Mobile Bay Magazine - October 2020

Mobile Bay THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES

October 2020

CAMPFIRE COOKING WITH RED BEARD’S OUTFITTER

THE MYSTICAL

MONARCH BUTTERFLY MIGRATION

ENJOY A COLD ONE AT THE ICE BOX BAR

HAS ARRIVED

plus: THE BAY’S MUST-SEE WEDDINGS

FALL FOR OUR LAND PUTTING DOWN ROOTS AND TENDING THE LANDSCAPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

BRAD ELLIOTT SHARES STORIES FROM THE HUNT

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CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXVI / ISSUE 10

OCTOBER 2020 36

Among the Pines

An abundance of pine has choked the timber industry, but local landowners find that southwest Alabama is a good place to weather the storm

40

AN EASTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLY MAKES A PIT STOP IN MOBILE ON ITS JOURNEY TO MEXICO. PHOTO BY KATHY HICKS

The Very Long Journey

Follow along on the Eastern monarch’s 2,500-mile flight from Mobile Bay to Mexico

 Some speculate that the monarch butterfly was named in honor of King William III of England. Early American settlers would’ve recognized that the butterfly’s main color matched their king’s secondary title, Prince of Orange. Read more about the insects on page 40.

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 5

CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXVI / ISSUE 10

OCTOBER 2020 17

ON OUR COVER Local hunting enthusiast Brad Elliott takes his two vizslas, Weller and Sadie, for a walk through the brush in Baldwin County.

24

45

PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN

CHOCOLATE CHAI POPCORN FOR THE WIN GARRETT SMITH OF RED BEARD’S OUTFITTER MEET SOME NEWLYWEDS OF MOBILE BAY / PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 REACTION 12 ODDS & ENDS 15 THE DISH 17 ENTERTAINING Because sometimes a family game night is just what the doctor ordered 20 OBSERVATIONS Learn what it takes to build a football stadium from the ground up

22 TASTINGS Make yourself comfortable inside the Ice Box Bar in Mobile

45

24 BAY TABLES Backwoods fare with Garrett Smith of Red Beard’s Outfitter

58 OCTOBER CALENDAR

63 POINTS OF INTEREST Wander the grounds of the oldest cemeteries on both sides of the Bay

32 BAY LIFE Learn the ins and outs of hunting feral hogs with avid outdoorsman Brad Elliott

MOBILE BAY BRIDE Nuptial announcements of Bay-area newlyweds and 10 gifts we love

72 ASK MCGEHEE What’s the story of the local inventor who worked with Thomas Edison?

74 IN LIVING COLOR See the 1907 female basketball squad of Mobile’s Baker Graded School in vivid color

70 LITERATURE Halloween with author Audrey McDonald Atkins

 University of South Alabama quarterback Chance Lovertich threw a 34-yard strike to receiver Kawaan Baker against Tulane on September 12. The touchdown will be remembered as the Jags’ first scoring play at the brand new Hancock Whitney Stadium.

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Mobile Bay VOLUME XXXVI

No10

OCT 2020

PUBLISHER T. J. Potts Stephen Potts Judy Culbreth

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Maggie Lacey MANAGING EDITOR/WEB Abby Parrott

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amanda Hartin

ART DIRECTOR Laurie Kilpatrick

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

ADVERTISING S R. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Joseph A. Hyland Anna Pavao ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Ray

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

ADMINISTRATION CIRCULATION Anita Miller ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Audrey McDonald Atkins, Brad Elliott, Tom McGehee, Breck Pappas, Stephen Potts CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Matthew Coughlin, Justine and Wayne Cunningham, Elizabeth Gelineau, Keyhole Photo, Dwight Ladd, Rae Leytham, Aimee Reynolds, Jennie Tewell, Fairn Whatley ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES

3729 Cottage Hill Road, Suite H Mobile, AL 36609-6500 251-473-6269 Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be sent to: Mobile Bay P.O. Box 43 Congers, NY 10920-9922 1-833-454-5060 MOVING? Please note: U.S. Postal Service will not forward magazines mailed through their bulk mail unit.

Please send old label along with your new address four to six weeks prior to moving.

Mobile Bay is published 12 times per year for the Gulf Coast area. All contents © 2020 by PMT Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or the management of Mobile Bay. This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions will be edited for length, clarity and style.

PUBLISHED BY PMT PUBLISHING INC .

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EXTRAS | EDITOR’S NOTE

The Hunt

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

I

went hog hunting once. My dad was a member of a hunting camp north of Mobile County, and he used to take me up there occasionally to goof around when it wasn’t hunting season. But once, when I was maybe 12, he offered to take me deer hunting. I wasn’t sure I wanted to kill a deer, but I was game for the adventure since girls were not taken to the camp very often. There’s nothing I hate more than being told I can’t do something just because I’m a girl, so I jumped at the offer regardless of whether or not I really wanted to shoot anything. That seemed irrelevant.

On the appointed Saturday, we woke at 3 a.m. and drove to the woods, decked out in all kinds of hand-me-down camo. We deposited ourselves silently in a small shooting house, got into position, and I held my breath in anticipation. We waited and waited, without moving or speaking or twitching, which was very hard for me, rest assured. After what seemed like hours, I finally decided that deer hunting was the most boring pastime ever invented and was about to tell my dad as much when a huge buck emerged from the trees right in front of me. I just stared, unable to move. After a bit, Dad gave me an urgent nudge, and I raised my gun, firing a shot off into the sky with shaking hands. I think I remember Dad calling my condition “buck fever,” the sensation of being completely overwhelmed with excitement and adrenaline and utterly unable to bag the game. It was just as well.

I really didn’t want to kill a deer anyway.

We scrapped deer hunting for the day, and Dad suggested we go look for hogs.

This was more my speed. We tromped through the woods noisily, pausing every so often to listen to the sounds of retreating wild pigs. Dad warned me that if a big, angry hog charged me, I should quickly climb the nearest tree. Just that small threat of danger was the most excitement I had seen in my 12 short years, and I heaved up my big brother’s camo pants and kept tromping. I did, in fact, shoot a hog that day, and I didn’t feel sad about it like I would have if it had been that beautiful deer. But in the end, I told Dad that it was just as much fun to goof off in the woods without a gun as it was with one. He said he felt the same, and that was the last time I went hog hunting.

With this month shaping up to be an October like no other, I hope you can find a place to tromp around and maybe even hunt — or just watch — some wildlife. Nature is the best medicine, and feeling a little touch of fall in the air doesn’t hurt my soul either.

Maggie Lacey EXECUTIVE EDITOR

maggie@pmtpublishing.com

 Our semi-annual bridal registry is here! We’ve got the photos, vendors, registries and more that you’ll want to see. For more wedding bliss, scan the QR code on page 45 to be taken directly to an online gallery of each local wedding.

MILKING IT AFTER READING ABOUT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, THEIR INCREDIBLE MIGRATION AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN ONLY LAY THEIR EGGS ON MILKWEED, I FEEL INSPIRED — NO, COMPELLED! — TO PLANT THE FLOWERING BUSH IN MY YARD. WEEKEND PROJECT, COMING UP.

LOVE THIS ISSUE

FUN AND GAMES I’VE NEVER PLAYED BACKGAMMON, BUT THIS COLORFUL BOARD HAS ME DYING TO GIVE IT A TRY. MOMA DESIGN STORE, $96 ONLINE

ON CAMPUS! WE DUG DEEP TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A FOOTBALL STADIUM. SOUTH PAW HAS A BRAND NEW STOMPING GROUND!

SERIOUS THURST THESE AMAZING WATER BOTTLES MAKE 24 OUNCES OF SAFE, CLEAN DRINKING WATER ANYWHERE ON EARTH IN JUST EIGHT SECONDS. BUT THE BEST PART? THEY WERE DESIGNED BY A USA ALUM! GRAYL GEOPRESS PURIFIER, $89, RED BEARD’S OUTFITTER

AMONG THE PINES I LOVED WALKING THROUGH SEVERAL PINE FORESTS WHILE WE PULLED THIS “FALL” ISSUE TOGETHER. MAKES ME WANT TO PLANT A NATIVE LONGLEAF OR TWO!

I DO...

LOVE THIS LOOK! OUR STAFF WAS SWOONING OVER THE REHEARSAL DINNER FLOWERS, DESIGNED BY WILDFLOWERS, FOR SALLY AND TRAVIS GOODLOE’S MAY 2020 WEDDING WEEKEND AT SONNY HILL FARM IN FAIRHOPE. SEE ALL THE DETAILS FROM THIS AND SO MANY OTHER GORGEOUS WEDDINGS ON PAGE 45.

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

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EXTRAS | REACTION

Tell us how you really feel ...

GET IN MY BELLY On August’s “Seven Best Burgers You’ve Never Had” The Lafayette Burger at the Blind Mule [should have been on the list]. A halfpound beef patty with big strips of bacon and lots of real melted blue cheese.

Not blue cheese dressing, not blue cheese sauce.

REAL blue cheese.

We ate wings there tonight and peoplewatched. Interesting place.

- Amy Woerner Being from another region of the country, you always know you’re a little bit of an outsider. I never feel that way here! These are just good people, y’all. Hands down favorite place to play my music, drink a beer and watch the world go by.

GREEK BURGER, OX KITCHEN PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

- Jean Mattison Pitts I had an S.O.B. [Sam’s Original Burger at Sam’s Super Burger] today for lunch!

- Brian Graves

TREASURE TROVE OF FANS On August’s feature, “Pirate’s Cove: An Oral History”

I’ve been living in the Atlanta area since 1992, but I worked at the Cove in high school and during college summers. This was before Bushwackers and the pizza kitchen, back when the marina existed and there was an alligator in a pen that Big Paul would take down and feed whole chickens.

We’d leave at the end of the day with burger sauce all down our fronts, exhausted and with smiles on our faces.

- Stacey Brewer, card carrying member of the “Pirate Cove Riffraff”

- Kelly Poole

I enjoyed the Pirate’s Cove article. We vacationed there back in the mid-to-late ‘50s and stayed in the cabins for two weeks. I learned to ski there.

The beaches were the best; the water was so clear you could see your feet at any depth. We caught “black snapper” off the pier and hunted whip-poor-wills in the late afternoons with our BB guns.

- Mike Thompson

SHAKE IT UP, MOBILE BAY On MB’s lack of diversity I enjoy reading Mobile Bay Magazine.

However, there is a distinct lack of articles and photos regarding people of color.

Occasionally, there is a tone-deaf article, such as the one last year where the local bar association added a slave owner to its Hall of Fame. In the August issue, there were 158 white people in photos and only 18 people of color. There are approximately 150,000 such people in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Without coverage in the pages of Mobile Bay, the true Mobile story is not being told.

I certainly enjoy getting the magazine each month. It’s better written, laid out and edited than many national magazines I read.

A great place to eat a burger, drink a Bushwacker and play some music!

My parents and I knew the Mueller family in the ‘40s and ‘50s. I knew Paul’s mom, Miss Kitty, dad and his sister, Paula. The building (now restaurant) was a general store owned by Max Lawrenz who owned other land around there and Foley Hardware. I delivered ice to the old general store in the late ‘40s while working for Mr. Lawrenz’s ice house on the canal (now Lulu’s).

- Rob Hurston

- Broox Holmes

ACQUIRED HISTORY

No one mentioned the famous sign that was at the door for years as you entered the bar. It read, “No dogs allowed by order of the Alabama Health Department.” Then at the bottom of the sign, in small print at a dog’s eye level, “but dogs can’t read.” As the article suggested, there were always many dogs in and around the bar.

On August’s end piece, featuring a colorized version of Toulminville Soda Fountain, 1948

- Lynn Neff

- Glenn Pugh

Awesome article about a most memorable place for locals and native “species” such as myself and apparently appreciated by newbies. Well done article — as laid back as the Cove itself.

- Jeanette Bornholt

I remember swimming ‍there in the ‘60s.

- Candee Drumm This place happens to be where a great deal of my early life lessons were learned.

I showed up for the first time when I was about 8. When I was 17, I was told on a Friday to show up for work at 7:30 the next morning — I never asked for the job.

- Thomas Mann

- Christopher Gerety, Vestavia Hills, Ala.

As a collector of old Prichard pictures, I acquired this photo at the USA archive library a couple of years ago. I posted it on our site, Old Prichard Pictures, and had dozens of comments from members who recalled the store.

 Want to share your thoughts and reactions to this issue? Email maggie@pmtpublishing.com.

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[MORE ONLINE]

Find additional local stories on mobilebaymag.com.

Here’s what’s new on the website!

Here Come the Brides Go online to see more photos from the beautiful, local weddings featured in this issue. Scan the QR code on page 45 to go directly to the full online gallery.

Tailgate … at home!

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

Football season is finally in full swing! Whether you’re hanging out at home or throwing a sociallydistanced tailgate party, we have the recipes you need to celebrate.

Get Inspired The new Mobile Bay Inspiration Home is coming right along!

Located in Fairhope’s North Hills subdivision, the home will open for tours later this year. Follow the hashtag #MBInspirationHome on Instagram for sneak peeks, progress updates and tour information.

Join Our Email List Get the latest in fashion, food, art, homes, history and events delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for our email list at mobilebaymag.com.

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 11

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EXTRAS | ODDS & ENDS

October Treats text by MB EDITORIAL STAFF

IT’S GOOD! Today’s goalpost design, proposed in 1967 as the “slingshot goalpost,” was a vast improvement over the “H design,” which sat on two legs at the goal line. Designer Joel Rottman, a retired magazine distributor and part-time inventor, came up with the idea while eating a steak lunch and noticing the prongs on his fork.

STINGY JACK A drunkard of Irish folklore who bargains with the devil and is doomed to roam the Earth with only a hollowed turnip to light his way. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern.”

GRAVEYARD OR CEMETERY? “Cemetery” refers to a large burial ground, typically not associated with a church, while a “graveyard” is typically smaller than a cemetery and is often located on a church’s property.

“The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears and score your points when you get the opportunity.”

42.7

Percentage of surveyors who say they eat the narrow white part of a piece of candy corn first.

INDIGO BUNTING

– Lewis Grizzard

1,300 The number of known bat species worldwide, according to National Geographic.

One of the many species of birds passing through the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary this month. The bunting migrates at night and can navigate by the stars. october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 13

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FOOD | THE DISH

Bite of the Bay MB’s contributing food fanatics share their go-to local dishes.

PELICAN’S NEST BREAKFAST PLATTER AT JULWIN’S RESTAURANT “I had the egg prepared over medium and nestled into a slice of Texas toast, which had the perfect buttery consistency. The bacon, which has a unique taste, is the perfect side to blend with this dish, and perhaps any dish. Speaking of sides, the pancakes (which are huge!) are the best I have tasted in a while. To top it all off, the service is attentive and friendly.”

SUNTREASE WILLIAMS MAYNARD, Special Counsel, Adams & Reese LLP

JULWIN’S RESTAURANT • 411 FAIRHOPE AVE., FAIRHOPE • 990-9372 • FACEBOOK.COM/ JULWINS

BRIAN P. BRITT, Attorney, Kopesky & Britt LLC and Fairhope Title Services, LLC

KUNG PAO CHICKEN AT DRAGONFLY “One of my favorite dishes around Fairhope is the Kung Pao chicken bowl from Dragonfly Foodbar. The menu has been updated over the years, but luckily this bowl has stuck around. The combination of fried basmati rice, carrots, edamame, peanut glaze, a fried egg and fresh jalapeño slices (for just the right amount of heat) always hits the spot. ” DRAGONFLY FOODBAR • 7 S CHURCH ST., FAIRHOPE • 990-5722

KIM KELLY, Owner, Sophiella Gallery

COMBO APPETIZER AT JERUSALEM CAFE “My husband and I regularly brave the traffic on Airport and head to the Jerusalem Cafe. I’ve enjoyed many of the savory entrees on the menu, but time and again I return to the combo appetizer for a little taste of several made-from-scratch offerings: hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves, along with a salad tossed in a citrus vinaigrette (available to take home). And we always polish the meal off with pistachio baklava.”

JERUSALEM CAFE • 4715 AIRPORT BLVD.

“Most of our downtown restaurants are open in some capacity, and all of them could use a little (or a lot) more business. Most are offering both indoor and outdoor seating, and of course, takeout is still a great option!”

- Carol Hunter, Downtown Mobile Alliance

304-1155 • JERUSALEM-CAFE.COM

 What dishes made you drool and left you hungry for more? Share them on our Facebook page! october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 15

FUN & GAMES STAYING IN IS THE NEW GOING OUT, AND GAME NIGHT WITH THE FAMILY OR SMALL GROUPS OF FRIENDS CAN BRING BIG LAUGHS AND TONS OF FUN — RIGHT WHEN WE NEED IT MOST. text by MAGGIE LACEY photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU

A

lthough we might be going out a bit less right now and gathering in smaller groups than ever, we still need a feel-good time and a belly laugh as much as ever. Enter game night. Whether with the kids or just another couple, some friendly competition will spice up an otherwise lackluster Friday night. It’s time to turn off the screens and gather around the family table for some old-fashioned fun.

We’ve rounded up the best games for kids of any age, grown-ups or any combination of the two you can pull together. A little face-toface, personal interaction does wonders for our souls! Some ENGAGE THE of these games allow even the BIG KIDS youngest kids to be on an even playing field with adults, and APPLES TO APPLES Just deal the cards and you’re they’ll think that’s super cool. ready to play; no complicated Just tell them you let them win! rules to memorize here. It’s as Get the snacks ready and pull simple as comparing … you get the classics out of the attic — it. Bonus — it works for any number of players. or pop into a local toy store for CATAN something you’ve never played.

This addictive game centers It’s time for game night. MB

GAMES FOR LITTLE KIDS CANDYLAND There’s something sweet about sharing a walk through the peppermint forest as you introduce a new generation to this classic game. Kids learn basic board game skills like taking turns, counting spaces and drawing cards.

TWISTER Stretch, bend, contort and giggle in this game that throws all social distancing (far) out the window. Your kiddos will end up on the floor in a heap of laughter as they attempt to stretch the right hand to red over somebody else’s head.

CHUTES AND LADDERS A tried-and-true board game that will excite your preschoolers while building their counting skills, all without requiring them to be able to read.

YETI IN MY SPAGHETTI A silly game for ages 4 and up where players remove the plastic spaghetti noodles perched on the edge of the bowl one-by-one until the yeti falls.

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around the mission “trade, build, settle,” as you develop land and form a civilization.

Best played with 3 - 4 players, you can play for as short or long as you like. Staying engaged, however, isn’t a problem.

CLUE Was it Professor Plum in the library with the revolver?

Murder, intrigue and a parent’s nostalgia for the 1985 dark comedy film make this fun for everyone.

AXIS AND ALLIES History comes alive as five major world powers compete for supremacy as each player plans their attack, resolves conflicts and manages a war-time economy.

TELESTRATIONS Grandma might remember the old-fashioned game called telephone, but think of this as telephone in drawing form! While reviewers say you don’t have to be a good artist to play, part of the fun is ribbing the other players for their terrible drawing — and guessing— skills.

CRANIUM Hilarious tasks and challenges await as each player makes their way around the board of this game for ages 16 and up.

Show off your skills at singing, drawing, sketching, whistling and more.

CHOCOLATE CHAI POPCORN SERVES 6

2 TABLESPOONS COCONUT SUGAR 1 TABLESPOON COCOA POWDER 1 TEASPOON CINNAMON 1 TEASPOON CARDAMOM 1 TEASPOON GROUND GINGER 1/2 TEASPOON NUTMEG 1 TEASPOON SEA SALT 1/3 CUP COCONUT OIL 1/2 CUP POPCORN KERNELS 1. Combine all dry seasonings in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat with one kernel of popcorn. Once that kernel pops, add the rest of the popcorn and cover with a lid.

Cook until most of the kernels have popped, shaking the pot vigorously once or twice to prevent burning.

3. Once the popping has slowed, remove from heat. Sprinkle with seasonings and stir to coat. Let cool, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container until serving.

THIS CHOCOLATE CHAI POPCORN IS FALL IN A BOWL — WARM SPICES AND A SALTY, SWEET MIX OF SEASONINGS MAKES IT IRRESISTIBLE.

Below The kids play Apples to Apples and munch on snacks. Bamboo napkins from Living Well, Fairhope.

HOME | ENTERTAINING WHO KNEW? CLUE HAS COME OUT WITH A “DOWNTON ABBEY” VERSION WHERE PLAYERS HELP MR. CARSON FIND STOLEN VALUABLES. TRY SAYING “WHODUNIT, M’LADY” IN YOUR BEST BRITISH ACCENT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE!

GIVE THE GROWN-UPS A TURN

RUMMY ALMONDS MAKES 4 CUPS

TRIVIAL PURSUIT Test your knowledge of geography, entertainment, history, arts and literature, science and nature, and sports and leisure with the “genus” edition, or grab one of the later editions that focus on a specific theme or time period, like “Star Wars,” the 1980s or Baby Boomers.

1/4 CUP BUTTER 3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR 1/4 CUP DARK RUM 1 TABLESPOON HOT SAUCE (OR TO TASTE) 1/2 TEASPOON GARLIC POWDER 1 1/2 TEASPOONS SALT 4 CUPS RAW ALMONDS 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place all ingredients except almonds in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add almonds and stir until coated, and then pour onto prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread out the hot almonds and sauce.

3. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container until serving.

MONOPOLY The ultimate game of capitalism pits one budding developer against another in a game that can last all night and end in someone’s total ruin ... unless they suddenly inherit an annuity and get to pass “go” and collect $200!

We’ve got dibs on the horse.

Above A grown-up game of dominoes goes well with cocktails and spicy rum almonds. Gold and lucite dominoes and straw coasters from Living Well, Fairhope.

GAMES LIKE PICK-UP STICKS (BELOW), JENGA, DOMINOES AND DICE ARE OLD-FASHIONED CHOICES THAT NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE.

CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY A self-described “party game for horrible people,” this question-and-answer card game gives you the chance to be as creatively ridiculous as possible. Don’t even think about playing if you’re easily offended or dislike sexual jokes and potty humor.

PICTIONARY Beat the timer as teammates draw images and guess words and phrases in hopes of making it down the board before their opponents.

CATCH PHRASE This handheld electronic game prompts any of 5,000 words or phrases. Just get your teammate to guess it by giving descriptive clues before time runs out.

BEER PONG The traditional game of “I sink it, you drink it” can extend beyond the frat house and make for Sunday afternoon fun with friends.

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GUMBO | OBSERVATIONS

HOW TO BUILD A FOOTBALL

STADIUM University of South Alabama Athletic Director Joel Erdmann walks us through the ultimate DIY project: Hancock Whitney Stadium. Here is his step-by-step guide on how to build your own football field.

1

STEP

START WITH A

BUDGET

It’s going to take about $75 million to $80 million to build your 25,500-capacity stadium, and to secure those kinds of funds, you’ll have to rally community support. “We had to really talk to people about what the value of this facility was going to be,” says

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text by STEPHEN POTTS

Erdmann of their fundraising pitch. “Not just for the sport of football, and not just for athletics, but for the continued development of this campus, which for the past 20 years has been staggering. A lot of people put their arms around it and saw it as a worthy,

justifiable thing to support.

Whether it’s a moderate-size gift or a gift of multimillion dollars, they all matter, they all count.” It also helps to have the backing of someone like local businessman/philanthropist Abe Mitchell, for whom the field is named.

STEP

2

DRAW IT UP

Erdmann and his team visited approximately 10 stadiums and spoke to everyone involved in their constructions. They took the components from each and inserted them into their vision for the stadium. “We continually focused on the experience of the student-athletes and the experience of the fans. At that time it became very clear that stadiums are no longer just elevated seating where people come to games and sit. A growing number of fans prefer to be social in nature. Stadiums nationally were shrinking in capacity and growing in areas of socialization and hospitality. And so that was a point of emphasis right out of the box,” Erdmann says. “Within the stadium, there are seven distinct areas that are designed for people that want to be around other people and hang out and have fun.”

You’re also going to need some space — somewhere around TK acres for the stadium, plus TK more for parking. When determining how to situate the field, you’ll want to make sure it runs north/south. Put the home team on the east sideline so the sun will be at their backs (and therefore in the visiting players’ faces).

Erdmann suggests two areas where you do not want to scrimp: video and audio technology, and catering and concessions.

The scoreboard is approximately 100 feet wide by 38 feet high, and the HD quality is as good as any NFL stadium. The entire sound, video and support structure package will cost you around $5 million, but it will be worth it. “We knew we needed a ‘wow’ factor with the video board. That’s what fans expect,” Erdmann says.

The kitchen needs to be able to serve the club, the suites, the press row and all the concessions around the stadium.

It’ll run you another $1 million, but you’ll certainly recoup your investment after a few post-COVID games.

STEP

3

STEP

LINE UP YOUR CREW

“We’re very fortunate to have an extremely sophisticated and robust facilities division under the umbrella of the university. Randy Moon (Associate VP, Facilities Management) and his crew really built this place. Randy’s the man,” Erdmann says. “They coordinated all the bids for the various buildings and all the components of the stadium. So we didn’t have to pay a builder. We were also able to sharpen the pencil. We have great renovation crews that could do all the drywall, electrical, etc. Our guys built all the restrooms and concession stands. We just racked up savings through our internal skilled workers, and that’s really what got us here.”

When you factor in that USA crews handle all the landscaping and a lot of the parking lots, Erdmann estimates that, in total, they were able get a stadium that would normally cost around $120 million to $125 million for a little under $80 million.

4

START DIGGING

Over TK tons of dirt were excavated from the site, with the first shovel going in the ground in August of 2018.

You’ll want to go with a synthetic rubber turf — it may be a little hotter but the lack of maintenance is worth the TK price tag. You can even paint it with different logos in case you want to host other events like the Senior Bowl.

The lower seating is on a concrete base — very sturdy, very durable. It should be good for another 150 years.

The remaining seating is on raised steel. The stadium was built with an eye toward the future.

“One of the things we worked hard at was, okay it’s going to be 2020, but what are we going to need in 2030, ‘40 and ’50? We wanted to make sure we were building in a way that would allow us to expand without having to blow a bunch of stuff up,” Erdmann says. “The press tower is designed and built to be expanded. To enhance the capacity, there’s a lot of room in the concourse, where an upper deck can be added.

So we can go to a capacity of 30,000 or 40,000 without having to tear the place up. All we’d have to do is move the light poles which, in the great scheme of things, is very minimal.”

It will take you about two years, but eventually you’ll be ready to host your very own college football game. MB

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FOOD | TASTINGS

The Ice Box Bar text by BRECK PAPPAS • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU

T

here are few places as dark and inhospitable as the inside of a freezer. But at the Ice Box Bar, the one-time site of Mobile’s historic Crystal Ice Factory, that simple truth is flipped completely on its head.

“We wanted to plop a bar inside the freezer room without changing much,” says owner and developer Taylor Atchison. “So we left the condenser and as much of the freezer walls and panels as we could.”

Atchison, known throughout Mobile for his dynamic restorations of historic properties (think Marine Street Lofts, Old Shell Lofts), fell in love with the former ice factory at first sight. After struggling to find tenants for the Monroe Street property, he decided to pursue his own business concept, a first for the developer. He recruited Stoney Boatman (above), a veteran of the Mobile bar scene, to be his general manager, and the pair went to work on developing a concept. “Our goal was just to be a small neighborhood bar that offers an indoor-outdoor feel,” Atchison says, arms on the white quartz bar. “We wanted to be a daytime, airy neighborhood spot.”

When it came to creating a drink menu, Boatman says he “really

wanted to do something that was three steps above a dive bar and three steps below a craft bar” — in other words, quality drinks that can be churned out quickly. Staying true to its icy history, the bar also offers an extensive frozen cocktail menu, which can be enjoyed in a new outdoor area complete with rope swings, and food trucks serve peckish patrons from Thursday to Sunday.

The interior is trendy with an industrial edge: bare-bulb light fixtures, a mammoth sliding freezer door, metal rafters. Original Crystal Ice signage and historic photos serve as an homage to the room’s unique past. Eclectic artwork adds to the playful atmosphere, and of course, there are the games. “I love a game,” Atchison says, pointing out the bumper pool, darts, giant Jenga, horseshoes and ping-pong table on the former loading dock. “We have such a diverse crowd of customers,” Boatman adds, “and the game aspect kind of gets people interacting.”

With room to expand, Atchison says he has some surprises up his sleeve. In the meantime, stop by Monroe Street and take a cue from the sign over the dartboard: “Have an ice day.” MB

 The Ice Box Bar • 755 Monroe St. • theiceboxbar.com • 2 p.m. - 11 p.m. T - F; 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. Sa & Su; closed M 22 mobilebaymag.com | october 2020

FOOD | TASTINGS

[ ON THE MENU ]

THE TOWNSEND This play on a 1920s hangover cure is a strained blend of bourbon, London Dry Gin, simple syrup and sweetened lime juice.

SALTY CHIHWAHWAH While most are familiar with the “salty dog” cocktail — made with vodka, grapefruit juice and a salted rim — this tequila version requires a south-of-the-border name alteration.

ICE BOX BULLDOG Think “white Russian meets vanilla.” Coffee liqueur, half and half, and vanilla vodka poured over ice and topped with Abita Root Beer? What’s Russian for “yes, please?”

THE QUIN-LIVIN This concoction, an homage to the Quinlivan family of Crystal Ice Co., is a light and sweet mix of lime, simple syrup, Jameson, soda water and lemon lime soda.

SALTY CHIHWAHWAH THE TOWNSEND

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FOOD | BAY TABLES

Finding the Backcountry in our Backyard An outdoor enthusiast — and adventure gear expert — leads locals on Saturday hikes down the Gulf Coast’s best trails, and invites MB along for a cookout afterwards. text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU • shot on location at LANGAN PARK

Garrett Smith and wife Natalie, a Gulfport native, take a load off in a Yukon Outfitters hammock under the pines.

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 25

Y

ou can spot him from across the parking lot. Garrett Smith walks with a long, easy stride, his slightly shaggy hair and strawberry blond beard are the dead giveaway that you’ve met the man behind Red Beard’s Outfitter, Mobile’s outdoor adventure supplier. But if that didn’t clue you in, the hiking boots, rugged apparel and high-tech backpack would have made it clear. A 2-year-old pops her head around the side of the backpack carrier, thrilled that her dad is taking her for a hike on this crisp, early fall afternoon.

Smith’s adventure resume is long and impressive, with extended stints on the Appalachian Trail, in the heart of Alaskan backcountry and down The Long Trail in Vermont, America’s oldest long-distance trail.

During that trek through Vermont, he tagged along with a hiking buddy one night to a stranger’s birthday cookout at the top of Mount Mansfield. He ended up marrying the birthday girl three years later. Turns out he had to go 1,500 miles north to meet a girl from the Gulf Coast.

Now Smith, wife Natalie, daughter Hart and countless friends and customers (who have now become friends) gather on weekends to hike locally. The scenery may be a little flatter and the trails a little shorter, but the experience is just as memorable.

“There is a lot of wild space down here, you just have to change your mindset a little bit,” Smith explains as he prepares to light a small camping stove to brew some Carpe Diem coffee for the group of hikers.

“Colorado and Alaska have these huge vistas, sure, but here the trail might dump out on a sandbar in the middle of nowhere, and you’re the only one on that creek.” Sharing the bountiful outdoor opportunities of our area with south Alabama residents is a true passion for him.

Smith spent years exploring Fowl River and its surroundings as a kid. But unlike most nature enthusiasts, he has found a way to make a living at it as a grown-up. His store supplies packs, ropes, shirts and shoes — anything needed to conquer peaks, rappel down canyons or explore the Delta. The store is as much a place to share the anticipation of an adventure or recount the triumphs of the trail as it is a place to make a retail transaction. And that’s what pushed Smith to open the store in 2016. This mild-mannered man is a true people person. “I met some of my very best friends on the trail,” he says, remembering how he ended up hiking 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail with a guy he met on the

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Top Garrett Smith takes daughter Hart for a hike through the south Alabama pines in comfort and style in their Deuter backpack. Bottom Friends and customers join in on Red Beard’s monthly hikes. Left to right: David Deshauteurs with daughter Abigail and wife LaSarah, Natalie’s mother, Beverly Smith, and friend Laura McGehee.

CHICKEN AND RICE WITH BLACK BEANS

HAMBURGER STEAK SKILLET CASSEROLE MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions 2 (8-ounce) packages baby portobello mushrooms, quartered 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed French onion soup 1 cup beef broth 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 (24-ounce) bags frozen mashed potatoes, such as Ore-Ida Steam N’ Mash 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups whole milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

HAMBURGER STEAK SKILLET CASSEROLE

1. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add beef, onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, stirring until beef is browned and crumbly and vegetables are tender, approximately 6 minutes. Add flour to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add tomato, soup, broth, 1 cup parsley, vinegar and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Preheat oven to broil. Prepare potatoes according to package directions.

In a large bowl, stir together cooked potatoes, cheese, milk and butter until smooth. Spoon mashed potatoes over ground beef mixture.

3. Broil until topping is golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.

Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 27

second night. The two became lifelong friends. “When you’re out there in the woods, sitting around a campfire — it’s caveman TV — you just sit around and talk. So in those short periods of trail time, I got to know some people better than others I had known for 10 years.”

And when asked if he’d ever like to conquer the A.T. again, he says he’s not so sure. “The trail is part of it, but also what creates that experience is the people that you’re with. That’s what it was all about for me. It was the first time I had really hung out with people from above the Mason-Dixon line, and so it was just a really eye-opening and interesting experience. To go back would just be something completely different.” For now, he is content with Hart on his back, hiking the sandy paths along the Gulf of Mexico and making new local friends as he goes. MB Below Natalie Smith lightens up the meal by pairing a shredded Brussels sprout salad with her hearty cast iron recipes.

RECIPE NOTES Garrett and Natalie shared recipes meant to give the feel of a cookout in the great outdoors from the comfort of your backyard. These recipes could be cooked at home and then transported by car to your next outdoor adventure! Just cover with foil and head to your cookout spot, then warm over the campfire. For the more adventurous backcountry cook, all recipes can be prepared al fresco and cooked over the coals with a lid— just refer to online campfire guides for hot coal how-tos with time and temperature advice.

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MOBILE BOTANICAL GARDEN’S LONGLEAF PINE TREASURE FOREST The perfect destination to find nature in your backyard, this 35-acre natural parkland is one of the last remaining longleaf stands within the city of Mobile. Managed with controlled burns and efforts to remove invasive species, the forest is now home to almost 250 types of plants, including countless wildflowers, and offers almost three miles of walking trails. It was designated a “Treasure Forest” by the Alabama Forestry Commission in 2010.

Red Beard’s Outfitter offers free monthly trips to local trails where you can enjoy the outdoors with likeminded folks from our area.

Hint: They also offer free yoga and running groups weekly! Visit their Facebook page for details.

Top right Natalie Smith leads the group down the trail. Bottom left USA student Allie Corum and Springhill College student Ashleigh Kerr, both of whom work at Red Beard’s, take a time out for frisbee.

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S’MORES CRUMBLE MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Everybody loves s’mores, but this easy one-pan option is perfect for those times you can’t get to a bonafide campfire. All the flavors you love combine into one delicious crumble!

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 cup old-fashioned oats 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups marshmallows, halved crosswise 2 (4-ounce) semisweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped melted chocolate, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add oat mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined.

3. Firmly press two-thirds of crumble mixture into bottom of prepared skillet. Top with marshmallows and chocolate. Sprinkle with remaining crumble mixture.

4. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 24 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with melted chocolate, if desired.

Top left LaSarah Deshauteurs takes a water break.

Bottom left Smith brings dessert to the campfire.

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CHICKEN AND RICE WITH BLACK BEANS MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 pounds) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 cup chopped red onion 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 4 cloves garlic, smashed 1/2 jalape単o pepper, chopped 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed 3 cups chicken broth 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice hot sauce, sliced radish and jalape単o, for garnish

1. In a large bowl, toss chicken with salt, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over mediumhigh heat. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, approximately 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and wipe skillet clean.

2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat.

Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalape単o.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add rice, stirring to combine. Cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, approximately 20 minutes.

3. Stir in beans, cilantro and lime juice.

Garnish with hot sauce, radish and jalape単o, if desired.

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PEOPLE | BAY LIFE

High on the Hog Hunter Brad Elliott shares the dos — and don’ts — of hunting feral pigs in the swamplands of Alabama. text by BR AD ELLIOTT

I

don’t pretend to be the authority on hog hunting, but I’ve done my fair share of quiet creeping through the swamp, inching toward a sounder through the kind of mud that grabs hold of your boots and doesn’t let go.

In all honesty, hog hunting is very good for the ego because it’s not that difficult. But that definitely doesn’t mean my track record is free of embarrassing blunders. One day, I was sitting in a ladder stand deer hunting, and I saw a bunch of hogs move across the clear cut. They were too far for me to shoot, so I decided to go looking for them. I walked down in the bottom and saw one or two of them as they ran off in the direction of a cane thicket. I followed the path they cut, and all of a sudden it was like Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” hog edition. I found myself in cane about 10 feet tall, and I couldn’t get out.

Hogs were everywhere, running all around me and going crazy. It felt like I was walking on top of hogs trying to get out of there. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. They were running in all directions, and I was just trying to get away. They were squealing, I was yelling. I was running, they were running. I didn’t know which way to go — all of the cane looked the same!

No hogs were killed that day, but my pride was hurt a little bit.

They’re called feral hogs, but these aren’t simply pigs that have escaped from local farms. It has been reported that explorer Hernando de Soto brought the first pigs to North America on his 1539 expedition. Over a three-year period (and a journey of 3,100 miles) many of those pigs either escaped into the wild, were gifted to Native Americans or were left in our neck of the woods to provide de Soto’s men a pork dinner on their inevitable return south. It didn’t take long for the animals to proliferate, and today, at least 23 states have wild hog populations. It’s crazy to think that the hogs I’m hunting are the direct descendants of those de Soto pigs.

Many people don’t realize how much of a threat hogs pose

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to the environment. First of all, they’re omnivorous, meaning that their endless appetite for both plants and animals can disrupt entire food chains. When they aren’t rooting up acres of forest floor, they’re preying on turtles, fawns, and the eggs of many birds and reptiles. Secondly, their rate of reproduction is astounding; a sow (female) can become pregnant at just 6 months old, and pig populations can double in just four months. Causing an estimated $800 million of agricultural damage each year in the United States, pigs have also been called the most destructive animal in Alabama.

To curb these destructive tendencies, there exists no bag limit or season for hogs in the state of Alabama. Because of this, hog hunting is a pretty casual, guilt-free excursion.

Until my wife and I moved to Mobile in 2006, I had never even seen a wild hog.

I grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina, and primarily considered myself a bird hunter. Ducks are still my favorite thing to hunt because, like hog hunting, you only have to keep quiet for a short period of time.

Most people I know will tell you how much I like to talk.

For the most part, hog hunting for me is a by-product of other hunts. If you aren’t having luck with the deer or ducks or squirrels, you always have hogs to fall back on. I was introduced to hog hunting via deer hunting.

When I first started hunting deer in Mobile, not killing hogs was very hard. It can be a bit slow sitting in a green field waiting for deer, so when hogs come out, you’re immediately tempted to shoot them. The thing is, if you shoot the hogs, your deer hunt is typically over because you’ve completely exposed your position. It’s still an inner battle I have with myself whenever I’m deer hunting — whether or not to shoot the hogs. Because in the end, it’s better than not getting to shoot anything, which is how a lot of deer hunts go.

That said, sometimes we do go out looking for hogs. In that case, I would take an allLeft Dressed and ready for a hog hunt. From left to right: Garner Jeffery, Brad Elliott and Palmer Whiting. PHOTO COURTESY BRAD ELLIOTT

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 33

terrain vehicle that can navigate the swamp between the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers, near Carlton, Alabama. This swampland can go completely underwater due to flooding.

Some pigs make it to higher ground, some survive by floating on logs but many drown during those periods of high water, when one or both of the rivers are above significant flood stage. In fact, the population seems to fluctuate drastically based on how many floods we have in a given year.

It’s important to have a large area to hunt because you might have to cover some ground. We ride down logging roads or whatever roads are available until we come across some hogs. That’s when you stop, get quiet and listen for them to run. They have very short bursts of energy, so once you spook them, they run really fast for a small period of time before stopping and getting really still to try and see you. You don’t chase them when they’re running because you will never catch them. You want them to run and stop as quickly as possible so that you can then sneak up on them.

They’re very near-sighted, so they can’t see very well, and if you move slowly enough, you can get surprisingly close. That said, they’re smart and extremely instinctive animals with an amazing sense of smell. If I’m hunting with a group of people, everybody spreads out and inches their way forward to get a good shot.

Believe me, the meat does not go to waste; if I’m not taking pork home with me, someone else at the hunting camp is. It’s a very lean meat — not like the pork most of us are used to. If cooking a shoulder or ham from a wild hog, it’s a good idea to wrap it in bacon to keep the meat from drying out too quickly. It’s not hard to blame somebody for preferring store-bought pork. That reminds me of the time that one of my friends was on a hunt, and the hogs ran into a thicket. I guess he drew the short straw because it was somehow decided that he would be the one to enter the thicket to flush the hogs out.

They have some sharp teeth, and I know better than most people about the dangers of walking into a thicket full of hogs. He turned around and said, “Can’t we just go to Piggly Wiggly and buy us a ham?”

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“IF YOU AREN’T HAVING LUCK WITH THE DEER OR DUCKS OR SQUIRRELS, YOU ALWAYS HAVE HOGS TO FALL BACK ON.” – Brad Elliott

Female hogs are the best to eat. Boar hogs produce andosterone (a male sex hormone) and skatole (a digestive by-product), the combination of which leads to something called “boar taint,” an unpleasant odor and taste. For this reason, some hunters will trap and castrate boar hogs before releasing them back into the swamp. Following castration, these “barrow” hogs, often marked by a notch on the ear, will not produce the chemicals responsible for boar taint, resulting in a bettertasting meat. Not to mention, boar testicles are considered by many to be a backwoods delicacy — I’ll just take their word for it.

Besides being a high-adrenaline and entertaining, yet casual, hunt, hog hunting has been a great way to introduce my kids to the woods. My wife and I have four children, two boys and two girls, and they get just as excited about hog hunting as they do about deer, duck or turkey hunting. It’s great to watch them learn the art of stalking an animal, staying disciplined enough to quietly creep up close enough to get a shot. It’s the perfect opportunity to get them outside when nothing else is in season, and they can each tell you the exact number of hogs they’ve killed.

It’s also a good teaching opportunity about the ethics of hunting and the importance of managing an invasive species. They might not yet realize what a special place this part of the world is, but their father does, and he’s working on teaching them.

He’ll also warn them about those cane thickets. MB Brad Elliott is an avid outdoorsman and hunter.

He lives in Mobile with his wife Kimberly and their four children. MB contributor Breck Pappas assisted with this story.

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 35

MARC PELHAM WAGARVILLE, ALABAMA

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AMONG THE PINES text by BRECK PAPPAS photos by MATTHEW COUGHLIN

A

n hour north of Mobile, in Washington County, Marc Pelham lays his hands on the bark of a loblolly pine and gazes up at its canopy. The trunk is tall and straight, he says, with minimal tapering as it ascends — a prime candidate for a future transmission pole.

Pelham is pleased with this tree and for good reason. A transmission pole could fetch more than $100 a ton at the sawmill, while a crooked, knotty tree might pay $7 by the ton at the pulp mill. It begs the question, “What’s the secret to growing a transmission pole?”

“If you figure it out,” he says, “let me know.”

The 64-year-old Pelham lives in Mobile but drives his truck up Highway 43 about twice a week to monitor 6,000 acres of family land, spread across St. Stephens, Wagarville and McIntosh. His grandfather was born in St. Stephens in 1886 and, over the course of a lifetime, accumulated the timberland that Pelham manages today. As a boy, Pelham learned to read the woods by tagging along behind his grandparents.

He says there are many others like him — property owners overseeing the timbered legacies of their ancestors — and the result is often a deeply personal connection to the land. Pelham’s father, who managed the forest for several years before handing it off to his son, was buried in a casket built with lumber harvested from the acres he once tended.

But Pelham’s tenure as the property’s caretaker hasn’t been easy. An overabundance of timber across the South, combined with years of depressed demand, has crushed timber prices, dashing the hopes of thou-

sands of landowners who planted pine trees 30 years ago with dreams of retirement savings or college funds. In fact, the current price of Southern pine is about half of what it was 20 years ago.

The reality is especially dire for smaller landowners, who find themselves at the mercy of whatever the nearest mill is paying.

In some cases, a harvest might not even be worth the trouble after adding up the expenses of logging, hauling and replanting.

Pelham, on the other hand, has enough acreage to allow him some flexibility in his approach.

“I was never in a position like some people where I had to decide to buy timberland and think of it as an investment that I was october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 37

going to need at some point in the future.

It was more like, ‘Now it’s your turn. Take care of it for the family … and maximize the long-term value for everyone involved.’”

Stumped The 2018 Wall Street Journal article “Thousands of Southerners Planted Trees for Retirement. It Didn’t Work,” largely pinned today’s timber woes on a late 1980s federal program that incentivized the planting of trees and thus created a glut of timber decades later.

But Barrett McCall, president / owner of the Mobile-headquartered Larson & McGowin Forest Managers and Consultants, says that’s far from the whole story.

Headquartered on the corner of Dauphin and Florida streets, Larson & McGowin has offices across five Southern states, offering comprehensive forestry services to a range of clients, from individual landowners to large

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foundations. McCall points out that the state has gained as much as 2.3 million forest acres over the past 65 years.

“That’s additional inventory, so that’s factor number one. And it’s kind of sped up a little bit by government investment.”

More notable is that silviculture, the science of growing trees, has made tremendous strides in the past half century. A better understanding of tree genetics, hybridization and improvements in the quality of seedlings has produced trees that are growing faster and better.

“The big number that we look at is growth over removal,” McCall explains.

“And we’re probably growing one and a half times what we’re harvesting. That’s pretty significant.”

The other major factor is the technology of sawmills. Highly computerized mills, with the assistance of speed lasers, are able to better

measure a log in order Above left Marc to reduce the amount Pelham uses a drone to scout for of waste created after potential afflictions it’s cut. In other words, to his trees in mills have become far Washington County.

Above right more efficient.

Pelham says that “And so, for the 90 percent of the number of trees they trees he plants are receive at the mill, loblolly pines. they’re actually able to produce more wood than they were 20 years ago.”

Those three factors, McCall summarizes, have resulted in the current major oversupply of timber. “And that just makes the prices go down.”

And then there’s the demand aspect. Before the housing crash in 2008, Americans were building roughly 2 million homes a year. When that number dropped to 1 million, and the demand for lumber slackened,

it created a supply imbalance that, in some places, still exists. Some professionals estimate that, even with a rebounding housing market, 25 years’ worth of softwood supply remains in the Southeast.

Exacerbating the issue is the fact that more and more young people are deciding to live in high-rise city apartments than buy or build homes. “And so our household creation number is lagging behind the population demographic, so we’ve got this pent-up demand, maybe. Folks who would normally be getting married and having kids at 28 are getting married and having kids at 35,” McCall says.

The question becomes, “What should a landowner with a crush of maturing trees do?” The answer for many is to leave the tree on the stump and let it grow.

“A lot of landowners, when the market went down, said, ‘We’re just going to wait for the market to recover,’” McCall says.

“And it really didn’t. And so you end up with this big slug of inventory … the average tree size is going up, and the backlog is going up.”

Leaving a tree to grow while waiting for better prices also invites a slew of risks. The Southern pine beetle can leave swaths of dead trees in its wake. A wildfire can wipe away decades of toil in minutes, and as trees age, they become more susceptible to disease. And, of course, there are hurricanes.

“A tall, 70-year-old pine tree can be turned into $150 of pulpwood by a hurricane,” Pelham says.

The short answer is that every landowner is different. “We’ll kind of talk to them about a couple of different things,” McCall says. “You know, what’s their objective here?

Are they looking to … maintain their forest in a healthy manner and not necessarily maximize return? That’s one set of recommendations versus someone who says, ‘No, this is really an investment that I need to maximize my return on.’”

Again, smaller landowners are especially feeling the sting. “We’ll typically tell a landowner to hedge a little bit — let’s sell some and keep some. The smaller the landowner you are, the more difficult it is to do that because of the economics of harvesting. You really need to be harvesting 40, 80 acres to make a timber sale economically viable.

Because you’ve got to offer enough volume to the logger to make it attractive enough to move their equipment in and do the work.

A smaller landowner tends to have to be a little bit more speculative on the market.”

With the benefit of acreage and an eye on the long term, Pelham’s focus these days is mostly maintenance — the routine thinning of timber stands and addressing problems of disease and insects. Some landowners have sought other avenues to squeeze revenue from their forests: selling pine straw or leasing woodland during hunting season.

“Almost everybody leases hunting land,” Pelham says. “There’s an old saying that all of your timberland is hunted, so you should try to have most of it leased. It’s not a significant income generator, but the value to me, and to a lot of landowners, is having somebody on the property throughout the entire hunting season that can catch problems. If there’s a fire, if there’s some beetle damage, if there’s some invasive species that’s taking hold in a certain area, they can contact me and let me know.”

Looking on the Bright Side Despite this era of low prices, the story for southwest Alabama is that things could be much worse.

“We happen to sit in one of the top four timber markets in the country,” McCall says, noting that we simply have more mills at our disposal than many Southerners. Canfor Southern Pine, formerly Scotch Gulf Lumber, in particular has been a source of stability in the region for generations.

“Southwest Alabama is a pretty good place to be,” McCall concludes. “It’s not a coincidence that we’re headquartered here.”

Walter Tutt is the founder of Tutt Land Company, a full-service real estate and land management company based in Thomaston, Alabama. Tutt says he’s encouraged by the continuing construction of mills throughout the state, namely in Demopolis and Thomasville.

“Both of these mills will combine to add additional demand for our pine sawtimber products, and this is great news for all of the pine growers in this region.”

The most recent obstacle facing land-

owners is COVID-19, which led to a few temporary mill closures just as timber prices were beginning to see an uptick.

“This has created an oversupply of pulpwood, pine and hardwood, thus lowering the demand and consequently lowering the stumpage pricing,” Tutt explains.

In late August, Gov. Kay Ivey set aside $10 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund to help stabilize Alabama’s forest industry which, Ivey noted in a press release, has an economic impact of over $23 billion and provides over 40,000 jobs.

The announcement is welcome news to Alabama landowners, such as Pelham.

Looking ahead at the years to come, he knows such assistance will help his overall goal of passing on a healthy stand of pine to a fourth generation.

“Wood is a commodity that will always have many, many uses,” he says. “Now there’s been a blip because of COVID and the recession associated with that. A lot of people

“SOUTHWEST ALABAMA IS A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO BE. IT’S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT WE’RE HEADQUARTERED HERE.” – Barrett McCall, President / Owner of Larson & McGowin

are staying home, but they’re not sitting idle.

They’re remodeling their houses and that’s generating a lot of demand for lumber. Ultimately, that demand will flow back through the value chain to the landowner who sells the timber.”

In the meantime, Pelham is content with his role as caretaker of the family woodlands, a duty that is as rewarding as it is challenging.

“It’s a wonderful activity. I love going to the woods. It can be a lucrative activity as well, but I wouldn’t ever suggest that someone think they’re going to make a big killing in it quickly. It’s not a hedge fund and it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s almost more of a — kind of a lifestyle.” MB october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 39

text by AMANDA HARTIN

THE

VERY

LONG

JOURNEY FOLLOW THE MIGRATORY FLIGHT OF AN EASTERN MONARCH, A TRIP FOUR GENERATIONS IN THE MAKING.

40 mobilebaymag.com | october 2020

T

he air is crisp in autumn. Daylight dwindles. Colors fade into soft shades of earth. Animals gather and store food. Southerners unpack chili recipes, sweaters and boots.

Even without the calendar’s glaring reminder, the change of season is evident, and it signals an inexplicable inclination to prepare for colder months. But as October and the desire to roost set in, one creature in particular is busier than ever to get out.

By the time cooler temperatures kiss the Gulf, the Eastern monarch butterfly is already halfway through its 2,500-mile journey, headed to a place it has never seen before. It’s this instinctual migration, from as far north as Canada to the isolated mountaintops of Mexico and back, that makes it one of the most studied insects.

Of the roughly 17,500 butterfly species, the monarch is also among the most recognizable, with its orange-red wings laced with black lines and edges speckled with white dots. The distinctive colors draw attention from even the most wandering eye as it flutters among flowers and grasslands. To predators, such as birds, however, the bright hues serve as a warning: monarchs are poisonous, thanks to their diet of milkweed. These butterflies have evolved to tolerate the toxic wildflower and to use the toxins to their advantage. The defense is so clever that, over time, viceroy butterflies became monarch imposters. The viceroy is nearly identical — enough to avoid being eaten — but it differs in three ways: it is smaller than a monarch, has a horizontal black line running across its hind wing and does not migrate.

The monarch is the only known butterfly that makes a two-way migration, heading south for the winter and returning north in the spring. But, as with many things in nature, there are exceptions to the rule. Not all monarchs migrate — those found in Florida, stay in Florida year-round. Of those that do migrate, not all head to Mexico. Western monarchs, those found west of the Rockies, overwinter along the southern California coast. No matter the autumnal destination, however, the purpose is the same: finding

october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 41

Left Eastern monarch butterflies sip from cool streams along the floor of the Santuario de la Mariposa Monarca el Rosario, a reserve in Michoacán, Mexico.

PHOTO BY FAIRN WHATLEY

Below During cold weather, thousands of monarchs cling to branches of oyamel fir trees, huddling together for warmth. When the temperatures rise, the butterflies burst forth and flutter around the forest.

a warm and humid place. It is all part of an incredibly orchestrated, genetic-level design, one that occurs annually and takes four generations to complete. The journey is fascinating, and it begins long before the first hint of fall.

For the Eastern monarch, it’s a story that actually starts with an end.

The Circle of Life With the coast’s first taste of spring comes millions of Eastern monarchs. They’ve spent the last five months overwintering deep within the forests of Michoacán, Mexico, and they are on the last leg of their return north. Having mated before leaving Mexico, the female has one last job to do and only one place it can be done. Before dying, each female will spend her final couple months searching for milkweed plants, on the leaves of which she will lay up to 500 eggs. From these eggs emerges the first generation of the monarch migration cycle.

This first generation will live about 30 days, all of which will be devoted to migrating north and reproducing. From these eggs the second generation is born, whose days are also numbered about a month and whose duties also include migrating and reproducing. How far north the second, and subsequently, third generations travel depends on a number of factors, including the availability of milkweed, local climate, geographic conditions and weather. About four months after the monarchs’ first spring sighting, the fourth and final generation completes its transformation from larva to chrysalis to monarch.

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By now it is late summer, and the shorter days, cooler weather and angle of the sun awaken the butterfly’s instinct to begin its journey south. It is this generation, known as the “super generation,” that will complete the thousands-mile migration. It will head to a place it has never been, but it’s the same location, the very same Mexican forests, that Eastern monarchs have traveled to for centuries.

A Sight to See — and Hear From October to March, millions of Eastern monarchs spend their time flitting through the forest canopy or clinging to oyamel fir trees located on the mountaintops of Mexico’s Trans-Volcanic Belt. To IT TAKES THE observe the sight, about 150,000 MONARCH FOUR people visit the area annually. The GENERATIONS Monarch Butterfly Biosphere ReTO COMPLETE serve and Santuario de la Mariposa MIGRATION. Monarca el Rosario are two such places to witness the phenomenon.

Teresa McCown, of Fairhope, still THE FIRST THREE recalls with wonder her 2018 trip.

GENERATIONS OF McCown had spent the morning MONARCHS LIVE traveling by bus from Mexico City ABOUT 30 DAYS to the sanctuary, horseback riding EACH. THE FOURTH halfway up the mountain, and then GENERATION, walking the rest of the way — reachCALLED THE “SUPER ing an elevation of about 11,000 feet.

GENERATION,” LIVES “It was just an amazing, incredibly ABOUT NINE MONTHS.

breathtaking experience,” she says, thinking back on being surrounded by millions of monarchs. “We were so in awe that everyone just wanted to be quiet.” The group would spend the next six hours watching the winged creatures.

“Every hour looked different,” McCown continues. “The scene changed with the climate. It wound up being around 70 degrees that day, and the monarchs were just swarming against the blue sky.”

The weather in the reserve is perfect for monarchs — it’s humid, which prevents them from drying out, and it doesn’t get too cold for too long. The cooler temperatures slow the insects’ metabolism, conserving much needed energy for their eventual return north. If the air dips below 55 degrees, butterflies are unable to move. To stay warm, tens of thousands huddle together on trees’ bark and limbs, sometimes as many as five-deep. Although the weight of a single butterfly is featherlight, their combined heft can break branches.

But when all is still and quiet and the sun’s rays warm the trees, an incredible thing happens. One by one the monarchs begin to rustle, releasing themselves from the trees and cascading down amongst the streams and floor below. Like their weight, the sound of only one butterfly is imperceptible, but the concert of millions of delicate wings flapping echoes like the whoosh of a waterfall.

“We were paralyzed with wonder,” Fairn Whatley, of Mobile, says, recalling the excitement of witnessing a “burst,” or rapid release of thousands of butterflies at once. “It was Mother Nature at her finest.” Mobilian Suzanne Damrich, also on the excursion with McCown and Whatley, likens the government-protected sanctuary to a cathedral, saying, “The sound of their angel-like wings was soothing, putting me in a very contemplative state.”

Although this overwintering site was only recently discovered and recognized — about 40 years ago — Eastern monarchs have been migrating here for centuries. Indigenous people, such as the Otomi, Mazahua and Purepechas communities, witnessed the annual flocking as early as the 13th century. Because the butterflies arrive around the time of the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” they were thought to be the souls of the deceased returning. “There is a cultural reverence among the Mexican people, one that I’ve not witnessed in the United States,” Whatley mentions of the silence that is required in the presence of monarchs.

A Life of Plight When winter melts into spring and the calendar turns to mid-March, the monarch knows it is time once again to travel. The sap from oyamel firs, which is high in sugar

and nutrients, coupled with months of BUTTERFLIES energy conservation, provide the strength CAN’T FLY IN needed for the trek north. After mating, TEMPERATURES the Eastern monarch follows the same BELOW 55 DEGREES. flyway that brought it to Mexico: up through central Texas and then east along A FEMALE MONARCH the Gulf. This path is where the fourth CAN LAY UP TO and final extraordinary generation begins 500 EGGS. its terminal months, coasting on wind drifts during the day and resting at night.

MILKWEED IS THE As another circle of life nears completion, ONLY LEAF THAT the travel-weary female has one thing on WILL SUSTAIN A her mind: searching for milkweed on CATERPILLAR. which to lay her eggs. She knows this is the only plant her larvae will eat. If no THE SIZE OF A milkweed is found, no eggs are laid. And BUTTERFLY EGG without eggs, there are no new generaIS ONLY 1/32 OF tions of monarchs.

AN INCH. Lack of milkweed is one factor at play in the monarch’s plight. Climate changes are another, as is illegal logging, specifically in areas around the reserve. In essence, this unlawful practice removes a layer of the forests’ “insulation,” exposing the roosting butterflies to extreme temperatures.

Despite numbers decreasing by the millions over the past decade, conservation efforts have kept monarch butterflies off the endangered species list — for now. Education is key, which is the goal of Damrich and Whatley’s short film, “The Mystical Migration of the Monarch,” available on YouTube. “It’s a gentle invitation back into the garden,” Damrich says of the award-winning movie the duo wrote, directed and produced.

She continues, “Our culture has gotten away from the garden, both metaphorically and literally. We’ve lost touch with the earth that supports us.” And the earth is able to sustain us because of pollinators like bees … and monarchs.

“It’s all about reciprocity,” Whatley says. “They help feed us. Do you have flowers feeding them?”

Damrich suggests planting native milkweed and nectar plants and limiting the use of pesticides when creating a butterfly garden. She adds, “Monarchs are the poster child for all pollinators. Whatever you do to restore their habitat, you’re restoring all pollinators’ habitats. Really, it’s going back to what we’ve known for generations.”

Our desire to care for the earth might sometimes lie in a stream of subconsciousness, much like our inexplicable inclination to meld with the seasons. But it is there, passed down over centuries, much like the monarch’s instinct, buried deep within its mitochondrial recesses, to migrate to the same forests and yards year after year.

“Butterflies come to my back yard annually,” McCown says, adding, “It’s been great for my grandchildren to watch, too.” And so continues the story for generations to come. MB

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 A sunset over the water greets the new Dr. and Mrs. Travis Goodloe, III at their bayfront wedding in

May of 2020. To see more of this wedding, and all the weddings featured in this month’s Mobile Bay Bride, open your smart phone’s camera and hover over the QR code at the right. Tap the link that pops up to be taken directly to MB’s website where you can browse photo galleries of all the stunning weddings! october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 45

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op MARGARET ESTHER HARKNESS & ZACHARY COLBY MORGAN

MAY 9, 2020 - BLACKWATER FARMS

Margaret and Zach walked down the aisle of “Ole Chapel” at Blackwater Farms, a chapel built in Loxley, Alabama, for the bride’s sister’s wedding just three years prior. Built with reclaimed wood and a church bell dating back to 1883, Ole Chapel made for an enchanting backdrop for the ceremony, regardless of the number in attendance.

A field of wildflowers planted by the bride’s father made a stunning entrance for the intimate party. Margaret changed into what would have been her rehearsal dinner dress for dancing after the “I Do’s.”

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Mr. and Mrs. William Grant Harkness Jr. PARENTS OF THE GROOM Mr. and Mrs. Richard Trenton Morgan PHOTOGRAPHER Rae Leytham WEDDING DRESS The White Room, Mountain Brook FLORIST Julia Greer Fobes HAIR & MAKEUP Jason Chambers CATERER August House WEDDING CAKE Pollman’s BAND Teddy Williams WEDDING PLANNER Blair Gewin RENTALS Blue Rents LIGHTING Will Bridges october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 47

op CHLOE KASHEL SIMMONS & LERONE JOSEPH WILEY SR.

NOVEMBER 10, 2019 - CEREMONY & RECEPTION AT THE BALCONY BALLROOM, NEW ORLEANS

With generations of MAMGA Mardi Gras in both the bride and groom’s ancestry, having a touch of carnival flavor in Lerone and Chloe’s wedding was a natural fit. The couple entertained 250 family and friends for two days in New Orleans with Zulu tramps and delicious Creole food, but they made sure to bring all the best Mobile wedding vendors with them.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE George and Alicia Mitchell, Stanley and Marilyn Simmons PARENTS OF THE GROOM Richard and Clarice Wiley PHOTOGRAPHER Dwight Ladd WEDDING DRESS Bridal and Formal Boutique House of Tux, Gulfport FLORIST Saraland Florist and Gift Shoppe HAIR Kiera Lynch (Hair is the Ke) MAKEUP Angela Clemmons (Tru Hues) and Mae Henderson (All Maed Up) WEDDING CAKE Rita Nelson VIDEOGRAPHER Alex Young WEDDING PLANNER Raphaella Curtis Archie (Elegant Events) GROOM AND GROOMSMEN TIES Dino MARDI GRAS UMBRELLAS Tillie Warmack SECOND LINE Zulu Social Aid, Pleasure Club

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op HARTLEY CHRISTINE LITTLE & GLENN YELVERTON ADAMS

MARCH 14, 2020 GOVERNMENT STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, RECEPTION AT THE STEEPLE ON ST. FRANCIS

The mid-March date turned out to be great timing for these high school sweethearts — they were able to celebrate before shutdowns began. Although their honeymoon was postponed, the couple spent their first week as newlyweds working together from home.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Mrs. Gordon Merle Gunderson, III and Mr. James Edmond Little, II PARENTS OF THE GROOM Mr. and Mrs. Marion Strickler Adams, III PHOTOGRAPHER Jennie Tewell WEDDING DRESS Bliss Bridal FLORIST Julia Greer Fobes HAIR & MAKEUP Phrankey Lowery, PH Studio CATERER Georgia Roussos Catering WEDDING CAKE Pollman’s BAND Crowned Jewelz Band WEDDING PLANNER Events Detailed

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op BAILEY ELIZABETH KING & WILLIAM ERIC GRIFFIN JULY 18, 2020 SPRINGHILL AVE. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, RECEPTION AT THE EZELL HOUSE

The original March wedding was quickly postponed and scaled down to what the bride says unexpectedly became their dream wedding after all! Close family gathered with masks and celebrated the happy couple.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Mr. & Mrs. Thomas K. King, Jr. PARENTS OF THE GROOM Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Griffin PHOTOGRAPHER Aimee Reynolds WEDDING DRESS Bliss Bridal INVITATIONS PRINTED

BY Print King FLORIST Belle Bouquet HAIR & MAKEUP Becca Townley CATERER Naman’s Catering WEDDING CAKE Cakes by Judi BAND B Street Benny WEDDING PLANNER Jenna Laine

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op

op

SARAH HANNAH IMMEL & DR. TRAVIS BEDSOLE GOODLOE, III

LAURA CLAIRE HENRIKSEN & TAYLOR TORBERT DOUGLAS

MAY 23, 2020 SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH RECEPTION AT THE HOME OF THE BRIDE’S PARENTS, BATTLES WHARF

JUNE 13, 2020 SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH RECEPTION AT THE HOME OF THE GROOM’S PARENTS, BATTLES WHARF

After postponing and rescheduling, the couple finally tied the knot alongside Mobile Bay with just two weeks’ notice. Sally and Travis met in the MCA Juvenile Court and began dating years later in the Mardi Gras court, leaving the couple to laugh that their marriage is “so Mobile.” They left the ceremony with a second line by the Excelsior Band in celebration of their love of Mardi Gras, and then danced the night away under the lights and mossy trees.

This traditional Bay wedding went off without a hitch despite thundering clouds moments before the ceremony. A limited guest list walked from Sacred Heart Church, where the couple attends mass in the summers, to the reception next door.

The gorgeous cake was served from the deck beside the Bay as the sun set on the happy gathering.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Sugar and Patrick Immel PARENTS OF THE GROOM Lisa & Travis Goodloe PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Gelineau WEDDING DRESS Wedding Belles, New Orleans FLORIST Jubilee Flowers HAIR Adelaide McAleer MAKEUP Courtney Matthews BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Bella Bridesmaids CATERER Rob Berglin WEDDING CAKE Pollman’s BAND Compozitionz WEDDING PLANNER Events Detailed

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Mrs. Arve William Henriksen, Jr. PARENTS OF THE GROOM Mr. and Mrs. John Boyd Douglas, Jr. PHOTOGRAPHER Keyhole Photo WEDDING DRESS Wedding Belles, New Orleans FLORIST Zimlich’s HAIR Adelaide McAleer MAKEUP Courtney Matthews CATERER Rob Berglin WEDDING CAKE Pollman’s BAND Musical Fantasy RENTALS Port City Rentals WEDDING PLANNER Blair Events

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op ELIZABETH TULLY MCALEER & ANDREW PATRICK CRUTHIRDS

DECEMBER 14, 2019 ST. JOSEPH CHAPEL, RECEPTION AT COTTON HALL

With the holidays in mind, the bride and groom tied the knot in a winter wonderland with all their family and friends present (pre-pandemic). An old Woody station wagon with a lit Christmas tree on top served as a surprise getaway car for the couple.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Mary and Guy McAleer PARENTS OF THE GROOM Jackie Cruthirds, Brian Cruthirds PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Gelineau WEDDING DRESS Bliss Bridal FLORIST Julia Greer Fobes HAIR Adelaide McAleer and Sarah Anne Owens MAKEUP J. EDWARD Beauty BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Bella Bridesmaids CATERER Rob Berglin WEDDING CAKE Pollman’s BAND Ty Reynolds

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op KIMBERLY SHAW MOORE & MATTHEW LEMAR MOORE

JUNE 14, 2018 THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PUNTA CUNA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Guests are still talking about the couple’s breathtaking destination wedding.

The several-day celebration included boat rides and cuisine from around the world.

Following a beach ceremony, the couple danced the night away in a cabana.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Pastor Jack Jr. and Rose Shaw MOTHER OF THE GROOM Mary Moore PHOTOGRAPHER Dwight Ladd WEDDING DRESS Bridal and Formal Boutique House of Tux, Gulfport HAIR& MAKEUP Toysanya Sanderson WEDDING PLANNER Lisa Cantallops FLORIST AND CATERER The Hard Rock Hotel, Punta Cuna

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op DIANNA KATHARINE JACKSON & ADAM HENK METER JUNE 6, 2020 CEREMONY & RECEPTION AT THE BRAGG MITCHELL MANSION

The couple’s large March wedding was postponed — and scaled down — for what proved to be an intimate and romantic gathering. The wedding incorporated jewels and silver with sentimental connections, while the bride’s bracelet and the groom’s ring are engraved with the initial wedding date, making for a story to tell!

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE Sid Jackson and Alyson Jackson, Stephanie Dumont and Dan Dumont PARENTS OF THE GROOM Tom and Micki Meter PHOTOGRAPHER Jennie Tewell WEDDING DRESS Bridals By Lori, Atlanta FLORIST Julia Greer Fobes HAIR Christian Bedgood MAKEUP Sarah Coker and Amedee Stokley CATERER Georgia Roussos Catering WEDDING CAKE Betty Webber BAND Cooper Trent

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op KATHERINE RENEE GELINEAU & JAMES PHILLIP GIATTINA JR. JUNE 13, 2020 BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, RECEPTION AT THE STEEPLE ON ST. FRANCIS

Having a Catholic mass was important for the couple, and their moments at the altar will be especially memorable — it is where they saw each other for the first time that day. The laid-back bride and groom describe their special day as traditional and relaxing.

PARENTS OF THE BRIDE John and Vicki Gelineau PARENTS OF THE GROOM James and Molly Giattina PHOTOGRAPHER Justine & Wayne Cunningham WEDDING DRESS Bliss Bridal FLORIST Belle Bouquet HAIR Lisa Early MAKEUP Elisabeth Wells CATERER Bay Gourmet WEDDING CAKE Couture Cakes BAND Ty Reynolds Band WEDDING PLANNER Wed With Style

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The Gift of Giving No need to feel tied to a registry — etiquette experts agree that buying off-registry items is acceptable, especially if the gift is something that will be enjoyed for many years. The following are timeless, unique pieces that are sure to enamor the happy couple. text by AMANDA HARTIN

Serve sweets in stately style.

CHAPEL FARM COLLECTION TOWLE KING RICHARD STERLING SILVER CAKE KNIFE • $139.50

Dine like royalty on porcelain, accented with 24k gold. ZUNDEL’S JEWELRY

Small, one-of-a-kind art made from recycled antique picture frames.

FEATHER YOUR NEST • MUSEUM BEES BY TRACE MAYER, VARIOUS STYLES • $60 EACH

HEREND QUEEN VICTORIA GREEN DINNER PLATE • $205

These handcrafted, ceramic magnolias are always in bloom. CHAPEL FARM COLLECTION • LIBIRD STUDIO CANDLESTICKS • $375 SET

Beverage service with tropical sophistication. FEATHER YOUR NEST • GODINGER BAMBOO HANDLE ICE SCOOP • $14

Melamine makes this bowl durable enough for everyday use. IVY COTTAGE • BEATRIZ BALL VIDA BLOOM LARGE BOWL • $66

Serve bar bites in handsome hammered stainless steel. IVY COTTAGE • JULISKA GRAHAM BARWARE

Form and function meet in this hammered copper beauty.

ZUNDEL’S JEWELRY SERTODO COPPER NILE CRADLE OVAL ICE BUCKET • $250

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SMALL DOUBLE COCKTAIL BOWL • $135

Queen Victoria herself was smitten with this Chinese-influenced pattern.

ZUNDEL’S JEWELRY • HEREND QUEEN VICTORIA GREEN CUP AND SAUCER • $240

Oven-to-table has never looked more modern. STOWE’S JEWELERS • CASAFINA ROUND CASSEROLE DISH WITH CORK TRIVET • $79

RESOURCES

CHAPEL FARM COLLECTION 19130 SCENIC HIGHWAY 98, FAIRHOPE. 929-1630.

FEATHER YOUR NEST 4258 BIT AND SPUR ROAD, MOBILE. 343-3634.

IVY COTTAGE 9 DU RHU DRIVE, #360, MOBILE. 345-1731.

STOWE’S JEWELERS 393 FAIRHOPE AVENUE, FAIRHOPE. 928-5349.

ZUNDEL’S JEWELRY 3670 DAUPHIN STREET, #1211, MOBILE. 241-5439.

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EXTRAS | CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Hello, October!

OCTOBER 17 - 18 ABBA SHRINE CRAFT & ATTIC SHOW A great shopping experience awaits with over 100 vendors. Admission: $3; free, ages 14 and under free.

ABBA SHRINE, HITT ROAD FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/3424971830855623

OCTOBER 24

BOO AT BELLINGRATH

HONEYBEE FESTIVAL & 5K 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. There’s something for everyone. After the race, enjoy arts and crafts, games, food and entertainment.

EVERY WEEKEND IN OCTOBER

OCTOBER 1 - 31

PUMPKIN PATCH EXPRESS & SCARY NIGHT TRAIN Times vary. Ride an authentic steam train to the haunted barn, pumpkin patch and a new, separate haunted maze!

THRILLER NIGHTS OF LIGHTS 7 - 10 p.m. Drive through this familyfriendly light show, synchronized to music playing through your car radio.

Tickets: $8 per person; free for ages 3 and under.

WALES WEST RV PARK AND LIGHT RAILWAY WALESWEST.COM/PUMPKIN

FRIDAYS IN OCTOBER DARK SECRETS DE TONTI 7: 30 p.m. Enjoy a brew before this 2-hour walking tour that includes tales of darkness, death and dismemberment.

IRON HAND BREWERY SECRETHISTORYTOURS.COM/TOUR/DARKSECRETS-TOUR

SATURDAYS IN OCTOBER MARKET IN THE PARK 7:30 - Noon. Downtown Mobile’s farmers market is back, featuring fresh produce, baked goods, organic meats and more.

CATHEDRAL SQUARE FACEBOOK.COM/MARKETSINMOBILE

HANK AARON STADIUM THRILLERLIGHTSOFMOBILE.COM

OCTOBER 9 - 10 MONSTER TRUCKZ EXTREME TOUR 7 p.m. F, Sa. 2 p.m. Sa. This adrenalinefilled show features the most massive Monster Truckz, pushing drivers and trucks to the brink of destruction.

MOBILE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, IRVINGTON TICKETS.MONSTERTRUCKZ.COM

OCTOBER 10 - 11

HONEYBEE PARK, ROBERTSDALE FACEBOOK.COM/HONEYBEEFESTIVALCBEF

OCTOBER 24 BOO AT BELLINGRATH 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dress up and trick-ortreat with the family through the gardens, filled with treat stations and inflatables.

Admission: $14, adults; $8, ages 5 to 12; free for Bellingrath members and children under 4.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME BELLINGRATH.ORG

OCTOBER 21 RUBBER DUCKY REGATTA “Adopted” duckies will race to the finish line and the three fastest win. The race will take place live on the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile Facebook page.

All proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mobile.

VIRTUAL EVENT RUBBERDUCKYREGATTA.COM

OCTOBER 25

ARTS ALIVE! The festival will feature street activities and interactive art experiences.

MOBILE WITCHES RIDE Ride starts at 5 p.m. Get your costume together and hop on your “broom” for a bike parade through Downtown.

COOPER RIVERSIDE PARK MOBILE.ORG/EVENTS

THE BLIND MULE RESTAURANT & BAR FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/1007091812

 To have your event included in the online or print edition of Mobile Bay Magazine, email calendar@pmtpublishing.com.

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OCTOBER 29 9TH ANNUAL THROWDOWN 7:30 - 9 p.m. The Mobile Arts Council’s annual event will be an action-packed mix of virtual and in-person experiences.

VIRTUAL EVENT, MAC OFFICE MOBILEARTS.ORG

OCTOBER 31 ELBERTA GERMAN SAUSAGE FESTIVAL 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy Elberta’s famous German sausage and sauerkraut, plus entertainment for all ages, and arts and crafts booths.

ELBERTA TOWN PARK FESTAPP.ELBERTAFIRE.COM

OCTOBER 31 STAPLETON BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Gulf Coast’s premier bluegrass, family-friendly event benefits the academic programs of Stapleton School.

Tickets: $10, adults; $5, ages 5 to 12.

STAPLETON SCHOOL, STAPLETON STAPLETONBLUEGRASSFESTIVAL.COM

OCTOBER 31 4TH ANNUAL MASSACRE ISLAND HAUNTED BIKE RIDE 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. A fun bike ride past haunted spots on Dauphin Island.

Come join for live music, candy and more.

DORITY’S, DAUPHIN ISLAND FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/680615525859892

OCTOBER 31 OAKLAWN DAY OF CARING 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bring lawn equipment, lawn chairs and refreshments and join in on cleaning around veterans’ graves.

OAKLAWN MEMORIAL CEMETERY FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/OAKLAWNMEMORIALCEMETERY

OCTOBER 31 MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER 8 a.m. This event will be held in a socially distant format with a drive thru! Cars will be required to register in order to attend.

USS ALABAMA MAKINGSTRIDESWALK.ORG

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FALL OUTDOOR CASCADING CHRYSANTHEMUMS

[NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS]

NOVEMBER 1 - 30 FALL OUTDOOR CASCADING CHRYSANTHEMUMS The gardens will be decorated for the 57th annual display, the nation’s largest outdoor cascade chrysanthemums show.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME BELLINGRATH.ORG

NOVEMBER 1 WEDDINGS TO BRAG ABOUT The region’s best vendors will be present to answer questions and help with planning.

CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FACEBOOK.COM/WEDDINGSTOBRAGABOUTBRIDALSHOW

NOVEMBER 5 7TH ANNUAL INSPIRING WOMEN’S CONFERENCE Designed to motivate, inspire, connect and celebrate women.

INSPIRINGWOMENONTHECOAST.COM HERON LAKES COUNTRY CLUB

NOVEMBER 6 - 23 GREATER GULF STATE FAIR Take in the view of the biggest midway on the Gulf Coast atop the Ferris wheel.

THE GROUNDS GREATERGULFSTATEFAIR.COM

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VETERANS DAY CONCERT

[NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS]

NOVEMBER 7 MOBILE CITY RECYCLING DAY: ELECTRONICS, SCRAP METAL AND TIRES Drivers can drive through and drop off acceptable items.

IRVINGTON LANDFILL FACEBOOK.COM/STOPLITTERMOBILE

NOVEMBER 11 VETERANS DAY CONCERT End Veterans Day with a concert presented by the Mobile Symphonic Pops Band.

USS ALABAMA USSALABAMA.COM

NOVEMBER 15 BARN BASH BBQ, auction and live music, all benefitting the Children’s of Alabama Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic in Mobile.

O’DALY’S IRISH PUB GIVE.CHILDRENSAL.ORG/BARNBASH

NOVEMBER 18 FACEBOOK LIVE TALK: MARITIME HISTORY OF MOBILE John Sledge, author and historian, navigates the history of life, commerce, conflict and culture on Mobile’s waters.

FACEBOOK LIVE EVENT FACEBOOK.COM/RESTOREMOBILE

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HISTORY | POINTS OF INTEREST

What Lies Beneath The soil of Mobile and Baldwin counties is rich with history, lore and stories of those long departed.

MAGNOLIA CEMETERY / PHOTO COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

text by AMANDA HARTIN

T

aphophilia. Although a mouthful, the word, rooted in Greek, simply means “love of cemeteries.” While death and love seem like an odd pairing, many people are, in fact, drawn to faded tombstones, ivy-covered mausolea, and weeping statues and willows. But what is it about these buried cities people find so fascinating? The answers, seldom macabre, are as varied as the cemeteries themselves. Some simply find peace amidst park-like landscapes. Others satiate their inquisitive side, poring over nearly-illegible stones, all snapshots of a particular time in history.

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed taphophile, a casual tombstone tourist or an avid folklorist, the following are just a few of the Bay area’s final resting places. And if you listen closely, you may even hear a tale or two.

Magnolia Cemetery | Mobile, est. 1836 Originally called “New Burial Ground,” Magnolia is Mobile’s second-oldest and largest cemetery, with over 100,000 buried underneath its ancient oaks, green lawns, ornate statuary and crosses. Not all interred in the 120-acre necropolis are documented, as hasty mass burials of men, women and children were common during yellow fever outbreaks. Of those noted, however, are Apache warriors, two Alabama governors, seven congressmen, 20 mayors, six generals, rabbis, free Blacks, society women and physicians such as Josiah Clark Nott. Nott was a founder of the state’s first medical school and one of the first physicians to link mosquitoes to yellow fever, the illness that would sadly claim four of his children, all within one week in 1853. A decade later, two additional Nott children succumbed to disease and war. Sadness still permeates the Nott family plot, which is guarded by a cast-iron Irish Setter.

Although many 19th-century tombs reflect rampant illness, many more mirror Mobile’s then-society by way of fraternal and professional organization plots: Woodmen of the World, Coal Handlers Union, Homeless Seamen and Colored october 2020 | mobilebaymag.com 63

Notable Interments: Walter D. and Bessie Morse Bellingrath, founders of Bellingrath Gardens and Home; Michael Krafft, founder of the Cowbellian de Rakin mystic society; Augusta Evans Wilson, Civil War-era author; John LeFlore, civil rights leader.

Possible Haunt: Legend has it that when attempts are made to move the cast-iron statue known as the “Goddess of Magnolia,” storms are summoned.

Did You Know? Just to the southwest of the cemetery, where the 1940s baseball stadium Hartwell Field once stood, there are nearly 4,000 scattered unmarked graves. The graves are most likely African-American burials from the mid-to-late 19th century.

OLD PLATEAU CEMETERY / PHOTO BY AMANDA HARTIN

Benevolent Institution Number One. Having burial rights within an organization was a great benefit for skilled laborers, especially during a time of crude insurance practices.

SHA’ARAI SHOMAYIM CEMETERY

Old Plateau Cemetery | Africatown, est. 1874

Sha’arai Shomayim Cemetery | Mobile, est. 1876

Resting atop a small hill, just north of downtown Mobile, is Old Plateau Cemetery, also known as Africatown Graveyard. In 1860, the last known group of Africans were brought to America on the slave ship Clotilda. Five years later, the slaves were emancipated.

Upon finding it impossible to return to Africa, the group established their own independent society, modeled after their homeland. Old Plateau Cemetery is their final resting place.

The oldest graves are located in the northern portion of the graveyard. Some are designated with engraved headstones; others feature scrawled writings by hand. Curiously, some stones include a drawn hand and upside-down heart. While the meaning of the hand is uncertain, some speculate it represents the hand of God reaching down or the hand of the deceased reaching out for something left behind. The meaning of the upside-down heart, however, can be traced back to Ghana, Africa, the region from where the Clotilda passengers came. The African word “Sankofa,” represented by an upended heart, loosely means “go back and fetch it.” Whether it is a directive meant for the deceased or the deceased’s loved ones is unclear.

In 2010, an archaeologist located hundreds of previously unmarked graves by using ground-penetrating radar, bringing the cemetery total close to 3,000. Hundreds more may still be underfoot in a nearby wooded area.

When the Jewish Rest section of Magnolia Cemetery reached capacity, Congregation Sha’arai Shomayim established this 15-acre resting land, girded by live oaks and an ornamental cast-iron fence, across the street. Hebrew text adorns the arched gate entrance, as well as many headstones. The Ark of the Covenant and Middle Eastern designs decorate elaborate markers and mausolea, one of the most notable of which is the Eichold-Haas-Brown mausoleum.

Notable Interments: Cudjoe Lewis, the last known Clotilda survivor; Emperor Green, a Buffalo Soldier, one of many Black American soldiers recruited to fight on the Western frontier.

Notable Interment: Esau Frohlichstein, one of 14 American soldiers killed during the U.S. siege of Veracruz during the Mexican Revolution. His marker is inscribed with a letter he wrote to his parents the night before his death. It reads, in part, “Don’t be afraid if I get killed.”

Did You Know? It is not uncommon to find conch shells placed around African graves. Slave ships en route to America often stopped in the Caribbean, and while in the islands, passengers were allowed to feast on mollusk, such as queen conch, in an effort to restore their health.

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Saluda Hill Cemetery | Spanish Fort, est. 1824 Down Highway 225, across the road from Historic Blakeley State Park, is a small, piney grove named Saluda Hill Cemetery. The gated entrance is flanked by brick columns and an historical marker, reading in part, “Among the graves here is that of Zachariah Godbold, the only known Revolutionary War veteran buried in Baldwin County.” Among others interred here are the first settlers of Blakeley, a long-abandoned French colonial plantation and the first non-Indian settlement in the area.

During the early 1820s, Blakeley’s population exceeded Mobile’s, due in part to its easily accessible port on the Tensaw River. Yellow fever caused numbers to dwindle quickly, however, and after the Civil War, Blakeley became a ghost town.

SALUDA HILL CEMETERY

Explore More: Early Blakeley residents are also thought to be buried in unmarked graves across the street in Blakeley Cemetery (established circa 1814), just inside the state park entrance.

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Michael Portier, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Mobile, established the 150-acre burial ground, formerly known as Stone Street Cemetery. Like Magnolia’s plots for professional groups, Catholic Cemetery includes plots for religious orders, including Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Daughters of Charity, Little Sisters of the Poor and Sisters of Mercy.

The cemetery has three distinct sections, the oldest of which, designed by Portier, is laid out in three concentric circles. The reason behind the highly unusual design is unknown, but John S. Sledge, architectural historian for the Mobile Historic Development Commission, speculates in his book “Cities of Silence: A Guide to Mobile’s Historic Cemeteries,” “Circular burials would presumably provide opportunity for special recognition by the distance of the grave to the powerful center.”

Notable Interments: Timothy Meaher, owner of the last slave-ship, Clotilda; John L. Rapier, owner of the Mobile Register and postmaster of Mobile; Adm. Raphael Semmes, CSS Alabama captain.

Did You Know? Upon his death in 1859, Portier was buried in the catacombs of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

CHURCH STREET GRAVEYARD / PHOTO BY AMANDA HARTIN

Catholic Cemetery | Mobile, est. 1848

Church Street Graveyard | Mobile, est. 1819 Situated off Government Street, behind Mobile Public Library’s Downtown branch, is Mobile’s oldest remaining graveyard. A simple arched entrance and deteriorating brick wall ensconce the somber 5-acre field of oaks, palms and centuries-old stones. Raised tombs, indicative of French and Spanish customs and Mobile’s high water table, are common as are barrel-vaulted tombs, in which the body is above ground, and false crypts, in which the body is underground.

Many graves are enclosed with fencing or curbing (a low stone wall), which was typical in most 19th-century cemeteries.

Interestingly, the city’s oldest existing graveyard wasn’t actually Mobile’s first. Church Street Graveyard replaced an earlier burial ground, Campo Santo (1780-1813), that was located where the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception stands today. Mobile’s boundaries expanded rapidly in the early 19th century, and Campo Santo’s location prevented new development. To free up space, most of the bodies were exhumed and moved to Church Street. Among those was 5-year-old Anna Newbold, who died in August 1817 and whose unmarked grave is said to be the oldest.

CATHOLIC CEMETERY / PHOTO BY AMANDA HARTIN

Notable Interments: Joe Cain, Mardi Gras revivalist; Eugene Walter, Mobile’s “Renaissance Man;” Gen. Edmund Pendleton Gaines, a hero of the War of 1812.

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Possible Haunt: Does the ghost of Charles R. S. Boyington roam the graveyard? In 1834, Boyington stood at the gallows, accused of murder, declaring his innocence: “I am innocent, but if I am hanged, a great oak tree will spring up from my breast so that this city will never forget the wrong it has done to an innocent man.” The following year, an oak grew from his grave. In 1910, the cemetery’s walls were moved, leaving Boyington’s oak and a number of unmarked graves outside its boundaries.

Strange But True: In an effort to promote the cemetery’s revitalization and preservation, then-mayor Patrick J. Lyons had a playground built in the northwest corner of the cemetery, sometime around 1910.

How long the playground lasted is unknown.

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SHELL BANKS CEMETERY / PHOTO BY AMANDA HARTIN

Shell Banks Cemetery | Gulf Shores, est. circa 1864 Along Fort Morgan Road, behind Shell Banks Baptist Church, lies Shell Banks Cemetery, gripping with it nearly 500 years of secrets. While the earliest date on the remaining gravestones reads 1864, the history of the site dates back to at least 1539, 81 years before Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. An historical marker beside the church claims this area was the location of the Indian village “Achuse” and was the first to have been visited by a white man.

Its location on the Bay made Shell Banks a popular stop for explorers from Portugal, Spain, France and England. It was also popular among pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries. Stories abound of pirates’ violent and raucous behavior, such as using a magnolia as their hanging tree, throwing bodies into the Gulf and coming ashore during the night to bury their dead — or their treasure.

Possible Haunt: In the Baldwin County Historical Society’s July 1979 publication of “The Quarterly,” a contributor recalls, “I remember there were many tales of buried treasure, of iron pots and blazed trees. A ghost tree, where many had heard groans and screams, was given wide berth at night.

Many fishermen passing close by, upon hearing the noises, would quickly row out into the deep water.”

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More to Explore Stockton Memorial Cemetery | Bay Minette, est. circa 1825 Those who settled Stockton in the 1700s are buried here, one of the oldest cemeteries in Baldwin County.

D’Olive Cemetery | Daphne, est. circa 1826 The D’Olives, one of the oldest families in Baldwin County, arrived around 1770 from Toulouse, France. It is not known how many people are buried in the one-acre cemetery.

Spring Hill Cemetery | Mobile, est. 1844 Over 1,000 people are interred here, including those long-recognized names such as Toulmin, Austill, Ladd and White-Spunner.

Confederate Rest | Point Clear, est. circa 1861 There are no signs directing visitors to this resting place, which is located behind Lakewood Golf Club amidst large oaks. Buried here are more than 300 soldiers who died in the Grand Hotel — when it served as a hospital.

Little River Cemetery | Bayou la Batre, est. circa 1780 One of the oldest cemeteries in Alabama, all that remains are faded and hurricane-damaged headstones. Locals claim funerals from earlier centuries were held on boats, with the coffin being brought down afterward for interment.

Old Searcy Hospital Cemetery | Mount Vernon, est. unknown Entrance to the cemetery is patrolled by a security guard, with access only given for legitimate reasons. Presumably, the graves, marked by numbers, not names, belong to former hospital patients.

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THE ARTS | LITERATURE

The Bought Costume The simple joys of Halloween make writer Audrey McDonald Atkins one happy witch. excerpt from the book THEY CALL ME OR ANGE JUICE

by AUDREY MCDONALD ATKINS

W

hen I was three or four, I got my first Halloween costume — a bought costume.

My grandfather got it for me at Terrell’s, the five and dime on Main Street in Citronelle. It was a happy witch, complete with black wig, plastic dress, and sparkly hat, not to mention the plastic mask, which was guaranteed to become damp with the condensation from your hot breath in under a minute. But who cared? It was a bought mask.

This is the only bought costume I recall ever having.

I waited anxiously for Halloween to finally come so that I could show off my fancy costume. I was so proud of it I wanted to wear it every single day. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” signaled that the big day was nigh. It only came on television once a year, so you had to be ready or resign yourself to waiting 364 days to see it again. I was ready.

Finally, finally the long days passed, and Halloween came.

Mama helped me into the little plastic dress, arranged the fuzzy, black wig, and stretched the little rubber band around my head so that my mask was just so, and I could breathe and see, sort of. Mama put on her own witch hat and long black dress, and we were off.

We went out to town to trick-or-treat in the little residential grid of three streets that joined State Street to Lebaron Avenue. Back then, you were sure to get more homemade treats than not. Popcorn balls, cookies, possibly a piece of fruit or a dime. Every now and then you’d hit the jackpot and get a caramel apple. I still flat love a caramel apple.

Everybody would be out on their porches, neighbors chatting and trick-or-treaters running up and down the sidewalks shrieking and laughing. There were a few jack-o-lanterns smiling from the shadows, but not really much other decoration. Except for, that is, Mr. Stanley’s house down on First Street. It was big and dark and spooky, and Mr. Stanley would lurk up on the porch in the dark waiting for some unsuspecting young’un to creep up his walkway, the lure of a sweet treat stronger than his fear of the dark. Then, when it was least expected, a ghost would fly down from the porch to greet the innocent. Mr. Stanley would laugh and laugh and then heap treats upon his little victim.

Down the street from Mr. Stanley lived the Carneys. They had a pet monkey that they kept chained to the porch. It wore diapers. This aberrance always struck me as way yonder creepier than Mr. Stanley because he was just scary one day a year. The Carneys and their screaming monkey were bizarre every day.

Back at home, I would sort out all my goodies and gobble up my favorites, at least those that I hadn’t eaten during our trek through town. But while all the confections were naturally a delight, the real treat that year and every year after was the thrill of being out in our little community, walking up and down the streets in the cool, fall night air sharing in all the eerie fun with our friends and neighbors.

I still like to dress up like a happy witch, much to Sonny’s dismay, but it always reminds me of that very first Halloween.

If I only had a caramel apple. MB

 Born and raised in Citronelle, Atkins shares stories about growing up and living in the South in her book, “They Call Me Orange Juice,” and at her blog folkwaysnowadays.com.

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HISTORY | ASK MCGEHEE

What do you know about the Mobilian who worked with Thomas Edison? text by TOM MCGEHEE

Miller Reese Hutchison was born at his parents’ summer home in Montrose in August 1876. By the time of his 1944 death in Manhattan, he was considered one of this country’s greatest inventors and scientists. While attending University Military School, he developed an interest in Thomas Edison, reading everything he could find on the inventor. At the age of 12, he told his father that one day he would be Edison’s engineer.

Hutchison eventually ended up at Auburn where he was awarded one of the university’s first degrees in electrical engineering. While still a student there, he received his first patent for a lightning arrester for telegraph wires.

World’s First Hearing Aid Also during his time at Auburn, Hutchison became interested in helping a childhood friend named Lyman Gould who had lost his hearing from scarlet fever. Upon his return to Mobile, Hutchison took classes at the Medical College of Alabama, studying the anatomy of the ear. What resulted was the first electric hearing aid, which he patented. In front of a crowd gathered at the YMCA on Government Street, Gould tried it out and could hear a speech being given as well as music from the piano.

Hutchison’s original Akouphone was a tabletop model, which cost a steep $400, or about $12,500 today. In 1900, he began a national and then international tour exhibiting the device. While in England, he received a summons to the royal yacht to demonstrate it to Alexandra, the future queen. Suffering from a hereditary loss of her hearing, she had become something of a recluse. The Akouphone restored her

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hearing to 90 percent, and she was so pleased that Hutchison found himself in the royal box at the 1902 coronation ceremonies.

By that time, Hutchison had moved to New York and married a Minnesota native. He continued to work on his hearing aid, and with the use of a battery, was able to produce a much more portable and affordable device in 1903. The $60 model sold very well and made Hutchison a wealthy man.

A Deafening Horn During the early 1900s, New York City’s traffic was rapidly increasing along with vehicular accidents and pedestrian fatalities.

Hutchison believed that the horns used were too “melodic.” In response to this, his 1906 Klaxon Above Miller Reese Hutchison was born in Montrose, horn was designed to produce a raised in Mobile and became one of the world’s most successful inventors and scientists with some 1,000 roar, “the like of which has never patents to his credit. Right Hutchison (right) with Thomas been heard by man or beast.” Its Edison, 1914. PHOTOS COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS distinctive “ah-ooo-gah” could be aimed at pedestrians, probably saving true, and Hutchison went to work for countless lives. Early versions could be Edison in New Jersey. By his mid-30s, he manually operated by hand crank or had been named chief engineer at the Edison hooked to a battery and sounded by the Laboratory. He continued his work on new press of a button. and stronger storage batteries, promoting By 1908, Hutchison had designed and their successful use in naval submarines. He built a limousine featuring rechargeable also patented the first electrical tachometer batteries and an intercom to the chauffeur. to accurately read a ship’s speed.

And more than a century before such The two men became close friends, devices would become commonplace, the and Hutchison became Edison’s personal car featured audible and visual back-up representative on many business ventures. warning devices.

In addition to being a brilliant engineer, “Hutch” was known for his outgoing Edison Laboratory personality, which made him an excellent The following year, his prediction came salesman.

A Career Change At the start of 1917, Hutchison left Edison to go out on his own. He took with him the rights for the storage battery he had invented while in New Jersey as well as the rights to all military and naval sales.

City directories indicate that Hutchison chose the new Woolworth Building in Manhattan for his offices, placing them on the 51st floor of what would be the world’s tallest building until 1930.

After World War I, he founded Hutchison’s Office Specialties Co. to promote office machines from a 5th Avenue storefront. One of his most successful inventions was the Spool-O-Wire that could bind up to 40 sheets of paper at a time. His other inventions ranged from a rivet gun to a gasoline additive that reduced carbon monoxide emissions. To honor his accomplishments, he was elected into the Alabama Hall of Fame in 1936.

In 1931, Edison died at the age of 84 having 1,093 patents to his credit. More than 40,000 passed by his glass-covered casket to pay their respects. He is buried at the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, New Jersey.

Sixty-seven-year-old Hutchison died on February 16, 1944, with 1,000 patents to his name. The New York Times mentioned in a brief announcement that a service was held in a Lexington Avenue funeral home.

His burial site is unknown. MB

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END PIECE | IN LIVING COLOR

Baker Graded School Basketball, 1907 Original photo courtesy Mrs. Dwain Luce, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama • Colorization by Dynamichrome Limited

Women’s basketball began at the collegiate level in 1892, thanks to the pioneering of Sandra Berenson Abbott, but it would be five more years before high school girls had the opportunity to play. Early versions of the game were quite different than today’s, largely due to 19th-century Victorian culture.

With the notion that women were frail and could easily become overly fatigued, Abbott wrote the first “Basketball Guide for Women” in which she attempted to reduce the roughness of the previously maleonly sport: players were to remain in assigned regions on the court and could not dribble more than three times, hold the ball for longer than three seconds or snatch the ball from an opponent.

With men’s basketball rules being modified in accordance to Victorian standards, it is no wonder women’s outfits looked different from their counterparts, too. Because propriety was more important than comfort, uniforms originally included trousers worn under a kneelength skirt. That was soon replaced by loose bloomers worn over stockings, as seen on this 1907 team from Baker Graded School.

Established in 1888, Baker Graded School was an all-girls school located on North Claiborne Street and run

by Nannie Baker, for whom modern-day Baker High is named.

Do you recognize anyone in this photo? Let us know!

Email ahartin@pmtpublishing.com.

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