We started the tour at the Roundhouse near the railroad tracks. Before Mr. Clark began his speech a train roared passed. |
A War Memorial displayed in Madison's Park |
We walked across the railroad tracks and began our tour of Historic downtown Madison.
A little history about Madison:
The town began about 1856 when tracks were laid by Memphis and Charleston Railroad. In 1858 Judge Clemons planned the town's lots fronting the railroad.
One of the first businesses was a Grist Mill Mill operated by J.J. Akers, S.D. Doolittle opened a Blacksmith Shop, and other merchants included Walter and Thomas Hopkins and James Bib
Humphrey and Hughes Drug Co. The Rexall Store |
Historic Madison homes and stores that we saw:
The History of Madison
Madison Station Hertzler Vaughn 1905
Madison Station Apperson Brown ca 1900
Madison Station Cain Steadman ca 1880
Madison Station Farley Thorton Goodson 1911
Madison Station Clay Sensenberger 1853
Madison Station Shelton Balch 1928
Madison Station Pride Drake 1910
Madison Station Thomas Vaughn ca 1910
Madison Station Burton Balch Willis 1885 |
Madison Station Farley Sturdivant 1910
Madison Station Gillespie McDermott 1897 |
Madison Station Riddle W. Hughes Sampieri 1920
Madison Station Riddle C.P. Hughes 1910
Madison Station Sullivan Wellborn 1889
The Methodist Church |
War Memorials
Colonel Cecil Hamilton Bolton LT US ARMY
Leo K Thorsness COL US AIR FORCE
Paul L. Bolden SSG US ARMY
CITY OF MADISON WALL OF HEROES
Madison Roundhouse
Storefront 16 Main (Yellow House)
Humphrey Bros. was Built by D.S. Brandon
Robert P. Cain Mercantile
Humphrey-Hughes Drug Co Store
The Rexall Store
Established 1869 City of Madison
J.H. Cain General Merchandise
We learned about Buttermilk Alley Buttermilk Alley is a narrow lane running between Front and Arnett streets. Circa 1900, the alley gave a safe haven for sweethearts to take a walk at dusk and hold hands. Mrs. Katie, an African-American woman who worked for Dr. Kyser on Front Street, sat on her porch and kept a watchful eye on the youth’s safety.
Longtime residents also credit Buttermilk Alley’s name to food handouts from Front Street residents to hungry hobos riding on the train.
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Buttermilk Aly |
Madison is a historic small town rich in history and now growing in leaps and bounds.