Growing up in the Shoals

Earline in Story-Land was enjoyed by many children in the Shoals Area including myself, for over 22 years.
All I remember about Earline Burns was her television show and where she lived.
Both my grandparents lived in Sheffield and one of my grandparents went to Church not too far from Earline's house.
We moved to Florence in 1962, sometimes when we would travel to Sheffield we would go by  Earline's house on Hatch Blvd., but most of the time we would travel down second street.
I remember seeing her blue Cadillac Convertible sitting in front of her small pink house, which has been torn down.
My parents lived in downtown Sheffield when they married and moved to Tuscumbia when I was about 2 1/2.
Entertainment was watching a movie on the big screen either at the Theater or a Drive-in.
I saw many movies at the Colbert Theater, Tuscumbia Theater, Norwood Theater, Shoals Theater, Wilson Drive-In, and Joy-Land Drive-In.
My siblings and I would walk to the Shoals Theater during the summer months and watch a movie for ten cents.
I was always small for my age and could get into the theater for the cost of a child long after I was passed that age.
I remember buck's night at the Drive-In.
We would go around the neighborhood filling the car full of neighborhood kids.
We could all get into the movies for one dollar a carload.

I don't remember listening to the radio but we did own a black-and-white TV.
Dad worked for a Mr. Hensley Jarrett hauling large power poles. Our TV Antenna was atop one of those tall poles. I remember the pole had spikes and dad climbing to the top to install the Antenna and the wires running into the house to the rabbit ears sitting atop the TV.
We could pick up all the local channels.

We watched shows like Gunsmoke, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Bob Hope Show, Calling all Cars, The Cisco Kid, Death Valley Days, Dragnet,  & The Lone Ranger.
Since I never listened to the radio, I did not know that many of the television show that I watched were once live radio shows.

Many famous people came to the Shoals in those early years, but growing up in the Shoals they were just another face in the crowd.

When I was a teenager, just turned sixteen,  I worked at Shockley's Pancake house, which was across the street from Holiday Inn, where many of the famous entertainers stayed when they were in town.

I served the Four Seasons, and I  had no clue who they were.
As a working girl who never listened to the radio, I had no clue who came into our restaurant.

Now that I am older, I am learning so much about the Shoals Area that I have been a part of.

I walked the streets of Florence, Sheffield, & Tuscumbia and  I spent many hours at Spring Park.

I remember dad bringing home a trunk that he had gotten from the Helen Keller Home, that had been thrown away.
It had several books inside the trunk, one was a Blue Hard Back Brothers Grimms Fairy Tale Book.
I read that book many times.
When we moved to Florence in the early 1960s the Fairy Tale Book must have been thrown away because I never saw it again.

I remember going to Spring Park riding the train, and playing on all the playground equipment, which was like an amusement park.
There was a swimming pool just up the street and inside the park was a large wading pool.
The park fell into disarray for many years and its glory days are gone forever.

I remember the Liberty's, & A & P Supermarkets where mom shopped, they gave S & H Green Trading Stamps, Plaid Stamps, and Top Value Stamps just for shopping at their stores.
When collected into multiple books we would take them to the Trading stamp store for merchandise.

So many things we no longer have, as time changes.
We now have a cell phones, no sharing party lines, and phones hanging on the wall.
We no longer use an outhouse, we now have portlets.
We no longer have to heat the house up to cook, we have a microwave and convection ovens.
We no longer use glass, everything comes in plastic.

Gasoline is no longer 100% and costs 25 cents a gallon.
A new Corvette fully loaded costs over 80,000 dollars.

In the next twenty years, many will be living in Space.

One hundred years sounds like a lifetime.
When I was a kid, I thought 30 was old, now one hundred doesn't sound quite that old.

2015 ~ Saturday, June 27, Helen Keller Festival Tuscumbia, Alabama

Today I went to the Car Show in Tuscumbia were on display was a variety of antique cars, 
White & black Rally Sport Camaro, black Belair trimmed in white, several MGB's, Corvettes, trucks and some motorcycles. There were Mustangs, Camaro's, Chevrolets, & Fords. 

Car Show Mustangs 

Driving down Main St to be Parked.

Volkswagen

The New Ford V8 Coupe Utility 

I took the hour walking tour, our guide talked about the founding of Tuscumbia. He talked about the founding of the railroad, the many hotels that were in Tuscumbia because of the Railroad, the rival between Colbert County and Lauderdale County.

The Colbert County Reporter 

The Train Depot and Museum 

Why the people from Tuscumbia would travel by train to Decatur to the bank, and shop instead of Florence.
John Coffee a surveyor laid out the founding of Tuscumbia in a Commons. Tuscumbia was sold to the US Government by the Indians.
Our guide talked about the different churches on Dickson Street that started out as Main Street.

St Johns Episcopal Church on Dickson Street 

Walking group 

House behind St Johns Episcopal Church on Dickson Street 

Touring Bus 

Walking group

The street where the Cold Water Book Store now is was once Grain Row and Main Street was once Mechanical Row.
This was the main shopping area of Tuscumbia in the early days.
He said the water flowing in Spring park comes from an underground spring and the area was once the hunting grounds for the Indians.

Met this very sweet dog, his owner had him sit and pose for me. So cute, and lovable

Our tour ended at First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia where everyone was invited inside to listen to a Helen Keller Festival Mini Concert featuring Dinie Stone pianist, Blair Reinlie oboist, & the great, great, great-nieces and nephews of Helen Keller. 

First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia 

First Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia 1824-1904

Dinie Stone pianist, Blair Reinlie oboist, & the great, great, great-nieces and nephews of Helen Keller. 

Guitar player

The great, great, great-nieces of Helen Keller she did  a solo accompanied by guitar

Blair Reinlie oboist

Helen Keller born June 27, 1880, died June 1, 1968 "Happy Birthday Helen".
"Once I knew only darkness and stillness... my life was without past or future... but a little word from the finger of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living."
Helen Keller
Songs 
Over the rainbow, Etude, To a wild Rose, We gather, We praise, The Lord is in His Holy Temple, Surely The Presence of the Lord is in this place  In your arms Lord Jesus Christ, Children of the Heavenly Father, Down at the River we shall gather, Let us break bread together and remember you, Behold the lamb, Amazing Grace, I dream a dream, You raise me up, God Bless the USA, God Bless America.
Everyone joined in singing God Bless America.
After the concert, everyone was invited for light refreshments.

I stopped at the Tuscumbia Art Museum to view the art on display by disabling students of Alabama and watercolor paintings from all over the USA. There were some very interesting pieces on display. 
One of the volunteers came into the museum with a notebook about the art and we discuss several pieces. 
Ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday with two new friends I met at the Art Museum. I was telling my husband about my day, he laughed and said nothing you do surprises me.

2015 May 14-17 Events including UNA Front Porch Storytelling Festival

May 16 & 17 - Arts Alive Festival
Stroll through beautiful Wilson Park and enjoy this juried fine arts and crafts festival featuring artists from across the country.
Location: Wilson Park and Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Contact: 256-766-1445
May 16- June 19 - Arts Alive Gallery Exhibition
Part of the Arts Alive Festival, this juried gallery exhibit features works in a variety of media. Location: Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., also open same hours as Arts Alive Festival
Admission: Free
Contact: 256-760-6379

May 14, 15 &16 2015 Harvey Robbins RODEO
Longhorn Rodeo
Arena Tuscumbia 
Rodeo Events 
fireworks May 14 after Rodeo 
Gates open at 4PM-6:30 each night little buckaroo
cost Adults $15.00
9-18 cost $12.00

Parade May 16th, 11AM downtown Tuscumbia 

Thursday, May 14, 2015  Storytelling events not at UNA

10:00am at Tennessee Valley Museum of Art

511 N. Water Street Tuscumbia, AL 35674

Dolores Hydock

"Fools For Love: A Closer Look into Lover's Eyes"

11:30am
Greater St. Paul AME Church

129 S. Cherokee Street

Florence, AL 35630

Rev. Robert B. Jones

1:00pm
Florence/ Lauderdale Public Library

350 N. Wood Avenue

Florence, AL 35630

Dolores Hydock

"Putting Down New Roots"

1:30pm
Alabama Music Hall of Fame

617 Highway 72 W.

Tuscumbia, AL 35674

Walt Aldridge

3:00pm
Muscle Shoals Public Library

1918 Avalon Avenue

Muscle Shoals, AL 35661

Dolores Hydock

"Footprint on the Sky: Memories of a Chandler Mountain Spring"

UNA STORYTELLING SCHEDULE (each day $10 or $15 for 2 days

Friday, May 15, 2015

8:45am - 9:00am Welcome- Melissa Foster
9:00am - 9:25am Spencer Bohren
9:30am - 9:55am Rev. Robert B. Jones
10:00am - 10:25am Bil Lepp
10:30am - 10:55am Donald Davis
10:55am - 11:05am Break
11:05am - 11:30am Kevin Kling
11:35am - 12:00pm Geraldine Buckley
12:00pm - 1:30pm Lunch Break
1:30pm- 1:55pm Donald Davis
2:00pm - 2:25pm Kevin Kling
2:30pm - 2:55pm Bil Lepp
3:00pm - 3:25pm Spencer Bohren
3:25pm - 3:35pm Break
3:35pm - 4:00pm Geraldine Buckley
4:05pm - 4:30pm Rev. Robert B. Jones
4:35pm - 5:00pm Walt Aldridge
5:00pm - 6:00pm Dinner Break (Boxed lunches will be available in the GUC Atrium for those who purchase meal tickets on site)
6:00pm - 7:15pm Dolores Hydock accompanied by Bobby Horton
7:20pm - 7:55pm OLIO (Featuring: Donald Davis, Kevin Kling, Bil Lepp, Spencer Bohren, Geraldine Buckley, Rev. Robert B. Jones, & Walt Aldridge)
8:00pm - 8:10pm Story Slam Student Competition winners announced
8:10pm - 9:00pm Three on a String

Saturday, May 16, 2015
8:45am - 9:00am Welcome - Melissa Foster
9:00am - 9:25am Spencer Bohren
9:30am - 9:55am Rev. Robert B. Jones
10:00am - 10:25am Bil Lepp
10:30am - 10:55am Donald Davis
10:55am - 11:05am Break
11:05am - 11:30am Kevin Kling
11:35am - 12:00pm Geraldine Buckley
12:00pm- 1:30pm Lunch Break
1:30pm - 1:55pm Donald Davis
2:00pm - 2:25pm Kevin Kling
2:30pm - 2:55pm Bil Lepp
3:00pm - 3:25pm Spencer Bohren
3:25pm - 3:35pm Break
3:35pm - 4:00pm Geraldine Buckley
4:05pm - 4:30pm Rev. Robert B. Jones
4:35pm - 5:00pm Walt Aldridge
5:00pm - 6:00pm Dinner Break (Boxed lunches will be available in the GUC Atrium for those who purchase meal tickets on site)
6:00pm - 7:15pm Dolores Hydock accompanied by PanHarmonium
7:15pm - 7:30pm Break
7:30pm - 8:05pm OLIO (Featuring: Donald Davis, Kevin Kling, Bil Lepp, Spencer Bohren, Geraldine Buckley, Rev. Robert B. Jones, & Walt Aldridge)
8:05pm - 9:00pm Three on a String

Sunday, May 17, 2015
Time Venue Speaker
10:30am
First Baptist Church of Florence

Sanctuary at the corner of Wood Avenue & Tombigbee Street

Florence, Al 35630

Bil Lepp
10:45am
Greater St. Paul AME Church

129 S. Cherokee Street

Florence, AL 35630

Rev. Robert B. Jones
11:00am
Grace Episcopal Church

103 Darby Avenue

Sheffield, AL 35660

Geraldine Buckley
11:00am
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Shoals

1332 N. Pine Street

Florence, AL 35630

Dolores Hydock
2:00pm
Books A Million

318 Cox Creek Pkwy

Florence, AL 35630

Bil Lepp
*All community events on Thursday and Sunday are free and open to the public.

Music in the Pak Wilson Park Wednesdays -11:30 -1:30PM

May 6 Joseph Balwind country various hits

May 13 Shannon Knight Gospel pop rock

May 20 The Cadillacs 50s, 60s, country

May 27 The Browns various hits

June 3 Mike Curtis & Garrett Miles country, gospel 70s

June 10, The Nutone's country

June 17 Jeff Hornbuckle pop rock

June 24 Gary Nichols country southern rock

June 26 Dorthy Cole aka Tina Turner-McFarland Park 6-8PM

Friday, May 15, 2015

The KGB will be playing at FloBama Music Hall in downtown Florence this Friday, from 6:30-9:30pm. Reservations recommended. 

Saturday, May 16 Zoey Belles 

The 5th Annual Sheffield Street Party May 16, 2015, Featuring Earl Thomas Conley, Shenandoah, KGB

General Admission $25.00 

Vip $75.00

Gates open 5:pm