With a walking trail, mural, butterfly garden and more, community looking better than ever
Story by Paul South Photos by Richard Rybka Submitted Photos
Imagine Riverside without its new playground or there was no colorful mural welcoming one and all to town. What if there were no annual community soup supper, Santa’s arrival or Poker Run?
For the 2,251 who call this lakeside town home or the thousands more who visit each year, the allure wouldn’t be quite so inviting; the quality of life so appealing.
That’s why Riverside Beautification Organization is key to Riverside’s everyday life, making it better – brighter.
RBO began as a grassroots effort to beautify the city. Its premise is two-tiered: Organize events, activities and projects to benefit and showcase Riverside. And hold fundraisers to achieve those goals.
More than a garden club, the seeds for RBO were planted in 2008, right after Mayor Rusty Jessup took office.
“I knew there was a need for a good civic group here in town,” Jessup said. He met with several women interested in making Riverside a better place to live.
“I just wanted an organization interested in making Riverside a more beautiful place,” Jessup said. “It took off, and they’ve just done so much for our town.”
The small group of five blossomed into a small, all-volunteer group of women. In its early days, the group focused on planting flowers at city buildings and promoting volunteer recycling.
A stroll or drive down Depot Street these days showcases the RBO’s work – flower beds, a welcome sign, Landing decorations for the holidays, city building signage, a new playground at Riverside Park and walking trails in the park. Jessup could make a list.
The 501 (c) 3 nonprofit has grown into a catalyst for the construction of walking trails at the city park, maintaining the Lotus Pond – home to the native American Lotus only found in three places in St. Clair County – and building sanctuaries for birds – bluebirds, osprey, purple martins and wood ducks.
“When we adopted Lotus Pond, we realized that it would be nice to have walking trails throughout the park,” said Laura Pounders, who serves as RBO president. “With several grants and fundraisers, we’ve just now been able to complete the walking trails that connect the playground area to the ballfield area to the ponds and to the back fishing pond.”
The RBO hopes that one day, the area will be part of the Alabama Birding Trail.
“You know, we’re a small town. We don’t have a lot of resources,” Jessup said. “What we do have, we have to spend on police officers, the fire department; we just don’t have a lot of frills. Riverside Beautification Organization has helped to provide these things.”
Chimes in the Park
Grants, contributions from citizens, businesses and fundraising efforts finance the RBO’s efforts, and volunteer labor keeps the work more affordable.
It seems the RBO has done things great and small – from city hall landscaping to logo designs to signs pointing to city businesses and the new playground to lighted snowflakes and a nativity at Christmas.
Their work impacts the city’s ability to attract new businesses and new residents, Jessup said. It’s about quality of life
“It’s a tremendous help,” Jessup said. City parks and signs and the new playground are “things that add to the quality of life. That’s why a civic group (like RBO) is important. Everybody in town wants (these amenities). But they don’t want a tax increase. It’s great to have volunteers who step up and make these things happen.”
The RBO spent over three years writing grants and raising money for playground equipment and the park, Pounders said.
The organization is also trying to do more than beautify. It wants to build stronger ties between Riverside residents. A yearly, communitywide Soup Supper was held in late February and Santa’s arrival came in December.
A new community event to promote local crafters and artists, Spring Fling, is set for March 23. In 2023, 35 vendors sold their wares along with activities for children, including an egg hunt and the Easter bunny. More are expected this year, Pounders said.
Spring Fling turned out to be a fundraiser along with the Poker Run on the river in June, which has become an annual community event.
Future projects to be completed by the Poker Run in addition to the Riverside Post office mural is another mural behind the Landing designed and painted by Penny Arnold that will greet boaters as they prepare to dock or dine at nearby Buck’s Barbecue.
But the RBO is always looking for new ideas and new members in the growing city.
“The biggest thing that they do is that they create a sense of community, a sense of pride in the Riverside area,” Jessup said. “And it’s the kind of pride only citizens can provide. City leadership, we can do everything as far as making ends meet and meeting the basic needs of the community. But the citizens and volunteers of community are really what make quality of life. Without them, we would sorely miss the quality of life that Riverside offers.”
“We’ve clearly gone beyond planting flowers,” Pounders said. “We’ve all fallen in love with Riverside. The river and all the little tributaries that come off of it are beautiful.”
Riverside, she added, is “a pretty little town. Because it’s a small town, you get to know your neighbors. We’ve made so many friendships by opening up the RBO to anybody that’s interested in volunteering and being part of us.”
RBO has a wish five or 10 years down the road. “We could be more of an educational group,” Pounders said. “We could have school groups come into the park and learn about native plants and animals. Community education and participation are important.”
Just like its quality of life.
Editor’s Note:The Riverside Beautification Organization meets monthly and open to all residents. For more information, contact Pounders at juliepounders@yahoo.com
The perfect place to make a home on Neely Henry Lake
Story by Scottie Vickery Photos by Mackenzie Free
Connections are a vital part of Tracci Cordell’s life. She treasures the links to her past as much as she loves introducing friends and co-workers to each other, enlarging her tribe as a result. That’s why her new home on Neely Henry Lake has become the perfect refuge, a place that anchors her to her roots and allows her to strengthen bonds with those she loves.
“I wanted to have a place where everyone could just come and hang out,” she said of the home she built last year on property her parents owned for decades in the Riddles Bend area of the lake. “I don’t have a lot of family here now, but my friends have become family. Every good memory I have growing up happened right here, and now I’m making more.”
Friends Rainbow City Mayor Joe Taylor (center) and Southside Mayor Dana Snyder get in on the kitchen action with Cordell
Connection has become even more important to Cordell in recent years. In a 13-month period from January 2019 to February 2020, she lost her husband, Ron; her sister, Terri Maddock; her mother, Gail Maddock; and Scott Reed, a cousin who was like a brother.
“You have two choices when something like that happens,” she said. “You don’t go on, or you can just choose to live. Before he died, my husband said, ‘I want you to be happy and let your light shine.’”
That’s why, when Cordell moved into her new home last June, one of the first things she displayed on the entry table by the front door were wooden blocks that read “Choose Joy Today.” A painting of her childhood home in Gadsden, a gift from her sister Tammi, is surrounded by pictures of her loved ones.
These days, Cordell finds joy gazing out her windows at the sunlight dancing off the water or gathering a crowd around the firepit. One of her favorite things, though, is hosting the yearly “sauce-a-thon” when she and a group of friends help make 100 quarts of her mom’s Italian Spaghetti Sauce, just like Cordell used to do with her mother and two sisters.
The recipe, in her mother’s handwriting, is so special to Cordell that she had it made into wallpaper for her kitchen pantry. “She’d been making it all her life, but after she started getting older and had had a stroke, I knew we needed to pay attention,” Cordell said. “After she died, friends started coming to help and then more friends came. It’s just a big fun time.”
Dana Snyder, the mayor of Southside, is one of Cordell’s longtime friends who has rolled her sleeves up for the big event. Their friendship, however, has yielded much more than just delicious Italian sauce. Cordell introduced Snyder to another friend, Joe Taylor, who is the mayor of Rainbow City.
“The first time I met Dana was when Tracci bummed money from me for her campaign,” Taylor said with a laugh. All three worked for the City of Gadsden at the time, and as their friendship has grown through the years, so has their commitment to the lake that is such a vital part of their lives and communities.
The vast majority – about 79 percent – of Neely Henry’s 339 miles of shoreline is within the city limits of Southside and Rainbow City. As a result, Snyder said that she and Taylor have become professional partners of sorts in addition to being friends.
“When we were both elected, we said we were going to work together,” Snyder said. “Early on, we said we were going to be partners.” Taylor agreed, adding that “everything we do is to help each city. This lake is critical to the life of this region. It has to be one of the paramount issues when it comes to planning.”
Establishing roots
When Cordell built her home on Neely Henry, one of t was the fulfillment of a dream her parents had more than 45 years ago. Richard and Gail Maddock bought the lot in 1978 and it became the family’s favorite escape. The property wasn’t cleared and there were trees and brush all the way down to the river, but that didn’t stop Cordell and her sisters.
“My mom would cut a place out so she could put her chair and we would play in the water,” she said. “We came here every weekend and had birthday parties here. Eventually my parents built a T-shaped dock for Tammi, Terri, and Tracci.”
Their father, Richard, died of colon cancer at 59, and after their mother and sister passed away, Cordell and Tammi began the process of cleaning out and making hard decisions. Tammi lives in Virginia and Cordell had a house in Southside at the time, but they couldn’t bear the thought of selling the lake lot.
“We were cleaning out and found some house plans that Dad had made,” Cordell recalled. “We looked at each other and Tammi said, ‘We can’t get rid of it.’”
They soon found another sign. “I was a spoiled Daddy’s girl, and he always told me he bought this lot for my birthday,” Cordell said. She didn’t really believe it until they found paperwork showing the purchase was made on February 28, 1978, Cordell’s 7th birthday.
Once the decision was made, Cordell sold her house and stayed with some family friends during the building process. After moving in, she filled her home with specials memories from the past that she wanted to carry into her future. She refurbished her great-grandmother’s kitchen table and hung a picture of a maple tree in its full fall splendor nearby. “That was my dad’s favorite tree in Gadsden,” she said.
Just off the kitchen is a hallway to the laundry room, which features a collection of dozens of black and white photos of her family members and friends. Her husband is there, as is her daughter, Kelsi, a flight attendant who lives with Cordell when she’s not working. There are pictures of her parents, her sisters, her uncle Ronnie Reed, and other family members, as well as a host of friends and her boyfriend, Barry Ragsdale.
“These are my people,” she said. “They are my tribe. They’re family, and they’re friends who have come family.”
Cordell also cherishes the painting of her father that hangs in her bedroom. “He was over purchasing at Gulf State Steel for a long time and he was a suit and tie guy at work,” she said. “He was a wannabe farmer, though, so he would come home and put on his overalls and John Deere cap and head outside to his tractor.”
The three girls gave him the painting, which was created by Elaine Campbell, a family friend and artist, for Father’s Day one year. “It cost $600 and we each paid $200,” said Cordell, adding that it felt like a fortune since she was in high school at the time. Today, though, she considers the painting and the memories it evokes to be priceless treasures.
Large island gives plenty of room to help cook or dine
She feels the same way about the wallpaper in her pantry. After finding the index card with the handwritten recipe for Italian Spaghetti sauce that her mother got from a neighbor in 1979, Cordell had cutting boards featuring the recipe made for family members. After scouring Etsy, an online site featuring handmade and vintage items, she decided to have the recipe made into wallpaper.
“I thought about just doing one wall with the wallpaper but then I decided that if I could do a wall, why couldn’t I do a whole room,” Cordell said with a laugh. “It makes me smile every time I come in here.”
Chances are, the fact that Cordell continues to make the sauce makes her mother smile, as well. “I have such wonderful memories of making this sauce with my mom and my sisters,” she said. “There are no Italians in my family. Why my mother started making this sauce, I have no idea. But I think she would love that we’re still making it.”
Sauce-making day has steadily evolved over the years. “We used to make it outside, but it’s too hot,” Cordell said. “It’s usually the opening day of dove season. The men are in the woods and we’re in the kitchen, but we make them core the tomatoes before they leave.”
Cordell only uses tomatoes from Chandler Mountain, and she gets 10 half-bushel boxes. The first step is to lay them all out on blankets and tables and countertops “to look for any bad spots you might miss,” she said. “One may be getting mushy, so you’ve got to get it out of there.”
The day is as much fun as it is messy. “We have a really good time talking and laughing,” Cordell said. “It’s family, it’s making memories, and it’s just what we do.”
Lure of the lake
The fact that Cordell and her tribe have a beautiful view of the water makes the day even more wonderful. “It just means peace to me,” she said, adding that Taylor weighed in on her decision to build. “He said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t sell that lot,’” she said.
He and his wife Rachel have called Neely Henry home since 2016 and he said that lake property is much harder to come by because so many people keep it in the family for generations. Snyder knows that firsthand. “It took us several years to find a lot,” she said, adding that she and her husband Chris plan to start building within the next year.
The cherished painting of her father hangs in her bedroom, a gift to him on Father’s Day from the daughters
“I already say I’m a river rat, though,” she said. “My grandparents had a house in Whorton Bend and we’d go there every weekend. My grandfather would take us fishing and for rides on the pontoon boat. My aunt had a paddle boat, and we would just disappear.”
The passion Snyder, Taylor and Cordell share for the lake and the whole region has helped cement their friendship. In addition, all three have worked in different capacities for the City of Gadsden.
Cordell worked in the human resources department for more than 20 years before Mayor Craig Ford named her planning and zoning administrator last July. Part of her new duties include helping to guide and implement “GROW Gadsden,” the city’s new comprehensive plan. “The one driving force behind this plan has been the Coosa River that runs through Gadsden,” she said. “It is one of our most talked about assets.”
Snyder, who worked for a private law firm for 15 years before earning an accounting degree, transitioned from private practice to civil service when she joined the City of Gadsden’s legal department in 2009. She also served on the Southside City Council for four years before being elected mayor in 2020.
Although the mayoral position is officially part-time, Snyder left her full-time job with the city after she was elected to focus on her new duties. “I knew I couldn’t get anything done with a full-time job,” she said. “I’m one of those people who wants things done today and not tomorrow.”
Taylor joined the City of Gadsden in 1995 and served as a commander with the Fire Department after running a landscaping business and serving in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and then in the Army National Guard. He also remodels houses and has refurbished and sold nearly 150.
“This job is is everything I had done before all rolled into one,” he said of his role as mayor, which he took on in 2020. “Dana and I have both been civil servants, and that has helped us in our role as mayors.”
Both mayors have also developed comprehensive plans for their cities, and they agree that finding ways for more people to enjoy Neely Henry needs to be a priority.
“As the cities grow, both of them, we’ve got to provide more public access (to the lake) for people who don’t live on the water,” Snyder said. “The fact that we are on this lake is the greatest asset we could ever have,” Taylor added.
As the owner of a new home on the water and her new role at work, Cordell understands that concept more than ever. “I have really come full circle from growing up on the river to helping make sure it is being showcased as the jewel it truly is. It’s home, and I can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.”
Italian Spaghetti
(Tracci Cordell)
1 pint Wesson oil 4 hot banana peppers, chopped 3 pounds onions, chopped ½ bushel tomatoes, unpeeled and quartered 2 whole heads garlic 1 cup sugar ½ cup salt 4 12-ounce cans of tomato past 1 tablespoon oregano 1 teaspoon sweet basil
Optional: 1 to 1 ½ pounds of ground beef, Italian sausage or ground turkey, cooked.
Simmer the tomatoes and garlic for about 1 ½ to 2 hours; more if necessary. Drain in a colander and return to pot. Saute banana peppers and onions in oil until soft and add to tomato mixture. Add sugar, salt, tomato paste, oregano, and basil and bring to a full boil. Put into jars and seal. Yields 12 quarts of sauce with meat or 9 quarts of sauce without meat.
Italian Salad and Dressing
(Dana Snyder, Mayor of Southside)
Salad: Use a variety of greens, such as romaine, kale and spinach 1 medium red onion, sliced ½ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup pepperoncini peppers Kalamata olives Salt and pepper to taste Croutons
Italian Dressing: 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil ½ tsp salt ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Mix all ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined. Shake again before each use.
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Mackenzie Free Submitted Photos
In the heart of Gadsden, there stands an unassuming brick apartment building. It seems rather unremarkable for 2024, but if one were to step back in time just a few decades, to the year 1930, this same building was quite remarkable.
Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly visited the hotel
It was Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. when the doors officially opened for business at the swanky, 10-story brick Reich Hotel. Adolph Reich, the hotel’s owner, was commended by industry peers for the quality of the furnishings and décor. Dignitaries and guests celebrated Gadsden’s modern luxury hotel on into the early morning hours.
The hotel business had been a part of the Reich family since Adolph’s father, Hungarian-born David Reich, purchased Gadsden’s Printup Hotel in 1894. The Printup had been built by the Gadsden Hotel Company in 1888, in large part as a response to housing needs that resulted from the addition of the Rome-to-Gadsden branch of the Southern Railway. A train station was conveniently located across the street from the hotel’s lobby.
David and his wife, Lottie, owned and managed the Printup until David’s death in 1914. At that time, Adolph took over ownership and made major renovations to this property and began dreaming of building a more modern facility. The opening of the Reich Hotel 16 years later was the fulfilling of a promise made to his mother, that one day Adolph would build his dream hotel for Gadsden.
Gadsden, at the time, was an important port city. People and goods moved along the Coosa River, bringing much-needed supplies, guests and new citizens, many needing a temporary place to stay. The 1930 opening of the Reich Hotel was both perfect and challenging timing for Adolph’s new venture.
It was good in that the new Goodyear Tire Gadsden plant had just been built, and executives needed lodging. It was unfortunate timing in that the hotel opened just a few months into the start of the Great Depression. Despite the bleak times, the hotel thrived, and Adolph and the Reich Hotel became well known in the community. Reich’s hotel business continued to do well through World War II and into the early 1960s.
Wade’s father, Bobby, with a football ice sculpture
The Reich was the site of many social affairs over the years, ranging from weddings to high school proms. “I used to be a schoolteacher, and we had a lot of Christmas parties there at the Reich Hotel,” said Gary Garrett, president of the Etowah Historical Society. “It was beautiful. My mother was a hairdresser, and she used to have a lot of the beauty conventions there, too. I knew the son, Bobby, through my mother.”
Adolph’s son, Robert “Bobby” Reich had graduated from the University of Alabama and gotten into the hotel business himself, building the Guest House Hotel in Birmingham. Bobby eventually sold that hotel and returned to Gadsden to help manage the Reich Hotel.
By the mid 60s, the interstate highway systems made traveling by car more popular, and the hotel industry began to lean more toward “motel” type properties, downplaying the grand lobby style hotels. In response, Adolph took out a bank loan, and Bobby oversaw a major remodel of the Reich, beginning by tearing off the roof to build a patio and swimming pool and adding the additional comfort of air conditioning. Then a motel wing was added, and the name was changed to the Reich Motor Hotel. All rooms were refurnished with modern furniture. The old furniture was sent to the Printup Hotel, which Reich still owned.
Bobby’s son, Wade Reich, was in 7th grade when they put in the pool at the Reich, and he remembers enjoying that. But, he admits, he had an even better time in the elevator. “I loved operating the Otis hand-crank elevator,” he says. “We’d crank it up to the 6th floor and then let it drop to the lobby. Your stomach would be up in your throat. That was a lot of fun!”
The transition to the motor hotel model and the million-dollar renovation were the beginnings of the end for the Reich Hotel. Marketing the new motor hotel product did not go well. Bobby ended up selling his family’s Gadsden home and moving into the Reich Hotel to keep it afloat.
When that didn’t work, in 1972, the Reich Hotel was sold, and the family moved into the Printup. The hotel building is still standing, now renamed Daughette Towers and operates as a government-subsidized apartment building serving seniors and disabled adults.
With the Reich Hotel closed, Bobby and his wife, Jane, focused their efforts on the Printup Hotel. They converted a space where Mrs. Tarpley’s Flower Shop had been in the Printup Hotel and opened a small café they called the Whistle Stop. However, the new café wasn’t enough to revive the aging debt-ridden hotel, which was, by now, surrounded by vacant buildings. In December of 1973, the Printup checked out its final hotel guest.
The Reichs retained ownership of the building, offering spaces for ground leases, including a car repair shop, barber and beauty shops, a taxi service and a dress shop.
Wade and Eachin Reich
While Bobby and Jane focused on saving the Printup, their son, Wade Reich, completed his college degree in business administration and marketing. After graduation, in 1974, he and his parents painted the Printup lobby and opened a new restaurant called Poppo’s, the name paying homage to Wade’s grandfather, Adolph.
The restaurant stayed in business until 1978, when, Wade says, “it became apparent the future would be better for family if we sold the building.”
Having sold the building, Wade went to work for Dan Wallace, the inspiration for the movie Big Fish, whose company specialized in grocery store premiere promotions. That venture ended up sending him to London, which led to a new job with a similar business in Paris.
Wade and his wife, Jennifer, spent 14 years living in Paris. Although he loved Paris, Wade does have one regret. He never attended the famed Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. “I could have done Cordon Bleu, but I didn’t,” Wade laments. “It’s crazy! I’d spent countless hours taking customers to all the fine restaurants in Europe. I wish I’d done it.”
Wade and Jennifer returned to the Birmingham area in 2002 to be close to his aging mother. He worked in the grocery store promotions business again for a little while. Then a friend asked him to help run a gas station in Pell City. He came to run the Chevron station near downtown Pell City. Then, in 2008, he and his business partner bought the Texaco station across the street. In 2009, they started smoking butts and ribs there for holidays under the name Butts To Go.
In the 15 years since it opened, Butts To Go has been featured in several publications internationally, including The Toronto Star, USA Today, The Guardian (London), and in Southern Living magazine. They were also featured in the cookbook travelogue The South’s Best Butts by Matt Moore. In late 2021, Butts To Go left the Texaco, and after a brief partnership with The Kitchen, they landed in the old Dominos location on Mays Drive.
Wade has worked long hours all his life and admits to being a “tinkerer.” He started a new venture last year with his son, Eakin. By day, Wade works at Butts To Go, but at night, he’s busy helping wherever he is needed at The Grill at the Farm, a restaurant which opened just nine months ago off Logan Martin Dam Road.
Eakin returned to Cropwell from Key West, where he was food and beverage director at Jimmy Buffett’s famed Margaritaville Beach House Resort. Now he manages The Grill and is busy developing plans for the next stages of the property’s growth. “It owns me,” Eakin admits. “It’s been fun being here from the ground up. And it’s good to be near family.”
Plans for the future of the 62 acres the restaurant sits on are still in the development stages, Wade says. “We’re trying to figure it out,” he adds. “We have event space right now for 130 people. If we fixed up the barn and added a kitchen out there, we would be able to do bigger things. We’re still working on what it will be.” Whatever The Grill is or is to become, he says, “we wouldn’t be doing this if Eakin weren’t here.”
As busy as they are, the Reich family continues to give back to community that has supported their businesses. Recently, they helped with food for events for Dovetail Landing, a veteran transition and wellness facility being built in Lincoln, and for the Wellhouse, a home for female victims of human trafficking in St. Clair County.
Family, hospitality and community. The legacy now lives on through five generations of the Reich family.
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
Days are getting longer, and bass are on the move. Warmer and longer days these two months have the fish on the move from their wintertime homes.
Typically, in March, I still believe the bass are in their pre-spawn mood. They are feeding up and fattening up, preparing to move into their bedding areas to get ready to spawn. Usually, I’ll target most of these fish in 10 feet of water or less this time of year.
Fish love to stage on points that lead into spawning bays. Also, brush and shallow docks are great places to look for fish making a pitstop before they spawn. A few lures I typically reach for would be a bladed jig, square bill crank bait, or a topwater walking bait.
If the water is still in the mid-50s, I’ll reach mainly for the bladed jig and squarebill and cover as much water as possible. I mainly target creeks on the lower end of the lake. Generally, this is where the fish will try and spawn first.
I also like to target windy banks if possible. Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I will reach for the topwater walking bait. I do this especially on cloudy, windy days. The fish will usually be one- to three-feet deep on points.
Do not be afraid to throw it midday if the conditions are right. This is my favorite technique to catch these fish, especially in April. If we have our normal weather pattern, you will really start to see the largemouth bass lock on their beds. This is the time get the spinning rods out and get on the finesse gear.
The tried-and-true wacky rigged Senko is an awesome way to get these bedding largemouth bass to commit. Now, I do switch gears when it comes to fishing for spotted bass. Spotted bass tend to spawn in shallow bays and flats in a little deeper water.
An awesome way to cover water and efficiently pick these broader areas apart is with a Carolina Rig. Typically, I use about a 2-foot leader with a ½ oz. tungsten sinker.
One of my favorite baits to use is a Menace Grub from Strike King Lure Company in green pumpkin or chartreuse pepper. I typically want a smaller bait. That way, once you drag it across their bed, they can easily just pick it up and hold on to it longer. This a great way to catch those big ole Coosa River Spotted Bass later on in the month once the fish really start to lock down on bed.
Neely Henry
These two months are when Neely Henry can really shine and produce some big fish. Just like Logan Martin, these fish are on the move once the days start getting longer and warmer.
Neely Henry bass love to live shallow this time of year. My approach is a little different though on this lake. I typically like to target mid-lake areas this time of year.
My favorite places to find these fish are creeks mouths and small river pockets. Neely has a lot of bank grass and wood to offer in these short pockets. These pockets also have a lot of shallow docks that fish like to stage on before the spawn.
My three favorite baits to use are a frog, swim jig and stick bait. Typically, in early March, I will fish with the swim jig a lot more than the other two baits because the water temperature is usually still on the cooler side.
Another great way to find fish on Neely Henry this early in the spawn is on rip rap banks. These banks hold heat and tend to hold fish any time of day. A squarebill crankbait is usually what I will start with on the rip rap banks.
I normally have to play with a number of colors to find the right one! If the bass do not seem to want the crankbait, I’ll slowly fish down the rip rap with a jig, especially if it’s a very slick, calm day.
Just like Logan Martin you can also catch fish around shallow docks. Typically, the docks in five foot or less tend to be the best. If the fish seem to be active, I’ll start out with a bladed jig. The bladed jig allows me to make more cast in and in turn, I am able to present the bait to more fish.
Just like the rip rap talked about earlier, sometimes on slick calm days, the jig will outperform any bait on the docks. Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I’ll pick up the frog. The frog and swim jig combo is something I can stick with all day.
Once we get into the month of April, that’s when I will start adding in the stick bait. And just like on Logan Martin, you can’t forget about the trusted Senko type bait.
I generally Texas rig the Senko on light 5/16 oz. weight. I really reach for this bait when I feel like the fish are in full blown spawning mood. I’ll pitch this bait around stumps and docks or wherever I feel like a fish might be spawning.
You might not be able to physically see the fish since Neely is generally pretty dirty water. Just fish slow inside pockets and really pick everything apart. This is the best way to get bit while the fish are really locked on beds.
The bass are in big time transition during these two months, however, these months can offer up some of the most rewarding fish catches for the entire year
Artisans throughout the Southeast, laden with wares ranging from handmade mustache cups to molasses, are heading to Gadsden this spring for a favorite, southern tradition – Art on the Rocks at Noccalula Falls May 4-5.
This semi-annual event is a celebration of beautifully created, handmade arts and crafts of pottery, paintings, jewelry, jams, jellies, candles, soaps, dream catchers, crochet, metal works, wood carvings, and, well, rocks.
Yes, actual art on actual rocks!
Crowds from all over keep returning to Art on the Rocks
“That’s right,” said Laura Gladden, park administrative assistant and event coordinator. “One of our vendors gets large rocks and paints very detailed delicate pictures on them. They’re beautiful. I have one in my house.”
According to Gladden, products offered during the two-day event are as individual as the vendors themselves. “We have a gentleman who paints really big pieces of artwork – so big, that people can actually put it on the side of a barn. Another one works in 3-D art.
When she talks about paintings, she notes that each artist has his or her own unique style. “One person will paint only animals. Beautiful paintings of animals. Another paints only landscapes with colors that pop out at you.”
Gladden has been with Art on the Rocks in its current incarnation since 2019. That’s the year the event returned to the park, after about a 25-year hiatus.
Long time vendor and event participant, Tina Pendley, who, along with her husband David, owns Sweet Tea Pottery, was instrumental in bringing Art on the Rocks back to Gadsden and Noccalula Falls.
Sweet Tea draws its name from its roots. “We wanted something that clearly said the South and what is more southern than sweet tea?,” she asked.
She recalls the historic roots of the festival as well. The event actually got its start back in 1958 as a project of the Gadsden Women’s Club and art-loving member, Mrs. Frank (Merci) Stowers.
Visitors browse the many vendor stalls at the Falls
“Mrs. Stowers, loved to travel,” said Pendley, “and she loved art. After attending an outdoor event in Texas, she brought the idea to the women’s club about having an outdoor art exhibit. The members loved the idea.”
So, she continued, “they started the planning in January, and held the first Art on the Rocks on May 18, 1958. It was a huge success and continued to be successful for 25 years. Eventually, it shut down for about 25 years.”
At some point during the event’s early history, it had come under sponsorship of the Gadsden Art Association, of which the Pendleys were members. She remembers it was at one of the organization’s 2018 meetings when the topic of Art on the Rocks resurfaced.
“We were talking about a fundraiser,” said Pendley, “and I asked the question had they ever considered bringing back Art on the Rocks, and they had not, but they said they would consider it if I would get some information.”
That go-ahead was all Pendley needed to get the ball rolling. She discovered that Noccalula Falls officials would “love” to have an arts and crafts show but didn’t know how to get vendors.
Noccalula Falls is the perfect setting for Art on the Rocks
It was a perfect match. The Pendleys knew how to get vendors because they worked these events with their pottery, but they didn’t know how to set up the park. It was the proverbial marriage made in heaven.
“I met with Christina Richardson (supervisor, Noccalula Falls),” said Pendley. “I knew if we worked together, we could make this happen. She said we’ve got a great crew here at the Falls, and we can make it work. So, I went back to the Art Association and brought back a lot of information about how we can work together with Noccalula Falls.”
And they voted to return Art on the Rocks to its former home at Noccalula.
“It’s just been a great success,” she added. “We’ve gone from having just one show a year to two shows. It’s been a great event to add to the community.”
Gladden agrees. “I love it. It’s my favorite event to work up here. It’s really got a great energy and vibe from not only the people attending but also from all our vendors. I’ve heard many of them say it’s their favorite show to work.
For Pendley, the biggest drawing card for folks to attend Art on the Rocks is the venue itself. “It’s beautiful here. We’ve got not only the waterfall but the green spaces as well. And there’s something for everybody from the train rides to the petting zoo.”
And yes, there will be plenty of food said Gladden. Vendors will serve everything from blooming onions to funnel cakes and everything in between.
Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for kids/seniors/military. Park season passes will be accepted. Pets are welcome everywhere but near the animal habitat. Vendors may register through April 15.
First Fridays are on their way back and not a moment too soon, for most. When Broad Street overflows with crowds, cars and choruses of entertainment, you’ll know it’s the place to be the first Friday in April and every first Friday thereafter until October.
Talk about a growing success story. First Friday is legendary, regularly drawing from multiple communities throughout the region and states all around the Southeast.
Presented by Downtown Gadsden Inc., it began in 2006 as an effort to bring more people to the heart of the city with the aim of promoting what downtown businesses have to offer.
Vendors, entertainment and of course, the car show – something for everyone
A classic car show was the nucleus in those early years, generating bigger and bigger crowds. Entertainment and a showcasing of downtown stores, restaurants, coffee shops and bars gradually combined for a perfect evening out for the whole family.
And that’s what is in store April 5 when First Friday gets underway once more. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said Kay Moore, executive director of Downtown Gadsden. Just grow it.
Entertainment of all genres will be on 2nd, 3rd and 4th streets and possibly, the 600 block. The sounds of Jazz, R & B, Rock ’n Roll, Bluegrass, Line Dancing and the Cowboy Church Band will fill those streets and so will crowds gathering to hear their favorites.
Live music in Downtown Gadsden
While downtown, you might take a look at some new additions as part of the Main Street program that Downtown Gadsden is investing a great deal of effort. It is an 18-foot kinetic wood sculpture, which comes courtesy of a project envisioned by Moore and spearheaded by Mario Gallardo, Gadsden State art instructor and director of the Walnut Gallery along with Gadsden Museum of Art Director Ray Wetzel.
Titled “Up from the Depths”, was funded through a collaboration between DGI, Walnut Gallery, Gadsden Museum of Art, the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, The Chamber, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism, and the City of Gadsden with additional support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
It is fabricated in brushed aluminum and features abstract, fish-like forms that turn and shift as the wind blows. They chose the site due to its close proximity to the Coosa River, and Phillip Williams, the property owner, agreed to host the sculpture long-term. It’s all about returning downtown to its days of grandeur and from the looks of it, the investment by all involved is paying sizable dividends for downtown Gadsden.
Editor’s note:For more, go to downtowngadsden.com.
On the social media platform “X” – formerly known as Twitter – Eric Housh made a powerful statement:
“I love the lake. Is it summer yet?”
“The lake” is Logan Martin. And Housh helps run LakeFest, a combination boat show, arts and crafts fair, music festival and block party that in 2023 drew an estimated 45,000 people.
Known as the largest in-water boat show in the Southeast, The Logan Martin LakeFest and Boat Show returns to Lakeside Park May 10-12 as “the place to be” for the past 15 Springs, save one coronavirus year. Some might even call it the unofficial start of another spectacular summer on the lake.
Boats on display at discounted prices
“We’re proud that it continues to grow a little bit every year and get bigger and bigger,” Housh said. “This year, we’ve already had a good response from all our sponsors and several vendors, so we’re looking forward to another really good, full event.
The festival will feature over 80 models of boats and personal watercraft, live music on the Tracker Stage, featuring the popular Louisville, Ky. B and The Velcro Pygmies, gourmet food trucks, lake lifestyle vendors and a fireworks show honoring vets from the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City.
Admission is free. But food, drink and vendors’ wares will be for sale, so bring your wallet. Also, for prospective car and truck, boat and personal watercraft buyers, on-site financing will be available courtesy of America’s First Federal Credit Union.
LakeFest is an effort to promote Logan Martin Lake, raise money for local charities and build a stronger sense of community.
The seeds for the wildly popular event took root in a conversation between Housh and his next-door neighbor, Mike Riley, then president of the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, as well as local businessmen Jerry Woods, Lee Holmes, Fred Casey and Joe Paul Abbott. Housh served on the association’s board and ran its website for a time.
“They had this vision of doing an event to really showcase Logan Martin Lake and the surrounding areas,” Housh said.
“If you live here, you know how special the lake is,” he added. “We felt like if we really showcase not only the lake and what it had to offer, but local businesses, vendors, local artisans, craftsmen, restaurants … The event was really about sharing with the outside community. It was kind of a way to welcome them in and share our special little slice of paradise here.”
Folks flock from across the South to the event – Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Atlanta and points in between. Call it a gathering of 40,000 of your closest friends.
“People come to the lake before then. But that weekend, everybody’s there,” Housh said. “You may see your lake friends year-round. But you may only see friends from Birmingham that weekend. It’s a way to have a celebration and look forward to enjoying another season on the lake and the lake lifestyle.”
Housh sums up the uniqueness of LakeFest in one word – “Community – “the people, the sponsors that make it happen. It’s always been a free event. We’re providing entertainment. We’re providing security. We have this massive fireworks show, and we feed the veterans on Friday night. That’s only made possible by people in this community.”
In its 14 years, the event has never had a safety incident, adding to its reputation as a family-friendly festival in this tight-knit community. And volunteers from church and youth groups man parking, concessions and other responsibilities.
“The public really values this event,” Housh said. “And that’s evident in the fact that everyone just comes out and has a good time. It’s a super-positive atmosphere. You can feel it.”
The in-water boat show even has a beach
Logan Martin, it seems, is like New Orleans, in that just about every month, there’s a festival of some sort – LakeFest in Spring, Boo Bash in the Fall, summer’s Rock the Lake in Lincoln, Lakeside Live, Live at Logan Martin and so on. People here respect the lake and its community, celebrating it with family-friendly events.
“There are a lot of different opportunities to come together,” Housh said. “In general, we’re a community that likes to celebrate. We like to celebrate on the lake. We like to celebrate with our friends. So, as a result of that, you see a lot of these festivals popping up.”
Giving back to charity is one aspect that fuels LakeFest. So far, some $500,000 has been donated to local charities – police and fire department foundations, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Boys Ranch, animal shelters, Lakeside Park improvements and the like. Sponsors fund the event, but also boost charities.
“We try to be wise stewards of the blessings that we have and then turn around and give away what we don’t invest in the event,” Housh says.
Looking back, Housh remembers what organizers have overcome, like in year three, when heavy rains nearly washed away vehicles and closed Highway 34.
But one thing remains constant, the glowing, joyous faces of kids and veterans and new boat buyers. And after the event, charities receive big donations.
“Yeah, it’s a little stressful over the course of the weekend. But you always see these glimpses of people being happy, living their best life. Every year, something magical happens,” Housh says.
“If they haven’t come out before, I’d encourage them to come check it out,” Housh said. “It’s fully accessible. It’s pet-friendly. There’s something for the entire family.
There’s a bubbly reason to put LakeFest on your Spring “to-do” list for Mother’s Day weekend: Mimosas for Moms on Sunday. Free Mimosas are in store for mothers on their special day.
And while organizers spearhead the event, Housh is quick to point out that there’s a small army of volunteers – and the community – who help make the magic.
First-time festgoers need to know one thing, Housh said.
“If you haven’t experienced this community yet, this is a great opportunity to feel that. It’s a really special event.”
For many kids, summer camp is a dream come true. There’s swimming, horses, campfires, crafts and new friendships that often last a lifetime. Factor in more than a mile of shoreline on beautiful Logan Martin Lake, and it’s easy to see YMCA Camp Cosby as a field of dreams of sorts.
The lake is a huge part of what makes the camp special, according to Sky York, senior program director. “We have so many activities on the water,” she said. “There’s sailing, canoeing, paddleboarding, fishing, and we’ve got a section of the lake roped off for swimming with lots of fun inflatables. The kids love it.”
High ropes course presents challenges
The fun doesn’t stop there. Thanks to a partnership with Rambo Marine, which provides the use of ski boats and pontoons, campers can enjoy waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing and tubing while learning about water and boating safety at the same time. “A lot of kids, especially if they’ve grown up in the city, have never gotten to do things like that,” York said.
Trying new things and meeting new people are some of the best parts of camp, she added. “It’s really neat to see kids come out of their shells and get really excited about trying new things,” she said. “I also really enjoy helping guide the staff so they can help kids fall in love with camp.”
100 years and counting
Camp Cosby, which is accredited by the American Camping Association, has been providing summer fun for more than a century. The camp first opened in 1922 after the YMCA bought property north of Trussville that had a 26-acre lake. While it started as a camp for boys, it later offered sessions for girls, too. The camp moved to its current location on 135 acres in Alpine in 1972.
Today, there are eight sessions of summer camp for kids ages 6 to 16, and more than 2,000 campers attend each year. While most sessions are Sunday through Friday, there’s an option for kids attending more than one session to stay over the weekend. In addition, a three-day session is offered for rising kindergarteners and first-graders who may not be ready for a full week, York said.
The goal of camp is to build confidence, inspire independence and foster a spirit of acceptance and family. In addition to watersports and swimming, campers can participate in horseback riding, archery, high and low ropes courses, arts and crafts, ceramics and more. Older kids can even learn to ride and maintain minibikes, and there are separate trails for hiking, horseback riding and minibikes. An outdoor classroom helps campers learn about and develop a love of and appreciation for nature.
The fun isn’t just limited to the summer, though. Camp Cosby offers programs and special events all year long, including Winter Camp, offered during the holiday season, and Teen Retreats held over weekends in the fall and spring. The focus is on leadership, and participants learn employment and life skills, as well.
Not just for kids
One of the biggest draws, though, is Family Camp, offered in the spring and fall, when entire families can stay in a cabin and enjoy the outdoors together. “Some parents may have only been to camp for drop-off and pick-up,” York said. “This gives them an opportunity to enjoy some of the same experiences their kids do.”
Mini-bikes are a favorite at the camp
It’s also a great way to disconnect from electronics and other distractions so family members can better connect with each other. “Sometimes families just want a weekend away,” York said. “It’s a nice respite when they can come and hang out, take some time to get outside, and get a break.”
Family Camp can also be a good way to give new or young campers a glimpse of what they would experience at summer camp. “By the time summer rolls around, they know what to expect and they remember how much fun it can be,” York said.
Camp is a wonderful way to help build relationships, whether with family, counselors or new friends. “We have staff and kids from all over the place. Many times, those camp friendships end up lasting longer than other friendships,” York said. She added that group activities, cabin time and team-building experiences help deepen bonds.
The camp employs more than 100 seasonal staff members, and they come from all over the region, country and world. “We’ve had staff from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America and Mexico,” York said. “I love seeing the counselors bonding with the kids and encouraging them to try new things. Growing up, the counselors I had at summer camp had a big influence in my life.”
In fact, camp, in general, made a big impact. “I have a passion for it,” York said. “It’s a fun way to meet people you might never meet otherwise, and it’s a cool way to try new things. Some of my best memories were made at summer camp. It had a big impact on me as a kid.” l
For more information about YMCA Camp Cosby and its programs, visit campcosby.ymcabham.org.
The calendar countdown for 2024 has long since begun. It starts with an occasional hint of a rise in temperatures in January, a few more in February and a more than welcome uptick in March and early April.
I call it the “Spring Tease,” when those weather ‘hints’ trigger a surge of memories of lake seasons gone by. It can’t help but spark a smile — remembering the boat rides, your first fish, then life’ boatload of fish stories.
Carol A. Pappas, Editor and Publisher
The memories of stunning summer sunsets, a grill with a view and the gatherings of friends and family – plenty of them – are all tucked away nicely until that first hint of Spring comes your way. Give up. The countdown has indeed begun.
New memories yet to be made await. At places like Camp Cosby and Noccalula Falls, the Spring Tease is in full swing, beckoning one and all their way. Campers will soon be heeding Cosby’s call, and art lovers will be drawn to the falls for Art on the Rocks.
Our resident pro angler, Zeke Gossett, advises us that the ‘big ones’ are just a cast away on Logan Martin and Neely Henry this time of year … if you know where to look.
First Fridays have returned to downtown Gadsden, a stone’s throw from the riverfront, and LakeFest, on the banks of Logan Martin, is gearing up for another banner year.
The Riverside Beautification Organization continues to make memories even better for Riverside’s citizens with quality-of-life enhancements throughout the city.
And memories would never be complete without a step back in time. We ‘remember when’ the Hotel Reich, a 10-story luxury hotel graced the port city of Gadsden.
It’s all in this edition of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®. Turn the page and discover the many memories – old and new – along with us.
