No'Ala Huntsville, May/June 2014 by No’Ala Studios

George Keller’s Unbelievable Dream | Garlan Gudger: Self-Made Man | Young Couples, Old Homes

noalapress.com

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Created by the Science Scienc Museum of Minnesota, Raise the Roof presents an in-depth look at the architecture, engineering, physics l and history of buildin buildings and the often-overlooked impact they have on our everyday lives. Dwellings and structures from throughout time and around the world are on display, along with hands-on w activities and interact interactive components that bring astonishing feats of engineering to life bef before your eyes. Learn about the science and art of demolition – or team tea up with friends and family to create your own amazing structur structure with what you have learned.

Brought to you by:

FOUNDATION & WATERPROOFING SPECIALISTS

www.rocketcenter.com

IT’S BACK...

STEIN & DINE NOW - OCT. 30 Visit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. - 7:300 p.m. through October 30, 2014, for the German Biergarten, featuring authentic German cuisine crafted by renowned chef David Oreskovich. Enjoy the festive atmosphere with imported and domestic beers and delicious wines from the German region. Family Friendly! Dogs Welcome! Rain or Shine!

256-837-3400

ROCKETCENTER.COM may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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A STEP AHEAD IN BUSINESS RETIREMENT PLANS

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May/June

features

ABEL BODY OF WORK

MAKING A SPLASH IN THE TWICKENHAM

Stewart Abel: engineer, optometrist— and builder! BY SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

A Huntsville couple downsizes into the home of their dreams. PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

38 72 YOUNG COUPLES, OLD HOMES Three couples take on restorations of historic proportions. BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

AUTO PILOT The unbelievable story of George Keller’s dream to bring the auto industry to Huntsville. BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

THE GARDEN OF EDEN

Bob and Tiril Benton’s piece of paradise. PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

46 92 BRINGING THE ADIRONDACKS TO ALABAMA A Lake Guntersville home has upstate New York inspiration. PHOTOS BY DAVIS GRIFFIN

PHOTOGRAPHY

SOUTHERNMADE MAN Garlan Gudger is not interested in perfection. BY MICHELLE RUPE EUBANKS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson no’ala huntsville advisory board Osie Adelfang ARC Design-Build, Inc. Sarah Brewer Click Photo Designs by Sarah Brewer Madeline Boswell Finery Bridal Boutique Macy Chapman Downtown Huntsville, Inc. Jennifer Doss Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Leslie Ecklund Burritt on the Mountain Marcia Freeland Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment Dan Halcomb Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Elizabeth Jones Burritt on the Mountain Ginger Penney Liles Matthew Liles AIDS Action Coalition Guy McClure Athens State University Patrick Robbins Alabama Pain Center Ashley Vaughn White Rabbit Studios/Vertical Records Charles Vaughn Vaughn Lumber Company Anna Baker Warren Anna Baker Warren Interiors Andrew Wilmon Broadway Theatre League

Okay, I’ll admit it. I love to look at other people’s houses. Apparently, I’m not the only one; our Home & Garden issue is one of the most popular magazines we publish every year. And no wonder—when you see some of the great homes and gardens we’re featuring this time, you’re sure to get some great ideas for your own! You’ll see a new home on Lake Guntersville, a remodel in the Twickenham that was described to us as “the perfect home” before we saw it (and it pretty much is), and a lush and beautiful garden appropriately named “Eden.” There’s a lot of inspiration in these features! If there’s a sub-theme to this issue, it has to be history. After the Civil War, Huntsville’s economy boomed because of its mills, and we talk about four of them in this issue, along with a look at young families who are restoring some of the historic mill homes. When this place was transitioning from mill town to military town, there was another housing boom and mid-century modern houses began springing up; we’ll take a look at one fascinating builder who designed and built over 30 of them. We’ll even take a look at an attempt to make Huntsville the automotive manufacturing center of the South and show you pictures of a Keller car. There’s more, of course, but we’ll let you discover the rest for yourself. We hope you ﬁnd interesting and beautiful things on every page! There’s something about the sunshine and blue skies this time of year that make us want to tidy up, plant things, and move outdoors. Remember, when you’re shopping for the plants and accessories for your home and garden, that we have a myriad of local retailers who have unique and wonderful things. Shop North Alabama, y’all—and enjoy this beautiful season!

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contents May/June 2014 Volume 3: Issue 3 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Creative Director Contributing Writers Amy Collins, Sara Wright Covington, Michelle Rupe Eubanks, Heidi King, Sarah Gaede, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson

Contributing Photographers Davis Griﬃn, Patrick Hood, Danny Mitchell Advertising Director Heidi King Advertising Sales Myra Sawyer, Heidi King Features Manager Claire Stewart

everything else

Business Manager Roy Hall Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan

CALENDAR

Intern Chandler Richey

Events for May-June 2014

•••

MARKET BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL

No’Ala Huntsville is published six times annually by No’Ala Press PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 800-779-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106 Web: www.noalapress.com

104 LOWE DOWN “What Features Would You Include In Your Dream Home?” BY CLAIRE STEWART

108 THE VINE BY AMY COLLINS

110

FOOD FOR THOUGHT “In Celebration of Things Simple and Summery” BY SARAH GAEDE

112

BLESS THEIR HEARTS “My Porch of Death” BY HEIDI KING

114

PARTING SHOT BY PATRICK HOOD

28 HIGH COTTON After the Civil War, Huntsville boomed because of its mills. BY SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON

Courtesy of Merrimack Hall

“My World Through Rosé Colored Glasses”

Standard postage paid at Huntsville, AL. A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States. Signed articles reflect only the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. © 2008-2014 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved. Send all correspondence to Allen Tomlinson, Editor, at the postal address above, or by e-mail to allen@noalapress.com. Letters may be edited for space and style. To advertise, contact us at: 256-766-4222, or sales@noalapress.com. The editor will provide writer’s guidelines upon request. Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query the editor first. No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inks. Please recycle.

Connect with us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsville and Twitter: @NoAla_Magazine

Reflecting half a century of excellence in neurosurgery neurosurgery. A lot has changed since we started in 1964, but our commitment as the regional leader is stronger than ever. From the latest minimally-invasive neck and back treatments to 24/7 trauma care, Spine & Neuro Center combines confident care with a convenient, patient-focused facility. Fifty years is more than a nice round number — it’s experience you can feel good about. NeuroSpine Surgeons:

Rhett B. Murray, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Joel D. Pickett, M.D., F.A.C.S.

John D. Johnson, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

JJason TT. B Banks, k M.D., M D F.A.C.S. FA C S

Cheng W. W Tao, Tao M.D., M D F.A.C.S. FA C S

Bryan A. Gaspard, M.D.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation:

Keith C C. Anderson Anderson, D D.O. O

Hayley Campbell, M.D.

Ryan C C. Aaron Aaron, M M.D. D

Huntsville • Decatur | 201 Governors Drive • Huntsville, AL 35801 Toll Free: 1-888-736-1762 • 256-533-1600 • www.spineandneuro.com may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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calendar

Now – Sunday, May 18 Encounters: Rocio Rodriguez Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; Admission charged, Free to members and children under 6; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St. W.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Now – Monday, May 26 Fantasy Playhouse Theater Academy Registration Registration period for June summer classes ends May 26 (July registration ends June 27); See website for class descriptions, dates, and prices; (256) 539-6829; fantasyplayhouse.com Raise the Roof: An Exhibit about Buildings Sun-Mon 9:00am-5:00pm; $20 adults, $15 children 6-12, Free children under 6; Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 837-3400; rocketcenter.com Unclassiﬁed: Military Kid Art Show Sun-Mon 9:00am-5:00pm; $20 adults, $15 children 6-12, Free children under 6; Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 837-3400; rocketcenter.com Now – Thursday, May 29 (Thursdays only) YouTopia Lunch and Learn – Solar Energy Series 11:30am–12:30pm; Members $15/Non-Members $20; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Now – Thursday, June 26 Biergarten: Stein, Wine, and Dine! (Thursdays only) Thurs 4:30pm-7:30pm; Free, food and beverage available for purchase; Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 837-3400; rocketcenter.com

6:30pm; Free; Monrovia Library, 254 Allen Drake Dr.; (256) 489-3392; hmcpl.org Friday, May 2 – Saturday, May 3 Whistlestop Weekend: Two Days of Great Music and Smokin’ BBQ Fri 4:00pm-11:00pm and Sat 10:00am-11:00pm; Admission charged; Historic Huntsville Depot, 320 Church St.; (256) 564-8100; thewhistlestopfestival.com Friday, May 2 – Tuesday, September 30 Movie Night With Alice 6:00pm–9:00pm; $5 plus Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden Amphitheatre, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Friday, May 2 The Black Jacket Symphony performs Prince’s Purple Rain 8:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com Spring is Bach 7:00pm; Free; Faith Presbyterian Church, 5003 Whitesburg Dr.; hsvmasterchorale.org Concerts on the Dock: The Revellers 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Jim Parker’s Songwriters Showcase 6:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com Saturday, May 3 – Sunday, May 4 Rabbit Chainsaw Sculptor Time TBD; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

The Greene Street Market at Nativity (Thursdays only) 4:00pm; Free; Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 304 Eustis Ave.; (256) 682-4429; greenestreetmarket.com Now – Monday, June 30 Harmony Park Animal Preserve Daily 10:00am-sundown; Admission charged; 431 Cloud’s Cove Rd.; (877) 726-4625 Majestic Minerals: Nature’s Building Blocks Sun Noon-4:00pm, Tues-Sat 10:00am-4:00pm; Admission charged; Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Wade Wharton Exhibit Sun Noon-6:00pm, Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, and Thurs until 8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Gardens, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org Treasure Hunt at Gold Mountain (For children 3-11) Sun Noon-4:00pm, Tues-Sat 10:00am-4:00pm; Admission charged; Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Thursday, May 1 Adult Craft Night: Paper Flower Bouquets (adults only)

Treasure Hunt at Gold Mountain

you’re invited to a world of

p ure imagination Dining With Friends 16th Annual Dessert Reception

Live Music & Dancing Wonka-like Desserts & Appetizers Specialty Drinks, Cash Bar, Complimentary Champagne Punch Silent Auction Featuring: Exciting Vacation Packages Fine Jewelry · Dazzling Gift Baskets Artwork by Assorted North Alabama Artists Celebrity-Commissioned Art Pieces And Much, Much More!

Beneﬁting the AIDS Action Coalition

$50.00 per guest

FEATURING Special Guest, Master of Ceremonies Dr. Peter Ostrum, the original “Charlie Bucket” in the 1971 ﬁlm, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Purchase online at www.diningwithfriends.org (Additional golden tickets will be available at the door as space permits)

June 14, 2014

For more information please contact Keri Klaus, kklaus@aidsactioncoaltion.org or call 256-536-4700, ext. 142

7:00pm-11:00pm Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment (The Connector Room) Huntsville, Alabama

600 St Clair Ave SW, Bldg. 6 Huntsville, AL 35801 diningwithfriends.org

Saturday, May 3 – Monday, June 30

Sunday, May 4

Purdy Butterﬂy House Sun Noon-6:00pm, Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, and Thurs. until 8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Gardens, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4747; hsvbg.org

America in the Shadow of the Holocaust 2:00pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Monday, May 5

Alice’s Garden of Wonders Sun Noon-6:00pm, Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm, and Thurs. until 8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Gardens, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4747; hsvbg.org

Mind Your Money Lunch & Learn, Session 2 11:00am-Noon; Free (Registration required); Hogan Family YMCA, 130 Park Square Ln., Madison; (256) 532-5952; hmcpl.org/mym

Saturday, May 3

Tuesday, May 6 - Tuesday, October 14 (Tuesdays only)

Spanish/English Story Time 1:00pm; Free; Monrovia Library, 254 Allen Drake Dr.; (256) 489-3392; hmcpl.org

The Market at Casa Grande Park 4:30pm-7:30pm; Free; 218 2nd Avenue SE, downtown Decatur; (256) 654-5570; facebook.com/petalsfortheprincessmarket

Mayor’s Bicycle Ride 10:00am; Free; Corner of Fountain Cr. and Williams Ave.; (256) 427-5000

Tuesday, May 6

Dream Big! Spring Recital 4:00pm; $20; Merrimack Hall, 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com Sunday, May 4 – Sunday, July 27 Janet Fisher: Master of Light and Shadow Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; Admission charged, Free to members and children under 6; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St. W.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Meet Greg Iles, author of Natchez Burning 6:30pm; Free; main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-2362; hmcpl.org Girls Night Out – Wrapped Natural Gourd Basket 4:00pm–9:00pm; Members $25/Non-Members $35; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Friday, May 9 – Saturday, May 10 Thomas Mann, Jewelry Exhibition 10:00am-5:00pm; Free; The Little Green Store, 820 Monte Sano Blvd.; (256) 539-9699

MAY/JUNE  | noalapress.com | 

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calendar

Rocket City Brewfest Fri 7:00pm-11:00pm and Sat 4:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Historic Huntsville Depot, 320 Church St., (256) 520-2350; rocketcitybrewfest.com City Lights and Stars Concert Series with Mambo Gris Gris 7:30pm; Admission charged; The Gazebo at Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Friday, May 9 – Sunday, May 11 The Fox on the Fairway Fri-Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org Friday, May 9 Jason Isbell Time TBA; Admission charged; Von Braun Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com Concerts on the Dock: Eli Cook 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Saturday, May 10 – Sunday, May 11 Mother-Daughter Princess Tea Party Sat and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; Admission charged; Fantasy Arts Center, 3312 Long Ave.; (256) 539-6829; letthemagicbegin.org Saturday, May 10 Herb Fest 10:00am–2:00pm; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Azalea Cutting Propagation 8:30am–10:30am; Members $15/Non-Members $20; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Mother-Son Special Train Excursion Sat 10:00am and 1:00pm; Admission charged; North Alabama Railroad Museum, 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 851-6276; letthemagicbegin.org Hands on Trucks 10:00am-2:00pm; Admission charged; Sci-Quest Science Center, 1435 Paramount Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org Kidstock! 2014 Children’s Festival Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Sunday, May 11 Mother’s Day Special at Sci-Quest Noon-5:00pm; Admission charged, Free for moms; Sci-Quest Science Center, 1435 Paramount Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org Monday, May 12 Mind Your Money Lunch & Learn, Session 3 11:00am-noon; Free (registration required); Hogan Family YMCA, 130 Park Square Ln., Madison; (256) 532-5952; hmcpl.org/mym

Madfood: A Taste of Madison 5:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Best Western Plus, 9035 Madison Blvd., Madison; (256) 325-8317 Thursday, May 15 – Saturday, May 17 The Fox on the Fairway Fri 7:30pm and Sat 2:00pm and 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org Thursday, May 15 Arts Stroll 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Alabama Constitution Village, 109 Gates; (256) 534-8376; sidewalkartsstroll.com Friday, May 16 Concerts on the Dock: Unknown Lyric 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Third Friday Downtown Decatur 5:00pm-9:00pm; Free; downtown Decatur; www.facebook. com/3rdfridaydowntown Saturday, May 17 Annual Hosta Sale 9:00am–6:00pm; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Monday, May 19 Mind Your Money Lunch & Learn, Session 4 11:00am-Noon; Free (registration required); Hogan Family YMCA, 130 Park Square Ln., Madison; (256) 532-5952; hmcpl.org/mym Tuesday, May 20 BLT Book Club: A Widow for One Year by John Irving 11:00am; Free; Monrovia Library, 254 Allen Drake Dr.; (256) 489-3392; hmcpl.org Wednesday, May 21 – Thursday, May 22 The Little Mermaid ballet Times TBA; Lee High School, 2500 Meridian St.; (256) 881-5930; alabamayouthballet.org Thursday, May 22 Spanish/English Conversation Circle 6:30pm; Free; Monrovia Library, 254 Allen Drake Dr.; (256) 489-3392; hmcpl.org Friday, May 23 Concerts on the Dock: Iron Horse 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net City Lights and Stars Concert Series with Alex de Grassi 7:30pm; Admission charged; The Gazebo at Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Saturday, May 24 – Sunday, May 25 Remember the Time: A Tribute to Michael Jackson Sat 1:00pm and 6:00pm, Sun 5:00pm; Admission charged; Lee High School, 2500 Meridian St.; (256) 541-0385

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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calendar

Saturday, June 7

Saturday, May 24

Jim Parker’s Songwriters Showcase 6:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com

Old School & Blues Festival 11:00am; Admission charged; John Hunt Park, Jaycee’s Building, 2180 Airport Rd.; (256) 679-3272

Spring Garden Tour 10:00am-3:00pm; Admission charged; Various gardens in Twickenham and Old Town; (256) 508-5372

Demonstration Vegetable Garden Open House 9:00am–2:00pm; Free; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

Sunday, June 8 Plant ID Walk–Tour of Crape Myrtle Collection Time TBD; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

Monday, May 26 Cotton Row Run 7:00am; Free; Big Spring Park, 200 Church St. SW; (256) 650-7063; huntsvilletrackclub.org Friday, May 30 – Sunday, June 1 Annual Melodrama Dinner Theatre: When in Rome Fri and Sat 6:00pm, Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 533-6606; thechorus.org

Friday, June 13 – Sunday, June 15 Into the Woods Fri-Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:30pm; Admission charged; Lee High School Black Box Theater, 2500 Meridian St.; (256) 415-7469; imphuntsville.org Friday, June 13

Friday, May 30

City Lights and Stars Concert Series with Karen Donaldson Gruber 7:30pm; Admission charged; The Gazebo at Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com

Girls Night Out – Tabletop Vase with Tea Lights and Pedestal 5:30pm–8:00pm; Members $35/Non-Members $45; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

Family Cook Out Time TBD; $12 Adults, $8 Children; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

Saturday, May 31 – Sunday, September 14

Saturday, June 14

Al Hirschfeld: A Celebration of Hollywood and Broadway Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; Admission charged, Free to members and children under 6; Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St. W.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

Dining With Friends 16th Annual Dessert Reception 7:00pm-11:00pm; $50; Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, Connector Room; (256) 536-4700, x142; diningwithfriends.org

Saturday, May 31 Fern Festival and Sale Time TBD; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Sunday, June 1 Great Big Play Day Time TBD; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447 Monday, June 2 – November 2 GPS Adventures Exhibit: a 2,500 sq. ft. maze adventure Sun-Mon 9:00am-5:00pm; $20 adults, $15 children 6-12, Free children under 6; Space & Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base; (256) 837-3400; rocketcenter.com

Dittofest 11:00am-9:00pm; Free; Ditto Landing, 293 Ditto Landing Rd.; (256) 859-4900; northalabamaboating.com Father’s Day Special Train Excursion 10:00am and 1:00pm; Admission charged; North Alabama Railroad Museum, 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 851-6276; northalabamarailroadmuseum.com Thursday, June 19 Arts Stroll 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Alabama Constitution Village, 109 Gates; (256) 534-8376; sidewalkartsstroll.com Friday, June 20 Third Friday Downtown Decatur 5:00pm-9:00pm; Free; downtown Decatur; www.facebook. com/3rdfridaydowntown

Wednesday, June 4 – Wednesday, June 25 (Wednesdays only) Wacky Wednesday 12:00pm-1:00pm; Garden admission for non-members; Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; hsvbg.org; (256) 830-4447

Saturday, June 21

Thursday, June 5 – Saturday, June 7

Friday, June 27

Annual Melodrama Dinner Theatre: When in Rome Thurs-Sat 6:00pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 533-6606; thechorus.org

Jim Parker’s Songwriters Showcase 6:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; vonbrauncenter.com

 | noalapress.com | may/june 

Big Brothers Big Sisters “Big” 5K 7:00am; Donations and Sponsorships accepted; 365 The Bridge St.; (256) 880-2123; bbbsna.org

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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scene

Karla Maranville, Keyontae’ Crutcher, Micheal Milam, and Harold Weatherly

Steve Thornton, Rick Smith, Fawn Smith

Bill Stender, Milton Harris, and Alice Chenault

Tony McGinnis, Cristobal, and Shaft Muhammad

President Pat Wynn, J.D. Stevens, Beth Morring, James Allen, and Suzanne Rainey

Suzanne Dorsett, Ashley Ayers, Angela Rawls, and Jodi Adams

Above: James A. Lane Boys and Girls Club

Below: Trissl Sports Cars Porsche Showcase

february , ,  · huntsville

march ,  · florence

Thomas Trissl, Tristan Schoeneweiss, and Jason Schurfeld

Don Letchman

Ann Jett, David Jett, Jim Watson and Bingham Edwards Frank and Morrie Peterson Brian Cook and Jason Schurfeld

Charlcy Ray and Bart Hollingsworth Craig Cantley, Keith Cantley, and Porter Fell © Butler Studios

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

TEXT BY

 | noalapress.com | may/june 

SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

FOR retired optometrists Drs. Stewart and Wanda Abel, modern style isn’t just a design philosophy—it’s a lifestyle. “If you think old, then you stop thinking,” says Stewart, “and we are not people who live in the past.” After 56 years of marriage, four daughters, nine grandchildren, and decades of combined success in the fields of architecture, aerospace, optometry, and education, the Abels could easily settle down into a life of comfortable retreat in the retirement community where they share a 5,200 square-foot home in Cary, North Carolina. But shuffleboard and napping isn’t on their agenda anytime soon. Whether they are building or ballroom dancing, the Abels are always anticipating their next step. This forward-thinking philosophy is especially evident in the nearly 30 iconic houses built by the Abels in the 1960s. All designed in a mid-century modern style, these homes have left a distinctive mark on Huntsville’s architectural heritage—each reflecting a fresh, modern perspective that stands out in a sea of Southern styles. “If you think old, then you stop thinking, and we are not people who live in the past.” STEWART ABEL

Originally from Florida, the Abels came to Huntsville in the mid-1960s when Stewart was transferred to work for Saturn as an aerospace engineer. They arrived in this city to ﬁnd it was a place of optimism, ambition, and hope, as men and women poured in from all areas of the world ready to join the space program. Charles Vaughn, a native of Huntsville and member of the Historic Huntsville Foundation’s Board of Directors, describes the atmosphere of Huntsville in the 60s. “During this time, we felt a certain mastery over our environment,” he says. “We believed to some extent we could even beat gravity. Huntsville is a city that occurred because of a view toward the future.” Although not typical in the South, modern design is reﬂective of the optimism of this time period in Huntsville. “Sometimes we are not familiar Courtesy of Stewart Abel

Wanda and Stewart Abel

with something and it looks odd or strange, but the more we know about something, the more we can appreciate the beauty,” says Vaughn. With the space program thriving and Apollo 11’s moon landing on the horizon, the inﬂux of

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STEWART ABEL STYLE

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people coming to Huntsville naturally created a demand for housing. The Abels put their love of modern design into action, creating homes that conveyed the new perspectives of this time. Because Southern architecture is not exactly known for a reflection of modern style, what the Abels created was highly unique to this area—homes built with clean lines and humble materials, such as single-paned glass, metal, concrete blocks, and natural wood. “My philosophy is very organic,” says Stewart. “I love to do things that are unusual and different.” The Abel homes were built with a reverence for nature, privacy, and light, and were often tucked into wooded areas. The main entrance was usually not located in front of the house, but placed to the side or back. Clerestory windows also allowed for outside light, while their above eye-level height helped maintain privacy. The houses commonly featured multi-gabled or flat roofs, walls made entirely of glass, and doors that went from floor to ceiling. Another signature of Abel designs involved irregular use of glass as an exterior embellishment. And although modern design reflects simplicity, it is highly sophisticated. Ralph and Linda Allen are Huntsville residents who live in an Abel home that is an exact replica of the home that Stewart Abel built for his own family in Mt. Charron. Linda previously lived just a few streets over from this house and had admired it many times on neighborhood walks. When the home eventually went on the market, Linda asked Ralph, © Patrick Hood

“How do you feel about living in a ﬂat-roofed house?” Ralph, a retired architect, has a background in historic architecture and has always admired contemporary styles. The east and west walls of the home are wall-to-wall glass. As is typical in many of Stewart Abel’s designs, the living space is on the

Above: One of Stewart Abel’s most developed designs has a spectacular view of Huntsville. Left: An Abel design which featured three bedrooms, a two-car garage, and an indoor swimming pool on the ground level. Photos from the actual house are on the next page.

second ﬂoor, supported by round posts, nestling their little space right in the midst of the tree tops, which suits the Allens just ﬁne. “The people who live in contemporary houses appreciate nature and tend to leave it alone,” says Ralph. “We live in a treehouse. You can watch the birds and everything going on out there and it’s wonderful.” The Allens have now been in their home for nearly 25 years and have been careful to remain true to the original modern concept when making renovations.

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STEWART ABEL STYLE The Abel homes are not the only mid-century modern structures in Huntsville, built as the city was transitioning from a mill town to a military and space city; it’s just that so many of them are still around. And according to Donna Castellano, Chairman & Preservation Committee Chair of the Historic Huntsville Foundation, Huntsville is full of great examples of this style, even though most people think of the Twickinham District and other historic areas when they think of historic importance. “Most people think that a structure can’t have historic significance if it was built in their lifetime,” Donna said. “That isn’t so; the mid-century period in Huntsville was very significant, and could possibly even qualify for Historic Register status.” Huntsville’s housing boom produced many homes of this style, tucked into shady neighborhoods and generally unappreciated, unless you understand the circumstances of their birth. In the late 1960s, after the first man walked on the moon, the Abels were once again looking for a new endeavor.

Real-

izing the demand for healthcare, both Stewart and Wanda Above: Abel’s interiors were open and contemporary.

went back to medical school at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), where they became doctors of optometry. Wanda was a professor at UAB, and the two later founded the Nova Southeastern School of Optometry in Florida, where they were both professors. They also ran their own optometry practice for 17 years. After a lifetime of exceptional successes, both personally and professionally, the Abels are retired, but they are still actively looking for new building projects and adventures. “Our hobby is each other,” says Wanda. “We have many diﬀerent interests and are willing to try anything.” On a past cruise

“During [the 60s], we felt a certain mastery over our environment. We believed to some extent, we could even beat gravity. Huntsville is a city that occurred because of a view toward the future.” CHARLES VAUGHN

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Clockwise, from top, left: The interior of one of Abel’s houses, showing the railing around an opening to the swimming pool one ﬂoor below. Right: Another view of the living room, with its exposed vaulted ceilings. Bottom right: The interior swimming pool. The rendering for this house is shown on page 22; the garage was never built.

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STEWART ABEL STYLE vacation, they tried a ballroom dancing lesson just for fun, and instantly became hooked. Fourteen years later, they belong to four diﬀerent dance clubs, where they spend at least three-to-ﬁve nights a week ballroom dancing.

The Abels’

approach to dancing is not unlike the approach they take “My philosophy is very organic. I love to do things that are unusual and different.” STEWART ABEL

with design. “I’m more of a dreamer,” says Stewart. “Wanda is into structure and programming. In dancing, she analyzes the steps and the counts. I dance from the feel, but we have a phenomenal style.” The Abels have become masters of danc-

Above: A rendering of “The Fantasy”— one of Abel’s designs which appeared in a tour of homes booklet in the early 1960s.

ing—they have even taught lessons on subsequent cruise vacations. They do everything from the Merengue to the Waltz to the Texas Two Step, and many more, but line dancing is one thing they have no interest in trying because it doesn’t require a partner. “We don’t dance with other people,” says Stewart, “there will be a day when the other isn’t around and we will have that option, and at that point we can choose to. That will be a very sad day. But it goes back to the old saying ‘it’s better to have loved and lost…’” Although it has been many years since this distinctive couple have been a part of the Huntsville community, the homes they designed in this area will always be symbolic of the city’s spirit, one that combines rich history with the possibilities of things to come. The Abels are something special, and continue to leave their mark on anything they touch. “We are the luckiest people,” says Stewart. “And we know it. Every morning we wake up and we know it.”

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RUTH MORRISON has traveled all over the world. But one of her very favorite spots is still the home she purchased with her husband nearly 40 years ago in Mt. Charron. “We walked in the front door and both of us knew we would buy the house,” she says. “There was no discussion. That was a Monday. We made an offer and by Friday, the house was ours.” For Morrison, 86, the house is the second of two mid-century modern homes designed by architect Stewart Abel she has owned—an unplanned coincidence she only later discovered. Born in Gadsden, Morrison moved to Huntsville in the 60s to work as an analyst for the army. Because Stewart Abel’s unconventional designs reﬂected the new, futuristic atmosphere of Huntsville during this time period, she was naturally drawn to this style home. “I came along at a time when it was ex-

AN ABEL

citing to be the ﬁrst woman who was able to do things that weren’t normal

ABODE

3600 square feet, it is only comprised of ﬁve main rooms. The A-frame design

female jobs at that time,” Morrison recalls. Although her home boasts over

of the main floor features a loft that the Morrison’s converted to a dining area some years ago. Wanting to remain true to the original design, the kitchen and bathrooms still feature all of the original cabinets and countertops. There are two bedrooms on the second level—one of which has a movable divider that can allow it to function as two separate bedrooms. The lower level is all about entertaining and boasts a bar, living room, and bathroom. And although it is no longer functional, the house still has an original free-standing copper fireplace. But Morrison’s absolute favorite feature of her home is the living room on the main floor. As with most all Stewart Abel houses, the back wall is all glass— which allows for a captivating view of the surrounding woods. And Morrison says that this time of year the entire room literally “glows green with spring.” Stewart Abel says of his own building projects that he typically picks “dog lots”—meaning that trees, rocks, and sloping terrain make the building project all the more of a challenge. Morrison’s home is no different, as her lot features all three. But the ambiance a Stewart Abel house creates is truly unique. “It has a certain serenity that is rare to find these days,” Morrison says. “And I think that’s part of being with nature. They are different from anything else. They make me happy. They are good-feeling houses.”

“I came along at a time when it was exciting to be the ﬁrst woman who was able to do things that weren’t normal female jobs at that time.” RUTH MORRISON

As a seasoned traveler, Morrison has an entire wall of pictures dedicated to her many adventures all around the globe. She has visited all 50 states, Europe, Asia and even traveled on a 107 day cruise on the Queen Elizabeth II— which went all the way around the world. But even after all of her travels, she is always grateful to return to her mid-century modern home. “I step into the house from the hall and when I step up into this room I know I’m home,” she says. “It’s truly home.”

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TEXT BY

SARA WRIGHT COVINGTON

» PHOTOS BY PATRICK HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF MERRIMACK HALL

HOOD

CHANCES ARE, IF YOU’VE LIVED IN HUNTSVILLE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, you’ve crossed paths with a rocket scientist or two. Whether they are standing in line next to you at Dallas Mill Deli or sitting in the pew next to you at church on Sunday, they are everywhere in this town. And it’s no wonder that Huntsville earned the moniker ‘Rocket City’ in the 60’s. But before Huntsville became this veritable melting pot of engineers and rocket scientists, simpler pursuits brought people to North Alabama. Rich soil and the promise of a new start brought hope and purpose once again to a city still nursing Civil War-time wounds. What emerged from this cotton boom was a town connected by its mills and the thriving little villages that surrounded them. Largely occupied by Union troops during the Civil War, Huntsville was unable to offer much help to the Southern cause. Post war, the rich resources that had brought so many early settlers here allowed Huntsville to once again thrive, as cotton breathed new life, purpose, and hope into the city. The many cotton mills of Huntsville—Merrimack, Lincoln, Lowe, and Dallas, just to name a few—offered not just employment, but an entire way of life. The villages that surrounded these mills offered housing, churches, schools, recreation, and more. But most importantly, these little communities offered a chance for their employees to provide for their families, ensuring a brighter future for their descendants. “The people who worked in this mill provided the base for the people who went to work for Werner Von Braun,” says Merrimack Hall founder Debra Jenkins. “Their parents had worked in the mill, but they had gotten educations in math and science and were able to get jobs that weren’t just manual labor at the textile mill.” Facing page: The water tower of Lincoln Mill.

OUT OF THE FLOOD Merrimack Mill, originally Merrimack Manufacturing Company, was the Huntsville mill that almost wasn’t. Tracy W. Pratt was a visionary of the time. He knew there were rich opportunities in Huntsville because of the flat land, rich soil, and access to water. So when it was rumored that Merrimack Manufacturing Company of Lowell, Massachusetts was looking to open a plant in the South, Pratt took the initiative to secure pricing for two pieces of land in West Huntsville that would later become the mill. Merrimack officials from Boston were initially eager to look at the property, but when they arrived to inspect the land, a complete fluke of mother nature sent them quickly back to Boston. Torrential rains had covered the flat land in water, creating a flood that had never before occurred in the history of Huntsville. Pratt’s pleas with the Boston officials were in vain, as they could not be convinced that this stroke of bad luck wasn’t a common occurrence. It would, after all, be ridiculous to locate a textile mill in the middle of a flood zone. Undeterred from his course, Pratt obtained letters from the city mayor,

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HIGH COTTON a priest, and a judge, who all wrote signed affidavits that nothing like this flood had ever happened in Huntsville before. Pratt took the statements to Boston himself, where he was able to finally convince the officials to come back down to Huntsville and reconsider. Reconsider they did, and in 1899, the first ground was broken on what was to become Merrimack Manufacturing Company. All that remains of Merrimack Mill today, aside from about 140 mill houses, is Merrimack Hall itself. The northeast corner of the building was originally a two-story house that once functioned as a store and, oddly enough, was initially located across the street where the second of the two original mills was built. Instead of tearing down the store, the store was moved. The process took two weeks and the store never closed for business and only lost one bottle of milk in the moving process. The rest of the building was framed off of that one small structure, and the finished building included a gym, two community meeting rooms, and an expanded store. These mills were torn down in 1992. The smoke stack was the last thing to go, leaving only Merrimack Hall. Although renovations have been made through the years, much of the character of the original building is still there. The outside of the building was re-bricked, but the bricks inside the theater are all authentic. Built by a Tennessee mason, all of the bricks were made from Tennessee River mud and the grout was made from the gravel and mud at the bottom of the river bank—which explains why all of the bricks are varied in color and the grout is uneven. Once the center of village life, Merrimack Hall is still a pretty lively place, although its function has changed. In 2009, the Johnny Stallings Arts Program was founded for children with special needs. Named after Coach Gene Stalling’s son, the program offers workshops for music, theatre, and dance. Mostly, it offers its participants a chance to make friends and

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Above, color: Merrimack Hall is all that remains of Merrimack Mill. What was once home to the company store and the central hub of Merrimack mill village, it’s now home to a thriving performing arts center. Black and white insets: Mill and spool workers.

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HIGH COTTON

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express themselves creatively. “Normal is a dryer setting,” says Jenkins. “There is no such thing as normal. The message we are trying to put out is that everybody has special needs in one way or another. We are more alike than we think.” Coach Stallings came to Merrimack in 2009 and helped the program raise money, and Jenkins continues to send him yearly updates of all of the programs’ accolades.

FROM TEXTILES TO TECHNOLOGY Years before Research Park and Redstone Arsenal became Huntsville’s hubs for space and technology, companies like Teledyne Brown, Northrop Grumman, and Chrysler were housed in a more humble spot. Once comprised of 800,000 square feet, Lincoln Mill has been evolving since its beginning in 1900. Originally called Madison Spinning Company, William Lincoln Barrel purchased the company in 1918 and it was known from that time until 1955 as Lincoln Mills. Labor strikes eventually closed the factory, and it was bought by several government and business leaders in 1957, when it became known as Huntsville Industrial Center. Offering office space to many of the aforementioned companies, the property was instrumental in helping pave the way for the space program. As Huntsville became increasingly developed, these companies eventually moved into different locations and in 1980, fire destroyed part of the mills. But for the descendants of the mill workers who worked there in the very beginning, it will always be remembered as just the village they once called home.

Above, color: Lincoln Mill now provides oﬃce space for a variety of businesses; of the four major mills in Huntsville, little is known about this one. Black and white inset: An aerial view of Merrimack Mill.

Peggy Dunham, 80, has lived in Madison County all of her life and remembers fondly what it was like to grow up as the daughter of an overseer at Lincoln Mill. Working in the mill was hard work, as it was hot, dusty, and physically taxing, but Dunham doesn’t remember her father ever complaining. She recalls sitting in his lap as he read by the light of a lamp and

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HIGH COTTON thinking that he was ‘studying’ to go work in the mill. As an overseer, her father worked regardless of the labor strikes that eventually closed the mill, and she remembers him taking a gun with him every time he went in, as tensions were very high during this volatile time. But she insists that her parents never let on about any of the hardships and she never wanted for anything. In fact, she believes that her childhood in the mill village made her the confident adult she is today. “I always enjoyed my childhood fully,” she says. “There was no crime in there that I knew of. At night you would sleep with the windows and screen doors open. And you felt very safe and secure. We’d play out under the street lights and went skating every Saturday night. I just wouldn’t take anything for it. I always think they need a village for everyone to live in. The times are different now, of course. I just have wonderful memories. It has made me the person I am today. I feel secure and I just feel blessed with a wonderful life. Having that life to me was worth everything.” In 2007 Lincoln Mills was purchased by Dr. Jim Byrne. Today, he and his business partner, Wayne Bonner, have turned the building into office space once again. And although renovations have been made, the building’s exterior has been completely preserved. All of the window grids are original, but the old glass has been replaced with insulated glass. Inside the mill, the 7-inch thick concrete floors remain as well. “Our entire goal is to provide office space for a really broad spectrum of the community,” says Bonner. Offering spacious suites with modern amenities, Lincoln Mill is still a progressive place in the center of over a century’s worth of history.

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Above, color: Lowe Mill is now home to Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, the Southeast’s largest center for the arts. Black and white insets: Merrimack Mill workers (above) and workers from the Merrimack Mill spinning room (facing).

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HIGH COTTON FROM COTTON TO CULTURE If you are headed west from Memorial Parkway on Governor’s drive and take a detour onto Seminole, another one of Huntsville’s oldest reserves, Lowe Mill, still stands under a now iconic water tower where it has been for over a century. Lowe Mill Manufacturing Company opened in 1901, founded by Arthur H. Lowe of Massachusetts. Huntsville’s fifth textile mill, it once housed over 25,000 spindles. After many different ownership changes throughout its years as a cotton mill, Lowe Mill became General Shoe Company in 1945. It eventually became known as Genesco Inc. and manufactured military boots for American soldiers in Vietnam until 1978 when the factory closed. In 2001, it was sold to current owner Jim Hudson and today is known as Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment. Although its manufacturing days have long ended, Lowe Mill is still a very thriving place—but it serves a funkier, more eclectic function these days. It currently houses over 100 artists, vendors, and restaurants on its three floors and also serves as a live music venue and event rental space. There is limited documented history on Lowe Mill, but its walls tell the stories of an era ended. The original hardwood floors bare embedded gold nails, dropped long ago during the shoe-sole making process—little souvenirs of General Shoe Company. The floors are also still coated in oil, a remnant of Lowe Mill’s manufacturing days. The mill’s original elevator is still working and many days Huntsville native Sharron Singletary can be found working a shift. Hired on as the Assistant Gallery Coordinator and Historian, Singletary frequently meets Lowe Mill descendants who come by to visit their old stomping grounds. Although she has gathered much of her research from the library and old newspapers, a huge portion of what she has learned of Lowe Mill’s history has come from the stories she hears from the retired workers from General Shoe who come by. As the Southeast’s largest center for the arts, Lowe Mill’s rich history and cultural impact draw visitors from all over the globe. “Something that surprises me every day is the variety of people who come here—their ages, gender, race. And it’s all very rooted in a localized grass-roots type thing,” says Singletary. Like the other mills, Lowe Mill is also symbolic of the work ethic of the men and women who helped build a foundation to make Huntsville the evolved city it has become. “I think what the mill did for almost everyone I met who worked there was give them a great love for hard work,” Singletary says. “They all seemed driven.”

OUT OF ASHES Dallas Mill, once known as the South’s largest textile mill, originally opened in 1892. Containing 25,000 spindles when it opened, it originally employed over 500 people. Over time,

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the mill doubled in size and employees. The cotton sheeting it produced could be used for bandages, sheets, and sandbags. Once one of Huntsville’s largest employers, labor strikes in the 1940s proved to be detrimental for Dallas Mill, and it eventually closed in 1949. In 1955, the building was bought and leased to General Shoe Company, where it served as a distribution warehouse. Dallas Mill was destroyed by a ﬁre in 1991—all that survived were the mill homes and the water tower, which still stands. The memories that have risen out Dallas Mill’s ashes belong to a dwindling few who are still alive to tell their stories—stories that have been preserved in large part due to Huntsville native and Dallas Mill descendant, Ann Schrimsher Franklin. Franklin, who is now 81, is the daughter of both a mother and father who worked in Dallas Mill. In 2004, she took it upon herself to preserve Dallas Mill heritage by starting a website where others in the Dallas Mill community could share their stories. “When I kept seeing all of us dying away,” says Franklin. “I said, I have to do something to preserve our history. So I just jumped right in.” With the help of web designer Craig Clontz, www.rison-dallas.com was born. Franklin proudly tells her own story on the site, where she fondly recalls what it was like to live in Dallas Mill village as a child. “The house we lived in did not have indoor facilities,” she says. “It had a well on the back porch. There was an outhouse on the back part of the lot. It was a very humble growing up.” Like the other mill villages, Dallas was its own independent community—complete with a church, school, gymnasium, and more. Mill workers and their families lived, worked, and played in these communities—little towns seemingly separate from the rest of the world. Franklin recalls that they had it all, just living in their little community: “Dallas village had a YMCA. It was used completely by the whole community. There was a basketball court and then they would sometimes show movies there. It had an upstairs. They had showers and you could pay a dime and go upstairs and take a bath. They had card games and dominoes, and rook and whatever. At one point in time, we also skated in the room where we watched movies and they played basketball. It gave so much life to that little community. It seemed on the outset it was a depressed area, but actually it was a thriving little community. We didn’t have a lot, but what we had was enough to get by on.” John Williams, 85, is a fellow Dallas Mill descendant and childhood friend of Ann Schrimsher Franklin. He also fondly remembers the fellowship of growing up where the mill was the center of life. He credits growing up in Dallas Mill Village and attending the Rison School with making him the man he became. “Basically, it was a tough time to grow up from a ﬁnancial standpoint, but it was a good time to grow up in learning how to behave and become a good citizen,” he says. “Between that and school, I think it was a very, shall we say, stern environment. Kids were taught for the most part

Photos on this page show some of the Mill’s youngest workers. Left: The Merrimack Mill school.

to behave themselves and stay out of trouble. If you were out and about in what we called the village, and you got into any mischief, by the time you got home, your parents knew about it. It was a good environment to grow up in.” With Dallas Mill gone, Interstate 565 is now where the original mill would have been, had it survived. As for the remaining living few who are around to share their memories of growing up in Dallas Village, they now have a place, thanks to Franklin’s website. There are also yearly reunions for alumni of the Rison School, which Franklin attended even after her father and mother purchased a house outside of the Mill village. Franklin remembers her days as a school girl and time in Dallas Village: “I’m just sorry that I can’t actually enter the halls of the school and take off my shoes and socks and walk those welloiled wooden floors; I wouldn’t even mind seeing the black on the bottoms of my feet. I’m sorry that I can’t hear the school bell ring and see if I could once again fit into one of the school desks. I’m sorry that there are people whom I will never see again. But—I’m glad that I have the memories of the school—even the smells from the oiled floors. I’m glad that great lessons were learned from the experiences in Rison School. I’m glad that I am who I am and that I’ve never been ashamed to say, “I grew up in Dallas Village!” It has been many decades since Huntsville has been a cotton town. But the spirit of these once thriving mini-communities endures. After World War II ended, the high demand for the mills diminished. The power of labor unions increased, and one by one, the cotton mills of Huntsville closed their doors. All four of the remaining mill villages are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the South’s most

sophisticated and educated communities, Huntsville evolved into the place it is today because of the backbone these mills provided. “You realize what an impact those four mills had on this community,” says Debra Jenkins. “Merrimack recruited workers from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. They were poor, uneducated sharecroppers. Working in a textile mill was brutal. It was very hard manual labor. But it was still a better life. It was security. The mills provided everything for them.”

Merrimack Mill Village’s Park Boulevard in 1925.

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Modern-Day Mill Life

YOUNG COUPLES

OLD HOMES text by claire stewart » photos by danny mitchell

WHEN IT COMES TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS, you may think that only older people appreciate them. But the many young Valley couples who are busy renovating and restoring Huntsville’s mill homes are proving this assumption wrong. These three couples, each at a diﬀerent stage of renovating their mill home, demonstrate that everything old can be new again.

RYAN AND BRITTNEY Newlyweds Brittney and Ryan Saffell had been living in a cozy, well-manicured h B i subdivision for six months in another area of Huntsville when Brittney got an itch to move. “I was really looking into finding a nice fixer-upper in the area,” said Brittney. “The more we looked at houses, the more ambitious we became. We slowly went from looking at one or two-room remodels to homes that would take months and years to completely gut and remodel.” That was when they discovered a vacant home in the old Merrimack Mill Village. “We were instantly intrigued,” she said. After touring the home, their Realtor introduced them to other homeowners in the neighborhood. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and all seemed to love living in the neighborhood. Everyone they met had done a substantial amount of work on their homes and encouraged the couple to take on the project. “From the time we looked at the house until the time we closed on it, we were talking to our new neighbors and getting advice from them about the remodel,” said Brittney. “Suddenly, we realized we had met and talked to more people in a neighborhood we weren’t even living in yet than we ever had in the six months we lived in the old subdivision. We knew we made the right choice with this home.” Meeting friendly neighbors turned out to be the easy part. It took a little over a year for Brittney and Ryan to get their home ready so they could receive a certificate of occupancy. Besides the construction work, which they expected, they also ran into some unexpected remodeling obstacles, like 50-year-old termite damage in their guest bedroom, severe water damage in one wall, long

Facing page: Brittney and Ryan Saﬀell at home in their restored Huntsville Mill home.

Clockwise from top left: Ryan and Brittney Saﬀell’s ﬁnished kitchen, dining room and pantry. Facing page: While renovating their home, Ashley and Andy found several items—old letters, postcards, and a key, which Ashley used as inspiration for her new tattoo.

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nights spent peeling four to five layers of wallpaper off the walls and ceilings, and long days of prying off seven layers of flooring. At the beginning of the renovation, the couple hoped to hire a carpenter, as well as additional construction help for the process. But when the bank’s construction loan turned out to be much less than expected, Brittney and Ryan decided to do most of the work on their own. “The cost to get a house that was built in 1900 up to code takes much more time and work than it would take to remodel a home built in the last 50 years,” said Ryan. “We were disheartened to know that we were not getting the loan we had hoped for, but that just pushed us to learn everything we needed to know about construction and do most of the work on our own.” Brittney and Ryan both also agree that the most rewarding part about the experience was getting to move into the house they had worked so hard on for a year. “Even though there was no trim on the windows and you could feel a breeze when you walked by them, we were finally in the house and we couldn’t have been happier,” she said. That was April of 2013, and today they have their entire first floor and an upstairs nursery completed. Just in time they are expecting a baby girl in May! Though Brittney says she has always had an appreciation for older homes, Ryan says this experience opened his eyes. “I turned a 180 in my thoughts about construction. I think Brittney helped me with that, too. Going through this process, you see the amazing craftsmanship and work that used to go into homes. This house was built by hand before nail guns and electric sanders. It makes you grateful of every piece of wood over your head.” To other young people interested in taking on an old home, the Saffells say not to wait. “This is the perfect time in your life to renovate a home—you are young and more ablebodied now than you ever will be,” Brittney said. “Now, we can settle down and grow a family in this house we put so much love and hard work into.”

ers of old carpeting before they finally refinished the floors downstairs. “We did the floors all on our own, so we take pride in them,” Andy said. “They may have nicks and scrapes in them— some of which we made—but we think it just gives them character.”

ANDY AND ASHLEY

Walking into the couple’s home today, you won’t ﬁnd a single product bought out of a catalog or manufactured in the last ten years. Everything in their home has either been passed down from family members or bought at thrift stores, restoration stores, or estate sales.

Ashley and Andy Vaughn are old souls—you can see it in the décor of their Mill Home in Five Points, with vintage items like 45-rpm records and antique cameras.

“Estate sales are our personal favorite,” Ashley said. “Those are the things people didn’t want to let go of, so they are usually great ﬁnds.”

In December of 2006, Ashley and Andy moved into a home that was originally built in 1903 for a manager at Dallas Mill. The home was later converted into a duplex and housed two separate apartment units.

This was not the couple’s ﬁrst home. As newlyweds, they moved into a 1960’s brick rancher in Southside. They say that during their move, the HGTV Do-it-Yourself craze was in full swing. “We were deﬁnitely bitten by the bug,” she said. “We were going to Target every weekend, getting cool things for our home and completing a few in-home projects. But, when we moved into Five Points, it seemed like we had a new lifestyle and a new life and our tastes changed.”

Upon purchase, the couple knew they wanted to take the home back to its original floor plan, but it was not an easy task. While living on the second floor, the couple began the slow process of peeling back the layers on the bottom floor to restore it to its original beauty. They had to battle mildew, missing and exposed plumbing, and multiple lay-

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Now the couple painstakingly searches for each individual item for their home, whether it is an antique bed frame, vintage wallpaper, or the perfect sink for their bathroom. They say it makes the process more fun. The couple admits they still have work to do on their home—the next big project will be working on the exterior. “Our advice would be to take your time,” Ashley said. In the ﬁrst week of living in their new home, the Vaughns tore out an interior door that previously divided the two units from one another. Though this gave the space a more open concept, they realized that removing the door let all of the heat out from the bottom ﬂoor. “We are currently looking for a door to put back in its space,” she said. Ashley and Andy say the community around them is the main reason they live where they do. “We love this neighborhood,” she said. “There are always cookouts and barbecues and all of our friends live within two to three blocks of us. People who take up projects like this tend to be kindred spirits and it makes it a fantastic place to live.”

STEVEN AND MARY LEE With her experience in archaeology and his background in engineering, it seems very ﬁtting that Mary Lee and Steven Gaﬃn would combine their passions and take on the project of restoring a 1920’s mill home.

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In 2011, right after the couple married, they moved into their home in Merrimack Mill village. Their home is the same floor plan as the Saffells. When asked if they would encourage others to tackle this undertaking right out of the marriage gate, they both laugh with side-glances at one another. Currently in the midst of renovation, Mary Lee and Steven are only able to live in the second floor of their home while they renovate the bottom floor. “Renovation is a chain reaction,” Steven said, sitting in the unfinished kitchen he had been working in all day. “If you want to change one thing, you find out you have to change

Above: The Vaughns in their renovated home. Inset: A completed bedroom. Facing page: The Vaughn’s love collecting vintage furniture and accessories, to keep their restoration authentic.

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Mary Lee and Steven Gaffin in the midst of their kitchen remodel. The Gaffins are restoring one of Merrimack Mill Village’s many homes, most dating back to the early 1900s. Below, the Gaffin’s home as it looks today; Left (black and white): A snowcovered Mill Village in 1923. Facing page: The Gaffins on their front porch; Inset: A historic marker in front of their home.

five other things you didn’t even plan on touching. Many times, it is a longer process than you had planned for.” Many renovations had been done to their home before they purchased it. Like many of the other homes, it had been made into a duplex at one point. It was advertised as a five or six bedroom home when they looked into it, but the Gaffins are hoping to end up with three bedrooms when their remodeling project is completed. And like many other mill homeowners, they are undoing some of the work that has been done to the home in the past 50 years, and they have had to make compromises. Like the Vaughns, Mary Lee and Steven say that taking your time on a project like this is the best advice they could give. “So many parts of construction seem like an easy fix to a problem, but taking your time when you are making lasting changes is the best option,” Mary Lee said. So far, the couple has been most pleased with the results of their demolition and reconstruction of their screenedin porch. Steven did such a beautiful job building the new porch that they have people knock on their door to ask who did it, because they like it so much. For his first construction job, those are pretty impressive results.

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The Gaﬃns hope their kitchen re-do, which they hope to complete by summer’s end, is as successful as their porch project. In the meantime, all of their meals are limited to what they can prepare in a crockpot, fridge, or microwave. And what about the idea that young people only want new houses, easy home projects, and have no appreciation for history or older architecture? The Gaﬃns seemed surprised by the thought. “Oh, I don’t see that at all,” said Mary Lee. “Most of the people we talk to in our community are around our age. All of the Merrimack village folks help each other out, and it makes you feel like you are all in this together. That’s another reason this is such a great place to live!”

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One

look at this lake house in

Guntersville, and you might think you have been transported to the Adirondacks in northeastern New York. The fact is, the owner took the architect, Paul Matheny, on a trip there to study the design techniques and construction methods of the 19th century Adirondack photos by davis griffin photography

Great Camps. The heavy use of stone, white cedar logs, and birch bark veneers makes this lodge home blend with its surroundings and oﬀer stunning views of Guntersville Lake. At 5,000 square feet, the house is big enough for entertaining and features large living spaces, a game room, a gourmet kitchen with a “super pantry,” four bedrooms, and three and a half baths. The use of outdoor patios and porches make this the perfect yearround retreat.

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Facing page: The game room’s large windows oﬀer spectacular lake views. An outdoor porch has a ﬁreplace for chilly Fall evenings. Above: The gourmet kitchen features a “super pantry.” Left: The architects used white cedar and birch veneer to be true to Adirondack style architecture.

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Facing page and above, top: The dining room and its panoramic views of the lake. Below: The architect stayed true to the Great Lodge style of architecture found in upstate New York.

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Architecture and Interior Design: Matheny Goldmon Architecture+Interiors H. Paul Matheny, AIA Jillian Marks, ASID Structural Engineer: Hodnett Hurst Engineers John Hurst General Contractor: Maxwell Homes, Inc. Dan Maxwell

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The house has four bedrooms and three and a half baths. Guests might have trouble believing they are in north Alabama, instead of northern New York State.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

TEXT BY CLAIRE

STEWART

» PHOTOS BY

PATRICK HOOD

When the Yeagers left their large three-story home in Jones Valley for this smaller 1950s-style rancher in Huntsville’s Twickenham District, they realized downsizing would involve some diﬃcult choices. But after two years of formidable exterior and interior renovations, they have turned their smaller digs into a showplace, ﬁlled with a unique mix of classic antiques, contemporary art, and bright, bold color choices.

Facing page: Angie modeled her small pool after the one outside her hotel room in Cabo San Lucas; Below, right: The ﬁreplace in the Yeager home serves double duty, providing warmth for both the outside patio and den (See page 57) during cool fall and colder winter nights.

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MAKING A SPLASH IN THE TWICKENHAM  | noalapress.com | may/june 

Facing page: Angie says their style is a mix of modern and antique, and though their tastes have changed, she loves seeing traditional ﬁnds mixed with newer, more contemporary pieces. Above, left: The hallway connecting the entrance to the master suite is a sunny gallery—the perfect spot to showcase a cherished piece of art or treasured antique. Top right and right: Contemporary art is juxtaposed with a lacquered turquoise cabinet.

This page and facing page: The ceilings in the couple’s living and dining rooms were inspired by West Hollywood’s Chamberlin Hotel, a favorite of the Yeagers. Architect Frank Nola designed the unique pattern which creates a majestic focal point for the home’s entrance.

MAKING A SPLASH IN THE TWICKENHAM

Facing page: The clock in the breakfast nook has a special story. The original owners of the home, Bill and Virginia Stevens, were given this clock in 1954 as a housewarming gift. The Stevens’s son returned the favor, gifting the clock to the Yeagers when they moved in. Above, left: The size of the kitchen didn’t change during the remodel, so the couple outﬁtted the space with contemporary and eﬃcient cabinetry in high-gloss exotic wood veneers and frosted glass. Above, right: Without hesitation, Angie says the laundry room is her favorite room in the house. Left: A small powder room is always the perfect place to experiment with bold patterns and colorful art.

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MAKING A SPLASH IN THE TWICKENHAM  | noalapress.com | may/june 

Above, left: The master suite is both restful and elegant, and features a combination of soft taupes and rich corals. Above, right: The Yeagers’ son’s bath uses an antique chest as the base for the sink. Right: Angie and designer Lila Frank used lavender as an accent color throughout the home, but the soft color is featured most prominently in the Yeagers’ daughter’s room. Facing page: The generous master bath uses marble luxuriously, and is crowned with an exquisite crystal chandelier.

Designer: Lila Pryor Frank, ASID • Contractor: Steve West Original Architect: Paul Speake • Renovation Architect: Frank J. Nola, AIA Original Owner: Bill and Virginia Stevens

in  garden 

PHOTOS BY

 | noalapress.com | may/june 

PATRICK HOOD

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

When my mother died in 2000, I made the decision to create a garden in her memory. We had always lived in London, and Mummy was a gifted gardener but never had space to really let her talent blossom, so to speak. Although I come from a family of gardeners, I had never had one of my own, so I did what I do with everything else in my life— I began to garden with God. We named the garden “Eden.” By listening and heeding my intuition, each and every plant found its place. My husband Bob and Charlie (Petty, the gardener) were instrumental in creating this labour of love, with all the heavy planting and the mammoth job of shifting rocks involved. Both Bob and Charlie also had the enormous task initially of clearing the brush to create an empty canvas. This is as much Charlie’s creation as it is ours.

—Tiril Benton

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The Bentons did not design Eden with plants— they designed Eden as a garden space, and the plants were secondary. After the garden was designed, the house went through a major remodel by ARC Design-Build and the garden spaces, placed on the steep hill with its rocks and trees, were a major consideration in designing the views from the house. The main goal was to connect the inside of the house with the outside, through the use of porches and patios that lead right into the garden. Eden is a peaceful and beautiful place.

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70 »

scene

Karla Maranville, Keyontae’ Crutcher, Micheal Milam, and Harold Weatherly

Harold Gregory Johnson and Macey Ann Johnson

Lisa Cole, Mary Ena Heath, and Lisa Caprio

Victorian Cotillion Member Introduction Sally Frances Smith

William Lee Tucker, James Richard Green III, and Jacob Tyler Harris Vaughn. Front Row is Patrick Ryan Roberts, Clay Alexander Kaylor, and Andrew Cole Pendergrass

Eliza Spearman and Karen Kimbrough

Eloise Propst, Julia Conway, and Janet Howle

Above: 2014 Victorian Cotillion Club

Below: WLRH Spring Membership Drive

march ,  · von braun center, huntsville

april ,  · wlrh studios at uah, huntsville

Joe Cook, Ginny Kennedy, and Anna Blair Judy Watters, Dorrie Nutt, Susan Stewart, and Rhonda Brayles Roy Clem and Phil Hutcheson Isaiah Ashe and Brett Tannehill with Bee Brad Posey and ‘Microwave Dave’ Gallagher

Beth Norwood and Brett Tannehill

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

Isaiah Ashe and Anna Blair

Joyce Billingsley, John Jeter, Bonnie Roberts, Kay Campbell, Frances Akridge, Margaret Vann, Ginny Gilbert, and Judy Cameron

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The Unbelievable Story of George Keller’s Dream to Bring the Auto Industry to Huntsville

text by allen tomlinson » photos by patrick hood

This page: The wooden panels of the Barnett’s Keller car, one of only three still in existence. Facing page: An interior door handle.

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Huntsville has been the center of a lot of different things, in its long and interesting history. At the end of the Civil War, it became a mill town; almost eighty years later, after World War Two, it had become a military city, and then it was swarming with rocket scientists and engineers who were determined to put a man on the moon. Huntsville was booming—and so was the rest of the country. As America moved from wartime to peace, there was an overwhelming sense of optimism, but there was a severe shortage of housing and cars. Soldiers returning from duty had money to spend, and a new car was on their list. The large auto manufacturers, like General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, were converting their manufacturing plants from wartime production back to the production of cars, and it was taking some time. That represented opportunity for entrepreneurs who wanted to jump into the business… and that’s how Huntsville, Alabama, became an automotive manufacturing town. Sort of. The back story of the Keller Car is complicated, and is best detailed on a website called “Huntsville Rewound” (huntsvillerewound.com/HSVkellercar.htm). John Liefield, an engineer in California, was working for the Consolidated Vultee aircraft plant, but when the war ended, the entire workforce was subject to layoff. Liefield’s brother introduced him to a man he’d met at a bar, a promoter named S.A. Williams, who agreed to bankroll him in the production of a new mini-car, which they named the Bobbi-Kar. The car was underpowered and pretty awful, but Williams was a great salesperson (and, it was discovered later, had served time in prison for securities fraud); despite the automobile’s flaws, Williams was able to sell dealership franchises and raise enough money to secure a manufacturing plant in California. Enter George Keller. Keller had been a top salesman for the Studebaker Company, but clashed with management over distribution issues. Keller had been thinking about the need for an inexpensive car that could be used for basic transportation. Liefield hired him as a consultant. Those pesky folks at the Securities and Exchange Commission wouldn’t let S.A. Williams sell stock the way he wanted, to raise money to truly become a car manufacturer. When he learned that an Alabama Chamber of Commerce was trying to find industry to occupy the Bechtel-McCone Aircraft Company on the Huntsville Arsenal, he jumped at the chance to move to a place where he (incorrectly) assumed it would be easier to sell stock. The group put everything on a train

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

GEORGE KELLER: AUTO PILOT

and shipped it to Alabama, where plans were made to begin manufacturing the Bobbi-Kar in Redstone Building #481 (later #4471, only recently torn down).

tomobiles with his surplus airplane seats. He ended up buying the entire automotive operation, even lending money to George Keller for living expenses.

Alabama officials broke the news to Williams: because of his prison record, he would not be allowed to be a director or officer of any Alabama corporation, much less sell stock. In March of 1947, a group of investors made Williams an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he returned to California (where he became involved in two other automotive schemes and was reportedly later convicted for his part in distributing counterfeit $20 bills nationwide.)

Mitchell decided to name the company Keller Motors, and ﬁnally, after a long struggle, the company was ready to begin making cars.

Meanwhile, George Keller, John Lieﬁeld, and their crew were in Alabama—ready to produce some cars. “Stuck,” actually— they didn’t even have the money to move back to California. Hubert Mitchell, a self-made man from the Hartselle area, owned a failing furniture factory he had purchased during the War. During the war, civilian planes were requisitioned and converted to military use, and the government took out the original seats and replaced them with seats built in Mitchell’s factory. When the war ended, Mitchell had a lot of seats in inventory—a lot of seats—and his initial interest in the Bobbi-Kar came because he saw an opportunity to equip the au-

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The Keller Car—a station wagon for Everyman. It boasted 49 horsepower. (Today’s Honda Civic has 149 horsepower.) The body was mostly made of wood. The car was made of a conglomeration of readily-available parts that had been cobbled together, from the surplus airplane seats to the engine itself. Asking price was going to be $848. (The average price of a new car in 2013 was $31,252; a Nissan Versa, one of the lowest-priced cars available today, sells for $12,780.) The Keller Car people built 18 of these wagons and hit the roads to sell dealership franchises. People lined up to pay franchise fees, such was the state of the market; the big auto manufacturers weren’t interested in such a low-end vehicle, preferring to concentrate on a more proﬁtable (and less basic) car, and dealers thought they would be able to sell every Keller Car they could get their hands on.

Facing page: A promotional photo from the Keller Car Company. This page: Sally and Sam Barnett, with the Keller Car they have meticulously restored.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

The next morning, as they were gathering for breakfast, they noticed that George Keller was running late. Worried, they checked his hotel room— and found him dead, the victim of a heart attack. He was 56. Not only did he die that night, so did the Keller Car Company.

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GEORGE KELLER: AUTO PILOT

Much of the advertising centered around Keller himself, portraying him as an automotive pioneer who would bring an affordable car to the masses. The dealers who signed up represented a huge array of businesses: some were already selling other car lines; some were used car dealers; some were gas stations; and some were businesses that sold farm equipment, tractors, and other machinery. To truly get big money to finance large-scale production of the Keller Car, the company needed to be able to sell stock. Because of their past associations with S.A. Williams, the Securities and Exchange Commission was watching the company like a hawk, but finally approval was given for a stock offering. In September of 1949, the prospectus was issued; by October 4th, about half of the stock had been sold. The company officials were ecstatic, celebrating that evening with a sumptuous dinner in New York. The next morning, as they were gathering for breakfast, they noticed that George Keller was running late. Worried, they checked his hotel room—and found him dead, the victim of a heart attack. He was 56. Not only did he die that night, so did the Keller Car Company.

Fast forward sixty-ﬁve years. Sam Barnett’s father loved cars. An entire article could be written about his collection of rare Marmon vehicles, beautiful, luxurious, and expensive cars built in the early part of the 20th century. Ron Barnett was a mechanical engineer with a degree from the University of California at Berkley, where Marmon’s founder, Howard Marmon, had also earned his degree. Because Marmons were so exquisitely engineered, Ron Barnett fell in love with them and collected them over the years. “My father also became very interested in the Keller Car,” said Sam, “and when he had the opportunity to purchase one, he jumped on it. It was in pretty bad shape, but we put it through an extensive renovation to restore it to its original condition.” The reason it was in such bad shape was because of the wooden body. Keller Cars were made of wood because a wood car didn’t require expensive tools and dies. A relatively untrained Alabama workforce could glue and screw the pieces together—and, after all, investor Hubert Mitchell already owned that furniture plant that made all of those airplane seats, a plant that he sold to the Keller Car Company for more than its assessed value (which wasn’t brought to light until years later).

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

This page, top: By today’s standards, the Keller Car was basic transportation; manual transmission, no radio, and no power windows. Below: An interior shot of the wood ribbing that supports the roof. Facing page, top: The front of the Keller Car. Bottom: The seats in the Keller were war surplus airplane seats.

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GEORGE KELLER: AUTO PILOT

But wood needs attention. The cars took a lot of hand labor to construct, it took a long time, and they tended to squeak and sag. Even worse—wood rots. The Barnetts were undeterred. “This car has a Willys rear end and wheels, Pontiac gauges, and formed body panels,” said Sam. The engine was a Hercules, a company known for making engines for industrial machinery and farm equipment, and the aluminum parts of the body, including the front fenders, were hand-formed. Sam points out that the left front fender and the right front fender bow at diﬀerent angles, due to the fact that the Keller cars that were actually produced were prototypes. Chances are, had the car made it into large-scale production, those issues would have been worked out. To an observer in 2014, the car looks very basic. It has a standard transmission and none of the accessories that today’s car buyer would consider essential: no radio, no air conditioning, and no electric windows. The restoration, on the other hand, is excellent. The car is yellow, and the wood trim is a warm, honey color. The red seats—which you can just imagine at home in an airplane cockpit—are sturdy and durable. At the rear of the car, Sam points out some of the imperfections that mark this car as a prototype, but even those give the car its charm. From looking at the promotional photos the company

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produced (the Barnetts have notebooks full of research and photos about Keller Cars), you can imagine a happy post-war family on a Sunday afternoon drive, complete with picnic basket and the family dog. There are only three Keller Cars known to be still in existence today. The oldest one, owned by Vance and Lance George (Lance wrote the Huntsville Rewound piece about the company), is in storage, with original wood and engine intact. Titled in 1947, the George’s car is a slightly more sophisticated version, with hidden door hinges and a one-piece formed hood. Later versions of the prototype, such as the Barnett’s, showed some of the cost-saving measures the company was considering, in order to keep the retail price of the car low. These days, if you tell people that Alabama is a center for automotive manufacturing, they can’t dispute it. Honda, Mercedes, Hyundai, Toyota and others have manufacturing facilities here, and about a million cars a year roll oﬀ Alabama assembly lines. But just for fun, tell someone that at one time Huntsville, Alabama, was projected to be the Detroit of the South. Who knows? If Keller Cars had happened as planned, automotive manufacturing might have been more important than rockets to the Rocket City.

News, classical music and more 88.7 FM Muscle Shoals • 100.7 FM Huntsville www.apr.org may/june  | noalapress.com | 

84 »

market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell

SUMMER

LOVIN’ B

A Indoor/Outdoor Pillows ($44, $97.50) » Brooks and Collier » (256) 534-2781 Indoor/Outdoor Pillows ($50 each) » Huntsville Botanical Gardens » (256) 830-4447

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

86 »

market » Summer Lovin’

H C

Chalkboard Placard Pots ($6.99, $8.99)» Josie’s at Burritt on the Mountain » (256) 536-2882 D Children’s Rake ($10.95) E Riviera Hat ($32) F Smart Mud Gloves ($3) G Garden Trowel ($9.99) » Brooks and Collier » (256) 534-2781 H Gardening Kneepads ($10) » Huntsville Botanical Gardens » (256) 830-4447 I Wall Bud Vases by C&H Glassworks ($36, $45) » Little Green Store » (256) 539-9699

“One of the reasons that we all love Randolph so much—even decades later—is because it did not just teach us to be good students. It taught us to be good people.”Brandon Robinson ’98, Ĵ ¢

Extraordinary relationships change lives. Are you ready for a change? Contact admissions@randolphschool.net, 256-799-6103.

randolphschool.net/apply Randolph School does not discriminate in violation of the law on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, age, physical challenge, nation of origin, gender, or any other characteristic.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

88 »

market » Summer Lovin’ K

 | noalapress.com | may/june 

Yellow Wire Stool ($191) K Patterned Outdoor Poof ($155) » Brooks and Collier » (256) 534-2781 L Chinese Ivory Garden Seat ($269) » Miranda Alexander Interiors » (256) 355-6941

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Rates, closing costs and program conditions are subject to change without notice. Subject to normal application and approval process. APR is not disclosed. This is not an extension of credit. Products and services are oﬀered by FirstBank. FirstBank institution IS 472433.

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market » Summer Lovin’

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Reproduction Architectural Zinc Spires ($98, $198) N Metallic Glazed Orb ($89) » Miranda Alexander Interiors » (256) 355-6941 O Bird Houses ($15.99, $39.99) P Assorted Glass Candle Jars (Ranging from 4.99-$39.99) » Josie’s at Burritt on the Mountain » (256) 536-2882 Q Colorful Four Seasons Vase by Art Department ($260) R Try Angles Glass Mosaic by Camp Creek Creations ($1,400) » Little Green Store » (256) 539-9699

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GARLAN GUDGER’S CREATIVE QUEST text by michelle rupe eubanks » photos by patrick hood

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

There are those objects that speak to Garlan Gudger.

A porch post worn around the middle tells of all the small hands that used it as a launching pad into the front yard and the wide world beyond. A front door, nicked and bruised by time, suggests each time it was opened in welcome to a guest. A mantle’s patina hints at the tales told in front of the roaring fire that served to keep the cold and boredom of a winter day at bay. “There are stories in every room and in everything I touch,” Garlan said. “What I like to do is sit and listen.” How he got here—this gift of his—is a testament to destiny. Garlan Gudger, who, let’s face it, with a name like that, could have been almost anything—matinee idol, frontiersman, construction magnate—followed the only path he knew to be right. It’s a journey that began in the 1970s, a time still too modern for many of the items that fill his store, Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, in downtown Cullman, all of which leave a fine layer of dust throughout. “I guess to really understand this, we’d have to talk about the man who became my father’s mentor,” Garlan said of his dad, Garlan Gudger Sr. “His own father died young, so he got to know a World War II veteran, who, while serving in Europe, came to know quite a bit about the architecture there.” According to his son, Garlan Sr. soaked in the information like a sponge, and, while still working full-time at Wallace State Community College as a coach and dean, he learned the artistry and craftsmanship behind the old Victorian mansions that dotted the southern landscape at the time. The south, in those days, was one of urban renewal. Plantations and Victorian mansions had been left to decay by owners no longer solvent enough to cover the cost of repairs and upkeep. Families had long since moved away to seek their fortunes amid the wilds of the northern landscape, and derelict property that spoke to a once grander time in the south’s storied history became commonplace. It is among these beautiful old mansions that first Garlan Senior and then Garlan Junior found a way of life that took advantage of the architecture of a bygone era. “For my dad, it was fireplaces and old doors that really got him hooked,” Garlan Jr. said. “After that, he’d spend his spare time finding and collecting old pieces, and he began to develop an appreciation for the best quality.” All of these pieces collected in the Gudger’s garage, and, at seven, Garlan remembers sitting at the breakfast table on Saturday mornings and watching people line up to come in and see what his father had gathered and was ready to sell. “One morning, in particular, I remember these folks coming on into the house from the garage, and they were looking around and asking questions about the furniture inside,” Garlan said. “Not too long after that, my mom made it clear that, if this was going to continue, my dad needed a place outside the house for all of this.”

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Any and all items make their way into South Accents Architectural Antiques. This spire comes from an old Southern tear down. In the background is an American ﬂag created by Garlan’s friend and Florence native Natalie Chanin, owner and designer for Alabama Chanin.

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From there, Garlan said, Dixie Doodads was born. He grins as he remembers the little place that was originally in Vinemont. Not too many months later, the name was changed to the more sophisticated Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, and, by the mid-1980s, the shop moved to Cullman. The items inside, however, were no less impressive. Need vintage pillowcases? Over here is a basket ﬁlled to overﬂowing. Something missing from the wall in the man cave? Garlan is happy to send you home with a taxidermied moose head. He just happens to have one. Looking to redo your front porch? An entire gingerbread porch railing from a tear down in Mississippi was unloaded just yesterday. Running the shop day in and day out is only part of the excitement. All of these items come from somewhere, and, more often than not, it’s Garlan and his father who go to a job site to inspect, pick, and choose the pieces that will come home with them to Cullman.

Phil Cabri, far right, and Ben Sellers often man the front desk and the rest of the shop. Each day brings requests from customers in search of a variety of items, such as the ornately carved mantle, period buttons, and clawfoot tubs. Garlan said one of his greatest pleasures is helping people create something new from something old.

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“I know what I know because of my dad,” Garlan said. “He taught me, as he was taught by his mentor, to look at the texture and patina of an object. I’m not looking for perfect. In fact, I don’t want it to be anywhere near perfect. There’s a reason for the imperfections, and I want to know that story. It really is forensic architecture.” It wasn’t easy to convince Garlan Senior that his son could not only run the family business but allow it to thrive and grow. Garlan Jr. recalled an afternoon in Birmingham when he and his football teammates from Samford University were walking through a nearby neighborhood. “I stopped along the way to pick up shutters,” Garlan said. “They would tell me I was always picking things up oﬀ

SELF MADE MAN

“I know what I know because of my dad. He taught me, as he was taught by his mentor, to look at the texture and patina of an object. I’m not looking for perfect. In fact, I don’t want it to be anywhere near perfect. There’s a reason for the imperfections, and I want to know that story. It really is forensic architecture.” [ Garlan Gudger ]

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

SELF MADE MAN

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the street and taking them home to my dad. I hadn’t even really realized I was doing it.” Soon, Garlan was seeking out pieces in Auburn, where he ultimately completed his degree, and selling them for a proﬁt. Even with job oﬀers elsewhere, Garlan said he felt drawn to salvaging and creating something new from something old. “You know, it just feels natural to do what I do,” he said. “I have a passion for it, and it exercises my imagination. I can look at a piece and see how I could make it into a headboard or a collage for a wall for someone’s home. It’s what I have to do.”

Almost anything can be had at Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, from old signs, at left, to theater chairs taken from high school auditoriums to doors to stained glass windows. The map of North and Central America is a graphic illustration of the places Southern Accents has shipped items. Each pin was dropped in 2012. Garlan said Europe and other locations across the globe have also become home to items from his little corner of the world in Cullman.

Knowing that so deeply in his bones, feeling it with each piece that fills Southern Accents Architectural Antiques, craving the thrill of the hunt for the next salvaged item—all of it takes a toll on Garlan’s creativity, as it would the creativity of any artist. A few years back, looking for a way to recharge his batteries and re-energize for a series of upcoming projects, Garlan got together with some other likeminded friends who also happened to be artisans, crafters, and makers. This cabal developed what is known today as Southern Makers. In its second year, this event, which takes place in May in Montgomery, brings together the best Alabama has to offer. “I’ve got to tell you that it’s new, and we’re still trying to get it off the ground,” Garlan said of Southern Makers. “We’re taking baby steps. You have to crawl, then you walk, and then you can run, but we want the focus to remain on Alabama and use this as a means to promote the artisans and crafters, these makers, really, who choose to call this state home.” Southern Makers is a curated show that, to those who attend, could feel a bit like interloping on the gathering of artists who have come together under a single roof.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

SELF MADE MAN

“There are stories in every room and in everything I touch. What I like to do is sit and listen.” [ Garlan Gudger ]

“We’re all there, and we’re all talking to each other and catching up because we might not have seen each other all year,” Garlan said. “We’ve come together to renew our creativity, get excited about our craft again, see what our friends are doing, and meet folks who enjoy what it is we do.” That passion is evident in Garlan’s voice as he anticipates this year’s Southern Makers, which will take place May 3. In addition to his role in architectural salvage, folk artists, including Charlie Lucas, will be on hand, as will artists of cloth Natalie Chanin and Billy Reid, who both call Florence home. Food ways are a large part of the event as well, and Florence residents Josh Quick, who is the chef at Odette, and the Shirey brothers, who create Shirey Ice Cream, have been tapped to attend as makers. Tuscumbia makers Audwin McGee, whose work can be found throughout the Shoals, as well as Carter McGuyer, who has made a name for himself with industrial design, are expected to be present, too. In addition to Garlan, Southern Makers was conceptualized by Goodwin, Mills and Cawood, a collaborative firm of architects and engineers, with offices in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee; Matter, a design consulting firm specializing in brand development, marketing strategies, and public relations; and E.A.T. South, which is a Montgomery-based non-profit organization that encourages healthy lifestyles through education and sustainable food production in urban areas throughout the Southeast. Tiffany Bell, the event coordinator, said the event was designed to be interactive. “It is a market, so those who attend are prepared to shop,” she said. “But it’s also an opportunity to eat the food prepared by the chefs who made it, speak to candlemakers about their process, listen to the musicians, learn about urban beekeeping while sampling the honey from a hive. Nowhere else can you get all of this under one roof.” The experience for makers is something else all together, according to Garlan. Being among those artisans and craftspeople, those who have honed their skill to something as close to perfection as they can achieve, is what he calls the common thread that binds them in place. “When you get us together, it weaves a canvas of passion, creativity, and artistry,” Garlan said. “I’m as inspired from them because they are just as passionate about their craft as I am mine.” On Monday, May 5, the second Southern Makers will be in the books, and Garlan, although bone tired and weary, will open the door to the store in downtown Cullman ready for what the day will bring, renewed in his creativity and his passion for salvaging. “It really is all about the story we tell, and I just want to keep on telling it,” he said.

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scene

Andy Turnage, Eve and Owen Garrett

Paul Finley, Joe Newberry, Marie Newberry, Liz Hurley, and Dave Hargrove

John and Emily Parsons Carolyn and Col R.J. Louis

Linda and Homer Hickam, Ed Buckbee with his granddaughter and daughter

Deborah Branart and Kate Schulz

Above: U.S. Space & Rocket Center Masquerade Ball february ,  · huntsville

Jonathan Boyd, Amy Boyd, Mary Scott Hunter, and John Shultz

Tony and Kathy Chan

Below: Crescen-Dough Auction Presented by Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild april ,  · von braun center, huntsville

John Malone

Renee Knowles, Dianne Reynolds, and Sylvia Ferry Michael Lapidus, Jennifer Doss, Pat Ammons, and Lee Roop

Samantha Bentley and Cynthia Masucci

Ann Meyers and Jackie Higgins

Bill and Paige Hanks

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

Kim and Jim Wright

Kala Patel, Kalps Patel, Pritee Patel, and Josh Khudai

Huntsville Symphony Orchestra presents

Friday, October 17, 2014, 7:30 p.m. Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, VBC Season tickets on sale July 1, 2014 Single tickets on sale August 15, 2014

Visit hso.org or call 256-539-4818 for details.

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lowe down » Claire Stewart

“What features would you include in your dream home?”

“I want to have golden sinks in every bathroom.” —Aashawnti Nye

Aashawnti Nye

“A nice, large wrap-around porch.” —Bethany Wagoner

Bethany Wagoner

“My dream home would be a log cabin.” —David Rich

David Rich

“I would have to have a sauna room.” —Crystal Griepentrog

Crystal Griepentrog

“My dream home would have a top-of-the-line, gas range stove.” —Jakob Reed

Jakob Reed

“I would want heated bathroom ﬂoors.” —John Simpson

John Simpson

“My dream home would have a sauna.” —Juanita McRoy

Juanita McRoy

“Oceanfront property with horses. I would sit out and look over the ocean and drink hot tea.” —Laqueena Douglas

Laqueena Douglas

“My dream home would have an enormous master bathroom suite with a hot tub.” —Rachel Beverly

Rachel Beverly may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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lowe down » “What features would you include in your dream home?”

“I would have a rock climbing wall inside of my home.” —Josh Beverly

Josh Beverly

“We would want a very nice kitchen, with a big pantry, tons of cabinet and counter space, and a lot of natural light.” —Joel and Amber Palmer

Joel and Amber Palmer

“My dream home would have tons of natural lighting and a water feature inside.” —Richard Suttle

Richard Suttle

“My dream home would be a large, ranchstyle home with a huge master shower.” —Rhonda McCarty

Rhonda McCarty

“I would want stained glass everywhere.” —Sherri Lingle

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may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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the vine » Amy Collins

MY WORLD THROUGH ROSÉ COLORED GLASSES. Dry, pale pink wine might be the single greatest reason I drink. There is something so superbly appealing about opening a bottle of good rosé, as if pulling the cork unleashes a genie who instantly grants me a lazy summer afternoon of sunshine and daydreams. Okay, maybe that’s a little much, but my romance with pink wine is long and enduring and at its best in good warm weather. The wine is cold and refreshing, like a dry white, with hints of red wine aromatics that lend just enough complexity and subtle backbone to make it forever interesting. It’s one of the most versatile wines, pairing easily with seafood, eggs, roasted pork, grilled steaks, pasta, charcuterie, cheese, burgers, pizza...you get the idea. It may be the only wine for which everyone awes over the color. Pale blush, rose petal pink, salmon, almost ruby; the spectrum is a rainbow of red-derived hues. And because it’s usually a winemaker’s side project, each vintage will produce just a few bottles.

There is something so superbly appealing about opening a bottle of good rosé, as if pulling the cork unleashes a genie who instantly grants me a lazy summer afternoon of sunshine and daydreams.

Not every wine region in the world produces pink wine. Italy makes some rosato here and there; Spain makes rosado, usually from Tempranillo; California produces a range of rosés from various grape varieties; and Oregon has increasingly produced more Pinot Noir-based pinks. Australia, Chile and Argentina contribute their fair share as well. But France is the mother of rosé, and within the country, Provence makes far more than any other area. The region’s coastline sits on the Côte d’Azur in the Mediterranean Sea. Marseille, St. Tropez, Cannes, and Nice all lie on this romantic shoreline populated with outdoor cafés, beach combers and topless sun worshippers, and bobbing sail boats anchored in the harbor. Salty air breezes through and the seafood is so fresh it tastes like gold. Further inland, near Avignon and Van Gogh’s Arles, lavender fields and 13th century relics paint the countryside while artisanal goat cheese and Picholine olives keep the wine company. Provence pink is the iconic rosé, the example to follow and my personal favorite, but by no means the only great pink of good value. In every rosé producing area in the world, winemakers generally follow one of two common methods: saignée or blending. The first method is practiced by pressing red wine grapes, macerating the skins for a short time, usually a few hours to a couple of days, to extract anthocyanins which add color and nuance to the wine, then “bleed” (saignée) the juice off the skins and ferment as with white wine. The finished wine is almost always fermented totally dry. (Note: white zinfandel is not

considered rosé in the context of this article). The color of the rosé is dependent on the grapes used and the length of maceration, or time on the skins. Pinot Noir, a thin skinned grape, will lend far less color than Grenache. Grenache based rosés from the Tavel region in France’s Rhône Valley, for example, will be intensely ruby, with more body and structure than those further south in Provence. The second method—blending—requires two finished wines, a white and red, where a little red is blended into the white until it achieves the winemaker’s desired goal. Mouton Noir’s Love Drunk Rosé by winemaker André Mack is a blend of Chardonnay and a little Pinot Noir. Adam Campbell’s Elk Cove Rosé is produced through the bleeding method, but after fermentation he adds a little Pinot Noir back into the wine for color and structure. Both wines are from Oregon. There is a third, less common method which produces a Vin Gris, and, historically, requires a grey-skinned grape to be pressed but not macerated. Instead, the wine is immediately pulled off the skins and fermented dry, as when making white wine. Robert Sinskey’s Vin Gris of Pinot Noir blows my mind Every. Single. Vintage. It’s not cheap and not plentiful, but it is amour vrai in the glass (and I’m already regretting sharing the secret with you). Below are a few of my favorite rosés available in North Alabama. The 2013s are just beginning to line the shelves and will continue to roll in over the next few weeks. Try some out, find a favorite, and stock up for the summer.

VRAC Vin de Pays Rosé 2013, Provence, France A nod to European tradition where villagers bought their wine directly from the wine coop’s tanks - en vrac. Strawberry, floral, hint of minerality, dry finish. $13 Domaine des Carteresses 2013, Tavel, France Ruby in color, just ripe strawberry, iron, mineral, a hint of strawberry candy on the finish. $16 Mouton Noir Love Drunk Rosé 2013, Oregon Raspberry, strawberry, subtle tropical fruits, refreshing, lovely long finish. Elk Cove Rosé 2013, Willamette Valley, Oregon 100% Pinot Noir, fragrant strawberry, watermelon, light floral notes, dry finish. $16

Follow Amy at www.pigandvine.com for more stories and wine suggestions.

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food for thought » Sarah Gaede

IN CELEBRATION OF THINGS SIMPLE AND SUMMERY Thanks to my voracious reading of English novels, especially detective stories, my culinary world has broadened. I always keep my iPad handy when I’m reading so I can look up dishes unfamiliar to me. How could one not want to know what Bubble and Squeak is? (It’s Brit-speak for a simple dish consisting of leftover vegetables from a roast dinner.) An equally intriguing dessert, or pudding, as the Brits call all desserts, is Eton Mess. Eton Mess, a mixture of strawberries, pieces of meringue, and cream, is traditionally served at Eton College’s annual cricket game against Harrow School. It was originally served in the 1930s in the school’s snack shop, made with either strawberries or bananas mixed with ice cream or cream. Meringues were a later addition. The word “mess” may aptly refer to the appearance of the dish, or may be used in the sense of “a quantity of food,” as in “a mess of collards,” to put it in the vernacular we southerners understand. A popular origin myth, my favorite, is that Eton mess was created when a meringue dessert was accidentally crushed by an exuberant dog in the back of an estate wagon while en route to a picnic at Eton College. What could be salvaged was served as a crushed meringue with strawberries and cream. Whatever the origin, it is ultra-yummy and ridiculously easy to make, especially with ready-made meringues, sold at Publix. Brits are big on Sunday lunch, a popular way to entertain despite the fact that hardly anyone in England goes to church anymore, except to marry and get the baby done (baptized), not necessarily in that order. Sunday lunch used to feature the classic roast beef and veg with Yorkshire pudding (not a dessert, but a sort of popover baked in the meat drippings), but lighter fare is gaining in popularity. Those of us who still go to church in the morning might prefer Sunday supper. This simple menu allows for a long, lazy summer afternoon, and no heating up of the oven. The Pimm’s Cup is a quintessentially English drink served at summer garden parties, and is perfect for a sultry evening in more than one sense of the word—it’s deceptively powerful. I order my Pimm’s No. 1, a gin-based liquor, online, but you ought to be able to get ABC to order it for you. Or you can serve a light white wine instead. Both would be good with bought cheese straws. Publix will order a rack of lamb for you with a few days notice. You can cut it into individual chops yourself, or ask the butcher to do it. Serve with boiled tiny new potatoes with butter and parsley, and steamed asparagus.

A traditional Eaton Mess, made with strawberries and ice cream and garnished with fresh blueberries.

Pimm’s Cup • • • • •

Ice cubes 4 lemon slices 4 cucumber slices 1 cup club soda or lemon-lime soda 1 cup fresh lemonade (not powdered Country Time!) • 3 cups Pimm’s No. 1 Cup Fill 6 (8 to 10-ounce) highball glasses with ice cubes. Divide the lemon and cucumber slices among the glasses. Pour the seltzer or soda, lemonade, and Pimm’s into a pitcher. Stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared glasses. Imbibe with care.

Grilled Baby Lamb Chops • 1 small rack of lamb, cut into individual chops • 1/2 cup red wine—preferably the same one you will be serving with dinner • 2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary • 1 rack of lamb serves 2-3 people. For 2 racks, double the marinade. At least 4 hours before dinner, trim lamb and cut between the bones to make individual chops. Whisk together remaining ingredients. Place chops in a heavy zip bag, pour in marinade, and massage bag to make sure all the chops are covered. Seal tightly and refrigerate for up to 8 hours, turning bag over occasionally. 30 minutes before grilling, remove chops from refrigerator, pour oﬀ marinade, and dry on paper towels. Let sit at room temperature while grill is heating. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill to desired doneness—preferably no more than medium rare, about 3 minutes per side.

Eton Mess • 1 quart lovely ripe strawberries, capped and chopped • 12 Miss Meringue vanilla meringue cookies • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar • 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar Toss the chopped strawberries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to develop the juice. Smash each meringue hard with the palm of your hand one time and place whatever results in a mixing bowl. (You might want to do this on a piece of wax paper, so you won’t lose anything.) Whip the cream with the powdered sugar to very soft peaks—do not overwhip. Cover and refrigerate whipped cream if not serving immediately. Just before serving, reserve a few chopped strawberries for garnish and toss the rest together gently with the meringues and whipped cream, using a rubber scraper. Serve in individual dessert bowls or glasses, garnished with reserved strawberries. Also good with perfectly ripe Chilton County peaches.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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bless their hearts » Heidi King

The pllan nts that made it intto the gro ound diidn’’t sttand a chance e; th he otthers we ere dea ad be efore e Memorial Day. Itt wa as like the Unive vers se was sen nding me a ve ery cle ear mes ssag ge ab bout my y future e in garde ening.

MY PORCH OF DEATH I love the outdoors and I love to garden. This time of year—when the flowers are blooming and everything is a lush shade of green, before the Alabama summer sets in and turns things brown—moves me and makes me want to get my hands in the dirt. And as strange as it sounds to those who know me, I love to work in the yard. I enjoy raking leaves, mowing the lawn and even weeding—anything that keeps me connected with nature. For me, there is a blissful feeling associated with pouring all of your focus into one task, instead of worrying about an endless work to-do list. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I get to shop for plants and gardening equipment. I enjoy watching things grow and transplanting things from pots into the ground so that they can flourish and thrive. But the loving honeymoon phase with my plants tends to be rather short-lived. Despite my passion for the beginning stages of botanical endeavors, I have the attention span of a goldfish when it comes to completing a project. This is complicated by my surplus of enthusiasm and my tendency to be a walking example of Murphy’s Law. I know my husband dreads the first trip I make to the store, once spring has truly sprung. I always come home with an assortment of fresh plants, all ready to be carefully coaxed into beautifully and perfectly prepared pots. These living things yearn to bloom and grow and eventually get transferred to the rich Alabama soil, where they can continue to develop, grow and produce a whole salad in one convenient plant. That is how it works, right? But Murphy’s Lawmakers tend to work overtime with me. Some of those lovinglynurtured baby plants end up being ‘leftovers’. Those are the plants that I either loved so much, I bought too many; the plants I forgot, because they were behind a bag of potting soil; or plants I just ran out of room for in the allotted space. These plants go to a very special place at my house: we call it the Porch of Death. No plant in the ten years I have lived in my house has survived more than a single season on the Porch of Death. If you admire a plant on my porch, you can rest assured that the next time you visit me, the pot will still be there, but it will be sad, dry, unloved, and beginning to acquire a dusty coating. There will be no trace of any plant that once lived so proudly in that blue polka dot ceramic pot. Despite years of evidence that I was no master gardener, I still convince myself every spring that I can do this! I always felt that gardening should be in my blood. My grandparents had a fairly large and active farm when my mother and her siblings were young. The flowerbeds that surrounded my grandparent’s house seemed like a wonderland. I remember my grandmother digging and pulling weeds, fluffing

flowers and pruning vines. There were fruit trees overloaded with apples and plums, and wisteria climbed high into the grove of trees outside their house. Because I assumed (incorrectly) that I, too, would have a knack for plants, I was thrilled when my husband and I finally moved out of apartment life and into a house. Finally, we could landscape the flowerbeds, fill our windows with pots of herbs, and grow a luscious garden out back full of my favorite veggies. I went to the store with dreams of rakes, spades, and shovels, oh my! I bought oodles of gardening supplies and far too many plants for me to realistically try to plant in my first gardening season. And I did not stop at garden plants—while I was getting my hands dirty, I thought I might as well do a little light decorative planting around my house, too! So, with a car full of plants and a brain filled with relatively no gardening knowledge—my husband smiling at my pure glee—we went home and planted a garden. And, as luck would have it that summer, we found ourselves in the middle of the worst drought in decades…of course. My garden never stood a chance. Well, let me make it clear. The plants that made it into the ground didn’t stand a chance; the others were dead before Memorial Day. If you had issues with the drought that year, I am sorry: you only have me and my garden to blame. It was like the Universe was sending me a very clear message about my future in gardening. I want to have a green thumb, but sadly I never will. I must admit that and save the lives of countless plants that I could bring home with a dance of joy, only to watch them wither on the Porch of Death. I have high hopes that maybe I will magically inherit this gift of gardening, but the layer of dust on my pile of unfinished gardening books does not bode well for that to happen any time soon. Instead, I try to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly can from my grandmother, because I am pretty sure she is one of the smartest women on the planet. Even though I fear that I have to face the reality that some things cannot be taught—and for me, it looks like my thumb is never going to be green—maybe a muddy shade of brown, but not green—there are still things she can teach me. I will just have to spend my time cherishing the flowers that still surround me at my grandparents’ house, though my grandmother can no longer bend to pull weeds or plant flowers. I’ll have to be content as she and I sit together and listen to the bees buzz around the bright flowers, and we can enjoy those quiet moments together, just the two of us surrounded by all of the beauty of nature. Though most of the fruit trees and wisteria are gone now, I can still remember the taste of the lip-puckering sour of an unripe apple and smell the powerful sweet aroma of blooming hyacinth. I just hope that one day, I will be able to afford to pay someone to create all those things in my own yard. God bless a trained professional.

may/june  | noalapress.com | 

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parting shot » Patrick Hood

Saturday Afternoon, Southern Accents Architectural Antiques

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