Riverboat testing interest as relocation contemplated
By Jason Lankford Staff Writer The Decatur Daily
The Pickwick Belle riverboat will cruise out of Ingalls Harbor in Decatur from Aug. 13 to Sept. 10 as part of a trial run to see if there’s enough interest to permanently relocate from Florence.
Tanya Irwin, marketing director for the Pickwick Belle, said there is not a specific revenue goal that must be reached during the trial period.
“We feel that the Pickwick Belle, with the right kind of marketing and support, could have a much more successful business than what she’s had,” Irwin said. “We are pleased with the contact we have had with the (Decatur-Morgan County) Convention and Visitors Bureau, and we are glad we found people who are enthusiastic and will help us with marketing.”
Ingalls chosen
Tami Reist, president of the CVB, said Ingalls Harbor was chosen as the Decatur base over Riverwalk Marina and Rhodes Ferry Park because it has a good docking area for disembarking passengers and ample parking.
There are still some issues to be resolved, including the lack of a power supply at the harbor, Irwin said. The boat also will be less visible at Ingalls, off Alabama 20, than it would be at the other two locations near the U.S. 31 causeway.
The majority of Pickwick Belle cruises are booked by private groups, many of them motor-coach groups from outside the area, Irwin said. There already have been several advance bookings for the trial period.
Reist said the route the boat will travel has yet to be determined, but the plan is to showcase the area’s fishing locations as well as the industrialized areas of the riverfront.
The boat is about 90 feet long and 30 feet wide and is a true paddle wheeler. It has two decks, an open-air top deck, an enclosed lower deck and can accommodate 149 passengers. It ideally seats about 80 for dinner cruises.
Many uses
Irwin said the Pickwick Belle’s size makes it versatile for a wide range of affordable uses, including high school proms, wedding rehearsals and weddings, praise and worship services, school groups and educational cruises. The boat uses local caterers for meals and local theatrical ensembles for theme cruises.
During the four years the Pickwick Belle has been docked at Florence Harbor, no audio tours have been provided, but Reist is making plans to have a tour guide onboard to inform passengers about the history of Decatur and local attractions they can visit.
Director of Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Debbie Wilson said Florence would hate to lose the Pickwick Belle because of its aesthetic appeal, but the relocation of the boat is not likely to impact the area’s economy, mainly because the boat doesn’t bring in enough people to significantly increase hotel bookings.
“We certainly have no hard feelings toward Decatur,” Wilson said. “If they choose to dock in Decatur, we certainly understand, but I would hope that there could be a best-case scenario where they could logistically figure out how to share (the boat between the cities).”
Irwin said there are no issues pushing the boat from Florence; operators just want to explore how well the boat could do in another area.
Pickwick Belle
Dimensions: 90 feet long and 20 feet wide
Speed: It generally moves at 5 to 6 mph. Cruises, which are generally 10 to 12 miles round trip, last about two hours.
Seating: 149 people for normal cruises and about 80 for dinner cruises.
Cost: Rates in Decatur will range from $9.99 to $49.99 per person.
Crew: 2 captains, a hospitality director, 3 sailors, 2 chefs and 3 attendants.
Owner: Fred Tull, president of Tull Brothers Inc., a building materials contractor based in Corinth, Miss.
Schedule: Check the calendar at www.pickwickbelle.com
Sightseeing cruises
■3-4:30 p.m. Aug. 13, Aug. 19, Aug. 20, Aug. 26, Aug. 27, Sept. 2, Sept. 3
■9:30-11 a.m. and 2-3:30 p.m. Sept. 8
■7-9 p.m. Aug. 13, Jimmy Buffet Dinner Cruise
■11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Aug. 19, Lazy Days Lunch Cruise
■7-9 p.m. Aug. 20, Dinner with the King dinner cruise
■1-3 p.m. Aug. 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 3, noon-2 p.m. Sept. 10, summer lunch cruises
■11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Fun & Games lunch cruise
■7-9 p.m. Sept. 3, Civil War dinner cruise
Group rates are available. Concessions are offered on board. For more information, call 877-936-2355.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Active Saturday in Decatur
Blast from the past
Active Saturday in Decatur
Horse, car shows, fishing tournament among day’s events
By Bayne Hughes
Ariel Cole finished off her horse’s Saturday morning bath by kissing him on the nose. Struttin’ Again reacted with a couple of nods of his head, and that’s the way they finished off their preparations for Saturday night’s horse show at Morgan County Celebration Arena in Priceville.
It was one of many events on a very active Saturday in the Decatur area.
A national fishing tournament with music, a car show benefit and softball tournament also made for a bustling community this weekend for visitors and local residents.
“This definitely has been an above-average day for the number of events going on in our community,” said Tami Reist, Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau president.
Balmy weather made it a perfect day for outings until the afternoon thunderstorms rolled through. The day’s 10-mph winds kept high temperatures around 90 degrees.
It was a quiet morning at Celebration Arena where horse owners were preparing for the Racking Horse Mid-Summer Classic. Randy and Becky Siniard, Shannon Cole and Ariel Cole came from Temple, Ga., to enter four horses.
“We’ve been here almost two weeks,” Randy Siniard said.
Ariel, 17, said most of the work occurs the day of the show. Struttin’ Again needed the bath because he had a short morning workout.
The horse owners also prepared their horse tack and cleaned their performance clothes if needed.
“One of the things I enjoyed about walking horse is getting to dress up,” said Ariel, who also competes in barrel racing.
The largest of the area events was the Bassmaster Elite Series Dixie Duel tournament in Ingalls Harbor. The event included the Family Music Jam Fest for visitors’ enjoyment.
The crowd was small for Saturday’s opening Jam Fest act while the fishermen were on the water, but Reist said she expected the numbers to grow. The free jam will continue today at noon. She said she expected close to 8,000 for the final weigh-in at 3:15 p.m. today and the Colt Ford concert at 7 tonight.
Across town, Wayne Hurt was showing off his white 1951 Ford Convertible in the third annual Rollin’ on the River car show at Decatur Mall.
“We considered putting a tent up, but it’s been a little breezy and we didn’t want it to end up on one of the cars,” Hurt said.
Hurt, a Decatur resident, was one of more than 100 car enthusiasts participating in the Habitat for Humanity benefit. Organizers were hoping to raise close to $15,000. He said he and his wife, Annie, frequent the local car show circuit.
“We enjoy the camaraderie,” Hurt said. “Old car enthusiasts are good lot.”
While Hurt prefers the antique cars, owners were also showing off their modified muscle cars. The car show offered more than cool vehicles. Vendors sold items like homemade jewelry, soy candles, ice cream and food.
Ron and Barbara Terry of Somerville said they planned to attend the car show. They were taking photos of the vehicles they liked.
“We both enjoy seeing the different cars and visiting with owners,” Ron Terry said.
At nearby Wilson Morgan Park, 16 Cook’s Pest Control teams from throughout the state were playing in the corporate softball tournament.
Jacob Ford, 21, said his Montgomery team was eliminated in two games, but he and his family enjoyed his visit. They particularly enjoyed Cook’s company party Friday evening at Point Mallard Aquatics Center.
“It’s nice up here,” Ford said. “The weather has been great. My 3-year-old and 15-month-old loved playing in the water.”
Active Saturday in Decatur
Horse, car shows, fishing tournament among day’s events
By Bayne Hughes
Ariel Cole finished off her horse’s Saturday morning bath by kissing him on the nose. Struttin’ Again reacted with a couple of nods of his head, and that’s the way they finished off their preparations for Saturday night’s horse show at Morgan County Celebration Arena in Priceville.
It was one of many events on a very active Saturday in the Decatur area.
A national fishing tournament with music, a car show benefit and softball tournament also made for a bustling community this weekend for visitors and local residents.
“This definitely has been an above-average day for the number of events going on in our community,” said Tami Reist, Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau president.
Balmy weather made it a perfect day for outings until the afternoon thunderstorms rolled through. The day’s 10-mph winds kept high temperatures around 90 degrees.
It was a quiet morning at Celebration Arena where horse owners were preparing for the Racking Horse Mid-Summer Classic. Randy and Becky Siniard, Shannon Cole and Ariel Cole came from Temple, Ga., to enter four horses.
“We’ve been here almost two weeks,” Randy Siniard said.
Ariel, 17, said most of the work occurs the day of the show. Struttin’ Again needed the bath because he had a short morning workout.
The horse owners also prepared their horse tack and cleaned their performance clothes if needed.
“One of the things I enjoyed about walking horse is getting to dress up,” said Ariel, who also competes in barrel racing.
The largest of the area events was the Bassmaster Elite Series Dixie Duel tournament in Ingalls Harbor. The event included the Family Music Jam Fest for visitors’ enjoyment.
The crowd was small for Saturday’s opening Jam Fest act while the fishermen were on the water, but Reist said she expected the numbers to grow. The free jam will continue today at noon. She said she expected close to 8,000 for the final weigh-in at 3:15 p.m. today and the Colt Ford concert at 7 tonight.
Across town, Wayne Hurt was showing off his white 1951 Ford Convertible in the third annual Rollin’ on the River car show at Decatur Mall.
“We considered putting a tent up, but it’s been a little breezy and we didn’t want it to end up on one of the cars,” Hurt said.
Hurt, a Decatur resident, was one of more than 100 car enthusiasts participating in the Habitat for Humanity benefit. Organizers were hoping to raise close to $15,000. He said he and his wife, Annie, frequent the local car show circuit.
“We enjoy the camaraderie,” Hurt said. “Old car enthusiasts are good lot.”
While Hurt prefers the antique cars, owners were also showing off their modified muscle cars. The car show offered more than cool vehicles. Vendors sold items like homemade jewelry, soy candles, ice cream and food.
Ron and Barbara Terry of Somerville said they planned to attend the car show. They were taking photos of the vehicles they liked.
“We both enjoy seeing the different cars and visiting with owners,” Ron Terry said.
At nearby Wilson Morgan Park, 16 Cook’s Pest Control teams from throughout the state were playing in the corporate softball tournament.
Jacob Ford, 21, said his Montgomery team was eliminated in two games, but he and his family enjoyed his visit. They particularly enjoyed Cook’s company party Friday evening at Point Mallard Aquatics Center.
“It’s nice up here,” Ford said. “The weather has been great. My 3-year-old and 15-month-old loved playing in the water.”
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Dixie Duel, River City revenues
This week’s Bassmaster tourney is catching more than just fish
By Jason Lankford
What do you get when you combine a lake full of elusive bass, four days of competitive fishing and 99 professional anglers?
A tourism official hopes the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society’s Bassmaster Elite Series tournament that starts today adds up to $550,000 in economic impact for Decatur and exposure for the city’s outdoor facilities. ESPN will broadcast one-hour specials on the tournament June 26 and July 9.
“When this is televised on ESPN, people who see this are going to see Decatur showcased, and they’re going to want to come to Wheeler Lake,” said Tami Reist, Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau president. “That is something that can’t be measured.”
Reist was able to measure economic impact, she said, based on statistics from 2009’s tournament.
This year’s tournament, called the Dixie Duel, will include professional anglers such as J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., a member of the Big Green Egg team. Tucker estimated he’ll spend $110 a day for lodging and $160 a day for fuel and food.
“What a lot of people don’t think about is that every angler will bring about seven to 10 people with them if you include their families and pit crews,” Tucker said. “All of them are going to be spending money in all these places, too.”
Nitro fishing team member David White, known as “Happy” to fellow crew members, said he and his family have eaten at several area restaurants and will “eat at them all before the week’s over.”
Evinrude E-Team angler David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., said he and his family are staying in their camper at Point Mallard Campground at a rate of $150 per week. Supplying fuel for his two vehicles and boat has been his major expense.
Walker said he has fished in several tournaments, and the set-up at Ingalls Harbor, where anglers will launch their boats, is unique compared to other places because it is located in a city and has more modern facilities and abundant parking spaces.
“Alabama as a whole has better facilities,” he said. “That attracts things like this.”
Royce Figueroa, a vendor for Berkley Fishing from Fort Worth, Texas, who demonstrates equipment at the Elite Series tournaments, is no stranger to being on the road and living out of a suitcase.
“I’m one of the few vendors who’s on the road 200-plus days out of the year,” he said.
Figueroa said he prefers to stay in smaller hotels because he likes to support local owners rather than corporations.
“I like to bring money back to the small people,” Figueroa said.
Registration for anglers was held Wednesday at the Holiday Inn. General Manager Andy Safiano said that with many reservations coming in at the last minute, it is difficult to assess how many rooms will be booked. He does not anticipate a shortage.
“But that would be a very nice problem to have,” he said.
There has been speculation about the BASS tournament headquarters moving to Alabama from its current location in the Orlando area. Co-owner Don Logan, a native of Hartselle, said that it is really a question of when and where at this point.
“We’re trying to aim for some time prior to the end of the year,” Logan said.
Reist has sent Logan a letter proposing that Decatur be considered as a site. Logan said the advantages to relocating to Alabama are its central location in relation to the tournament circuit and the amount of local interest and participation in the sport.
“There’s a lot of talent here,” he said. “More anglers live in Alabama than in any other state. We think it would be a great place to call home.”
Bassmaster Elite Series Dixie Duel
■When: Today through Sunday.
■Boat launch: 6:45 a.m. daily from Ingalls Harbor, 701 Market St. N.W.
■Weigh-in: 3:15 p.m. daily (live coverage on bassmaster.com).
■Field: 99 professional anglers will compete today and Friday. Field will be cut to top 50 for Saturday and top 12 for Sunday.
■At stake: Tournament winner will receive $100,000. Event also will determine Angler of the Year, which is worth $100,000 to points race winner. Kevin VanDam and Edwin Evers enter Dixie Duel first and second in points.
■ESPN broadcast times: June 26, 7 a.m.; July 9, 8 a.m.
By Jason Lankford
What do you get when you combine a lake full of elusive bass, four days of competitive fishing and 99 professional anglers?
A tourism official hopes the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society’s Bassmaster Elite Series tournament that starts today adds up to $550,000 in economic impact for Decatur and exposure for the city’s outdoor facilities. ESPN will broadcast one-hour specials on the tournament June 26 and July 9.
“When this is televised on ESPN, people who see this are going to see Decatur showcased, and they’re going to want to come to Wheeler Lake,” said Tami Reist, Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau president. “That is something that can’t be measured.”
Reist was able to measure economic impact, she said, based on statistics from 2009’s tournament.
This year’s tournament, called the Dixie Duel, will include professional anglers such as J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., a member of the Big Green Egg team. Tucker estimated he’ll spend $110 a day for lodging and $160 a day for fuel and food.
“What a lot of people don’t think about is that every angler will bring about seven to 10 people with them if you include their families and pit crews,” Tucker said. “All of them are going to be spending money in all these places, too.”
Nitro fishing team member David White, known as “Happy” to fellow crew members, said he and his family have eaten at several area restaurants and will “eat at them all before the week’s over.”
Evinrude E-Team angler David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., said he and his family are staying in their camper at Point Mallard Campground at a rate of $150 per week. Supplying fuel for his two vehicles and boat has been his major expense.
Walker said he has fished in several tournaments, and the set-up at Ingalls Harbor, where anglers will launch their boats, is unique compared to other places because it is located in a city and has more modern facilities and abundant parking spaces.
“Alabama as a whole has better facilities,” he said. “That attracts things like this.”
Royce Figueroa, a vendor for Berkley Fishing from Fort Worth, Texas, who demonstrates equipment at the Elite Series tournaments, is no stranger to being on the road and living out of a suitcase.
“I’m one of the few vendors who’s on the road 200-plus days out of the year,” he said.
Figueroa said he prefers to stay in smaller hotels because he likes to support local owners rather than corporations.
“I like to bring money back to the small people,” Figueroa said.
Registration for anglers was held Wednesday at the Holiday Inn. General Manager Andy Safiano said that with many reservations coming in at the last minute, it is difficult to assess how many rooms will be booked. He does not anticipate a shortage.
“But that would be a very nice problem to have,” he said.
There has been speculation about the BASS tournament headquarters moving to Alabama from its current location in the Orlando area. Co-owner Don Logan, a native of Hartselle, said that it is really a question of when and where at this point.
“We’re trying to aim for some time prior to the end of the year,” Logan said.
Reist has sent Logan a letter proposing that Decatur be considered as a site. Logan said the advantages to relocating to Alabama are its central location in relation to the tournament circuit and the amount of local interest and participation in the sport.
“There’s a lot of talent here,” he said. “More anglers live in Alabama than in any other state. We think it would be a great place to call home.”
Bassmaster Elite Series Dixie Duel
■When: Today through Sunday.
■Boat launch: 6:45 a.m. daily from Ingalls Harbor, 701 Market St. N.W.
■Weigh-in: 3:15 p.m. daily (live coverage on bassmaster.com).
■Field: 99 professional anglers will compete today and Friday. Field will be cut to top 50 for Saturday and top 12 for Sunday.
■At stake: Tournament winner will receive $100,000. Event also will determine Angler of the Year, which is worth $100,000 to points race winner. Kevin VanDam and Edwin Evers enter Dixie Duel first and second in points.
■ESPN broadcast times: June 26, 7 a.m.; July 9, 8 a.m.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Soulstock was a huge success
Letters to the Editor
The Decatur Daily
To The Daily: SoulStock, the annual Christian music festival held at Point Mallard, was once again a huge success! An estimated crowd of 15-20,000 filled the Spirit of America field on May 21 for a great afternoon of fun, music and worship. An event like this can only be successful with the help of many people. Obviously, we want to thank God for being the true reason for a great day and give him all the glory.
The City of Decatur, Decatur Daily, Decatur Convention and Visitors Bureau, Decatur Police, Fire, Rescue and 911 were all a great help. Many businesses, churches and individuals also pitched in to make this event possible. There is one group, however, that I want to single out with special praise: Point Mallard and the staff there. Tom Chappell, Julianne Lowman, Steve Owens, Paul Floyd and the many employees were absolutely unbelievable in their hosting and help.
We had been at Athens State for 11 years and the university and city of Athens had been invaluable in helping us. In fact, our only reason for looking to leave was because Athens had helped us be so successful we needed more room. After two years, we can say that the move was a good one. Decatur has a special place with special people in Point Mallard. In the early planning all the way through the clean up, the Point Mallard team was outstanding.
We hope the people of the Tennessee Valley realize what a wonderful place and people you have at Point Mallard. We at SoulStock are so thankful for this venue and look forward to many more years of working together. So once again, we want to say a big “Thank You” to all those who helped in Decatur and especially to our great friends at Point Mallard.
Phillip Presley
Tanner
The Decatur Daily
To The Daily: SoulStock, the annual Christian music festival held at Point Mallard, was once again a huge success! An estimated crowd of 15-20,000 filled the Spirit of America field on May 21 for a great afternoon of fun, music and worship. An event like this can only be successful with the help of many people. Obviously, we want to thank God for being the true reason for a great day and give him all the glory.
The City of Decatur, Decatur Daily, Decatur Convention and Visitors Bureau, Decatur Police, Fire, Rescue and 911 were all a great help. Many businesses, churches and individuals also pitched in to make this event possible. There is one group, however, that I want to single out with special praise: Point Mallard and the staff there. Tom Chappell, Julianne Lowman, Steve Owens, Paul Floyd and the many employees were absolutely unbelievable in their hosting and help.
We had been at Athens State for 11 years and the university and city of Athens had been invaluable in helping us. In fact, our only reason for looking to leave was because Athens had helped us be so successful we needed more room. After two years, we can say that the move was a good one. Decatur has a special place with special people in Point Mallard. In the early planning all the way through the clean up, the Point Mallard team was outstanding.
We hope the people of the Tennessee Valley realize what a wonderful place and people you have at Point Mallard. We at SoulStock are so thankful for this venue and look forward to many more years of working together. So once again, we want to say a big “Thank You” to all those who helped in Decatur and especially to our great friends at Point Mallard.
Phillip Presley
Tanner
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Decatur Walking tours coming
Decatur walking tours coming
Walking tours through historic downtown Decatur are scheduled for June 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2011.
The one-hour walking tours will begin at 10 a.m. at the Old State Bank, 925 Bank St. NE. Guides will escort participants through the Old Decatur district, sharing neighborhood history.
The free tours will be held in conjunction with a statewide walking tour campaign implemented by the Alabama Tourism Department. For more information, call the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 256-350-2028 or 800-524-6181.
From staff reports
The Decatur Daily
Walking tours through historic downtown Decatur are scheduled for June 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2011.
The one-hour walking tours will begin at 10 a.m. at the Old State Bank, 925 Bank St. NE. Guides will escort participants through the Old Decatur district, sharing neighborhood history.
The free tours will be held in conjunction with a statewide walking tour campaign implemented by the Alabama Tourism Department. For more information, call the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 256-350-2028 or 800-524-6181.
From staff reports
The Decatur Daily
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Civil War: 150 years later
After the smoke cleared ... Old State Bank was still standing; now the historic site is highlighted in brochure
By Catherine Godbey
Clad in blue-and-gray uniforms, soldiers armed with muskets and bayonets surrounded the two-story brick building. The limestone columns provided little cover from the bullets.
For four days, the skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops continued. It was October 1864.
During the Battle for Decatur, an estimated 400 to 500 soldiers died, suffered injuries or became prisoners. They were sons, fathers, black, white, slave and free.
Soldiers wrote home detailing the news.
“Dear Mother, with grief and sorrow I lament to you that brother James M. Robertson sleeps in a soldier’s grave in Decatur,” Union soldier Jefferson Robertson wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31, 1864, to his mother in St. Louis.
“Downtown Decatur is so quaint, peaceful and quiet that it is hard for people to imagine it as part of a war zone,” said Melinda Dunn, director of the Old State Bank on Bank Street. “But almost 150 years ago, it was.”
To commemorate the sesquicentennial of the war that split families and divided the nation, the Alabama Tourism Department created a Civil War Trail brochure.
The guide indicates battles, re-enactment events and historic sites, including the Old State Bank as part of the Decatur Civil War walking tour, which takes visitors past the cemetery and the McEntire House, where a band played on the rooftop.
“It was like the battle of the bands, for lack of a better term. It was like the pep rally before the big game,” Dunn said.
Stationed on rooftops, the Confederate and Union bands swapped songs. From the Union sounded “Star Spangled Banner.” The Confederate band responded with “The Bonnie Blue Flag.”
“According to the story, this went on for a while, until one soldier hollered out ‘I’m going to shoot.’ Then the bands scurried off of the field and the fight began,” Dunn said. “A lot of people that come to the Old State Bank come for those stories. With the 150th anniversary we expect more people to come through.”
Guests will see the quilt a family filled with valuables and buried when Union troops occupied Lawrence County. They will see the bullet holes in the columns and walk through the rooms where Union leaders strategized.
“It is said along with serving as the Union headquarters, the Old State Bank also was a hospital where the wounded were treated during the Battle for Decatur,” Dunn said.
Although called the Battle for Decatur, whether an actual battle took place is disputed.
“There was no battle in Decatur. There were sporadic skirmishes, but (Gen. John Bell) Hood never made an effort to attack the fort,” said Robert Parham, a Civil War historian and owner of the Blue and Gray Museum of North Alabama, also listed as a must-see in the commemorative brochure.
Union troops occupied Decatur, a town of about 600 people, in March 1864 to guard and control the railroad, Parham said. Seven months later, Confederate troops led by Hood set up outside of Decatur.
“If Hood wanted Decatur, he could have taken it. The reason he was here for days was because he couldn’t move,” Parham said. “He had a supply train of 580 wagons, 12 miles long that was stuck in the mud at Somerville. He could not leave Decatur until the supply train was out of harm’s way.”
Parham’s museum on Bank Street features weapons from the Civil War, Confederate and Union uniforms, cannon balls, military drums, canteens and photographs.
Athens
Along with the walking tour and the Blue and Gray museum, other local sites featured in the brochure are Pond Spring, the estate of Confederate Gen. Joe Wheeler in Hillsboro, and the entire city of Athens.
“The war came to Athens in May 1862 under Union Col. Basil Turchin,” said Buzz Estes, a historian and member of Sons of Confederate Veterans. “They behaved themselves for about a week.”
When rumors spread that Confederate Col. John Scott with the First Louisiana Calvary was headed to Athens with thousands of men, the Union troops departed.
“They lit out for Huntsville and as they were leaving, ladies stood on the corner and said ‘get out of here,’ ” Estes said. “The Union troops mistook Southern courtesy and civility for friendship and felt betrayed.”
Scott’s journey to Athens failed and Turchin returned.
“Athens was occupied continually from then on and kept under Union control, except for one brief period in September 1864,” Estes said, recalling the story of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.
In an effort to disrupt the Union supply train, Forrest’s troops converged on Fort Henderson, a 26-acre stockade, where Union troops outnumbered Confederate soldiers four to one.
“That didn’t stop Forrest. He was a conniving son of a gun,” Estes said.
Under Forrest’s direction, the troops, clad in butternut and gray uniforms, marched past the fort carrying artillery and riding horses. When out of sight, the troops swapped uniforms and supplies.
“He put on a parade. He showed he had 5,000 men when he didn’t have 1,000,” Estes said. “The Union did surrender. Then the Confederate troops left and a couple of weeks later the Union troops returned and occupied Athens again.”
Want more?
The Alabama Civil War Trail brochures are available at visitors centers and the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. To learn more about the battles and skirmishes in Decatur, Athens and Town Creek, visit www.alabama.travel/media-room/brochures. Download a walking tour podcast of Decatur Civil War sites at www.decaturcvb.org.
By Catherine Godbey
Clad in blue-and-gray uniforms, soldiers armed with muskets and bayonets surrounded the two-story brick building. The limestone columns provided little cover from the bullets.
For four days, the skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops continued. It was October 1864.
During the Battle for Decatur, an estimated 400 to 500 soldiers died, suffered injuries or became prisoners. They were sons, fathers, black, white, slave and free.
Soldiers wrote home detailing the news.
“Dear Mother, with grief and sorrow I lament to you that brother James M. Robertson sleeps in a soldier’s grave in Decatur,” Union soldier Jefferson Robertson wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31, 1864, to his mother in St. Louis.
“Downtown Decatur is so quaint, peaceful and quiet that it is hard for people to imagine it as part of a war zone,” said Melinda Dunn, director of the Old State Bank on Bank Street. “But almost 150 years ago, it was.”
To commemorate the sesquicentennial of the war that split families and divided the nation, the Alabama Tourism Department created a Civil War Trail brochure.
The guide indicates battles, re-enactment events and historic sites, including the Old State Bank as part of the Decatur Civil War walking tour, which takes visitors past the cemetery and the McEntire House, where a band played on the rooftop.
“It was like the battle of the bands, for lack of a better term. It was like the pep rally before the big game,” Dunn said.
Stationed on rooftops, the Confederate and Union bands swapped songs. From the Union sounded “Star Spangled Banner.” The Confederate band responded with “The Bonnie Blue Flag.”
“According to the story, this went on for a while, until one soldier hollered out ‘I’m going to shoot.’ Then the bands scurried off of the field and the fight began,” Dunn said. “A lot of people that come to the Old State Bank come for those stories. With the 150th anniversary we expect more people to come through.”
Guests will see the quilt a family filled with valuables and buried when Union troops occupied Lawrence County. They will see the bullet holes in the columns and walk through the rooms where Union leaders strategized.
“It is said along with serving as the Union headquarters, the Old State Bank also was a hospital where the wounded were treated during the Battle for Decatur,” Dunn said.
Although called the Battle for Decatur, whether an actual battle took place is disputed.
“There was no battle in Decatur. There were sporadic skirmishes, but (Gen. John Bell) Hood never made an effort to attack the fort,” said Robert Parham, a Civil War historian and owner of the Blue and Gray Museum of North Alabama, also listed as a must-see in the commemorative brochure.
Union troops occupied Decatur, a town of about 600 people, in March 1864 to guard and control the railroad, Parham said. Seven months later, Confederate troops led by Hood set up outside of Decatur.
“If Hood wanted Decatur, he could have taken it. The reason he was here for days was because he couldn’t move,” Parham said. “He had a supply train of 580 wagons, 12 miles long that was stuck in the mud at Somerville. He could not leave Decatur until the supply train was out of harm’s way.”
Parham’s museum on Bank Street features weapons from the Civil War, Confederate and Union uniforms, cannon balls, military drums, canteens and photographs.
Athens
Along with the walking tour and the Blue and Gray museum, other local sites featured in the brochure are Pond Spring, the estate of Confederate Gen. Joe Wheeler in Hillsboro, and the entire city of Athens.
“The war came to Athens in May 1862 under Union Col. Basil Turchin,” said Buzz Estes, a historian and member of Sons of Confederate Veterans. “They behaved themselves for about a week.”
When rumors spread that Confederate Col. John Scott with the First Louisiana Calvary was headed to Athens with thousands of men, the Union troops departed.
“They lit out for Huntsville and as they were leaving, ladies stood on the corner and said ‘get out of here,’ ” Estes said. “The Union troops mistook Southern courtesy and civility for friendship and felt betrayed.”
Scott’s journey to Athens failed and Turchin returned.
“Athens was occupied continually from then on and kept under Union control, except for one brief period in September 1864,” Estes said, recalling the story of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.
In an effort to disrupt the Union supply train, Forrest’s troops converged on Fort Henderson, a 26-acre stockade, where Union troops outnumbered Confederate soldiers four to one.
“That didn’t stop Forrest. He was a conniving son of a gun,” Estes said.
Under Forrest’s direction, the troops, clad in butternut and gray uniforms, marched past the fort carrying artillery and riding horses. When out of sight, the troops swapped uniforms and supplies.
“He put on a parade. He showed he had 5,000 men when he didn’t have 1,000,” Estes said. “The Union did surrender. Then the Confederate troops left and a couple of weeks later the Union troops returned and occupied Athens again.”
Want more?
The Alabama Civil War Trail brochures are available at visitors centers and the Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. To learn more about the battles and skirmishes in Decatur, Athens and Town Creek, visit www.alabama.travel/media-room/brochures. Download a walking tour podcast of Decatur Civil War sites at www.decaturcvb.org.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Tour gardens in historic districts Mother's Day
From staff reports
The Decatur Daily
From shaded to sunny and formal to eclectic, you’ll find ideas and inspiration May 8 at the Historic Decatur Garden Tour.
Residents of Old Decatur and Albany historic districts will open their gardens to the public Mother’s Day from 2 to 5 p.m.
The tour is free and self-guided. Participating gardens are identified by tour signs.
“We are very excited to be able to include the newest public garden among our gems to enjoy — the Riverwild Garden for All Children in Delano Park,” said Carol Puckett, Albany tour chairwoman.
A performance by the Decatur Youth Symphony is planned at Riverwild for 2 p.m.
The free concert is sponsored by Dr. Charles Elliott and his children as a Mother’s Day gift to his wife, Sherry Bagwell Elliott. Elliott was the wining bidder at the Rotary Club Daybreak YEA Decatur event silent auction. YEA Decatur supports youth activities in the arts.
Maps and refreshments will be available between the Rose Garden and Riverwild.
For more information, contact the Decatur-Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-524-6181 or 256-350-2028.
The Decatur Daily
From shaded to sunny and formal to eclectic, you’ll find ideas and inspiration May 8 at the Historic Decatur Garden Tour.
Residents of Old Decatur and Albany historic districts will open their gardens to the public Mother’s Day from 2 to 5 p.m.
The tour is free and self-guided. Participating gardens are identified by tour signs.
“We are very excited to be able to include the newest public garden among our gems to enjoy — the Riverwild Garden for All Children in Delano Park,” said Carol Puckett, Albany tour chairwoman.
A performance by the Decatur Youth Symphony is planned at Riverwild for 2 p.m.
The free concert is sponsored by Dr. Charles Elliott and his children as a Mother’s Day gift to his wife, Sherry Bagwell Elliott. Elliott was the wining bidder at the Rotary Club Daybreak YEA Decatur event silent auction. YEA Decatur supports youth activities in the arts.
Maps and refreshments will be available between the Rose Garden and Riverwild.
For more information, contact the Decatur-Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-524-6181 or 256-350-2028.
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