2024 April 20, Courtland Walking Hayride Tour

While waiting for the rain to stop, everyone met at the Courtland Heritage Museum, established in 2009.

Courtland Heritage Museum 

We learned about the History of One of the South's first railroads. This railroad ran southward through Courland, linking the Tennessee Valley to Tuscaloosa and lower Alabama. 

The court records of early marriages in Lawrence County were on display.

We learned about how the Red Rovers were organized at Courtland in 1835 to aid Texas in its struggle for independence. 

We learned that several cotton gins once operated in and around Courtland. 

Once the rain stopped, we loaded onto a hay bail wagon pulled by a truck. 

Our guide stood at the back of the wagon, informing us about Courtland's historic homes and sites. 

We stopped in front of several historic homes. 

Tweedy-Northon-Morris-Thompson House

One of our stops was the Tweedy-Northon-Morris-Thompson House.

Richard Thompson, owner of the home, stood on his porch and gave us the history of his fully restored home.

Richard joined our group throughout the tour. 

One of our stops was the Courtland Presbyterian Church, built in 1821. Our guide and Mr. Thompson worship there. 

The first church burned in the 1850s. 

Construction of the new church began in 1859 but was not completed unit the end of the Civil War in 1868.

The church represents the mingling of classical and Italian influences.

The town square contains many empty buildings of Federal-style architecture. It is also a park with several historical markers, a fountain, and a gazebo. 

Another home we stopped at was the Harris Simpson House, a good example of the early American "I" house, for its tall, narrow side profile. This house occupants trace back to the famous James Jackson of the Forks of Cypress Florence, Al. 

Harris-Simpson House 

There is so much history for such a small town. They had a tiny theater that is now a residence. I said it sure was small. Everyone laughed, and our tour guide said it was big enough for their small town. I grew up in the Shoals area, with several theaters in Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Florence. I remember going to most of them, including the drive-in.

On our way home, we stopped at Lash's Seafood for lunch, where Hubby and I split a shrimp boil meal that consisted of Shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausages.

It was delicious.

Lash's Seafood shrimp  boil