👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳2016 April 23, Saturday Cornbread Festival South Pittsburg Tennessee

We traveled hwy 72 to Athens and took I-65 to I-565 through Huntsville. We took Hwy 72 E and passed through several small towns: Brownsboro, Paint Rock, Woodville, Scottsboro, Hollywood, Fackler, Stevenson, and Bridgeport, Alabama.

Driving to South Pittsburg

We crossed the state line into Tennessee to South Pittsburg.
We arrived around 10:00 A.M., and there was already a crowd of people. We waited in line with many other vehicles to get a parking spot.
We started walking to the downtown area where the Cornbread Festival was located. 
I spotted a school bus being used to shuttle people downtown.
We loaded onto the school bus and got off the bus at the second drop-off. 

Cornbread Festival 

We paid the five-dollar admission to enter the festival. We proceeded to the area where we purchased tickets for the Historic bus tour, which was scheduled for 11:00 A.M. and cost seven dollars each.

We were given brochures with the time stamped on them for our tickets.
The 10:00 A.M. bus had just left the historic City Hall.

We walked through the American Legion Hall (under restoration)
That houses the quilt show.

One of the quilts on display

Next, we view some of the old cars that were on display.

Car Show

We went to the theater to listen to Blues Music for about ten minutes and to use the restrooms. 

Inside the Prince Theater

We walked past some of the vendors and walked back to the City Hall building to wait for the bus.
When the tour bus returned, our guide got off and said she was going to give a talk before everyone loaded onto the bus.
Our guide began by telling the history of  City Hall, Marion Lodge, and American Legion Hall buildings
City Hall was built in 1887, and the former First National Bank had terra cotta trim with decorative brick.

City Hall was built in 1887 

The building across the street, now vacant, was the former Marion Lodge, E&AM No. 515.

Marion Lodge E& AM No 515

The American Legion Hall housed the quilt show.
Everyone loaded onto the air-conditioned bus, but there were not enough seats for everyone, as some had to stand in line.
Everyone was asked to check their ticket to ensure that it had 11:00 A.M. stamped on it. 
There were about six tourists who had a later date stamped on their tickets, and they were asked to get off the bus and return at the time stamped on their tickets.

South Pittsburg, Tennessee Historic Tour ticket

We then began our tour through the crowded, narrow streets of South Pittsburg. We had a great driver; he managed to back up and turn around without hitting a single car, despite the numerous marks along the sides of the road.

We saw the Christ Church Episcopal, located on Third Street at Holly, which was completed in 1884.
At 217 Magnolia, we saw the home originally built by Joseph Lodge in 1878.
At 310 Magnolia, the home of Avery and Kate McCuiston, they owned the Bargain Store on Cedar Avenue. 
Fourth, at Magnolia, a house was built by the Old English company about 1877.
At 401 Oak House, the City Company built the house in 1890.
At 316 Oak House, the Headquarters of the Old English company was built, and it was used as guest quarters, not a home. 
At 504 Oak, we saw a house owned by ST Haskew, which had been sold and was used as a boarding house.
At 518 Laurel, we saw the house where James Scott, a Texan who ran a dry goods store, lived.
At 500 Laurel, we saw the AA Cook home, which he sold to MM Allison in 1898, who was mayor and judge.
At 401 Laurel, we saw the house built for Dr. TW Johnston, a physician for the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railway Company.
At 414 Holly, we saw a house built for Luther B Sartan.
At 518 Holly, a house purchased in 1887 by Thomas Richardson, a druggist.
At 610 Holly, we saw the home built in 1909 by Walter Denham.
At eight at Elm, we saw the Chapel on the Hill built by Angus Macrae, a native of Scotland.
The tour bus dropped off everyone who wanted to tour the Lodge Factory at the intersection of Sixth Street and the railroad. 

People are going into the Lodge Factory

The Lodge Pans display that the Lodge was founded in 1896 by Joseph Lodge. The original plant was located on the north side of town. The foundry operates two molding machines and produces over 20,000 pieces of cast iron a day.

Touring the plant

After we finished touring the plant, we walked back to the festival, stopping to look at the tractors on display. 
Vendors were cooking a wide variety of food.
Vendors were selling a wide range of clothing.
There were rides of all kinds.

Carnival Rides 

We were getting hungry, so we looked for a local restaurant and stopped at Harvey's Pirate Restaurant for a hamburger and fries. 

Harvey's Pirate Restaurant 

We went to the cars that were on display, and there were three times as many cars as earlier. 
We walked through, taking a look at some of the vendors. I bought four postcards, and we bought a bee catcher. 
We stopped at the Lodge Store and began our walk back to the van.

The Lodge Store

A nice young man offered to take us to our car in his golf cart. 
People were still coming into the downtown area, and they had to park along the highway.
It had been a long day, we were getting hot and tired, and still had a two-hour drive home. 

2016 April 30, Saturday, Athens State University Stroll

Ducks in the pond in the park behind the visitor center

All the strollers gathered in front of the Limestone Athens Visitor Center for a picture. 
Each person signed the list of what area they wanted to visit. 
Athens State University was added to the list. I had not been on the campus so I decided to take the Stroll of the University.

Sloss, Pettus, Cook, Stockton Home on Beaty St

We walked North on Beaty Street crossing E Hobbs St, stopping to view the Sloss, Pettus, Cook, Stockton Home. 
We walked toward E Bryan St to 100 N Beaty St stopping to view the President's Home across the street from the University. 
Bullington House built in 1910 this house is an example of the Free Classic architecture.

Founders Hall Athens University 

President Home on the corner of Beaty and Bryan streets

Our first stop was Founders Hall built-in 1842 by the Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Church. 

Founders Hall is the house of President, Financial Affairs, faculty and staff offices for the College of Arts and Science. Founders Hall also houses the New Testament Chapel containing life-size carvings depicting Christ and other New Testament figures.

Parlor

Founders Hall, houses the majestic Altar of the New Testament woodcarving. The life-size carving took 12 years to complete and depict Christ and the New Testament figures and verses carved in tulipwood. 

McCandless Hall built 1912 

Next, we visited the McCandless Hall which houses the auditorium and serves as a facility for concerts, plays, and lectures for the community. The auditorium features a tracker-action pipe organ dating back to 1892.

A couple of Christian tunes was played for us. 

Tracker-action pipe organ dating back to 1892

Founders Hall and McCandless Hall were the only two buildings that we went inside.

Wooden Carved Fiddler

Library opened in 1996  

Outside we saw a wooden Carved Fiddler, the Black Bear Mascot, Clock Tower, and the Alumni Fountain. 

Alumni Fountain 

Black Bear Mascot 

Clock Bell Tower chimed while we were there

Our Group 

Our group included a Professor, two students (the lady dressed in red was our tour guide), a member of Limestone Athens Visitor Center, the white-haired lady played the tracker-action pipe organ for us, the boy wearing a red shirt and black shorts joined us (his grandparents live in the Sloss, Pettus, Cook, Stockton Home above) and the woman sitting behind our guide was my friend Janet. 

We were given a little history of the Carter Physical Education Center

Built-in 1965 served as the athletic program which was discontinued in 2004. Now housed classrooms.

Classroom Building
houses a student lounge and interactive classrooms

Our time was getting short and it looked like rain so we went on the front side of the University where we saw McCain Hall and Waters Hall. 

Our group 

McCain Hall built 1962 serves as offices for the facility and st

Waters Hall houses classrooms

We began our journey back to the Visitor Center. I stopped to take a picture of the College Inn Newby Gulf Station Museum 

Built-in the late 1920s it was where everybody caught up on the latest news. 

College Inn was a place where soldiers home on leave visited.

College Inn Newby Gulf Station Museum 

Once the tour was over my friend Janet and I went to Wildwood Grill to eat lunch. 

I ordered a salad and she ordered a homemade grilled cheese with a salad.

Wildwood is listed as one of 11 extremely tiny restaurants in Alabama that is amazing. 

Wildwood Grill 

Wildwood may be a small restaurant but that doesn't take away from the deliciousness of the food or the wonderful dining experience. Wildwood Deli is definitely a must stop!

When we finished eating we walked around the square looking and taking pictures of the cars, trucks, and motorcycles that were on display all around the square. 

Classic Cars on the Square

Classic Cars on the Square

Classic Cars on the Square

I had a great time on the walking tour and the touring of the cars, trucks, and motorcycles on the square. I had a great lunch and was tired and hot from all the walking and I still had to drive almost an hour home. 

2016 Sunday, April 17 Athens Character Cemetery Stroll

Sunday from 2–5 P.M.

Athens Cemetery

Caroline Page

Mrs. Caroline Preston Peck 
This strong woman settled in Rowland, now Tanner, with her family after the American Civil War. She relied on her Methodist faith to keep the family together. 
The Peck families came from the north to settle in Athens. 

Rebekah Thompson Davis 

Mary Mason 
Mary was one of the strongest supporters of the Confederacy among the United Daughters. Miss Mary explains the Confederate Circle and the Confederate monument.

Confederate Circle and Tombstones
The Confederate Circle in Athens City Cemetery contains graves of over 50 soldiers killed in or around Athens during the WBTS, 8 unknown. Around 1898, ladies of the local UDC were working in the cemetery when bones, believed to be soldiers, were found. The ladies felt these soldiers deserved a proper burial. In 1901, the local UDC chapter placed markers with the soldiers' initials on each of their graves. In 1994, the Chapter researched and ordered new markers with full names and Military Service. The markers were replaced with the joint effort of the SCV Camp 768 and UDC Chapter 198

Kristi Valls

Mary Norman Moore McCoy
She was twice President of what is now Athens State University, once as a single young woman and later as a mature widow with four stepchildren. 

Frank Travis

Ortho Frazier
He was born a slave but was able to buy his freedom. He was a cobbler who made and repaired shoes and boots for both Confederate and Union troops, as well as civilians.

Kathy Horton Garrett

Rebecca Maclin Hobbs
Mother of Captain Thomas Hubbard Hobbs and a very stalwart supporter of the Athens Female Academy and the Athens First Methodist Church 

Dr. David Griggs

Thomas Turpentine
He joined the Confederate Army at the age of 13 and served until his regiment surrendered in Selma. After the war, he worked in the newspaper business in Nashville, but upon his return to Athens, he entered the grocery business alongside his father. 

Glenn Hall

Jonathan Adams
He initially brought his family to Limestone County on a flatboat down the Elk River before it was legal for a white man to purchase land. The Federal soldiers arrested him and burned his house and crops. He later returned and was able to legally purchase land and settle here.

Athens Dulcimers

First formed in 2003, they meet on the first and third Monday of each month to play and practice. 

Dana Hickman

Emily Horton Sr
Her husband was a Confederate Soldier and later Probate Judge of Limestone County, but her son, Judge JE Horton Jr., became world-famous for his brave ruling in the "Scottsboro Boys" trial. 

Carol Cordero 

Kathy Lane Townes 
A local girl who married one of the officers of the Union Occupation forces. 

Al Elmore

Chief Justice Thomas McClelland 
He served as a register in the chancery of Limestone County from 1874 to 1876. Served in the Alabama Senate for two terms. In 1884, he was elected State Attorney General. He became Chief Justice in 1898 and served until he died in 1906.

Peggy Allen Towns

Emily Frazier
She became a land-owning free black lady. The soldiers were instructed to leave her and her belongings alone. 

Joe Curtis

General Hiram Higgins
He was a brick mason, a freemason, and an archaic term referring to a person who organized and led a company of soldiers and fought in the Mexican-American War. 

Beth Ham

Margaret Beckham Nixon
She stood her ground and refused to give up all her meat stored in the smokehouse. 

Billy Ward

Robert Beaty Mason
Grandson of Robert Beaty, who served in General Roddy's "Bull Pups" when he was 16. He started the development of the town of Bismarck. 

Jerry Barksdale 

Daniel Barksdale
He was a Secessionist until after the occupation and "Sack of Athens" by Union Soldiers under Colonel Turchin. 

Robert Reeves

Robert Donnell 
He was a Cumberland Presbyterian Circuit Rider and one of the founders of the Athens First Presbyterian Church.