officer Barry Popham and a feature story about the lives and civic involvement of Chris and Lynne Hammond. In this Olympic year, we also tell the little-known story of Alabama’s first Olympic gold medalist, who was born in Clay County, as well as two other accomplished Olympic champions who have homes in Randolph County. We also have places and events covered, with stories about local places that owe their names to the early Native Americans who populated East Alabama, an unusual octagonal lake house that owes its existence to homes that came before, the first Worship on the Water held on the lakeshore, and the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association’s Kids Fishing Day. If you have contributions or suggestions for our next issue, call me at (334) 863-2819 or email me at john@therandolphleader.com. We’d love to hear from you!
John Stevenson Publisher
Editor and Publisher John W. Stevenson john@therandolphleader.com Design Emily Wilkins emily@therandolphleader.com Advertising Peggy Seabolt peggy@therandolphleader.com Ricky Sledge ricky@therandolphleader.com Stories and Photographs Don East Abra Mapp Connie Parker Vanessa Sorrell Burnside Penny L. Pool Matt Shelley Ricky Sledge John W. Stevenson Emily Wilkins Circulation/Customer Service Danielle Tooker published by
Randolph Publishers, Inc.
Lake Wedowee Magazine will be published three times in 2008 - March, July and November - and will become a quarterly publication in 2009, with publication dates in March, June, September and December. The cover and contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. Lake Wedowee Magazine P.O. Box 1267 Roanoke, AL 36274 (334) 863-2819 • fax (334) 863-4006
6 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
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8 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Don C. East is a Clay County native and a retired naval flight officer. He is the owner and operator of The Creeks Tree Farms in Clay and Randolph counties. He resides on Lake Wedowee and is a frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines. His latest work, “The Creek Indian Hillabee Villages and Personal Reflections of Clay County, Alabama,” is expected in book stores this summer.
John W. Stevenson is a native of Roanoke and editor/publisher of The Randolph Leader, the newspaper founded by his grandfather, Olin B. Stevenson, in 1892. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and an MBA from Pepperdine University. John became the editor of the Randolph Leader in 1982. He resides in Roanoke.
Vanessa Sorrell Burnside is news editor of The Randolph Leader. She has a bachelor’s degree in radio/television/ film and a master’s degrees in communication from Auburn University and has been with The Leader since 1993. She is a native of Lanett and now lives in Wedowee.
Matt Shelley is sports editor of The Randolph Leader. A native of Headland, Ala., he is a journalism graduate of Auburn University and has been with The Leader since 2006.
Penny Pool is a reporter and feature writer for The Randolph Leader. A journalism graduate of Auburn University, she has been with The Leader since 2005, having previously worked for The Montgomery Advertiser, Selma Times Journal, Opelika-Auburn News and Valley Times-News. She is a Roanoke native.
Emily Wilkins is a graphic designer and photographer for The Randolph Leader. She obtained her B.F.A. in graphic design from the University of Alabama and has been with the Leader since 2007. She is a native of Wadley.
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By Matt Shelley photographs by Connie Parker, Emily Wilkins and Ricky Sledge Near Wedowee at a fishpond owned by Terry and Lois Wiley, gathered 232 kids. The kids caught 350 fish and ate 575 hot dogs. The pond was stocked with 1,200 pounds of catfish, and 125 prizes were given out. This is Kids Fishing Day! Kids Fishing Day has been a staple of the Lake Wedowee community for several years now. It started back in 1997 when Alabama Department of Conservation officials in the area approached the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association to sponsor an event like this as kind of a community outreach. The Property Owners Association had to collect money for the fish, which totaled approximately $1,000 in the first year. The event was held at the Rice Pavilion on Lake Wedowee for a number of years. The Property Owners Association was in charge of rounding up nets from the Department of Conservation and had to hire divers to secure the nets deep in the water. Fish were released into the contained area and the kids began their fishing. “The Rice family was always so gracious in letting us use the pavilion,” said Ray Mansfield, who directed the Kids Fishing Day this past year. Later, to keep the fish in a contained area, Kids Fishing Day was moved to Hope Whaley’s pond and this year to the Wileys’ pond. And although the event takes hours of hard work and dedication from the
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 11
Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association, Mansfield said it’s always worth it. “There was a guy that came up to me last time and asked if I was the guy in charge,” Mansfield said. Mansfield said yes, expecting the man to complain about something that had gone wrong. But instead he received warm words. “He said God has a place for all you guys that make all this happen,” Mansfield said. “It’s good to see that people appreciate it.” Prizes were given out for things such as longest cast, most accurate cast, first fish caught and the biggest fish caught. Local businesses donated money and rods-andreels to be given away as prizes, which
12 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Mansfield said was a blessing. With the Property Owners Association growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years, they decided to actually give the Kids Fishing Day event a budget this year of $2,300, which is a far cry from the early days of asking for donations. Mansfield said the reward of seeing the kids have fun is all the thanks the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association needs. “It’s been such a popular thing and it’s a way we can give back to the community,” Mansfield said.
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14 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
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Kyle Massengale 16 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Alex Harris
Above: Deverlan Ogletree caught the biggest fish of the day—a 5.3 pounder. He was presented with a rod and tackle box by Ray Mansfield, director of this year’s event. Below: The prize for the first fish caught went to Lauren Kilgore.
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A DAY ON THE LAKE WITH BARRY POPHAM LAKE WEDOWEE MARINE POLICE OFFICER story and photographs by Matt Shelley
The day is Memorial Day. I’m headed to Wedowee Marine to meet up with Lake Wedowee’s Marine Police officer, Barry Popham, for what would turn out to be an enlightening day on the lake.
two days, working from 10 in the morning until at least 10 that night on the busy Memorial Day weekend. I finally arrived at Wedowee Marine a little past 10 a.m. Barry arrives shortly after me, and we head down
I call Barry to let him know I’m running a few
to his vessel to begin preparing for the day to come.
minutes late, and he says not to worry. He should be
Lake-goers are beginning to swarm the waters and it
getting there right after me. My excuse for being late to
becomes clear to me that, although this may be the least
our 10 a.m. rendezvous is my inability to gage the time
busy day of Barry’s weekend, there will still be plenty
it would take to leave the office and travel to our meet-
to do.
ing point. His excuse is much better. Barry’s been out
Barry readies his boat and we idle over to the gas
patrolling the lake about 12 hours per day for the last
pump. After filling the tank, it’s 10:28 and we’re off.
18 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
10:42
Right out of the gate, Barry spots a guy on a personal watercraft violating the rules of the no-wake area in the alcove behind Wedowee Marine. He catches up to the guy and writes a warning for going over idle speed in a restricted area. And although Barry’s enforcing the law, he maintains a civility and friendliness with the violator, chatting about the weekend’s activities and offering friendly suggestions. But that’s the way Barry is. Barry Popham has been working for the Marine Police Division for the last 20 years, spending every one of those 20 years in Wedowee, except for one which was spent in the Mobile Delta. So it goes without saying, Barry knows his stuff. “Most of these people are really good people,” Barry said. “As far as a law enforcement job, this is probably the best one you can have. It’s a unique job. There’s some people that just aren’t cut out for it, though, because you’re out here by yourself. You don’t have backup available.” Barry obviously has no problems with it.
“As far as a law enforcement job, this is probably the best one you can have. It’s a unique job.” “Sometimes you just have to get in there and do what you do and some people aren’t cut out for it,” Barry said. As for the fellow creating a wake in the idle zone, Barry said that kind of thing is a fairly common occurrence. “I’m sure they thought they were doing like they were supposed to do on their jet ski over there,” Barry said. “But they were actually plowing and making a pretty good size wake. A lot of times, I can just get their attention and get them to slow down so I don’t have to run over there and catch up to them. But if they’re running through here at a pretty good speed, I’ll write them a ticket.”
20 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
11:02
We’re riding through the Piney Woods Creek area when Barry spots another violation. That particular area is a no-towing zone, meaning boats are prohibited from pulling tubers or skiers. Unfortunately for this boater, Barry knows he passed a pair of buoys warning of the no-towing zone. He writes the vessel’s operator a ticket. In addition to ticketing the operator for towing in a restricted zone, Barry goes through the routine of checking the operator’s boat registration, numbers and license. This is normal procedure, as I will come to realize by day’s end. Then there’s the life jacket check. The law is that there must be a life jacket of correct size for each occupant of the vessel. The boaters pass that test with flying colors. “Another thing I’m looking for is children underage have to be wearing their life jackets at all times while in the boat,” Barry said.
11:17
Barry pulls up to a dock in the Piney Woods Creek area to talk to a friend and see what, if any, problems they’ve had over the weekend. For the most part it’s been quiet, except for the occasional illegal towing. Barry tells me that in areas such as the Piney Woods Creek area, property owners around the lake often request restrictions on boating in the area, such as the no-towing or no-wake restrictions. They bring the request to the Marine Police Division and then officials come out to inspect the area. If the request is legitimate, buoys are placed to warn boaters of restrictions, just like highway signs.
11:22
Right after chatting with the lake residents, Barry spots another boat towing through the Piney Woods Creek area. This time it’s a skier, but the outcome is the same for the violating operator. Barry tells me that, although weekends like Memorial Day and Independence Day are always the busiest on Lake Wedowee, this particular Memorial Day weekend hasn’t been quite as busy as in past years. I wouldn’t have known it by the
stops we’ve already made, though. Barry said he’s had maybe 20 written contacts, tickets or warnings this weekend and only two were checked for possible Boating Under the Influence violations. Neither of the potential BUIs were over the limit (0.08) though. “It’s just been long hours,” Barry said. “There’s been a lot of people out, but not nearly as many as there was last year.” Barry speculates the reason for the slower weekend is the current gas prices. “I guess a lot of people towing their boats back and forth aren’t coming out as often as they used to,” he said. Barry tells me he’s required to work 10-hour shifts on Saturdays during the summer, but on holiday weekends, 12-hour shifts are pretty normal. In addition, if there’s an accident on the lake in the wee hours of the morning, he’s often called out to the scene. “Usually on the bigger weekends, I’m called to at least one accident, whether it’s minor or something more serious,” Barry said. “I wasn’t called to any accidents at all this weekend.”
11:47 We continue to cruise through the waters of Lake Wedowee. We make a couple of minor stops, one at 11:52 when a boater asks Barry if it’s OK to ski in a certain area, and then again at noon to chat with Barry’s best friend’s son, who’s out on his personal watercraft. I’ve noticed through the first hour or so of our day Barry’s using the binoculars quite a bit. He tells me he’s looking for expired registration tags on boats as they pass by. 12:30 He spots an expired tag. Barry pulls up to the vessel and asks for the boat’s registration. The registration checks out after all, and Barry sets them off on their way. Barry’s friendly nature never goes on pause
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 21
Barry’s duties even include going to Randolph and Clay County schools to teach boating education. You would think that there would be plenty of downtime in the winter to do such things. You would be wrong. “Basically, there’s no off-season here,” Barry said. “You can ride over here across the boat ramp on Highway 48 in February and cars will be parked up and down the road. You have a different type of recreation going on then. It’s mostly fishermen, but you still have a lot of boats out here.”
at any moment during a stop. But how does one decide to be a marine police officer anyway? “Actually when I was a small child, I grew up on Smith Lake,” Barry said. “I was up there just about every weekend skiing. I was pretty much raised around the water. I would see these guys out—the water patrol was what we called them back then—and I said, ‘that’s what I’d like to be when I grow up.’” Barry was hired by the Alabama Department of Conservation 20 years ago, and after gaining so much experience on the waters of Lake Wedowee, Barry’s role with the Marine Police Division has definitely increased. Barry is in charge of training new recruits down in Orange Beach, where he recently returned from a week or so before Memorial Day weekend. “Basically, what I did with the program was try to bring things into it that I wasn’t confident in when I finished my training,” Barry said.
22 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
12:37
We head back to the dock for
lunch.
1:27
We shove off again from Wedowee Marine.
1:44
As we pass by a boat launch and dock, Barry tells me we should go over and tell the people crowded around the dock to relocate. Congregating and swimming at public launch ramps is prohibited because they often times get in the way of people putting boats into the water, which can cause dangerous situations. Barry politely tells the people that they should relocate to Flat Rock Park. They oblige, and we head out again. Public safety is the main concern of Barry out on the lake. And that is reflected in the laws of Alabama’s waterways. “Mostly, what I’m looking for is reckless operators, operating under the influence, that type of thing,” Barry said. “Even at night, most of my attention is focused on people having their lights like they’re supposed to have them.”
2:02 Barry sees a boat towing a skier behind. Everything looks normal enough, except the boat is carrying a pretty good load of people. Barry decides to stop them and check their load limit. The information on the vessel says it can carry up to 12 persons. And with 10 on board, everything checks out and the boaters go on their way again. 2:10
On our way to Flat Rock Park, we make a brief stop at the Highway 48 boat ramp to make sure everything looks good there. Sure enough, nothing looks awry and we continue on our way, twisting and turning through the channels.
2:13
Barry grabs his binoculars again and spots expired boat tags, so we hustle over to the vessel. After taking a look at the registration papers, it’s easy to see why the boat was in violation. The owner bought the boat a month or so before the tag was to expire. He got his tag thinking he had a full year until he had to renew them, when in fact they would be up for renewal sooner. Barry understands the dilemma and writes a warning to the operator for the violation and in the calm, polite voice I’ve
come to expect, tells them to take care of it as soon as possible.
2:32
Finally, we arrive at Flat Rock Park to see hundreds of people gathered on the granite banks enjoying the sunshine and cool water. Barry tells me that, although it looks like a lot of people, there are usually many more. He gets out the binoculars and scans the banks and the handful of boats in the area. Nothing looks suspicious. So after watching kids diving into the lake for a bit, we head off again.
2:50
thought there was any chance the gates would be open, we wouldn’t go anywhere near. The whirlpool-like suction near the dam can be extremely treacherous and there are plenty of signs to warn of it. After I calm down and enjoy a nice view of the valley, we start to make our way back to the dock.
3:02
We make a stop at R.L. Harris Dam. Barry asks if I want a closer look out over the floodgates. But the closer we get the more nervous I become. It’s quite a drop down into the river valley. Barry assures me that if he
Barry tells me about an osprey nest perched on top of a pole not too far from the dam, so we make a quick pit stop there. Sure enough, there’s the osprey in the nest with several youngsters. It’s apparent from the screeches she doesn’t want us very close, so we back up a bit to see if we can get a better peek at the fledglings. After a few minutes, though, the little ones are hiding deep in the nest and we continue on.
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3:48
We ride back by the same boat ramp where Barry had to ask people to relocate from earlier. Again, there’s a crowd gathered on the dock and swimming off the boat launch. And again, Barry has to ask them to leave. “I would much prefer to be doing some-
“It’s not fun if you catch somebody you’ve talked to for years and they’re out here doing something wrong. It turns into a situation where you have to do your job. Basically though, in the long run, you’re going to be respected for that.” thing other than telling people they can’t swim,” Barry said. “But it’s what I have to do.”
4:09
We’re rounding a bend on the lake when a boat towing a tuber cuts too far to the inside, or their left in the channel. With the way the lake twists and turns, this is a
24 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
dangerous maneuver, and Barry decides to make the stop. The operator gets a warning this time, but Barry gives the boaters a stiff warning to be careful to stay to the right in the channels, something he encourages boaters to do frequently. “When I first came here and saw how many twists and turns are in here, I was thinking people would be running into each other all over the place,” Barry said. “Actually, I think it helps them pay attention to what’s going on.” Barry tells me most boating accidents occur in wide-open parts of the lake when people lose their focus and stop paying attention to other boaters as much. “The best way to prevent a collision is to pay attention to where you’re going and follow the rules of the road,” Barry said.
4:32
We arrive back at Wedowee Marine after what I would call a pretty long day out on the lake. But to Barry, it’s business as usual. He’ll drop me off, but there are still plenty of boaters out on the lake, so his day is far from done. Barry does his job and does it well. He was a picture of courtesy on the waters and even though he said it can be tough sometimes to balance doing his duty with being a friend to the people on the lake, it’s reassuring to know that at the end of the day, the waters are safer because of what he does. “It’s not fun if you catch somebody you’ve talked to for years and they’re out here doing something wrong,” Barry said. “It turns into a situation where you have to do your job. Basically though, in the long run, you’re going to be respected for that.”
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up Rising fuel costs are
hitting boaters hard, too. Here are some tricks of the trade to reduce your boat’s fuel consumption. As sailors found out the last couple of seasons, the rise in fuel costs has hit lovers of the lake rather hard. Typical prices at marina fuel docks have been markedly higher than those at the neighborhood filling station, making an already expensive hobby such as boating even more so. The reasons for the higher costs are numerous, ranging from the shorter sailing season (meaning marina filling station owners have less time with which to turn a profit than automobile filling station owners) to more stringent environmental standards that drive up costs. Reasons aside, many sailors simply want to know ways to lessen fuel usage while not sacrificing time spent doing what they love to do: boating. The following tips are some tricks of the trade for doing just that.
26 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
• Tune your engine. Much like an au-
tomobile engine will get better gas mileage if certain measures (i.e., replacing the air filter when necessary) are taken, tuning your boat’s engine properly will increase your boat’s gas mileage. Doing so reduces the work the engine has to do, increasing its efficiency while also reducing emissions.
• Reduce weight on the boat. Your
boat should not be treated as a floating storage closet. If you’re only going out for an afternoon, you won’t need any long-range gear. Such excess weight can put a strain on the boat’s engine, forcing it to use more energy (fuel) to operate effectively. Remove any unnecessary weight both below and on deck, as excess weight creates drag, which decreases fuel efficiency.
• Don’t be a hot shot. Most boats
don’t get the best gas mileage when operating at full speed. Throttle back to cruising speed once you get on a plane. If you’ve had your boat long enough, you’ll know what the best speed is that allows you to cruise. If you haven’t, this will be the speed where your boat rides smoothly while still providing optimal and enjoyable performance.
• Minimize time spent idling. While a certain amount of idling is necessary, excess idling is a mistake for a variety of reasons. Just because a boat is idling doesn’t mean it’s not consuming fuel. This consumption is wasteful if you don’t need to be idling. Excessive idling also has the potential to produce deadly carbon monoxide fumes, hurting both the environment and the people on your boat. Finally, idling is often noisy, making it an annoying and unnecessary distraction for people just looking to relax. • Follow fuel guidelines. If you
haven’t mixed your own fuel before, you should trust the professionals or at least seek their advice. Too much or too little oil can damage your boat’s engine, reducing both your boat’s performance and its fuel efficiency.
• Go green. It seems every market
has gone green over the last couple of years, and the boating industry is no exception. If you need to replace your boat’s engine, do so with an engine that boasts lower emissions and better fuel efficiency. While traditionalists might say these engines don’t boast the same power as the engines of old, they’re at least in the same ballpark if not equal to those of old.
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The Indians of East Alabama and the place names they left behind When new folks move to Lake Wedowee some of the first questions they ask are: “what is the meaning of the names like Wedowee and Hajohatchee?” and “What Indian languages do the names Wehadkee and Fixico come from ?” Many of us locals have been asked many times “How do you pronounce the name of (put in your own local town bearing an Indian name) town? All of us have heard questions like these before, probably many times. It turns out that there is a good reason we east Alabama natives have heard such questions more often than the residents of other areas of Alabama. Of the total of 231 Indian place names listed for the state of Alabama in a modern publication, 135 of them are found in 18 counties of east Alabama. Put in other words, 58.4 percent of Alabama’s Indian place names are concentrated in only 26.8 percent of its counties. We indeed live in a region that is rich with American Indian history. In fact, the boundaries of the last lands assigned to the large and powerful Creek
28 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
by Don C. East Photographs by Emily Wilkins and John W. Stevenson
Indian tribe by the treaty at Fort Jackson after the Red Stick War of 1813-14 were almost identical to the borders of what is known as the “Sunrise Region� in east central Alabama. These Indian names are relics, like the flint arrowheads and other artifacts we often find in our area. These names are traces of past peoples and their cultures; people discovered by foreign explorers, infiltrated by early American traders and settlers, and eventually forcefully moved from their lands. Fortunately, historians, social scientists, ethnolinguists, etymologists, along with toponymy and onomastics experts and interested citizens have worked together to preserve these interesting place names as a part of our modern culture. When we identify a particular word as Indian in origin, we are not inferring that all Indians or their languages are the same. There is neither a single Indian people nor a single Indian language, but many different peoples, with vastly differing racial characteristics, cultures, and languages. In fact, the Indians of the Americas are as different from each other as are Spaniards, Irish and Russiansmaybe more so. Some linguistic scholars believe that when the whites arrived in the New World, the native Indians were speaking some 2,200 different languages. Attempts to classify the various American Indian languages into related families and branches, as has been done for other world languages, have been numerous and full of problems. One of these classification systems for
American Indian languages was made as early as 1891 and is still in use by some scholars of today. This system has the various Indian languages grouped into 56 separate linguistic families. However, some of the more recent scholars have made new attempts of grouping the various Indian languages under a smaller number of families, some with as few as four or six families. None of these simplified classifications has yet been fully accepted, however, it appears that in time, some satisfactory system will be devised that will ink all world languages back to a minimum of common parental tongues. One commonly used, and more modern Indian language classification system, is that devised by Harold Driver in Indians of North America, written in 1961. His system of classification is broken into 21 families, most of which have two or more branches. Using this system, we find that there were four Indian language families represented in the state of Alabama: Algonquian-RitwanKutenai, Iroquois-Caddoan, Gulf, and Siouan-Yuchi. It is widely accepted that the native Americans came to the Americas between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago over the lad bridge formed by the last ice age. Archeological studies of artifacts indicate these peoples had migrated southward into what is now Alabama by around 9,000 years ago. The eras of these prehistoric native Americans have been academically divided into several periods; with the Paleo, Archaic, Woodland and Mississippi being the primary ones. The Paleo period began with the first known
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 29
inhabitants of the Americas, and the Mississippi period ended with the coming of the white man. Amateur artifact collectors have found Clovis arrowheads in this area. The Clovis point was the earliest used in the Paleo period. The Clovis is a distinctively shaped, fluted stone projectile point. It is the oldest recognized type of stone projectile point known to have existed in North America. Later in the Paleo Period, after the larger herbivores and carnivores disappeared following a major climate change, the Native Americans shifted primarily to the Folsom-type points for the smaller animals now on
the scene. We know few specifics about these earlier prehistoric Indians in our state. Their tribal names and other facts have been lost in antiquity. However, because of the written records left by the first white Europeans into our region around 450 years ago, we do have many specifics about the more modern native Americans. Accordingly, this brief article will discuss only those native Americans who came at the very end of the Mississippi period and thereafter. The various tribes of Indians living in Alabama inhabited specific and identifiable areas of the state. However, there were exceptions and some degree of tribal movement over time. In general, during the period of 300 or so years between the Spanish expeditions of Navarez and DeSoto and the great migration of white settlers into the area in the early 1800s, Alabama’s more predominant Indian tribes, groups or nations were geographically distributed as discussed in the following paragraphs.
Coosa, Coushatta and Koasata This group of Alabama Indians seems to have inhabited most of the Coosa River valley from the Georgia state line
30 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
down to about Salem, Ala. Being in that part of the state through which DeSoto’s expedition passed, this group was discussed extensively in his chronicles. The Coushatta language is in the Gulf family, Muskogean branch. The remnants of the Coushatta Indians today, along with their Alibamo or Alabama kinsmen, can be found near Livingston, Texas on the Alabama-Coushatta Reservation, where most of them migrated in the late 1700s.
Maubilian or Mobile The distribution of the Maubilian tribe started around Selma and was scattered south and west throughout the lowlands of Alabama. The Maubilians may have evolved from the Moundsville Indians of the earlier Hopewellian culture. As with the Coushattas, many of the Maubilian Indians were annihilated by DeSoto when he engaged Chief Tuscaloosa in a major battle. The Maubilian language is in the Gulf family, Muskogean branch. When the French opened the Mobile area to trading and settlements in the early 1700s, the Maubilians became the most significant influence in the development of trade among the Indian tribes and nations of the entire southeast. In doing so, they developed the “Maubilian trade language,” which was used among the linguistically diverse tribes and the white traders. The Maubilians eventually became a part of the Choctaw Nation.
Alibamo or Alabama Prior to the coming of the Creek tribe, the Alibamo Indians were primarily located from the juncture of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers, downstream on the Alabama River to its confluence with the Cahaba River. The Alibamos were overrun by the Creeks when they migrated into Alabama, but they stayed in their home area by their own choice, and became a part of the Creek Confederacy. The Alibamo Indians language was in the Gulf family, Muskogean branch.
Creek or Muscogee The Creeks were the largest and most powerful Indian tribe in the southeast. According to the most predominant legends, the Creeks emigrated first from Mexico to the Red River areas of Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas; and finally occupied large parts of what would become Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, somewhere around the early to mid-1600s. In each case, the aggressive Creeks
overran the local Indian tribes but allowed them to remain in their homeland. As the price for remaining in their homeland area, these subordinated tribes were forced to become a part of the Creek Confederacy. In Alabama, the Creeks settled west by the Cahaba and Alabama Rivers, on the south by the Florida border, and on the east by the Georgia border. What are now Clay and Randolph counties were in the midst of this Creek Confederacy. The Creek language was in the Gulf family, Muskogean branch. There were several other tribes or groups of Indians that were subordinated by the Creeks and living within the boundaries of the Creek nation. These Indians were erroneously referred to as “Creeks” by the early settlers. Among these tribes were the Alibamos. Others were the Tookabatcha (Tuckabatchie) who migrated from the Ohio River area and settled on the Tallapoosa River; the Tuskegees who settled near the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers; the Ozeailles who settled along Hatchee Chubbee Creek; the Hitchiti who settled in southeastern Alabama; the Natchez who settled around the confluence of Talladega Creek and the Coosa River; the Shaw-
nee from Ohio who settled in east central Alabama, east of the Coosa River; and the Uchees (Yuchis) who settled along a few creeks emptying into the Chattahoochee River from the west. The languages of these subordinated Creed Confederacy tribes were all in the Gulf family and the Muskogean branch, except for the Shawnee and the Uchees. The Shawnee language belongs to the Algonquian-Ritwan-Kutenai family, Algonquian branch. The Uchee or Yuchi Indian language is found in the Siouan-Yuchi family and is the sole member of the Yuchi branch. Today’s Creek Indians can be found in several locations. The larger tribe, and the descendants of those forced to the west during the removals, are headquartered in Okmulgee, Okla. The descendants of those who somehow remained behind in Alabama are today known as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The Poarch Creeks are headquartered at Poarch, near Atmore, Ala. Of the seven Indians bands recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission, Poarch Creeks Therapy For allthe your Physical are the only ones recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Two other smaller bands of Creek Indians
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recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission are the Machis Lower Creeks of New Brockton, Ala. and the Star Clan of Muscogee Creeks in Goshen, Ala. There are also small Creek Indians remnant bands in Florida and Georgia.
Seminole The Seminole were formed in part by rebel elements of the Creek tribe and had part of their history in Alabama. In some treaties with the United States, the Seminole were included with the Creek Confederacy, at least up until the beginning of the removal to the west. Outlaw and refugee Creeks, along with other Indians from Alabama and Georgia, moved into Florida and some intermarried with runaway Negro slaves and the survivors of the original Florida tribes to give rise to the Seminoles. The word “Seminole” means “feral,” “wild,” or “runaway” in the Creek language. The Seminoles were primarily in the swamps of Florida and extreme south Georgia, although a few could be found in extreme southeast Alabama. Today’s Seminole remnants are primarily in Oklahoma or Florida. In Oklahoma, the majority of the Seminoles are found in Seminole County and the city of Seminole, southeast of Oklahoma City. In Florida, the Seminoles are primarily located on Big Cypress Reservation in Henry County and on the Hollywood Reservation. Many confuse the Seminoles of Florida with the Miccosukee tribe, which is located in Broward County. The Miccosukees are politically and linguistically, but not ethnically, separate from the Seminoles of Florida. The Miccosukee language is a dialect of Hitchiti and the Seminole is a dialect of Creek. However, since both Hitchiti and Creek belong to the Gulf family and Muskogean branch, the Miccosukee and Seminole languages are similar.
32 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Choctaw The majority of the Choctaws were in southern Mississippi. Those in Alabama were in the southwest along the Tombigbee, Lower Warrior, Cahaba and Alabama, and the Mobile rivers. One legend held that the Choctaws and the Chickasaw Indian tribes were once one tribe led by two brothers, Chahtah and Chikasah. The Choctaw and Chickasaw speak nearly the same language. Divergences between the two are generally few and slight. Both languages belong to the Gulf family and the Muskogean branch. Today’s Choctaw Indian remnants are primarily in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama. In Oklahoma, the Choctaws are located in the southeastern part of the state, primarily in Choctaw County. In Mississippi, the Choctaws are mostly on the Philadelphia Reservation, which is scattered across eight counties in the east central part of the state. Alabama’s Choctaw remnant is found in Washington and Mobile counties, and is called the Mowa Band. This band is recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission and is headquartered at Mount Vernon, Ala.
Chickasaw The Chickasaw inhabited territory in northwest Alabama. The majority of the Chickasaws were in northern Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee. The Chickasaw language was discussed above with that of the Choctaw. Although a few of today’s Chickasaw Indians can be found in the corner area of Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi, most of the Chickasaws are in Oklahoma, in the vicinity of the city of Chickasha, which is located just southwest of Oklahoma City.
Cherokee
Although most remained in their native areas of the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia, many of the Cherokees moved into northeast Alabama during the 1600s and early 1700s after being pushed out of their former homelands by the onrushing flood of white settlers. The Cherokee adopted the white man’s civilization much more readily than did other Alabama Indian tribes of this era. In 1821, a half-breed Cherokee named Sequoia (His white name was George Guess) invented an
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alphabet for his people, and it was the only written language among the Alabama Indian tribes in the pre-removal era. The Cherokees published a newspaper, adopted a constitution and elected a legislature for their nation. The Cherokee language is in the Iroquois-Caddoan family, and in the Iroquois branch. Today’s Cherokee Indian remnants can be found in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Alabama and other states. In Oklahoma, the Cherokees were settled in the Eastern section around what is now Cherokee County. The North Carolina Cherokees are referred to as the Eastern Band of Cherokees, and are primarily located on the Cherokee Reservation, which covers five counties in extreme western North Carolina. There are three bands of Cherokees in Alabama that are officially recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission. These are the Echota Cherokee Tribe headquartered in Sylacauga; The Cherokees of Northeast Alabama headquartered in Higdon, Ala.; and the Cherokees of Southeast Alabama headquartered in Dothan.
Variances in spelling Alabama’s Indian place names came from those tribes, groups or nations discussed above, along with some minor ones (such as Chatot, Kasihta, Tawasa and Tensas) that were not discussed due to space considerations. Of Alabama’s 231 Indian place names, 117 have been taken from the Creek language, 80 from Choctaw, nine from Cherokee, seven from Hitchiti, four from Chickasaw, and the remaining 14 names from 11 other tribes or groups. Since none of the Indian place names were in writing when encountered by the white man for the first time, it would have been ideal had they initially been placed in black and white just like they sounded. However, because of the complex sounds of many of the Indian words, the best these early scribes could do was often not good enough to capture the correct phonetics. In many cases, the initial white person to write down and thus propagate an Indian place name, was only semiliterate in his or her own English language, which compounded the problem. Also, some of these Indian place names were ancient tribes and the names were simply handed down with no meanings attached. Because of these
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and other factors, many of today’s Alabama Indian place names contain errors or variances in spelling, errors or variance in meaning, or have lost their meanings entirely over time. Another important point when considering Alabama’s Indian place names, is the fact that many of them have been translated into English. This was usually done because of the difficulty the early whites had in pronouncing and spelling the Indian words. Many of Alabama’s Indian place names can also be found in Oklahoma. Examples are Eufaula, Hillabee, Wewoka, Wetumpka, Tecumseh, Tuskegee, Okfuskee and Broken Arrow. This should be no mystery, since the Five Civilized Tribes (Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole) had so much respect and reverence for their original homelands they simply took their place names with them during their removal to Oklahoma in the mid-1800s. Analysis of the many Indian place names in the entire 18-county Sunrise Region reveals they are consistent with the size of the various tribes found here. As we should expect, a predominant 75 percent of the east Alabama Indian place names are Creek and 16 percent are Choctaw. Of the remainder, we find six Cherokee place names, six Hitchiti and one each Uchee
(Yuchi) and Shawnee. Further, we find the Cherokee place names are in the most northern part of the Sunrise Region in Cherokee and Etowah counties; the Choctaw names are in the southwestern Autauga, Elmore and Coosa counties; and those from a Hichiti source are in the southeastern Lee and Macon counties. Noting the significant concentration of tribes in this area, one cannot escape the notion that these early Alabamians knew a good place to settle down when they saw it. We residents of the Lake Wedowee area seem to have had that same instinct when we put down roots here. Now that a basic and broad discussion of the Native Americans of the area and their place names has been completed, future issues of Lake Wedowee Magazine will bring you more specific articles on the Creeks, the predominant tribe of the area. Read on for translations of some well-known (and not so wellknown) local place names...
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Indian tribes and their languages, one can now quickly infer
why
the 18 counties of the Sunrise Region in east central Alabama habve a predominance of Indian place names. Furthermore, east Alabama is unique in that it contained tribes representing all four of the language families found in the state of Alabama. The list that follows is a sample of the most important Indian place names in Randolph, Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, Chambers and Tallapoosa counties and the surrounding area. In each case, much more could be said about the place names (including opposing arguments on meanings), but space restraints do not allow a comprehensive overview of each name. Each place name will be followed by the object given the name, a meaning (if known), and finally the specific Indian tribe that was the source of the name.
Name
Origin
OBJECT NAMED & TRANSLATION
Alabama
Choctaw
state, river—“thicket clearers”
Arbacoochee
Creek
village and Upper Creek town—“little Abihka” (an ancient Muskhogean tribe)
Broken Arrow
Creek
creek— translated name from “Likachka”
Chattahoochee
Creek
river—“marked rocks”
Cheaha
Choctaw
mountain and creek—probably “high (place)”
Choccolocco
Creek
creek and village—“big shoal”
Chulafinee
Creek
creek and village—“pine foot log crossing”
Coosa
Choctaw
county, river, old Indian town—probably “canebrake”
Cornhouse Creek
Creek
translated from “Tohtokagihacha”
Cottaquilla
Creek
creek and mountain—“dead honey locusts (trees)”
Cusseta
Creek
small town—possibly “coming from the sun”
High Pine
Creek
creek—possibly translated from “Choli Chapko”
Hillabee
Creek
creek and ridge of hills—“quick” or “swift”
Hillabeehago
Creek
creek—“Colonel quick” (Hilikbi means “quick” and Hacho means “one who fights like a mad/crazy man.” This word is a rank within the warrior section of the Creek society)
Huxagulbee
Creek
creek—possibly “dry hickory”
Ketchepedrakee
Creek
creek—“mortar and spread out area”
Loachapoka
Creek
town—“turtle killling place”
Loblockee
Creek
stream—“big cane (creek)”
Mad Indian Creek
Creek
probably translated from “Hachohatchee” (Hacho means “one who fights like a mad/crazy man.” It is also a rank within the warrior sector of the Creek Indian society. Hatchee means “stream” or “creek.”
Peckerwood Creek
Creek
translated from “Ochoccola”
Pennymottley Creek
Creek
possibly “assistant to Turkey Chief”
Pinchoulee Creek
Creek
either “old turkey” or “turkey pine tree (roost)”
Pinhoti
Creek
walking trail and Indian village—“turkey home”
Oakachoy
possibly Choctaw creek and Muskogee tribe—possibly “waters are there”
Ohatchee
Creek
creek and village—“upper creek”
Opelika
Creek
city—“big swamp”
Swamp Creek
Creek
translated from “Pinththlocko”
Sylacauga
Creek
city—“buzzards roost”
Talladega
Creek
county, city, creek and mountains—“border town”
Tallapoosa Creek or Choctaw county, river, and ancient Creek town—probably “pulverized rock (gravel)” or “stranger” Tallasseehatchee
Creek
creek and Upper Creek town—“old town creek”
Wedowee
Creek
creek, town, Creek chief and Upper Creek village—could be a corruption of either “sumac water” (a stream with many sumac bushes along it), “old water” but most likely “joining water” (the confluence of two streams/creeks/rivers)
Wehadkee
Creek
creek and village—“white water”
Weogufka
Creek
creek, town, and Upper Creek town—“muddy water”
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 37
Patterned after Lake Martin’s Church in the Pines, services begin on the shores of Lake Wedowee
by Penny L. Pool photograhs by Abra Mapp and Emily Wilkins
Come as you are. Anyone around the backed-up waters of R.L. Harris Dam can take that invitation to heart while planning to Worship on the Water on Sunday mornings. The services began Memorial Day weekend and will run through Labor Day. Come by boat, car or by foot to the location behind the new Lakeside Marina at the Highway 431 bridge north of Wedowee—just come, say Steve Dean, Sandra Kitchens and Chuck Smith, who have been working for a long time to provide Worship on the Water (WOW) at Lake Wedowee. Jesus set the precedent for such worship as he preached by the water. Sunday, May 25, at 9 a.m. Dean preached the first Lake Wedowee service. Different preachers will preach the Christbased services, and Kitchens said they have focused on seeking dynamic preachers. Dean said there will be a mix of local and visiting preachers. “This was a brainchild of Sandra’s and Chuck’s,” Dean said. Dean is pastor of Community Life Church, which is sponsoring this ministry, but he stresses this is not planned
38 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
as a ministry to grow his church. The brief service will include singing and worshipping together with an encouraging message that will cross all denominational barriers. It will be centered on the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Dean said. Kitchens added, “This is something all three of us have been praying about for years. When we met last fall we knew it was going to happen.” Everyone they have spoken to has been positive about WOW, they said. Dean stepped up to get this started as a ministry of Community Life, she said, but he said his church is not trying to compete with other churches. “I’m very excited. I guess going into it without great expectations leads us to be open to what God is going to do,” Dean said. “We have felt God compelling us to be a part of this,” Kitchens said. Sandra’s husband, Oliver Kitchens, was constantly meeting with newcomers from the lake through his work as an attorney. He and Sandra became aware that Lake Wedowee property owners had experienced “boat church” on lakes where they had previously lived. She and her husband saw the need for one here, Kitchens said. A group began meeting to discuss this and held Bible study in 2006 with a minister from LaGrange from fall to Christmas but he was called to an Atlanta church. The idea was still there but the group stopped meeting, Kitchens said. However, they continued to pray. “I think all three of us felt compelled to form this
Steve Dean, pastor of Community Life Church in Roanoke, led the first worship service in the summer-long series.
ministry,” Kitchens said. She vividly remembers her visits to Church in the Pines as a child and she has gathered information from those involved with the services on Lake Martin. Lake Martin’s prototype Julia Russell of the Russell family of Russell Mills fame started Church in the Pines in 1953. She organized and convened the first service with the help of the Rev. Duncan Hunter, and the services continue today under the auspices of Children’s Harbor. Church in the Pines began under a small pine straw-covered arbor on shore of the then sparsely populated lake near the old Kowaliga Bridge, according to Ben Russell’s written history. It rapidly grew, fitting nicely with the closely knit lake community of the early 1950s, Russell wrote. Children, adults, dogs and all attended the ever growing services. Chiggers or redbugs were a problem until a large, open A-frame building was constructed to replace the arbor, one that shelters worshippers from the rain today. The Russell Mills-owned property became the responsi-
40 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
bility of Russell Lands in the mid 1970s and the church was renovated and permanent benches installed. In 1987 Luanne Russell was asked to coordinate the services, which she did for many years. Many others contributed by leading the songs and music. In 1963 friends of the Dunn family contributed the altar structure as a memorial to William Ransom Johnson Dunn III and to “all who love the lake,” according to Ben Russell’s history. Russell Lands donated the property to Children’s Harbor in 1989 and subsequently the property was dedicated in Adelia McConnell Russell’s memory. She was Ben Russell’s mother. The following year Children’s Harbor began providing year-round services at the Church in the Pines during the summer and the Children’s
“Come
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Chapel the rest of the year. Ellen Philips, administrative assistant to James A. Ray, executive director of Children’s Harbor, schedules ministers and musicians for Church in the Pines during the summer months. People arrive in boats and pull up on the shore, but far more come in vehicles, park in a field and open their lawn chairs or spread the blankets. “A lot of it is they are here at the lake to celebrate the weekend with their families. It is a relaxing time, but the quality of the speakers brings them out,” she said, naming speakers such as George Mathison of Auburn, his brother John Ed Mathison of Montgomery, Dr. T. Michael Morgan, the district supervisor with the United Methodist Church, and Dr. Al Perkins of Montgomery, an Episcopal pastor who also has a church in Roanoke. Church in the Pines is going on its 55th year, and Perkins may be going on 50 years of preaching at the Church in the Pines, Philips said. Others, such as former University of Alabama football player Jeremiah Castille, also preach at times. Musicians such as The Rainbow Quartet of Wetumpka also draw worshippers. “It’s obvious it’s enjoyed or they wouldn’t keep coming back,” she said of the sometimes capacity crowd of 800. Worship services are still held if it rains.
somewhat on those at Church in the Pines. “The whole Worship on the Water is first, not a church simply but a worship service of convenience for residents and visitors who are not plugged into a local church,” Dean said. “I knew the spiritual needs of the people were going lacking, whether they were visitors or residents, and they need to feel connected to the community. We were trying to accomplish that--getting people to feel they are connected as a whole and what better way to do that than to worship together and fellowship together?” Dean shows his previous Chamber of Commerce experience as he says the overall theme and what they are trying to accomplish is building the community through the whole of Randolph County, bringing people together who might not meet otherwise. They want people to come to this service no matter what their attire. There is room for boats to pull in to the shore on a beautiful Sunday morning or visitors can bring lawn chairs and sit on the bank. Showing up and listening to the message is the key, not how you dress or arrive, they said. “People on the lake are being shortchanged, for lack of a better word,” Dean said, but stressed these services will be for everyone who would enjoy attending, not just people on the lake. “We want to bring them together, encourage them and if they want to fellowship together and get to know each other that will be wonderful,” Dean said.
“The whole Worship on the Water is first, not a church simply but a worship service of convenience for residents and visitors who are not plugged into a local church,”
Bringing it here Using this as a template for services at Lake Wedowee, the local group moved forward, patterning the services here 42 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
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Ybor Café (prounced E-bore) is Roanoke’s newest eatery, serving up authentic Cuban, Spanish and Italian cuisine. Founded by Katie Peterson, the restaurant opened in March 2008 to much enthusiasm from the public. When the Floridian founder moved to Alabama from Tampa, she found that she missed the Cuban and Spanish food. So the selfproclaimed rookie with no restaurant experience set out to remedy that situation—and Ybor Café was born. Why the unusual name? Ybor City is a historic part of Tampa, home to La Segunda Central Bakery, where the restaurant’s fresh Cuban bread orig inates. When it comes
to Ybor’s menu, authenticity is the most important element. The Italian branch of the menu comes from Peterson’s family tree. The menu items served at Ybor are literally family recipes, passed down from Peterson’s g randmother, who came to America from Arpino, Italy. Peterson herself makes the marinara and alfredo sauces, ricotta cheese and meatballs, all from scratch. Since most customers have never tasted foods of this type before, Peterson sometimes offers samples to the undecided individual. “Hands down, they love it,” she says. “But it’s not barbecue.”
Here are a few selections from our menu. In addition to menu items, we also offer daily specials.
Lasagna
We serve a larger than average portion. Homemade using our own marinara sauce and homemade ricotta! Family recipe from Arpino, Italy
Cuban Pork
Original Cuban recipe using special marinade we get from Miami, Florida. Comes with yellow or white rice and black beans.
Pasta with Marinara or Meat Sauce
Made in our kitchen daily from a family recipe Add our homemade meatballs for a hearty meal.
Original Cuban Sandwich
Our Cuban is made with Cuban bread layered with ham, Genoa salami and our Cuban pork. We put Swiss cheese and pickles, then “press� the sandwich. We can also add our special sauce if you wish.
Gourmet Pizzas
Homemade pizza created in our kitchen. We offer a variety and will make to order. Fridays and Saturdays only.
Steaks
Select from ribeye or filet that is cooked to your oder, served with mushrooms, vegetable, baked potato and an anti-pasti salad. Fridays and Saturdays only.
Hours
1500 LaFayette Hwy 431, Roanoke
(334) 863-6263
by Matt Shelley
46 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
photographs by Matt Shelly and courtesy of Garrison Photography
hris and Lynne Hammond are no strangers to hard work. Chris, a former pitcher in major league baseball, and his wife, Lynne, have had to work hard to make almost everything work. Coming up the ranks in the Cincinnati Reds farm system as a young baseball player, leaving behind the big city, making a successful marriage work in the majors, raising a family through the rigors of professional sports, establishing a successful youth foundation, standing up for their faith—it hasn’t always been an easy road for the Hammonds.
Even now, these Lake Wedowee residents refuse to rest and become complacent with everything they’ve worked so hard for and the blessings they have received. Although the days of jetting to every major baseball city in America during the regular season are over, there’s still work to be done. A mile or two off Highway 431 in Wedowee, there’s a little park—French-Hammond Park— that still needs lights, concessions to be ordered and plans to be made for fund raisers. It’s no small task. But then again, Chris and Lynne Hammond have never been afraid to get a little dirt under their fingernails.
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 47
From Alabama to the big leagues Chris Hammond grew up outside Birmingham in Vestavia Hills. Just like any boy in the South, sports were a favorite pastime for Chris—baseball in particular. Chris’s father, Ben Hammond, was a major influence on his progression to the major leagues. And just like many fathers, Ben helped coach Chris and his brother Steve Hammond from an early age. “That was what really made baseball fun,” Chris said. “He was a fun coach. Parents take it too serious now, but with my dad, it was all about having fun.” Even though it was all about fun, nothing worth doing is worth doing halfheartedly, fun or not. Chris’s father was one of the first to instill that work ethic in Chris. In the early stages of Chris’s development as a baseball player, it was clear he had talent. The prospects of someday becoming a major league baseball player weren’t something he thought about, though. “I was just having so much fun,” Chris said. “I think that’s the important thing. Don’t look up here. Don’t expect to get here. Whenever I talk to young kids in the minor leagues, I tell them, ‘don’t look forward to making it to the major leagues. Work hard and have fun.’” Chris played high school ball at Vestavia Hills well enough to continue his career into college, beginning at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. From there he transferred to Gulf Coast Community College in Florida. Then the Cincinnati Reds selected Chris in the sixth round of the 1986 draft, and it was off to Sarasota to begin his minor league career. Chris made stops in Tampa, Chattanooga and Nashville before the Reds called his name. Minor league baseball was a struggle, though, having to live
48 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
far from home with very little income, a demanding schedule and often-strenuous housing conditions. That is the essence of minor league baseball. “It is tough,” Chris said. “If you don’t get the right roommate, you’re going to struggle and it might affect your play. It’s just one big struggle. What’s really hard is when guys continue to play in the minor leagues just hoping for that one chance and it never happens. Then you jump into the real world and you’re in your 30s. Your whole life is a struggle.” Chris recalled a time while playing in Tampa when his father came to visit. Chris was living the minor league life, living in cramped quarters with four roommates. “It was so expensive down there, we couldn’t afford our air conditioning,” Chris said. “He came down there right in the middle of the summer, and he hates to sweat. He was like, ‘this is ridiculous.’ He said, ‘from now on, y’all just send me the power bill.’” Although the minor league life was tough, Chris persevered. With the work ethic instilled in him by his father, Chris continued to play baseball without fear of a career cut short, like baseball is meant to be played—for fun. Finally, after toiling in the minor league ranks, it was his turn in Cincinnati. He was called up in 1990 and pitched three games for the Reds. But baseball wouldn’t be the most important thing in Chris’s life to come from his first day in the big leagues. It was Lynne.
Love in Cincinnati A friend of Chris’s was called up to the Reds before Chris was. The friend had met Lynne and her group of friends in Cincinnati and introduced Chris to them on his first day there.
It wasn’t a Hollywood-style romance story, though. They quickly became close friends, but both Chris and Lynne admit there were no fireworks over Riverfront Stadium for a while. “I didn’t really like him like a boyfriend,” Lynne said. “He’s really nice, but he’s too nice. So when I met him, he was like my little brother and when I found out he was my age, I just laughed.” Lynne said through the first couple of years that she and Chris were friends, that big sister mentality was the norm. Lynne would try to fix Chris up on dates with college girls, make sure Chris made it home without incident after going out, and even tried to get the fellows she worked with to take Chris fishing. “Kind of my opinion of somebody from Alabama was they were kind of behind the times—didn’t know how to dress, not really big on dancing,” Lynne said. “He was a nice guy. He just seemed really young.” That perception of Chris, a young, naïve country boy in the big city, led Lynne to become his protector. “I used different words, but I said you’re going to be eaten alive here,” Lynne said. “There were very aggressive girls that wanted to get in a relationship with a major league baseball player for the wrong reason. I just felt like he was very gullible. I was so very protective over him.” Lynne helped Chris adjust to not only life in a big city, but life in the major leagues. Living in Cincinnati her whole life and working with Pete Rose and Boomer Esiason, Lynne had plenty of knowledge about the way things were run. She remembered one time early in their friendship when Chris was getting ready to go on a road trip to play in Los Angeles. The road trip was three cities and 10 days long. Chris asked Lynne if she would mind giving him a ride to the
airport. “When I went to get him, he had this little bitty suitcase,” Lynne said. “I go, ‘what are you doing? You’re going to be gone for 10 days!’ And he said, ‘well we have a day off in between L.A. and San Diego. And I go, ‘you don’t think you fly home for that day off do you?’” It was hard for Chris to learn the things big league players were supposed to know. The veterans should have been helping the younger players. But the fraternity mentality of the veterans was hard to overcome, leaving Chris to figure out the routine on his own. “He was really the freshman,” Lynne said. “He had all kinds of wild jobs with the team. The veterans made him do all kinds of nutty things.” Luckily for Chris, Lynne was more than willing to help. “It really worked out well that I knew the other players and knew the routine, because it turned out he really needed to know all that,” Lynne said. Through the learning experiences, the nights out on the town and other good times shared between the two, Chris began to feel a
“I think that’s the important thing. Don’t look up here. Don’t expect to get here. Whenever I talk to young kids in the minor leagues, I tell them, ‘don’t look forward to making it to the major leagues. Work hard and have fun.’”
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 49
little something more for the woman who had been so essential to his adjustment to the major leagues. And after being just friends for two years, Chris finally worked up the nerve to ask Lynne out on a date. “Taking her out on a date was strange,” Chris said. “It was like your first girlfriend in high school. It was like what are you going to do? Am I supposed to hold her hand?” Chris said the nerves were out in full force. No bases-loaded, two-outs, bottom-of-the-ninth situation could have been more nerve wracking. Lynne was hesitant about accepting that first date too. She feared if things didn’t work out in the romance department between the two, the friendship they had cultivated would quickly wither. Not to mention that the nerves were at work with Lynne as well. “Even when I was picking out something to wear, I’m like, ‘oh, it’s just Hammy, but it’s a date.’ It made me feel really weird,” Lynne said. The first date was awkward, with Chris filling the evening with suggestions about various activities because they had trouble making conversation. But somehow they made it though that first date and onto subsequent ones. It was hard work, but it worked out.
The change-up
“She went on every road trip. Toward the end of the year, my teammates wanted to give her a jersey.”
50 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Chris and Lynne continued dating for several months, their fondness for each other growing steadily. Chris soon began to figure out this was the girl he was going to marry. “I always felt comfortable around her,” Chris said. “I knew that I loved her and I wanted to be around her forever. I’ve never been around a girl as fun and smart.” Lynne said she knew the relationship was something special fairly early on as well. When the regular baseball season ended in September, Chris would always have his car packed, ready to head home to Alabama for the off season. But that year was different. Instead of migrating back south as soon as the final inning was pitched, Chris stuck around. And when he did finally leave, he came back the following weekend and the weekend after that and so on. “His parents had told me that before they even met me, he told them this is the girl I’m going to marry,” Lynne said. Something happened in March of 1993 that would throw a major kink in the relationship, though. Major league baseball added a pair of expansion teams in the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins. Chris was traded to the Marlins that March.
“He was leaving and he said, ‘I don’t want to go unless you go with me,’” Lynne said. “I was like, ‘I have a job here, I went to school forever to work. I’m not just going to leave my job and then if things don’t work out for us, here I am in Florida and I left everything I worked for.’” Lynne stayed behind in Cincinnati the first month Chris was with the Marlins, commuting every weekend to be with Chris. But then something clicked with Lynne. “I thought, this is just stupid,” she said. “I have two days off a week, I never see him and I’m holding on to this job where if he pitches good in a game, he makes as much in that game as I do the whole year. It just didn’t make sense. It was just me holding on to me.” So Lynne made the move to south Florida to be with Chris full time. In the meanwhile, Chris had made the decision to ask her to marry him. “I had been going around with the ring everywhere, carrying it in my pocket like I’m not going to lose this,” Chris said. Like most men, Chris obsessed over exactly how to pop the question. But as things grew harder for Lynne in Florida, Chris was forced to go ahead and throw his best pitch.
Lynne found it hard to cope without a job to keep her mind occupied while Chris was gone. Mix in a bit of homesickness and Lynne was ready to go back to Cincinnati. Chris and Lynne were sitting in their living room one day before a game when Lynne finally lost control. “I had this major breakdown and was like, ‘I think I’m going home,’” Lynne said. Chris knew it was time to pull the trigger. “I’m like, it’s now or never,” Chris said. “I might go to the field and she might go back home.” With Lynne crying, Chris pulled out the ring and asked her to marry him. Lynne just looked at the ring. “I just looked at him like this is some kind of joke,” Lynne said. “So I never really said anything and then he had to go to the ballpark.” Luckily for Chris, that particular night was not one of his nights to start on the mound. But when Chris arrived home and Lynne was still there, the answer was clear. The engagement lasted seven months, with their relationship continuing to grow stronger. Lynne began accompanying Chris on road trips. “To me it was great because we were such good friends,” Chris said. “She went on every road trip. Toward the end of
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“It seems like the kids were born into baseball. Even my daughter loves it. She actually wanted to go to more of the games than the boys wanted to.”
the year, my teammates wanted to give her a jersey.” Unlike a lot of professional players, Chris wanted something more than an arm hanger. He needed to feel the stability he felt as a kid back home in Birmingham. Lynne was the perfect compliment to Chris’s hectic life. She was not only someone he loved, but someone who would take care of things. That comfort in home life translated to the diamond as well. His engagement and first year of marriage to Lynne correlated to two of his most successful seasons on the mound. That first year with the Marlins, Chris had an ERA of 4.66 in 191 innings. The following year, his ERA dropped to 3.07.
Big leagues, little kids Chris and Lynne spent those early married years traveling with the Marlins, then briefly with the Red Sox, enjoying new cities and new experiences. After being with a National League team his whole career, inter-league play began giving them opportunities to experience American League cities. Chris and Lynne weathered the major league baseball strike in 1994, taking the off time to relax and spend time with one another. And by the time the strike ended, Chris was no longer the young player struggling to adapt to the big city. “You won’t feel like you belong in the big leagues until after about your fifth year,” Chris said.
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Chris was actually thrust into the role of team elder his first year with the Marlins. He had learned from his time with the Reds to treat the younger players with respect as well. “The older you get and the more you play, you do the same,” Chris said. “You don’t let any of the young rookie guys pay for anything and stuff like that.” In 1996, Chris and Lynne bought the farm near Lake Wedowee where they currently reside. But the Lake Wedowee home wasn’t the biggest addition to the Hammonds’ lives that year. Chris and Lynne had tried several times unsuccessfully to have their first child, but it wasn’t until that year their first born, Andy, came into the world. A few games into the 1998 season, Chris thought it was time to retire from the game that he had put so much into and settle down in Wedowee. Chris and Lynne had their second child, Jake, in 1998 and followed that up with their third child, a daughter named Alex, in 1999. Although family life in Wedowee was great for the Hammonds, something was nagging at Chris. That old throwing arm was itching to get back to work. Lynne and Chris said that they felt it was important for the kids to understand what kind of hard work it took for Chris to get to where he was. So Chris and the family decided in 2001 it was time for him to make a comeback. Chris was signed by the Cleveland Indians and played a short
stint in the minor league ranks of the Indians’ farm system. He was shortly thereafter released by the Indians but was picked up by the Atlanta Braves. He spent the rest of the 2001 season in the Braves’ farm system. Finally, in 2002, Chris was called up to Atlanta. Chris and Lynne recalled those early days with Atlanta as days with hints of doubt. The Braves carried 13 pitchers on the roster, and the team was continually told one of them would be cut. Chris said he felt it could have been him at any time. But it seems that work ethic that had gotten him to the big leagues in the first place had never left. Chris always felt like each game could have been his last, and he pitched like it. By season’s end, Chris had 76 innings of work under his belt with an ERA of 0.95. Once again, the hard work had paid off. That was also the season Andy, Jake and Alex began to see what major league baseball was all about, too. “The year he played with the Braves was really their introduction to baseball because of their age,” Lynne said. “So they kind of got used to it and understood it.” After a breakthrough season with Atlanta, Chris was signed to another contract. This time with the New York Yankees. “The kids went there and they really started to see what baseball is all about,” Lynne said. “A winning team, one of the oldest
stadiums and traditions in baseball, logos everywhere.” The kids took to the lifestyle with ease, enjoying things most kids could only dream of. Roger Clemens, Alfonso Soriano, Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettite all quickly became favorites of the Hammond kids. Chris and Lynne admitted that baseball with the Yankees is an experience unlike any other in the sport. The rivalry with the Red Sox, the massive crowds at every game, the traditional Yankee atmosphere—it was a time of great excitement for the Hammond family. It seems the kids were born with baseball in their blood, too. Chris said, for instance, as a young child, Andy never once flinched at the sound of a bat at batting practice or the sound of the screaming fans. “It’s like they already know that from being in your stomach,” Lynne said. “It seems like the kids were born into baseball. Even my daughter loves it. She actually wanted to go to more of the games than the boys wanted to.” After the season with New York, Hammond was traded to the Oakland Athletics, where he had another successful year, with an ERA of 2.68. Then in 2005, Hammond was off to San Diego to pitch for the Padres. And despite all the trades and moving, the family was right alongside. Following his 2005 season with the Padres, Chris was signed by Cincinnati, the city that gave him his start in major league
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 53
“That was the original intent of our foundation,” Lynne said. “It was from our faith. It was from the blessings Jesus has given us to go out and spread the word.”
baseball. It was also the city where he ended his career for good. The Hammonds felt like they were losing track of what Chris had come out of retirement for in the first place—to show the kids what it was like to work hard to achieve success. The wear and tear of relocation and the sacrifices made to keep the family together became too much for the Hammonds. It was time to head back to Wedowee. “We thought we were giving them everything,” Lynne said. “Doing what every kid would want to do. Eventually, his career and fame and the money he made was at their expense.” That concern for their own kids, coupled with their faith, is what gave way to the next phase of Chris and Lynne’s life.
Faith and the Foundation Lynne had started taking an interest in non-profit work while in South Florida those first years with the Marlins. “I got really involved in the community down there and started non-profit work with the team,” Lynne said. “There were a lot of young wives, but not a lot of leaders. I had never been in that situation, but I worked with community relations. I’m used to working and I wanted to work and non-profit work was really rewarding.” That was the initial seed that would someday be the groundwork for the Chris Hammond Youth Foundation.
54 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
The mission statement for the Chris Hammond Youth Foundation reads that it is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of financially assisting in the construction and/ or maintenance of recreation and athletic facilities in rural Alabama communities. The first time Chris truly felt called to help kids in rural areas was when he went to enroll Andy in tee ball in Wedowee. “The coach was like, ‘how big is your yard? Do you know anybody that has a big yard? We don’t have anywhere to practice around here,’” Chris said. “With how many kids are around here, there’s very few places to play or even practice. That’s what kind of opened my eyes to kids in rural areas. It’s just as bad as inner city. It just seems like inner cities get all the money and attention. That’s when we decided to start the Chris Hammond Youth Foundation to help out kids in rural areas.” But it wasn’t just that eye-opening experience that led Chris and Lynne to establish the youth foundation. It was also their faith. “When he was with the Marlins we had a lady chapel leader that kind of taught me or mentored me about what it was like to have a personal relationship with Jesus other than following church doctrine and things like that,” Lynne said. “She taught me about being Christ-like and I think that’s where I really got started.”
Need a new perspective on lake home shopping? Chris had gone to church his whole life and knew all about being religious, but he recognized there was so much more to it. “Like Lynne was saying, there was no relationship that affected my life,” Chris said. “And like the Bible says, if it’s not your lifestyle, you have no Jesus. The only way to get to heaven is reflecting Jesus in your lifestyle.” Chris said after reading a book about the Holy Spirit in 2004, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. “That was the changing point in my life,” he said. Like everything else in Chris’s life and career, showing his faith through his lifestyle was often difficult in major league baseball. “I compromised going out and drinking with the guys, but I was the chapel leader so it was all right,” Chris said. “I was forgiven. I would just go home and ask for forgiveness.” Chris said after that changing point in his life, things in the clubhouse were definitely different. “Not too many people liked being around me because they couldn’t act like they wanted to act,” Chris said. “Which was great because when light enters the room—Jesus Christ through me—the darkness doesn’t like it.” Chris and Lynne’s faith was another factor in establishing the youth foundation. “That was the original intent of our foundation,” Lynne said. “It was from our faith. It was from the blessings Jesus has given us to go out and spread the word.” One of the first things on the agenda for the Chris Hammond Youth Foundation was to give Wedowee a place to play ball. At that time, Randolph County High School didn’t even have a home field. It was a big need for the community, and Chris and Lynne were quick to recognize that. Through a lot of hard work, fund-raisers, construction and grant-writing, French-Hammond Park was built and opened last year for Randolph County High School baseball and softball. Chris and Lynne felt like the positive reaction from the new park would make a difference in the morale of teams in Wedowee. And it did. Wedowee once had a hard time making one little league team, but this year between 50 and 60 kids signed up to play. The school has fielded a junior varsity baseball team the last two years—a first for Wedowee. Not to mention the Randolph County High softball team made its first appearance in the state playoffs just this year. “I feel like they’ve been knocked down for so long, they start to feel discouraged,” Lynne said. “We don’t have to accept that. I feel like they think they’re at a dead end and in
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“Our family motto is God first, family second and baseball third.”
my opinion there is no dead end. But now, to me, there’s a sense of pride that’s been built.” And that was the intention of the foundation from the get-go. For Chris and Lynne, though, there’s always work to be done. French-Hammond Park is up and running, but it is still a long way from completion. Lights still need to be erected for night games, there are distant plans for additional fields and there’s always the maintenance to worry about. Chris and Lynne have continued working on all that. Even their children have begun to catch on. “Their heart is just like ours,” Chris said. “You can teach by example, but something like that just comes to some people.” And while funding for the foundation is always an issue, Chris and Lynne are still working hard to move forward. “I don’t really like to sit around and think about how
rewarding it is,” Lynne said. “I’m just always looking for what else we can do. I really would rather have my reward in heaven. My fear is that we’re going to become stagnant and not do anything else. So I’m always marching forward.” Chris and Lynne said it’s a tough task to undertake with the day-to-day running of the park. Volunteers are always a muchneeded commodity to make the park a continuing success. “Our hope is some day somebody takes over that park up the street and takes the pressure off us so we can just work up there,” Lynne said. Rest assured though, Chris and Lynne never have their priorities out of order. “Our family motto is God first, family second and baseball third,” Lynne said. It takes hard work to keep priorities like that in order. But who better to do it than the Hammonds?
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e ss A m i M an d E .A
Ed die A rgo a n d Hon olulu T omboy at th e O l y mpics 58 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
rica
Alabama’s first Olympic
champion by John W. Stevenson
Photographs courtesy of Amanda Clingan
Alabama has produced many Olympic champions, among them such track and field notables as multiple gold medal winners Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis. Alabama’s very first Olympic gold medalist, however, was an equestrian born in the Hollins community of Clay County. U.S. Army Lieutenant Edwin Yancey Argo was 36 years old when he helped the U.S. team win the equestrian three-day event team gold medal at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. In addition to Argo becoming the first gold medal winner ever from Alabama, this was the first gold medal the United States had ever won in an equestrian event.
Ea rl y y ea rs Hollins was a prosperous lumber town in Clay County’s southwestern corner when Eddie Argo was born there on September 22, 1895, the son of Adrian Wilbur and Flora Adair Argo. Weighing just three pounds at birth, his survival was in doubt for a while. His brother Wilbur, born a year later, grew to be six feet tall, but Eddie never made it past five-foot-six. The family moved to Talladega a few years later, about the time the Hollins mill closed, and he attended school there. In Talladega his father became a successful merchant and his mother was prominent in social and civic affairs. “Miss Flora” liked well-bred horses and young Eddie grew up
with an affinity for them as well. Eddie Argo received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy but transferred to Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, after one year at West Point. At API he majored in electrical engineering while continuing participation in the Army ROTC. During his senior year he was called to active duty, first because of the skirmishes on the Mexican border and then World War I. As a private driving a two-mule garbage wagon, he studied at night by the light of a kerosene lantern and passed the test to become a field artillery officer.
Milita r y comp etition Argo graduated from the Cavalry School Advanced Class in Equitation, an elite one-year course, and the Italian Cavalry School. He became captain of the U.S. Army’s first Field Artillery Horse Show Team from 1929 to 1934, collecting countless trophies and ribbons over that time. The best horsemen of the day were military horsemen, and it was the Army Equestrian Team that would represent the United States in the Olympics. Eddie Argo made the team for both the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam and the 1932 Los Angeles Games. In a letter to Eddie Argo’s goddaughter, Amanda Perritt Clingan, his wife, Lucy, told of when the team was about to embark for the contests overseas: “From experience, they knew
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 59
Timber Cruiser Although Eddie Argo and Honolulu Tomboy made a great team at the 1932 Olympics, it may have been another horse that was his favorite. His late wife, Lucy, related this story: “As a young officer stationed at Fort Sill (Oklahoma), he was sent to scout the nearby ranches for prospective polo ponies, polo at that time being a common sport in the army. At one place he was told of a horse that could not be fenced, so he went out to see for himself. When the horses were brought into the corral for the night, this big fellow sailed over the high fence and took off for his particular pleasures. Eddie bought him and named him Timber Cruiser...
60 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
“A natural jumper, one day on a bet, Eddie took him over a parked convertible (with top down). They traveled many miles together. Even Madison Square Garden did not upset his equanimity. Some years later Eddie was stationed in Chicago and Timber Cruiser was retired to pasture. A horse show was scheduled and Eddie knew a young girl who was a good rider but had no mount. Again Timber Cruiser was called to the arena. Eddie figured the child’s slight weight would not harm the old trooper. Phlegmatic as always, he galloped around the course for his final blue ribbon.”
that horses required several days to regain their equilibrium after balancing on the ship’s motion for that length of time. And they did not have that time. Somehow Eddie finagled from storage the treadmill use in the stage set of ‘Ben Hur.’ Every day on the crossing the horses were exercised. At first it took some handling and persuasion, but when they landed the jumpers were ready for the battle.” For the 1932 Olympics, which marked the first time the games were held in the United States, Argo had a new horse, Honolulu Tomboy, a 6-year-old chestnut mare bred at Fort Reno, Okla. Eddie and Honolulu Tomboy won the semi-final Olympian equestrian tryout at Fort Riley, Kansas, on October 15, 1931, and ten days later placed second in the finals to win their spot on the threemember team. Other team members were Major Harry D. Chamberlin, the team’s captain who had been on the 1920 and 1928 Olympic teams, and Captain Earl F. “Tommy” Thomson.
Th e Ol y mpics The Olympic competition consisted of three phases. Dressage and jumping were arena events. The three-day event, also called “the military,” combined shortened versions of the first two events with a gallop over jumps on natural terrain to simulate military conditions. In the training test of the dressage phase Argo guided Honolulu Tomboy through a series of movements and gaits using barely noticeable body movements to a second-place standing. Maj. Chamberlin was first and Capt. Thomson sixth. In the endurance test on the second day of competition, Lt. Argo fell at the water jump and dislocated a shoulder he had injured earlier. In an article published in The Cavalry Journal and the Field Artillery Journal after the 1932 games, Maj. W.M. Grimes wrote: “Prior to the team’s departure from Fort Rosecrans (the southern California training area used by the 1932 team for about six months before the Olympics)
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Lieutenant Argo slipped and fell on a staircase and dislocated his shoulder. When he rode in the 1932 Olympics, he had his shoulder strapped to his side. The training (dressage) test caused him no difficulty, but the water jump on the steeplechase was a disastrous fence for him. Here Argo’s shoulder popped out once more. The excruciating pain caused intense suffering, and it was only by the greatest display of grit and determination that Lieutenant Argo carried on, riding a distance of approximately 20 miles and negotiating some 40 odd fences...” The jump and time penalties gave Argo an eighthplace finish in the endurance test, but four of the 13 starters never finished at all. His teammates Thomson and Chamberlin finished first and fifth respectively. On the third day the jumping phase took place, and Argo won easily as the only one of the nine remaining riders to have no jumping penalties. Maj. Grimes wrote: “ Argo, riding Honolulu Tomboy in the stadium jumping phase, made a remarkable performance; not a fault in any of the jumps, only a time penalty of 0.75. He finished first in this last competition!” Chamberlin and Thomson finished seventh and eighth. Although his fall in the endurance test cost him an individual medal, Argo’s combined scores with those of his teammates gave the United States the team gold medal over a strong team from The Netherlands.
L a ter y ea rs Eddie Argo eventually had to retire from the army due to physical disability from injury to his knees during his riding years. Prior to his retirement he worked at Louisiana State University, where he oversaw the ROTC program, taught military science and tactics, and organized and directed the Department of Student Life. He subsequently was employed by International Paper Company in public relations and became manager of the Shreveport office, which was the first district office outside New York. He continued in this position until his death from cancer on March 10, 1962.
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Jennifer Chandler Jennifer Kay Chandler was
Mary T. Meagher Mary Terstegge Meagher, a native
born in nearby Langdale (now
of Louisville, Ky., won three gold
Valley), Ala. and went on to win a gold medal in 3-meter
medals in swimming at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
springboard diving at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal at the age of 17. She began diving at age 8 and would eventually win
She had qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics but did not get a chance to compete due to the U.S.-led boycott. However, one year later at the age of 16, she set two world records in the
more than 100 first-place medals in diving competition, in-
U.S. Swimming National Championships in the 200-meter and
cluding seven national championships in both 3-meter and
100-meter butterfly with times that would stand for nearly two
1-meter springboard diving. At 16 she won a gold medal on
decades. In all she would set seven world records, the first coming
the 3-meter springboard at the 1975 Pan American Games
as a 14-year-old eighth-grader when she won gold at the 1979 Pan
in Mexico City.
American Games.
At the Montreal Olympics, Jenni led from the first dive
Mary T., who became known as “Madame Butterfly,” made the
to the last to win the 3-meter by a wide margin. She also
most of her Olympic experience in 1984, setting two Olympic time
qualified for the 1980 Olympic team but was unable to
records with victories in the 200- and 100-meter butterfly. Her
compete due to the U.S. boycott. She retired from competi-
third gold came in the 400-meter medley relay. She qualified for
tive diving soon afterwards due to a back injury.
her third Olympic team in 1988 and won bronze in the 200-meter
Going into the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she is still the last American woman to have won an Olympic gold medal in springboard diving. She dived collegiately for Ohio State University and University of California Irvine, and graduated from University of Arizona with a fine arts degree. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1987. Today, Jennifer Chandler Stevenson has a home in Roanoke. 62 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
butterfly. She swam collegiately for University of California Berkley, winning six NCAA titles there. When she retired from competitive swimming in 1988 she had an incredible 22 national championships and two world championships. Mary T. was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1981 and 1985 and was selected for the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993. Today, Mary T. Meagher Plant has a home on Lake Wedowee.
finally...
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Highway 431, Wedowee 1-877-873-5292 www.chimney-cove.com ÂŽ
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"With Mr. Jefferson, I conversed at length on the subject of architecture... He is a great advocate for light and air---as you predicted, he was for giving you octagons." ~ Colonel Issac A. Coles to John Hartwell Cocke, February 23rd 1816
It may be blue on the outside, but the concept behind that eye-catching octagonal house on Lake Wedowee is very much a green one. Although the house is only about three years old, the beautiful archiby Vanessa Sorrell Burnside Photographs by Emily Wilkins and courtesy of Kara O’Brien
tectural salvage pieces used throughout have given it an old soul. Owners and designers Kara O’Brien and Paula Rose would have it no other way.
Lake Wedowee Magazine • 65
The medallion at the center of the staircase was designed by an artist for the house. Wildflowers—a passion of Kara’s—fill the yard around the house. From the preceeding page: The 9-foot tall 1870s mahogany front doors were salvaged pieces from Philadelphia, costing only $150 with their original bronze hardware. The sidelights were built from scratch to compliment the doors.
66 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Their Atlanta business, Laughing Sun Renovations, has developed a niche in the market by restoring and renovating historic homes using pieces salvaged from other homes destined for the bulldozer. The have also built some homes from scratch using the same principles. “My basement is salvage central,” joked Kara. Laughing Sun sells pieces and uses pieces, from old doors, to old floors, to mantles, railings, windows, hardware, you name it. Their home in the Kirkwood community of Atlanta—part Victorian, part Craftsman—was recently featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Private Quarters.” Publicity is nothing new to Laughing Sun. Paula and Kara’s work has been showcased not only in the AJC, but also in Atlanta Home Improvement Magazine, Arts and Crafts Homes, This Old House Online, This Old House Magazine, Your Home Magazine and Atlanta Business Chronicle. (You can read more about Laughing Sun by visiting the website laughingsunrenovations.com.) So how do they get their hands on this great stuff before it’s lost forever? “We have a dumpster diver in Atlanta,” said Kara. Actually they have a guy who goes to neighborhoods where old houses are being torn down. He approaches the contractor, offering to demolish it for free. Laughing Sun pays him for all the pieces he can get out of the house. They also acquire pieces on line and are regulars at Scott Antique Market in Atlanta. Over time, Laughing Sun has developed friendships with others who save pieces for them. In their basement are pieces waiting for just the right project. This house and others they work on are like giant puzzles they have to assemble to form one cohesive result. Laughing Sun uses the same contractors in the Atlanta area because the type of work they do is still a novel concept. Surprisingly, all of this success comes from two women who started out in 1997 by reading This Old House Magazine and learning by doing. Paula has an MBA in marketing and is self-taught at CAD design. Kara’s degree is in English and her previous work experience was doing PR in the entertainment industry. They do work with architects and do a lot of the work themselves, especially toward the end, when finish work really needs a woman’s touch, said Kara. Work on the octagonal lake house began in 2003. It took approximately a year and a half to build. She describes the feel as lighter than other homes they’ve worked on, with an open, airy, bright, happy and casual mood. For this project, Kara and Paula stuck with the architecture they really love—Greek Revival and Italianate—and lots and lots of glass.
A turn-of-the-century octagonal pan light fixture hangs just inside the front entry.
68 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
The mid-1800s was the heyday for octagonal buildings. This home, dubbed Octacello as a play on Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, was inspired by one in the Midwest. It took about year to design and then was redesigned during the building process. The octagonal design requires lots of cuts at an odd 22-1/2 inch angle, making it hard to lay out. “But they laid it out perfect,” Kara said of her builder. Laughing Sun brought in some of its usual contractors for some parts of the house and used local contractors for other parts. “We’d been told we’d drive everyone mad,” she laughed. The flooring in the house came from five or six other houses, and it was challenging to install the downstairs floors in almost a spider web fashion with the medallion at the center. She said her flooring contractor, Charley Norton, was afraid he would not be able to please her. “He fired me several times,” she joked. Located on a peninsula in Sweetwater Point subdivision in the Swagg community, Octacello has water views from every bedroom. During the building process, Kara began conversing with a man online who was also
building an octagonal house, except that he wanted his to be more modern in style. He argued that walls should be placed to make all the rooms square with no odd angles because “You’ll get spiders.” Forget that advice. Kara and Paula enjoy the quirky angles and in many of them stuck built-in cabinets. After a week spent in Atlanta, Paula, Kara and daughter Walker try to come to the lake every weekend. Last year was the first summer with a boat here. They enjoy skiing, riding jet skis and hiking with their two Siberian Huskies. They’ve had small low-key gatherings of friends, and their parents also enjoy using the house, with Kara’s dad hosting his golf buddies to hit the Robert Trent Jones courses. As one looks around the home at everything that makes it such a jewel on the lake, it’s hard to fathom that all of those things were worthless to someone and were almost destroyed. Kara said, “All of it was going to the dump in Atlanta. Every bit of it was going to the trash.”
The walnut newel posts at the top and bottom of the staircase came from a house in Thomasville, Ga. The banisters came from two Birmingham homes. Smaller newels along the upstairs catwalk came from a New York City tenement building. The 130 oak spindles are also reclaimed, as is the judge’s paneling under the stairs. Assembling all of these components together into one cohesive grand staircase was quite a challenge, but one that paid off. There are 40 Doric columns, both inside the house and on the porches. The beams in the downstairs are from cotton mill flooring, as are the stair treads. One can see the stains from where oil dripped from the machinery in some spots. The dining room chairs, like the rest of the house, are a mixture of beautiful refurbished antiques. Lake Wedowee Magazine • 69
Th e jew elry of th e
house . . .
Five remote-controlled windows in the top of the cupola have a chimney effect, drawing hot air out. The distance from the ceiling to the medallion is 35 feet. From the outside the distance from the top of the cupola to the ground is 55 feet. Hardware is “like jewelry for the house - like built-in art,” says Kara. 70 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
Look down
and see the difference.
In some homes and businesses around Lake Wedowee, the most breathtaking views are not found on the water.... they’re under your
feet.
Norton’s Flooring Outlet 14391 Hwy 431 South Wedowee 256.357.9233 www.flooringwholesale.com Because we are the “See it, Touch it, Feel it, Buy it and Go home with it” Store.
Left: Acid-stained concrete floor at the new Lakeside Marina Above: Reclaimed wood stairwell floor, Octacello
Kara hung the 678 batten strips in the house by hand. The baseboards with fluted base caps are salvaged. There are 21 six-panel doors inside the home that came from five or six Atlanta homes. One of the builders said, “Hey, these are real doors!” and a second replied, “Yeah and they’re real heavy!” The Turkish glass green-tiled downstairs bathroom has a 1870s Victorian sink and gas light from Ohio, an antique toilet from New York City and an antique medicine cabinet. Kara and Paula enjoy the quirky angles made by their home’s unique shape. This reading corner is one of Kara’s father’s favorite places in the house.
Walker enjoys the view on the porch from her swing, custom-made for her by her mother.
72 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
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212 Commerce Avenue · LaGrange, Georgia (706) 882-0004
Local Delivery Available
calendar
of events & activities compiled by Vanessa Sorrell Burnside
Local Events 4th Annual Randolph County Professional Cowboy Association Rodeo Friday-Saturday, July 4-5, 7 p.m. Just north of Wedowee Building Supplies, Wedowee. Proceeds go to Randolph County Sheriff’s Department. 245-357-4545. Wehadkee Trade Days and Auction Third Friday & Saturday of Each Month, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Former Wehadkee Yarn Mills, Rock Mills. Find tools, hardware, antiques, pottery, glassware and more. Auction begins Saturday at 3 p.m. 334-885-1111. Renew Our Rivers Aug. 9 Tallapoosa River Outfitters, Heflin. Volunteers will report to Tallapoosa River Outfitters off Highway 46 near Heflin. Directions are on tallapoosariveroutfitters.com. Contact Lex Brown at 256-239-6399. Lake Wedowee Air Junkies Ski Meet Aug. 9, 8 to 11 a.m. in front of Pineywoods Restaurant and Campground. Ski competition with youngest wake kite rider and other skiers performing, plus seaplane rides. A fundraiser for Randolph County Animal Shelter. For information call 256-363-1056. Mary Ann Lanier in Concert Aug. 15 - The Hub Restaurant, Wedowee Aug. 17 - First United Methodist Church of Wedowee East Alabama Arts Society brings Boston soprano Mary Ann Lanier, with accompanist Robert Humphreville, who will perform over dinner at The Hub Restaurant in Wedowee on Friday, Aug. 15. Admission will be charged. She will also perform a free concert on Sunday, Aug. 17, at First United Methodist Church 74 • Lake Wedowee Magazine
of Wedowee. For information, call 256-357-2361. French-Hammond Park Family Fun Day Sunday, Aug. 31 French-Hammond Park, Old Highway 431, Wedowee. The event will include a carnival, games, crafts, helicopter rides, children’s rides, a talent contest, barbecue and more. Leadership Randolph County Kicks off Sept. 11. Applications due Aug. 22. A great chance to learn more about Randolph County, its government agencies, organizations, history and every facet of life in the county. Sponsored by Randolph County Chamber of Commerce (334-863-6612) and Randolph County Extension Office (256-357-2841). Rock Mills/Bacon Level Folk Pottery Show Sept. 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rock Mills Collectors from around the state will display their folk pottery, which was produced from the 1830s to the early 1900s. Some of the potters were the Robert Ussery family of potters, John Lehman, Boggs family, Pittman Brothers and others. The public is invited to bring their own pottery to ask questions and learn more about it. Randolph County Livestock Show Saturday, Sept. 27, noon Show Barn across from Wedowee Middle School Show includes pigs, sheep, goats and cattle. 256-488-5419. Renew Our Rivers Oct. 1-4 Volunteers during the week should contact organizers. The Saturday cleanup will be at the Highway 48 boat ramp
from 8 a.m. to noon. Contact Bob May of Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association at 256-357-2656 or Sheila Smith of Alabama Power at 256-396-5093. Lake Wedowee Arts & Music Festival Oct. 4 Wedowee Kiwanis Park A show and sale of arts, crafts, antiques and collectibles. There will be food vendors, antique tractors, fun for children and more. Sponsored by Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, 334-863-6612 or 800-863-6612.
Renew Our Rivers lake cleanup days will be held on August 9th and October 1-4. Photo: Matt Shelley
Halloween Plantation Check website for dates County Road 509, Newell. Proceeds go to local organizations and others in need. www.halloweenplantation. com or 256-363-2985. Haunted Trail October 3-4, 10-11, 17-18 and 24-31 from 6 p.m. until ? Foster’s Crossroads community All proceeds go to the Foster’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department and needy families at Christmas.
Jordan’s Chapel Sacred Harp Singing Sunday, Oct. 26 Jordan’s Chapel Southern Congregational Methodist Church, 1592 County Rd. 47, Newell. The only annual Sacred Harp singing left in Randolph County.
Alcazar Car Show, 21st Annual Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Lineville Recreation Park, Hwy. 9, Lineville. Acres of antique cars, street rods and more. Admission charged; under 12, free. 256-396-2058. www.claycochamber.com.
Lineville Merchants Association Heritage Festival Nov. 1, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Downtown Lineville. Enjoy an 1890’s period costume contest, historical displays, tractor show and parade, vintage quilt show and live music featuring local talent. Great food, craft vendors and activities for the whole family. Free. 256-396-9121.
Area Events
Exchange Club Pancake Breakfast & Pancake Eating Contest Nov. 1, 6 a.m. Annual fundraiser for the Clay County Exchange Club. Eating contest at 9:30 am. Best pancakes in Clay County! For more information contact President Keith Warren at 256-354-5711 or VP Diana Cline at 256-396-1900. Come hungry! 76 •
Possum Pickin’ Bluegrass Concert Series Third Saturday of month from May to September, 7 p.m. Downtown Tallapoosa, Ga. Bring a chair and join your friends for the 5th annual Possum Pickin’ Bluegrass Concert series featuring live bands from West Georgia and East Alabama. Concerts held every third Saturday May-September and first Saturday in October on Head Avenue in Downtown Tallapoosa. Guy Coheleach Wildlife Art Exhibit May 31-Sept. 28 Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m. Anniston Museum of Natural History, Anniston. Guy’s one-man exhibitions have been displayed at major museums in 33 cities
across America. He gathers his visual inspiration from his frequent travels to Alaska, Europe, South America and Africa. Admission charged. 256-237-6766. www.annistonmuseum.org. Animal Encounters June 6-July 25 Fri. only, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Anniston Museum of Natural History, Anniston. Meet the museum’s live animals as you stroll through the exhibits. Trained youth volunteers will answer questions about habitat and behavior and let you touch the animals if you dare! Admission charged. 256-237-6766. www.annistonmuseum. org. The Market at Ag Heritage Park June 6-Sept. 4, 3-6 p.m. Ag Heritage Park, off Samford Ave. on Auburn University campus. Market featuring strawberries, fresh eggs, vegetable and herb plants, bedding plants, shrubs, AU’s Mater Dirt, frozen shrimp, honey, goat cheese, stone ground grains, cookbooks and educational displays on soil testing, fire ant management, etc. Free. 334-749-3353.
We are a family oriented campground with sites available year-round. We have two boat ramps and four docks available for campers. Restaurant features catfish, seafood, & steaks. Also available by advance order: smoked hams, turkeys, butts, chicken, etc. We also sell slaw, sides, and desserts.
Restaurant open Thursday - Sunday Thursday Friday & Saturday Sunday
11:00 - 6:30 11:00 - 9:00 11:00 - 3:00
We also book parties Monday-Wednesday Sunday Buffet meats & veg: $7.50 (includes drink and dessert)
285 Aaron Drive, Wedowee | 256.363.2718 Directions: Turn onto Piney Wood Drive off of 431 north of Wedowee. Follow road about ¾ mile, bearing right onto Aaron Drive.
God and Country Sound, Light and Water Show June 14-July 4, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. DeSoto Caverns Park, Childersburg. Celebrate America’s courageous past during special hour-long cavern tours in the spectacular main room of the caverns, which is higher than a 12-story building and larger than a football field. Admission charged. 256-378-7252. www.DeSotoCaverns.com. Fourth of July Celebration Friday, July 4, 10 a.m. EDT Tallapoosa, Ga. All-day celebration held annually in Tallapoosa. Begins at 10 a.m. with ceremony at Veteran’s Memorial Park, parade at 1 p.m. followed by afternoon activities at Helton Howland Park. The day’s activities include swimming, cookout, parade, memorial dedication, entertainment, free watermelon and corn on the cob with the fireworks show beginning shortly after dark. 4th of July Celebration & ‘Mater Day Friday, July 4, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. EDT Community Center and Valley Sportsplex, Valley. Family day with horseshoe, rook & domino tournaments, bingo, memorial
swim, free tomato sandwiches, father/son look-alike contest, entertainment, concessions, children’s activities and fireworks. Free. 334-756-5290. www.cityofvalley. com.
with all the patriotic fun you can find. This annual event draws hundreds to the main channel of beautiful Lake Martin. Free. 256-329-0835. www.russelllands. com.
City of Auburn Annual July 4th Celebration Friday, July 4, Gates open at 6 p.m.; entertainment at 7; fireworks at 9. Duck Samford Football Stadium, Auburn. Grab your picnic basket and blanket, bring the family and show your patriotic spirit. Enjoy great food, live musical entertainment and the best fireworks display in the entire area. Free. 334-501-2930. www. auburnalabama.org/parks.
Independence Day Celebration Saturday, July 5 Downtown Franklin, Ga. Bwatson@heardgeorgia.org
Russell Lands Fourth of July Blast Friday, July 4, 6-10 p.m. Lake Martin Amphitheater, Alexander City. Benefit concert followed by one of the largest fireworks displays in the Southeast. Fee for concert. 256-329-0835. www.russelllands.com. Russell Marine July 4th Boat Parade Friday, July 4 Kowaliga Marina, Alexander City. Deck the deck! Decorate your watercraft
Market Day for Local Arts and Crafts 1st Saturday of month, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT Courthouse Square, Newnan, Ga. First Saturday each month from April to December, arts and crafts people from around Newnan bring to the courthouse square their handiwork to sell to the public. Now in its fourth year, this event draws more than 50 artists and crafters each Saturday. Come stay a day under the old oak trees surrounding this scenic and historic courthouse. It has been the backdrop for four major motion pictures and several made-for-TV movies. Plenty of free parking along the sidewalks. Great restaurants and market food vendors all around the square. • 77
THOMPSON CABINETS Cliff Thompson
cell 678.378.6491
cliffthompso8726@bellsouth.net 117 West College Street Bowdon, Georgia 770.258.5335
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New Manchester History Hike Saturday, July 5, 10 a.m. - noon Every week, once a week Sweetwater Creek State Park, Lithia Springs, Ga. This mile-long hike (easy to moderate) will lead us to the ruins of the Civil Warera New Manchester textile mill and focus on the history of the Sweetwater Creek Valley. This historian or ranger-led hike will include going inside the impressive mill ruins and seeing the lovely whitewater rapids (both providing great photo opportunities). Explore Our World -- JSU Kids into Nature Camp Advanced (Ages 7-9) July 7-11, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jacksonville State University. This camp is presented by JSU Field Schools for children who love to explore nature and want to know more about how the natural world works ... from the little microbes that help create soil to the big animals that live in various habitats. 256-782-5697. fieldschool.jsu.edu.
78 •
“Little Red Riding Hood” July 8-12, 2 p.m. Jacksonville State University.
A production by JSU Children’s Theatre with original dialogue and music by Eric Traynor, adapted from the classic children’s story. Admission charged. 256-782-5648. www.jsu.edu/depart/ drama. Life on the Southern Home Front Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 2nd Saturday of each month Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Historic Site Dallas, Ga. Gather the family and join us at our 1850’s log cabin. Learn the ways pioneers settled this region and the lifelong struggles and hardships they had to endure. See open-hearth cooking, farming practices and clothing styles. Advanced Nature Club Adventure Camp (Ages 10 - 12) July 14-18, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jacksonville State University. Field trips include Little River Canyon, DeSoto State Park, Cheaha State Park and/or SIFAT Global Village. Hands-on science, art and experiences with live animals. Admission charged. 256-782-5697. fieldschool.jsu.edu.
Skins, Scales and Scholars July 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Anniston Museum of Natural History Learn about the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians during this annual museum event, which features lectures and presentations on indigenous as well as some exotic species. View live animals and displays. Admission charged. 256-237-6766. www.annistonmuseum. org. Living History Day at Horseshoe Bend July 26, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Dadeville. Meet the Horseshoe Bend Militia, and watch corps conduct cannon drills and other activities. Free. 256-234-7111. www. nps.gov/hobe. Russell Marine Aquapalooza & Lions Charity Poker Run July 26 Kowaliga Marina, Alexander City. Annual charity event, which draws hundreds to the shores of beautiful Lake Martin. In water or out, tons of fun abounds for participants and spectators alike. 256-329-0835. www.russelllands.com.
Come to us for all your eyecare needs.
Conveniently located only minutes from the lake
Progressive Eye Health Center of Woodland Robert Svensen, O.D. Robert Ellis, O.D. Pam Burgess, Office Manager, Charlie Graham, Optometric Technician
256-449-2020
Kidstock 5K and 1K Aug. 2, 7:30 a.m., registration 6 a.m. Woodstock Avenue, Anniston High School, Anniston 5K is one of the oldest footraces in area on challenging course in historic neighborhood. Prize money, door prizes, and bragging rights. 1K is United Cerebral Palsy 1-mi. run/walk held in conjunction with the Anniston Runners Club Woodstock 5K. Takes place following Wookstock 5K, which begins at 7:30 a.m. Fee for participants only. 256-239-9001. www.annistonrunners.com. Wildflower Hike Aug. 9, 9 a.m. Little River Canyon National Preserve, Beaver Pond Trail, Talladega. Lynn Overlook is home to many unusual plant and the granite or lichen grasshopper. The 2-mile hike will explore the woods to look at flowering plants. Bring drinking water, hike shoes and wear appropriate clothing. Free. 256-845-9605. www.nps.gov. MainStreet Alexander City Auction Aug. 16, 6-10 p.m. Downtown, Alexander City. Auction benefiting MainStreet programs and the promotion of local events in historic downtown. Activities begins at
6 p.m. with preview party, art show and silent auction followed by live auction. Tickets available at local businesses. Admission charged. 256-329-9227. www. mainstreetac.org. New Deal for the Arts Saturday, Aug. 16, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. EDT Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site, Warm Springs, Ga. Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the New Deal, the Bi-City Woodturners of Columbus, Ga., will make bowls and other items on lathes, similar to that which was made during the Great Depression as part of the Federal Arts Project. Guided Battlefield Tour Saturday, Aug. 16, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. Pickett’s Mill Battlefield Historic Site, Dallas, Ga. Take a guided tour on one of the bestpreserved Civil War battlefields in the nation. Ask your unanswered questions and they shall be answered. Terrain is rugged and it is recommended you wear proper gear for hiking.
Music and Fireworks in the Vineyard Aug. 16, 6-9 p.m. Morgan Creek Vineyard, Harpersville. A night of live music under the stars with tours and tasting of wines directly from the vineyard. Admission charged. 205-672-2053. www.morgancreek-winery.com. Rumble On Noble Aug. 22-23, 4 p.m.- midnight. Anniston Downtown District. A motorcycle and music streetfest featuring six bands and more than 60 vendors. Admission charged. 256-236-0996. www.spiritofanniston.org. “Muster on the Tallapoosaâ€? Living History, 9th Annual Aug. 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. Various activities during the day, including living history camps of the Creek and Cherokee Indians and the Tennessee Militia. Guest speakers offer insight into the Creek War. Visit Alabama’s oldest national park and see cultural and military demonstrations, lectures, etc. Free. 256-234-7111. www.nps.gov/hobe. • 79
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Guided Archaeology Tour of Calhoun & St. Clair Counties Aug. 23-28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Various locations. Come along with JSU’s Dr. Harry Holstein for a guided archaeology tour of various sites, including Janney Iron Furnace, a 19th-century battlefield and river locks, a prehistoric Indian village, etc. Admission charged. 256-782-5697. fieldschool.jsu. edu. A Dip Into the Past Saturday, Aug. 30, to Monday, Sept. 1, 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. EDT Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site, Warm Springs, Ga. Swim in the historic pools originally built by Franklin D. Roosevelt as a place for therapy. Normally kept empty for preservation, the pools will be filled with naturally warm spring water. Four 2-hour swim sessions beginning at 9:30 a.m. Ages 6 and older. Reservations suggested but not required. Russell Lands Labor Day Weekend Concert Aug. 31 Lake Martin Amphitheater
The Amphitheater is the perfect place to enjoy entertainment and gaze over the crystal clear water of Lake Martin. Bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets. Free. 256-329-0835. www.russelllands.com. Callaway Gardens Family Fitness Series Triathlon Sunday, Aug. 31, 7 a.m. - noon EDT Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Ga. Come participate or just watch one of the top 10 triathlons in the nation as judged by the U.S. Triathlon Federation. Participants compete in a 1k swim, 30k bike and 8k run in the most beautiful triathlon setting in the country. For additional information, contact Dave Johnson Enterprises at (770) 565-5208. 3rd Annual Harvest Moon Benefit Pow Wow Sept. 12-14 Bluff Springs Annual event presented by the First Nations Outreach Project to help raise funds to build Wolf Gardens Wildlife Center. Gates open, 2 p.m. gourd dance, 5 p.m. grand entry, 7 p.m. Admission charged. 256-354-5196. defendthewolves.org/powwow.html.
80 •
your summer
getaway is closer than you think.
Adventure Race Saturday, Sept. 13, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT West Point Baseball Field, West Point, Ga. If competition is something you enjoy, The Adventure Race is right up your alley. Seven miles of competitive canoeing, paddling, biking, hiking & running will determine the winner of true endurance. West Point Depot Day Saturday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. West Point Baseball Field, West Point, Ga. Come and visit historical West Point for a full day of fun! Join locals & visitors from surrounding counties as you enjoy live entertainment, food, games & activities for children & even the young at heart. Bike MS: Cox Atlanta Ride Saturday, Sept. 13, - Sunday, Sept. 14, 8 a.m. EDT Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Ga. Celebrating its 22nd year, the Bike MS: Cox Atlanta Ride is a two-day cycling tradition that benefits the Georgia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This year’s goals are 1,500 riders raising $1.2 million to support national research for a cure in addition to local programs and services that help 8,500 Georgians with MS, their friends and families. Register to
Your ticket to convenient weekend escapes with the family and quiet evenings on the water is within your reach with a boat loan from Fort McClellan Credit Union.
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participate, volunteer, form a cycling team, or donate at www.bikeMSatlanta.org. Fall Fair on the Square Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT Downtown Buchanan, Ga. Enjoy a charming small-town fair in rural Georgia around a lovely restored landmark courthouse. Food, entertainment, history and games! Grape Stomp Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Morgan Creek Vineyards, Harpersville. Visitors get to stomp grapes with their feet in wooden barrels, take free tours, enjoy free wine tastings, plus enjoy food and other fun activities. Admission charged. 205-672-2053. www.morgancreekwinery. com. Wellington Foggy Hollow Bluegrass Gatherinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sept. 26-27 Foggy Hollow Farm, 439 Ross Lake Rd., between Anniston and Gadsden in Websterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chapel Community. Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest bluegrass festival features takes place in June and September and features local, regional and national acts, parking lot picking, camping. Admission charged. 256-492-3700. www.foggyhollow.com.
Autumn Suds Fest Sept. 27, 5-7 p.m. Berman Museum of World History, Anniston. Beer sampling, food and fun. Proceeds benefit the Berman Museum. Admission charged. 256-237-6261. www.bermanmuseum.org. An Evening of Astronomy Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. EDT F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, Ga. Constellations and planets have been an important part of human society and folklore since humans lived in caves. Join the Columbus Coca-Cola Space Science Center at the amphitheater for an evening that will include star talks, star maps, and viewing of the night sky. Mountain Echoes Festival Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Jacksonville City Square. A community-based arts, crafts, entertainment and food festival produced by the Jacksonville Merchants Association. The majority of the proceeds go to local charitable organizations to benefit the citizens of Jacksonville. 256-435-9386. www.jville. net/jma/
Serving All Your Dock & Waterfront Needs On Lake Wedowee
Auburn University AMAZE From Thursday, Sept. 12, to Oct. 31, from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday; and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday. Donahue Drive, Auburn. This six-acre corn maze that should take about one hour for visitors to navigate. Refreshments and maze souvenirs will also be available. The maze will be haunted for several days leading up to Halloween. Admission charged. 877-282-8761. Pumpkin Patch October Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays 1 - 5 p.m. The Oaks, 18151 Veterans Memorial Pkwy (Highway 50), LaFayette. Pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, horse-drawn hayrides, tractor-pulled hayrides, wagon rides, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties. Call for large group reservations. 334-869-0554 or e-mail morgansbackhoe@msn.com
â&#x20AC;˘ 81
Time for an upgrade? Try and never miss a thing.
DOCKS ETC.
Satellite Specialist of Alabama Hwy 431, Wedowee 888.347.4439 Mighty Docks
Waterfront Adventures, LLC.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quality Never Costs As Much As It Saves.â&#x20AC;? Gene Collins: Principal gcollins3@comcast.net (239) 839-2004 Ed Cobb: Sales & Consulting (205) 420-8832 Perry Copeland / Stateline Services: )NSTALLATIONS 3ERV ICE /FlCE (256) 449-2651 Cell (256) 947-0130
LICENSED & INSURED
Authorized Dealers ML DOCKS - HYDROHOIST LIFTS - HYDRO PORTS DANDY PWC - UNDERWATER ADVANTAGE LIGHTS - SLIDES - DOCK MAINTENANCE - ACCESSORIES LAKESHORE TRAM - ETC.
(256) 357-9558 Fax (239) 561-4173 www.docksetc.com
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Pumpkin Patch Oct. 1-31, Weekdays, 3 p.m.-dark; Sat., 9 a.m.-dark; Sun., 1 p.m.-dark. Old Baker Farm, Harpersville. Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay maze, hay rides, petting farm, cotton patch, Indian village, Civil War fort, concessions and more. 205-672-7209. www.oldbakerfarm. com. Haunted Chicken House Check newspaper for dates. U.S. 431, north of Hollis Crossroads. Sponsored by Hollis Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department. City-Wide Yard Sale Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT Tallapoosa, Ga. Follow the signs throughout the town for treasures!
82 •
Shady Days in Gay Arts & Crafts Festival Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. EDT Downtown Gay, Ga. On the grounds of the Old Cannery, later used as the local school building, Shady Days in Gay exhibitors continue the spirit of craftsmanship, skill, talent and vision
that many area farmers, homemakers, craftsmen and students began on this same site. During the first full weekend in May & October every year, Shady Days in Gay will host some of the most fabulous exhibitors in the Southeast. Don’t stop and eat on the way because there is always great country cooking available for the hungry shopper and live entertainment to enjoy. Georgia BikeFest Three-day weekend (Friday-Sunday, Oct. 10-12) 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT LaGrange, Ga. The 2008 Georgia BikeFest is moving to LaGrange College. It is going back to its traditional Columbus Day weekend. Astronomy Hike Oct. 11 Talladega National Forest, Shoals Creek District Join JSU astronomer Dr. Laura Weinkauf and Anniston Outdoor Association for an autumn evening hike along the Pinhoti Trail to observe night skies and learn more about the stars. Admission charged. 256-782-5697. fieldschool.jsu.edu.
J.D. Shedd Memorial Car Show Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ambucare Park, Bremen, Ga. Regional car enthusiasts display their cars for spectators. Cars will be judged with trophies awarded. Fun for the family will include a live D.J., food and car part corral. Oktoberfest, 28th Annual Oct. 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Charles E. Bailey Sr. Sportsplex, Alexander City A community favorite featuring arts and crafts, food, entertainment, children’s activities, sports program, antique car show, and more. Free admission. 256-329-6736. www.alexandercityonline.com Storytelling Weekend at Cheaha State Park: Storytelling Concert & Workshop Oct. 17-18 Cheaha State Park. Join Alabama storytellers Nina Reaves and Renee Morrison for a weekend of storytelling fun, ghost story shivers and a “how to” workshop to learn tale tellin’ for yourself. Admission charged. 256-782-5697. fieldschool.jsu.edu.
Drop your laundry here.
laundry & dry cleaning )XZ t 8FEPXFF 7JMMBHF (the Dollar General Shopping center) (256) 357-0385
Josephine McGuire R E A LTOR | Personal, Professional Service ®
Roanoke 334.863.8729 or toll free 888.295.6474
Lakefront 20755 Hwy 431, Suite 1, Wedowee CELL (770) 500-9223 RESIDENCE (256) 363-3563 EMAIL josephinemcguire@remax.net www.buylakewedowee.com Each office is independently owned and operated.
Open House Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Morgan Creek Vineyards, off Hwy. 280, Harpersville. Sample cheese and wine tastings. Free admission. 205-672-2053. www.morgancreekwinery.com. Bremen Towne Festival Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Downtown Bremen, Ga. A day of activities featuring parade, arts and crafts, musical entertainment, costume contest for the kids, games and lots of food! Fall Art Affair Oct. 25 Downtown Alexander City. Annual exhibition and sale of local artists’ works held outdoors downtown and in many of the downtown businesses. Free. 256-329-9227. www.mainstreetac.org. Cotton Pickin’ Celebration Oct. 25-26, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Old Baker Farm, Harpersville. Living history, arts, crafts and pumpkin festival. Admission charged. 205-672-7209. www.oldbakerfarm.com.
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The Great Pumpkin Caper Monday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EDT Downtown Buchanan, Ga. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a Jacko-lantern and costume contest soon followed by the “Lighting of the Pumpkins” and storytelling at 7 p.m. This event features more than 100 pumpkins, food, children’s games and safe, targeted trick or treating. Trick-or-Treat Fall Festival Oct. 31, 6-8 p.m. EST Ram Stadium, Valley. Vendors set up along the track at the stadium with games and give away candy as prizes. Also a costume contest, bands and Halloween scenes displayed on the field. Free. 334-756-5290. www.cityofvalley.com. Art Works Reception Nov. 7, 5-8 p.m. Art Works Gallery, 921 Noble St., Anniston. Quarterly showing and reception by members of Art Works fine arts gallery. Paintings, turned wooden bowls, pens, and decorative pieces, fiber art, furniture, photography, jewelry and pottery. 256-237-8214. www.artworks-anniston. com.
airy? e Kitchen F h t m o r sit f a vi chen a reality. r ream kit d fo r u g e yo itin wa Mak l til
Factory Direct Kitchen & Bath Highway 48 East, Lineville
256.396.6533
Chili Cook-Off Saturday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Downtown Bremen, Ga. The aroma of competition chili will be filling the air in downtown Bremen. This charity event features cooks and their teams vying for cash prizes. All you can eat chili with admission. Veteran’s Freedom Ride Saturday, Nov. 8, 10:30 a.m. EST League-Lowe Veterans Park, Tallapoosa, Ga. The 80-mile ride begins at 10:30 a.m. and leads the Tallapoosa Veteran’s Day Parade through downtown Tallapoosa. Nearly 200 riders will tour each community and municipality in Haralson County led by a special VIP guest and a police escort. Annual Veterans Day Parade Nov. 11, 2 p.m. Downtown Anniston. Huge tri-county parade to honor those serving or have served in the armed forces. Varity of military vehicles, as well as equipment from AOD and United Defense. Free. 256-236-0996. www. spiritofanniston.org. • 83
R. L. Harris Reservoir
1 BANK, 3 L OCATIONS
102 YEARS of serving Randolph County...
Since 1906
index of A & E Metal Roofing Alabama Power America’s Home Place Bank of Wedowee Callaway Blue Chimney Cove Coldwell Banker Docks, Etc. Dr. Edwards, DMD D & S Marine Factory Direct Kitchen & Bath Fort McClellan Credit Union Gedney’s Gene Crouch--Hunter Bend Grandview Auction H & M Drugs Hunter Bend
advertisers 83 9 77 64 60 63 13 81 17 23 83 80 43 35 73 79 5
Jody’s Electrical Jon Boy’s Josephine McGuire-ReMax Lakeside Marina Lake Wedowee Associates Lighting Showroom Norton’s Flooring Payne Furniture Pineywoods Restaurant Presitge Pups Quintard Mall Randolph County Insurance Roanoke City Schools Ron Young Russell Marine Shoreline Properties Satellite Specialists
82 17 82 88 57 7 71 35 45 79 61 41 51 55 27 36 81
Smalltown Bank Soap Suds Southern Union State Farm Insurance St. Barnabas Epsicopal Church Sunny King Toyota The Inn at TRC The Randolph Leader Thompson Cabinets Traylor Retirement Veranda House Watts Furniture Wedowee Landscaping Wedowee Marine Wehadkee Trade Days Worship on the Water Ybor Café
87 82 86 55 17 33 31 81 75 2 43 73 43 25 15 79 44-45
Here you will find the best in Academics, Technical and Health Science Programs. At Southern Union, students are our number one priority, and we take great pride in helping them to prepare to meet the challenges of the
future.
256.395.2211 www.suscc.edu
A Real Community Bank
4 Locations to Serve You
117 Main Street Wedowee 256.357.4936
21044 Main Street Ranburne 256.568.2265
548 Main Street Roanoke 334.863.4151
654 Ross Street Heflin 256.463.2790
We’re more than just a building. “We don’t look for reasons not to give you a loan, we look for reasons to give you a loan.”
Telephone Banking 1.256.357.9774 Toll Free 1.866.879.7654 Internet Banking @ www.smalltownbank.com
Member FDIC
F INALLY!
The NEW Lakeside Market & Grill Opening July 4, 2008 LAKESIDE GRILL
LAKESIDE MARKET
Join us for the best in chicken, catfish, wings, burgers, wraps, salads and much more. We will have breakfast biscuits for the early riser. Enjoy our menu dine-in, take-out, or on the water!
All your boating, fishing, camping and water sport needs. Gas, groceries, ice, drinks and much more.
One-stop shopping, on the water.
We offer the most convenient gas on the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;pay at the pump if you like, at our all-new gas dock. Dock-N-Dine Boat slip parking on the water for your convenience.
Hwy 431 at the river bridge â&#x20AC;˘ (256) 357-2033