2019 Mar 16, 🚎Miracle Ride: Helen Keller in Living History Tuscumbia, Alabama

It was in the 40s this morning, cloudy and windy, so I grabbed my oversized coat and winter boots and joined a group of locals and out-of-towners. 

Everyone met at Coldwater Books and began boarding the trolley at 9:30 A.M. 

The trolley was taking a group on a "Miracle Ride: Helen Keller in Living History. 

Our guide shared a fascinating story about Helen Keller and her great-niece, Keller Johnson Thompson.

On the steps of Ivy Green, Mrs. Thompson told amazing stories of her great-aunt as we waited for a large group to finish their tour.

We toured the home and its many collections, including Helen's statues and the key that locked Annie Sullivan inside a closet. 

Helen Keller, a girl who learned to communicate (WATER)

Older Helen Keller 

Outside the Keller Museum, we could see Cherry Trees were in full bloom and the gardens aglow with spring colors.

Cherry Trees @ Ivy Green in full bloom 

Tuscumbia's Bicentennial Commission, Trolley Tour, and "Miracle Ride: Helen Keller in Living History" were awesome.

After the tour, I enjoyed soup, a lunch sandwich, and a slice of mile-high cheesecake. 

Mile high cheesecake 
Cream cheese, pure vanilla, butter baked on a pecan & graham cracker crust! to die for!

An eating bowl full of Crawfish bisque 
1/2 turkey with smoked cheddar, melted chees, and a tall glass of iced tea

I had a wonderful day, although it was a bit cold. However, I finished the day off with a hot bowl of Crawfish bisque.

🚌📖 🚌📖 🚌📖 🚌📖 2017 May 18, Events leading up to the Shoals Front Porch Storytelling Festival

Two buses were waiting at the Florence Visitor Center for passengers to board. One bus takes a group of people on a Historical Tour (guide Billy Warren), and the other bus takes a Music Tour (guide Walt Aldridge).
A couple from Toronto, Canada, a couple from Louisiana, a woman from Tuscaloosa, our driver, our guide Billy Warren, and I boarded the bus for the historic tour.
We visited the Florence Indian Mound and Museum, the Rosenbaum House, rode by WC Handy's Home, and visited the Ivy Green Home of Helen Keller.

Our first stop was the newly built Indian Mound Museum. We were led into the sitting area where we listened to the curator tell the history of the museum and mound, starting with the Paleo Indians, Transitional, Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, and ending with the Native American age.e

Late Archaic Period

Middle Archaic Period

Early Archaic Period 

Once again, we loaded onto the bus. Our next stop was the Rosenbaum House, where we were met by a curator who shared the history of the Rosenbaum Family and how FranLloydyd Wright ended up building the home for the newly married couple.

We rode by the WC  Handy Home, not stopping while Billy told the history of WC Handy.
As we crossed the O'Neal Bridge, Billy Warren mentioned that the bridge was named after two governors from Florence (father and son).
Billy was asked about the Train Bridge and why it went only halfway across the river. Billy said that the lift part of the bridge was sold to a company in St Louis, Missouri.

Our last stop was Ivy Green, the home of Helen Keller. As we approached the house, we could see a large group of schoolchildren.

Ivy Green and Several Groups of School Children 

The pump where Helen Keller said "Water" marks the beginning of her education. 

The curator came outside and gave us a little history of the Keller family.
One story the curator told us was about Annie Sullivan.
Helen locked Miss Sullivan in the key room, and she hid the Key.
Mr. Keller had to get a ladder for Miss Sullivan to climb out a window.
What had she gotten herself into?

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This young man said, "Is this the statue that is in Washington, DC?" I said, "No, it was one of Helen's, Keyding by the pump."Key

The Key used to lock Miss Sullivan in her room.

Ivy Green as we were leaving (notice no school Children)

Once again, we loaded into the bus and rode back to the Visitor Center. Since it was such a small group, we got to know a little about one another.

I grabbed a bite of lunch at Jack's (kids' chicken fingers, green beans, Rice Krispies bite-sized snack, and iced tea.
At 2  P.M., I watched the Katherine Tucker Windham Tucker Life video at the Florence Library (sitting next to my friends). The woman from Tuscaloos was on the bus tour.

From 3:30–4:15 P.M., at Florence Library, I listened to Dolores Hydock's talks about "It Could Happen! Stories of Hope and Possibility.
Funny, sweet stories of hope, possibilities, and the little things in life that make hope possible.

Stopped to talk to my writing friends before heading home.
At Rick's Barbecue, I bought some pulled pork, Cole Slaw, iced tea, and Texas toast for supper.

Had a wonderful day, made a few new friends, visited several museums, watched a video about a great storyteller, and listened to one with my friends.

2016 Saturday, June 25, Helen Keller Festival Actives

The Helen Keller Festival honors a woman, Helen Keller, who not only overcame being blind and deaf but also became a great ambassador for America. 

Helen Keller was born to Arthur Keller and Catherine Adams Keller on June 27,1880, and died on June 1, 1968.

Helen learned to read and write with the help of Anne Sullivan, and she graduated from Radcliffe College with honors in 1904. Helen also wrote several books and was an advocate for several causes. Helen Adams Keller is buried in the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. 

My first stop was the Car and Truck Show, held on Main Street in Tuscumbia and sponsored by the Shoals Car and Truck Club.

The streets were crowded with people walking around, looking at the vehicles on display. There were vehicles like the Scoobie Doo Volkswagen, to the newest Corvette.

I tried to find a place to park my van, which would be about midway through everything I wanted to do.

I walked down the street to Cold Water Book Store, where the Tuscumbia Walking Tour people were to meet.

I was a little early, so I walked inside to cool off, and there were several more people there. There were several vendors set up inside, so I went by each one and stopped to talk to them.

I talked to a man selling books on how to start a business. I said I was retired, had no interest in starting a business, and liked history. He said that some of my family would like to start a business. I said I have a family member who already owns a company. He laughed and said I guess you are not going to buy a book from me and I said Not unless it is about history. We both laughed. 

Next, I met a woman selling jewelry. She said that she lived in Atlanta but was originally from Tuscumbia, and she came every year for the Helen Keller Festival. 

I stopped at the following table where a man, his wife, and his son were sitting. He was selling a series of books about UFOs. He told me he made the bust statue of Werner von Braun at NASA and that he had worked for Disney.

There was a display of beautiful pictures depicting the early '50s & '60s, and whoever painted these pictures sure did a great job. The woman standing next to me said they were hers. 

She said growing up in the 50s was just like the Happy Days show.

It was getting close to the start of the walking tour, so I walked outside to wait for it to begin.

Three people shared information about how Tuscumbia got started and how it came to be called Tuscumbia. The Old Stage Coach Building was pointed out to us, and we were told that we could tour it on our own later. We walked up Main Street, stopping to listen to the women talk about the train depot where Anne Sullivan was picked up by one of the Kellers' carriages and taken to Ivy Green. A carriage owned by the Kellers is on display at the Tuscumbia Depot. 

We also listened to the women talk about the newspaper building where Mr. Keller worked. 

The streets were still very crowded as we made our way up. 

We stopped just outside the Abernathy House, and one of the women asked if the group could tour the house. 

We were invited inside, and some of the group walked upstairs while others toured the tunnel underneath the house. The tunnel was once used to bring food from the kitchen to the dining room, which was located downstairs.

Everyone walked outside and across the parking lot. Our next stop was in the blazing sun, so I looked for a shady spot while the women talked about the two nearby churches.

Finally, we arrived at the First Presbyterian Church, where we were invited to the Helen Keller Mini Concert. 

Dinie Stone played one song, Jesus Loves Me on the harpsichord.

Brian Beck played a couple of songs on the Organ.

Dinie Stone played a selection of  hymns and classics on the piano 

Dinie played songs about water, about communion, and when Dinie began to play America, everyone stood and joined in the singing. 

In the end, everyone was invited to stay for light refreshments. 

Once I knew only darkness and stillness...
My life was without past or future, but a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living. 

Helen Keller Mini-Concert

The letter was written by Helen Keller.

Everyone was given a copy of the letter Helen Keller wrote to Reverend WF Trump. 

I enjoyed two glasses of fresh lemonade and two cookies while I sat and talked with several women. 

It was around 12:30 P.M., and I still had to walk back to my car. 

I was going to the Keller Library to hear Keller Thompson talk about the life of her great-great-aunt, Helen Keller.

I arrived at the Keller Library, but the door was still locked. It was bout fifteen until one. Many other people were waiting. I walked back to my van and cranked it because it was too hot to stand outside. Right after I cranked the van, the door opened. So I got out of my van and walked inside.

I enjoyed listening to Mrs. Thompson's talk and slide show about Helen Keller. 

There were also light refreshments after the talk. I got a bottle of water and a cookie.

It had been a great morning, even though the heat index was over 100 degrees.