Historic 1826 Beaty Mason Home

Athens, AL, has several homes on the National Registry of Historic Homes. The Beaty Mason house, built in 1826, the home of Athens State University president. The house is owned by the University. The house was built by Robert Beaty and was occupied by he and his wife and six children, called a mansion in its day and still a stately home. Until the death of the the last family member, Mary Elise Mason, in January 1958, the house was never occupied except by family members. The house sold in 1958 and the buyer asked to be remain anonymous, gave the house to the college. The community collected appropriate furnishings and contributed money to restore the home to its present elegance.

First Presbyterian Church Built in 1852

Athens First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1829. The church was badly damaged during the Civil War and worshippers met at the Baptist Church. Sufficient money was raised to be begin the building of the present church "On the Square", which was completed in 1895. The church is still being used today.

Fall has Arrived

We are very excited to see the fall colors in the next week or two. We are getting ready to have some new friends over we have met since we have been here in Alabama for a BBQ and sit around the campfire. It is always great to meet new people.

Gray & Holt Dry Goods, Inc.

This store is located in downtown Athens, AL in the Courthouse Square, in the old "Dixie Theatre" building. It was established by E.T. "Doc" Gray and Ollie Holt in 1934. Although ownership has changed, it has been in continuous operation since that time, and is one of the oldest businesses in Athens. All the wood and glass showcases are original along with a 1925 National hand crank cash register that is used everyday and has been for over 70 years. The interior has been decorated with a mixture or original advertising such as antique signs, and clocks that represent the brands they sell and Silent Movie Posters that were discovered in the attic several years ago.

Dixie Theatre in Athens, Alabama

These original Silent Movie Posters, discovered in the attic, are hanging in the Gray & Holt Dry Goods today. Joseph P. Kennedy bought up several Hollywood studios. One small studio was FBO, Film Booking Offices of America, which specialized in Westerns produced cheaply. It's owner was in financial trouble and asked Kennedy to help find a buyer. Kennedy formed his own group of investors and bought it for $1.5 million. Gray & Holt Dry Goods at one time was the old "Dixie Theatre" which played these old western movies. Also, found in the attic were some of the original movie seats from the Dixie Theatre. This store was full of history.

Water Towers

It was interesting to see that the names of cities were written on the water towers which could be seen from the window of the motorhome. I was able to capture quite a few. Of course, the one with the tiger on it represents the Rogersville Tigers.

Wheeler Reservoir

Wheeler Reservoir is located in northern Alabama. It is named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the army of the Confederacy, leader of U.S. volunteers in the Spanish-American War, and a U.S. congressman. Wheeler Dam began in 1933 and was completed in 1936. Wheeler is one of nine reservoirs that create a stairway of navigable water on the Tennessee River from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Paducah, Kentucky. Wheeler helped cover the Muscle Shoals, the rock formations that ad blocked navigation on the Tennessee River. Today, Wheeler Reservoir is a major recreation and tourist center, attracting about four million visits a year. Along with camping, boating, and fishing, visitors enjoy the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, which features the wintering Canada geese. Barge traffic on Wheeler had made it one of the major centers along the Tennessee waterway for shoreline industrial development. Wheeler has two locks, that lift and lower barges as much as 52 ft between reservoirs.

Downtown Rogersville, AL

Heidi you really need to quit hanging out on the street corners!! Heidi and I spent the afternoon walking through the small town of Rogersville, their hometown. The shops were very quaint and we saw a lot of beautiful things. The Lemon Tree had the most beautiful, one of a kind, unusual pottery made by a famous pottery maker and this shop had the exclusive rights to sell. This was short day as the town small, but not to be missed.

Barker Cemetery

We visited the Barker Cemetery which is on the way to our friends church. Jerry's folks were from Oklahoma and he also had kin from Alabama. The Barker Cemetery is on Barker Cemetery road. We stopped to see if Jerry recognized any Barker names. One of the ladies at the church we met, said she did a research on the Barker Cemetery and said they were called Barkerites. Each family is believed to have one evil child, and because they were evil they had to be killed.

Visiting Cairo United Methodist Church

Our friends attend this little church regularly and we have going with them. We have a met a lot of nice people and feel quite at home. It reminded us alot of the small church we attended in California. The minister asked Jerry to preach and sing Sunday. We have enjoyed going to dinner each Thursday with their home group. This next week we have invited them to come to the RV park we are staying and roast hot dogs over the fire and sing. Sounds like fun!

Heidi's New Class C

Heidi is an adventurer by heart. She loves to go and see things. We told them to get a motorhome and join us. She found this Class C for sale in Rogersville and it has all the conveniences she says she needs. It's a one bedroom, no kitchen, since she doesn't like to cook, light bars so she can move through traffic more easily and keep up with us. She is sure she can drive this one. This might be the one!! Go for it Heidi!

Lawrenceburg Town Square

Crockett's fame is larger than life-size, and so is his statue on the Lawrenceburg town square. The tribute at the base of the statue states that it was erected to the memory of Colonel David Crocket who gave his life for Texas liberty amid the smoking walls of the Alamo. Built on the site of the town's original courthouse, the square also features a beautiful white gazebo that a person can sit and rest. Some say the town square is "antique heaven." The square is surrounded by charming shops. Cutouts look out from store windows. The Stribling House built in 1885 is on the historic walking tour within walking distance to the town square. We met the owner of the Stribling house. He told us it has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms and that he had the home from a person in Las Vegas, NV.

Birthplace of Southern Gospel Music

Lawrenceburg's James D. Vaughan (1864-1941) was the father of Southern Gospel music. In fact, the U.S. Congress recognized the significance of Vaughan's contributions to the origins of this musical genre by naming Lawrenceburg the birthplace of Southern Gospel music. Vaughan's accomplishments include founding the James D. Vaughan Music Publishing Company, which grew to be one of the largest publishers of Southern Gospel music in the U.S. In addition, he formed Vaughan Phonograph Records, which was the first record company in the South, and established Tennessee's first radio station, WOAN, in 1922.

Tennesee Patriot Rail

Notice the look...hmm...I was given this Fred Thompson for President cap and it even matches the Tennessee Patriot Rail. We had to cross these tracks while walking to what we thought was a street fair in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, which turned out to be a presidential campaign stop for Fred Thompson.

Fred Thompson for President

What we thought was a street fair , turned out to be a campaign stop for Fred Thompson for President! He is from Lawrence County and this was a welcome home party for him. It felt like old times with everyone wearing their t-shirts, buttons, and hats. Of course Jerry had to check out the security. He talked with the cops, and told them he was a retired police chief, and was able to get him a free Fred Thomson cap and bumper stickers. That was the highlight of our afternoon. We just thought we would walk off our lunch and we here we were in the middle of a presidential campaign in Tennessee!! How exciting!

David Crockett State Park

We visited and had lunch at the David Crockett State Park located along the bank of the Shoal Creek. David Crockett-pioneer, soldier, politician, and industrialist - was born near the little town of Limestone in northeast Tennessee in 1786. In 1817 he moved to Lawrence County and served as a justice of the peace, a colonel of the militia, and as a state representive. Dedicated in May, 1959, in honor of one of Tennessee's most famous native sons, David Crockett State Park is located on U.S. Highway 64, one half mile west of the city of Lawrenceberg.

Amish Transportation

The Amish have sawmills and buggy and wagon makers in their community. The roads have a lane designated just for those whose form of transportation is by buggy. The women wear black, dark blue, green or brown dress with black aprons for everyday and white for Sunday. Teenage girls wear black caps until they marry. Men wear no collars, barn door britches, felt hats for winter and straw for summer (handmade). Buttons are used on men's shirts, trousers and underwear, but only hook and eyes on coats and vests.