There’s more to July than fireworks on and around our lakes, but of course, spectacular shows always take center stage. Or should we say, center sky?
On July 4, there are plenty of options on the water for viewing fireworks displays to celebrate our country’s birthday.
Logan Martin Lake
Pell City Lakeside Park – Come by boat, vehicle or on foot to this huge fireworks show that gets bigger and better every year. Hundreds of passenger-filled boats fill the lake to see the show that can also be viewed from the park. The fireworks begin at 9 p.m. on July 4.
Wood’s Surfside Marina – July 2 at 9 p.m., fireworks light up the skies over the marina with an impressive show.
Lincoln’s Landing – Festivities at Angler’s Pointe get underway at 4 p.m. with a free concert by Mike Parker, American Idol Season 20 Top-10 finalist. Food trucks and vendors will be set up as well.
River’s Edge Marina will present its fireworks show and event, beginning at 7 p.m. July 2. The fireworks show will end the night. The marina will have bouncy houses, a band, and the restaurant will be open along with their Tiki Hut. Southern Snow and Shaved Ice will be joining the festivities. No outside alcohol will be allowed.
At 8:30 p.m., get ready for the fireworks show at Lincoln’s Landing right next door.
Neely Henry Lake/Coosa River
Coosa Landing – A 4th of July tradition, the fireworks show over the water in downtown Gadsden, this stunning show kicks off at 9 p.m.
Greensport Marina – This show is reserved for entertaining guests of the marina and RV park, but it can be viewed from the water. It gets underway at 9 p.m.
Summer Concert Series in Lincoln
In addition to fireworks all around on both the lakes, Lincoln Parks and Recreation continues its Summer Concert Series at Randolph Park. Held on the third Saturday of the month from June to October from 5 to 7 p.m., the series features all genres of music, and it’s free to the public.
In July, New Ground, a Southern gospel band will be headlining the concert. On Aug. 20, it will be Official Clutch Band, a jazz and blues group; Sept. 17, Allen Tolbert Unit, a bluegrass band; and on Oct. 15, Tremayne will close out the series with its brand of country music.
Series sponsors are Brandon Tate, State Farm, and Natasha O’Konski, Keller Williams.
Christmas in July at Pier 59
Pier 59 will be hosting the 13th Annual Christmas in July fundraiser on July 23. Benefiting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Foundation, the proceeds from this event help purchase Christmas gifts for students at AIDB.
You won’t want to miss this day of fun for a good cause. Live music is from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Boat Poker Run launches at noon with hands in by 4 p.m. Registration is at 11 a.m.
A live auction starts at 5 p.m., and there also will be a $5,000 giveaway for $50 a ticket.
As backhoes rumble and workers toil to bring a new sportsplex to life near the banks of the Coosa, no one could blame leaders of the City of Gadsden and Gadsden State Community College if they borrowed a line from a Hollywood classic:
“If you build it, they will come.”
But the new multimillion dollar project – softball and baseball fields, running track, even a Miracle League field for athletes with disabilities – won’t see the appearance of “Moonlight” Graham, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson or Jackson’s 1919 Chicago Black Sox teammates from Field of Dreams.
Instead, the City of Gadsden and GSCC have teamed up on the project, in hopes of hitting an economic grand slam for the city through big crowds flocking to the area for tournaments, for the college through increased visibility and in turn, a hoped-for rise in student enrollment.
“This is a long-term partnership between the city and the college,” Gadsden Public Affairs Coordinator Michael Rodgers said. “They are an important part of the community, and they’ve got some great things going for them.”
Phase 1 of the project – three NCAA-regulation multipurpose athletic fields – has been completed on the former site of the aquaculture pond. Those fields can also be scaled down to accommodate youth sports like soccer, according to Rodgers. A lighted walking trail, concession and restroom facilities and parking are included.
In Phase 2, four existing athletic fields will be renovated and improved. Phase 3 will be the Miracle League Park, where the quiet courage of athletes with disabilities will be louder than the crack of the bat.
The first three phases will total approximately $16 million, with phase three expected to be complete around late spring of 2023. Additional phases will likely occur if the next administration chooses to expand the Park.Work has been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and accompanying supply-chain issues.The sportsplex is a new chapter in the longstanding partnership between the city and GSCC. The college was founded in 1925 as the Alabama College of Trades. The present-day institution is the result of a merger between the Alabama Technical College, Gadsden State Technical Institute, Gadsden State Junior College and Harry M. Ayers State Technical College. The school now has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.
GSCC President Dr. Kathy Murphy hopes the project will grow the student roster in tandem with the resurrection of Cardinals baseball, women’s softball and the beginning of a cross-country program.
Cardinals softball and baseball will resume play in 2024. Baseball was shuttered at GSCC in 2011. Softball was discontinued in 2016.
“The opportunity to have the sports complex located on our campus allows people to come to our campus. So first of all, it’s an opportunity for visibility for our college.”
Land for the project comes through a lease agreement between the city and the college. While GSCC provides land and infrastructure, the city provides funding. It’s an example of cooperation and financial stewardship between the partners.
“We understand taxpayers’ money and that they expect us all to be savvy,” Murphy said. “When we think about being savvy, replicating facilities doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So, the fact that the softball complex will be on our campus … and the fact that the city is going to allow Gadsden State to use one of those renovated fields that they are designing and building as we speak, is going to be exceptionally beneficial to our college.”
Murphy added that while the project property belongs to the college, the city has made the investment in improvement of those fields and the complex.
The fruits of that teamwork between the school and the city create “positive metrics,” says Murphy.
And as for the resurrection of baseball and softball and the expansion of athletics, Murphy believes it is critical to enhance overall student experience and growing the student body.
“We want to increase our enrollment,” she said. “We have many great athletes in our community and in our region and the service area that Gadsden State has here. We want to give those students the ability to continue their athletic career here, and also to come to Gadsden State, where they’ll receive a quality education and be able to continue their academic and athletic careers forward from here if they choose.”
As far as the benefit to the city, Etowah and surrounding counties, youth-sports-related tourism means an economic win, with booked hotel rooms, packed restaurants and crowded stores.
And it dovetails with a three-pronged economic development strategy of tourism, service sector jobs and industrial growth.
“When you bring people to town for whatever reason, they will spend money here, which stimulates the local economy and supports local businesses … That’s sort of the same idea that we used when developing Coosa Landing,” Rodgers said.
Too, the complex will bring more visitors to Noccalula Falls and surrounding river attractions, like the Venue at Coosa Landing, a multipurpose development on the river. As the crow flies, the sports complex is 1.5 miles downriver from Coosa Landing.
The bottom line? The riverfront development effort – from new construction to stocking Noccaula Falls with rainbow trout – aims to turn the Gadsden area into a tourist destination and to enhance the quality of life for locals.
“It’s both something for the community and also to benefit the community as far as bringing people to Gadsden, because this is a facility where we will be able to schedule some of our youth games. Part of the goal is to have a top-of-the-line facility to bring in some statewide tournaments, whether that is soccer, softball or whatever,” Rodgers said.
“It’s also accessible to I-759. It’s easy to get to. So, the longer-term plan is to get this out there to allow us to recruit some of these major traveling statewide sporting events.”
Another benefit will be a healthier community, Murphy said. Alabama lags behind the rest of the nation in the health of its citizens.
“I want to believe that the sports complex will make a difference in the health and wellness of our community as more people get out and exercise and participate in soccer or softball, or baseball, or whatever they choose to do in our sports complex,” Murphy said.
There’s also a larger benefit when considering the long-range impact of cooperative ventures like the sports complex. Borrowing again from James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams: “This field, this game, can remind us of all that once was good, and can be again.”
Murphy put it in a practical context, fitting in these divided days. “We have got to begin to demonstrate to the world how we find solutions together; how we take our resources, and the city takes its resources, and how do we put those resources together and create something better than we were separately.”
The Readmon luxury community to give new life to old name, lakefront site
Story by Carol Pappas Photos submitted
Its name may have historic roots, but The Readmon condominium development coming to Riverside is a brand-new concept for lake living on Logan Martin.
This cutting-edge development of luxury condominiums featuring the latest in amenities sets a new standard for the lake, similar to communities usually found along the Gulf Coast.
It derives its name from the original Riverside, Readmon, which was established in 1882. In 1886, it was renamed and incorporated as Riverside and was St. Clair County’s largest industrial center at the time.
Jones Development, owned by Jeff Jones, hopes to reinvigorate the once thriving area with a development that will attract residents and investors to the Logan Martin shoreline.
Located on the property once occupied by Riverside Marina, The Readmon is a 52-unit community with three complexes of two and three-bedroom luxury condominiums, offering varying designs with standard to wraparound balconies overlooking the water. Ten-foot ceilings and eight-foot doors complement the look and feel of these condominiums, ranging from 1,400 square feet to 1,750 square feet.
The six-acre site includes an outdoor pool, 55 aluminum floating boat slips, electric vehicle charging stations and lakefront gazebo.
The vision for it has been years in the making thanks in part to a vision his father, Chip Jones, developed – Paradise Isle condominiums – located next door to The Readmon. “I’ve always admired my father,” Jones said. He was a building science major at Auburn University, and he moved ahead with his vision despite people telling him “it wouldn’t work.”
Poolside fun included
“I always thought this site was spectacular,” the younger Jones said of his own vision for the family-owned property. “It’s the best place on the lake. My goal was to find as good a project as I could for the site.”
Describing it as a “massive puzzle,” Jones fine-tuned the vision over the years, making it over legal, business and permitting hurdles en route to moving The Readmon from drawing board to reality. Pre-sales have started, and building is expected to begin in August or September by one of the largest general contractors in the state with extensive experience in multi-family developments. Completion is planned for the summer of 2024.
When developing the concept, Jones noted that habits and trends were changing during the COVID-19 pandemic. People wanted to live in a safe environment with a good quality of life. “I can’t think of anything much better than sitting at the lake and looking at the lake,” he said.
Couple enhanced quality of life offerings with the shortage of housing units for sale on the lake, and The Readmon answers the call, in essence creating 52 new waterfront homes.
Jones noted that it is situated on property that was once used for something else – a marina – and could be repurposed to meet the needs of today – kind of like its namesake.
There are certain properties along the lake that are ideal for transforming into new concepts to satisfy new trends and growing demands. “And this is one of them,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
Its proximity within a few hundred yards of I-20 and U.S. 78 and situated between major metropolitan areas like Birmingham and Atlanta add to its allure. And it offers an opportunity for people to downsize and still live on the lake.
“St. Clair County continues to be one of the fastest-growing communities in the state where young families, retirees and professionals are choosing to call home,” said Don Smith, executive director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “For multiple reasons, homebuilders are struggling to keep up with this desire to live in our communities. This is seen increasing in the City of Riverside and our other lake communities. These areas have great schools, great leadership and so many quality-of-life offerings for the residents to enjoy.”
Jones is no stranger to developing communities in the area. Easonville, Hayden’s Reserve and Images townhomes at Logan Martin are among his company’s projects.
Nicole Anderson of Lake Homes Realty is exclusive agent for The Readmon, and Jones’ son, Coleman Jones, is development coordinator.
The months of July and August can be hot, but so can the fishing if you look in the right places.
The water temperatures are usually in the mid-80s to low 90s, but this is good thing sometimes, and here’s why. Bass have a high metabolism, and they have to eat more this time of year. However, it is important to look in the right places at the right times, and this is my approach.
Usually in July on Logan Martin there are still a lot of fish out deep. Unfortunately, these fish have seen a lot of baits by this time, but they can still be caught. Knowing this, I start shallow in the mornings around docks and grass. I want to cover water fast and efficiently.
Two baits I like to keep in my hand during this time are a frog and swim jig. I’ll usually bounce around four or five different places trying to find the active fish. This is especially true if it is sunny. If you get a real overcast day you can stay shallow a little longer.
Overall, I’ll usually give this bite about an hour, then I’ll normally head out to deeper water. Once I’m out deep, I am looking at my electronics trying to find schools of fish and brush piles. I will idle around in my boat until I find what I am looking for and then start fishing.
Usually, you can find these type places on long points. I’ll look as deep as 30 feet sometimes, but the magic depth seems to be in that 15- to 20-foot zone. Once I find what I’m looking for, I will ordinarily try to get the fish fired up with either a deep diving crankbait or swimbait.
Remember, these fish are typically rather pressured at this point in the year. I’ll either fish exceptionally fast to get them to react to something or slow down to finesse tactics. If I feel like I need to slow down, I’ll either reach for a drop shot or a ned rig. This is great way to get some bites and hopefully get the school fired up.
Now, switching to the month of August, I will fish the same way as I do in July, but you will see some fish start making their way back to the shallows. This is mainly due to fishing pressure and oxygen levels out deep, especially if there hasn’t been much rain. I’ll look for these fish around shallow docks and grass off the main river.
This can be a tough bite sometimes, but if you’re in the right place at the right time it might surprise you. A couple of baits that are a staple for me in August are a Texas-rigged Senko and frog. These two baits are great for getting those finicky fish to bite in the shallowest water. If you can find shaded banks, they can be a big plus, too. Again, these might be the dog days of summer, but there are still plenty of ways to catch fish during these months.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry is great summertime lake. I’m going to break down the lake on how I fish it depending on what area you might want to target.
There are a lot of places to fish that set up well to be successful for July and August. At Neely, usually you can stick to shallower waters these two months and still do well.
If you’re fishing near the mid-section of the lake, there is a lot of willow grass that lines the banks. I will typically keep it simple with just a few baits. Early in the morning, I will stick with either a frog or swim jig. I will try to keep on the shaded banks and cover water to find the active fish.
Once the sun gets up, I will typically start pitching and flipping the grass with either a ½-oz. jig or some type of creature bait. Both are normally a green pumpkin color if the water is clear. If the water is more stained, I will use black and blue a lot of the time.
If I am in this section of the lake, I will generally stay shallow all day – even if the water temps are in the mid-80s to low 90s. The fish tend to live at shallow depths most of the time during these months.
Now, if I’m on the bottom end of the lake, I will kind of venture off the banks. The grass bite will still routinely be good. I will use the frog and swim jig in order to cover water and find active fish.
On the lower end of the lake, docks become a major factor for me. I will usually start on shallower docks in anywhere from one foot to about five-feet deep. I usually pitch a senko under these docks. Locating the docks with brush around them is always a plus.
Later in the day I will fish deeper docks on the main river with a jig. A lot of the deeper docks get overlooked since they take longer to fish. I will keep my eyes on my electronics and look for brush out in front of these docks as well.
Try some of these tips and pay attention to what part of the lake you’re on in an effort to find success this time of year on Neely Henry.
Editor’s Note: Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com. Follow him on Facebook: @zekegossettfishing
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Graham Hadley Submittted photos
If you’re not from around here, the sign wouldn’t draw you in, and the name wouldn’t make sense. The building is not an imposing brown boat, nor is it floating in water. The Coosa River is an important part of the story, though. The history is as fascinating as the food is good.
Shirley’s welcoming smile
It’s a story that began in 1930 when E.O. “Red” Thompson decided to play a game of cat and mouse with the local authorities. After a decade of Prohibition, he hatched a plan to open a bar and restaurant.
His first step was to buy and refurbish an old dredging barge and park it 30 feet off the banks of the Coosa River. He outfitted it with a kitchen and tables and chairs and called it “The Ark.” He sold beer for 15 cents a can. Sixty cents would get you all the catfish and hushpuppies you could eat.
Customers to this floating speakeasy could either walk in on the gangplank or tie off by boat. Since the Coosa divided the counties of St. Clair and Talladega, The Ark was not in the jurisdiction of either county.
Local legend tells that if the Talladega authorities were on the way, he’d move to the St. Clair side of the water. If the authorities from St. Clair were on the way, he’d move to the Talladega side.
It was a dance that lasted for the next three years until the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition. The barge eventually burned and sank, and Thompson built a log building on land and reopened the restaurant and bar. When that location also burned, he built the current building in Riverside just south of the Coosa River bridge on U.S. 78.
Bought in the late 70s by retired newspaper editor and publisher Bob and Sylvia Cornett, the new owners operated the restaurant with more emphasis on developing recipes and relationships than on evading the law. They kept catfish as their primary draw but gave the place a more family-friendly feel.
A plate of goodness
The opening of the Talladega Super Speedway in 1969 gave them a whole new clientele and they began to see NASCAR drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt on a regular basis. Autographed pictures of famous drivers and politicians grace the walls, giving a nod to the global appeal of a great plate of catfish. Recently, comedian Darren Knight was a guest.
Current owner Shirley Abts says they still get some business around race weekends, but it’s not what it used to be a decade ago. “Most of the drivers have their food catered now,” she said. “They just stay in their trailers and have the food come to them.”
Shirley and her (now deceased) husband, Richard, bought The Ark in 2013. They already had the Cropwell restaurant Even Odds when they were approached by Sylvia Cornett. “Sylvia came to me and asked me to buy it. They were struggling, and she said she was going to lose it if I didn’t buy it, so I did,” said Abts. “I had been coming here to The Ark for 30 years, and I didn’t want to see it close.”
Diverse chapters comprise Ark story
The restaurant was used as a movie set in 2019. The producers of the Netflix original, The Devil All the Time, starring Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgard and Sebastian Stan transformed The Ark into a 1960s diner, even replacing the sign with one calling it White Cow Diner, undoubtedly confusing passersby.
Antique cars lined the parking lot. “They came in and put up the sign and took out the air conditioners, fans and light fixtures,” Abts explained. “Then they put up curtains and a lot of 60s décor. Before they left, they put it ‘mostly’ back together,” she adds, with a chuckle. They did pay well enough, according to Abts, to pay the entire staff for several days they were not able to work due to the closure for filming.
2019 was a tough year for Abts, though, with the death of her husband early in the year, followed by a triple bypass surgery for her before the year ended. Then, just weeks after getting out of the hospital, she was told she had to close the restaurant when the pandemic halted in-person dining.
She acknowledges the community as being the blessing that came from that experience. “People supported us through that. People lined up outside for takeout orders seven days a week. And they tipped well to take care of our wait staff,” said Abts. “That was before delivery services like Door Dash and Jack Rabbit. It was so busy that we had to have a waitress go car to car taking orders because our phone was too busy that people couldn’t get through.”
The ’regulars’ and an icon
They have many loyal customers, including some who come every single day. Don’t ask for table six at 11:00; it’s reserved for Joey. He and his wife come in every day, from their jobs at a local auction house.
It’s the loyal customers that keep Sheerie Smith working there. She’s been a waitress at The Ark for over 20 years, starting when she was just 15. Her mom, aunt and grandmother also worked there, so the job has truly been a family affair. “We have a lot of the same customers that we’ve had for so many years,” says Smith. “These people have watched me grow up here. They ask about my kids. They’re family.”
As soon as she bought it, Abts found people who knew the original recipes that the previous owners had gotten away from. Then she rehired people who knew how to make those recipes.
She only buys U.S. farm-raised catfish and slices her produce fresh each day. “The former owners had been using frozen onions and when we went back to fresh cut, we could barely keep up with all the onion rings people wanted,” said Abts proudly. “Fresh makes a big difference in the taste.”
Shirley Abts overseeing
the kitchen with Mary Caldwell
The difference is clearly a good one, as their catfish is listed on the Alabama Tourism Department’s 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. They were also a finalist in Bama’s Best Catfish Restaurant competition by the Alabama Catfish Producers and the Catfish Institute’s Top Ten Restaurants in America to Eat Catfish.
They’ve recently added a new “Remix” sandwich that features catfish and shrimp with a rémoulade sauce, topped with lettuce and tomato. While catfish is their signature dish, the fish and shrimp combo is what they sell most. “We don’t play when it comes to shrimp,” adds Abts. “We have really big shrimp!” They’ve also added desserts to the menu, currently featuring a homemade cheesecake by local baker Barbara Miller. On occasion, they also have buttermilk pie.
As with any business operating post pandemic, she struggles to keep fully staffed. There are signs at each booth asking people to be patient regarding wait times. It’s worth the wait, adds Abts. “We use fresh food. We don’t precook anything. It’s made to order. That’s why it takes a little while to get your food.”
The tiny sign outside says, “The Ark Family Restaurant.” It’s a family restaurant with a small sign, an unremarkable building, a storied past, but touting a big flavor, seasoned with staff dedicated to keeping it firmly in place in the landscape of their community.
Story by Carol Pappas Submitted photos | Archived photos
The saying goes, ‘Build it, and they will come.’ In Lincoln these days, they have already arrived.
Since opening less than a year ago, Lincoln’s Landing is now on the map as a destination point. Thousands of boats have already launched from this cutting-edge fishing park, and tournaments are already scheduled two years out.
Les Robinson, director of Lincoln’s Landing, has been “a real plus to this project and to our city,” Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson said. “He puts his heart into it, which is what you need if you’re going to have a successful project.”
Success? Just take a look at the numbers. Lincoln’s Landing has launched 50 tournaments since July, Robinson said. With tournaments and everyday use, it already has reached the 4,500 to 5,000 boats launched mark, “and we haven’t been open a year,” he added.
Park already luring large tournaments
The prestigious Bassmasters College Series is coming to Lincoln’s Landing in June for a two-day tournament and in the next 18 to 24 months, Robinson predicts, a Bassmasters Elite or Bassmasters Open, which are major attractions in the fishing world, are in its future. But it doesn’t stop there. The tourist dollars it lures along with the notoriety for Lincoln will have a huge economic impact, not only for Lincoln but the surrounding areas.
In the next budget period, a pavilion, bridge and swimming beach will be on the agenda for the city and this 40-acre site. “Then we’ll catch our breath a little bit,” Robinson said.
The park already includes a 165-foot long by 60-foot wide, stacked stone grand pavilion with fireplace and 4,000 square feet of open space for other events, fishing piers and slips and a boat ramp that can launch 10 boats at a time. The first wedding at the park is already booked.
Parking also will be a consideration. While 250 parking spaces seemed like plenty when the park was on the drawing board. The Alabama Bass Trail event had every spot filled plus parking on the grass, Mayor Watson said.
Two other pavilions – both 30 x 30 feet – will be built near the shoreline and be rentable for events as well as everyday use. A pad is planned for a food truck area to serve tournaments.
“It’s more than just a fishing park,” Robinson said. “We have a lot to offer.”
In July, when construction was at its height, Watson could already see what was taking shape and its potential. He noted its accessibility – near Interstate 20 and U.S. 78. “It is right off the main channel on the lake, with year-round water,” Watson said at the time. “It is the perfect place for the park. It’s like, ‘If we build it, they will come.’”
Take a look around on any given day. They’re already here.
The months of May and June on Logan Martin can sometimes leave fish in a post-spawn funk, but maybe these tips can help you catch a few more bass during this time frame.
Zeke hauls in another big one
In early May, you can find shad spawns early in the morning. You’re going to find shad spawning around docks and seawalls. You will know when you see one because shad will be running up and down dock posts and seawalls.
Watch for bass schooling and eating these baitfish. My favorite baits for a shad spawn are a spinnerbait and topwater walking bait.
Once the sun gets up, the shad spawning action will end, and fishing usually tends to slow down. I will still fish shallow docks with either a jig or wacky rigged stick bait.
Once we get into the month of June, I will start my search out deep. Fish will tend to school up offshore on long points and river ledges.
My main two baits out deep are a deep diving crankbait and swimbait. Having good current flow is key for this bite as well. This helps the fish group up and feed.
If you can find an active school, you can load the boat quickly.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry in May and June are some of the best times to fish this lake.
I keep it super simple when it comes to fishing Neely Henry these two months. In early May, you can still find a shad spawn on seawalls and grass.
A white swim jig is a deadly bait around these areas where shad are spawning. The swim jig allows you to cover a lot of water fast in order to find active fish.
Once the sun goes up, I tend to stay shallow at Neely Henry in both months. I will target grass and docks on the mid to lower end of the lake with a finesse jig and chatterbait. I keep these two baits locked into my hand until I find the active fish that are feeding.
A lot of fish will live shallow on this lake year round. It might be a grind-up shallow, but that is where you’re going to find your bigger bites.
Editor’s Note:
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grewup on the Coosa River and Logan MartinLake. He is a former collegiate championand is now a professional angler on theB.A.S.S. tour circuit and isa fishing guide.
Newlyweds embrace lake life, life together a perfect recipe
Story by Scottie Vickery | Photos by Kelsey Bain
Mealtime at William and Lindsey Weller’s Logan Martin Lake home takes a lot of planning. It’s not so much the menu that requires extra thought; it’s more about logistics.
She works three nights a week as a labor and delivery nurse in Birmingham. He works days as an aortic clinical specialist and travels all over the state, so the young newlyweds are constantly juggling crazy schedules. That’s why, on several weekdays, they often rely on a meal kit home delivery company so they can sit down each night and share a meal together.
“It’s just so easy,” William said of the meals that arrive with pre-portioned ingredients and recipes. “You don’t have to worry about going out or going to the grocery store, and it’s pretty healthy. I don’t mind cooking; I just don’t like figuring out what to cook.”
When they do have a little more time, they love sharing the duties in the kitchen. “I’m more of a recipe follower, and he’s more of an eye-baller,” Lindsey said, and William agreed. “I’m a dash of this and dash of that, and it works out most of the time,” he said. “If it tastes good, it worked. If it doesn’t, I know not to do it again.”
One meal they’ve mastered, seared ahi tuna and twice-baked potatoes, has become a favorite. “It’s our go-to,” William said. “It’s super easy, and it doesn’t take long at all. It’s what we made on Valentine’s Day.”
Saying “I do” to lake life
The Wellers, who married last August, are still new to lake life. William, who grew up in Trussville, and Lindsey, who is from Hayden, started dating in March 2020 and were engaged eight months later.
“I’ve always been the kind of person who takes things slow – and then I met him,” Lindsey said. William moved into their Logan Martin home last April, and she joined him after their wedding in August. Since then, they’ve been settling in to married life, entertaining family and friends and enjoying their own little piece of paradise that’s not far from Lakeside Park.
“We just love waking up and seeing the view,” William said. “We bought a boat last August, so we’re looking forward to our first summer with it.”
In the meantime, they’ve hosted weekend barbecues, Memorial Day and Fourth of July parties, bridal and baby showers, as well as family Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. “There’s always something going on here,” William said.
“We’re both big family people,” Lindsey added. “We have 10 girls in the family, and every Christmas we have a whole day of baking. It’s so much fun, and we had it here last year. I’m more of a baker than I am a cook.”
Their home, with its open floorplan, is perfect for entertaining. The kitchen, which has a gas stove and butler’s pantry, features leathered quartz countertops with seating for four at the island as well as a table for six. There’s concrete flooring throughout the main level, and the living area boasts wood beams, a brick fireplace flanked with open shelving and a beautiful view of the lake. They especially enjoy the patio that’s just off the living area, and Lindsey said they hope to add an outdoor fireplace and kitchen soon.
William handles most of the grilling duties when there’s a crowd, cooking everything from hamburgers and hotdogs to ribs and Boston butts, while friends and family pitch in with side dishes. He’s also mastered the art of cooking a big breakfast – pancakes, eggs and bacon – on the flat top grill.
“In the summer, there’s people here almost every weekend,” he said, adding that they have the best of both worlds. “It’s always lots of fun, and as much as we enjoy hosting and doing things with family and friends, we love our alone time, like movie nights, too.”
Cooking up fun
Lindsey works three 12-hour shifts a week, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. She comes home in the morning, goes to bed around 8 a.m. and wakes up about 4 p.m. “While I’m sleeping, he likes to start the Home Chef, and then when I get up around 4, I help him with it,” she said. Those evenings, they usually eat about 5:30, and William has been known to grab a bowl of cereal or something around 9 p.m.
The other days, Lindsey tries to be up by noon. “I hate wasting my day,” she said. Since they have more time, they may cook out those nights or try new recipes. Although most meals are winners, there have been a few that haven’t turned out quite as expected.
No matter the outcome, though, they have a lot of fun. “We laugh at each other all the time,” he said. “She was making broccoli seasoned with ranch dressing one time, and it called for 2 tablespoons, but she put two packets of seasoning in. It was so salty, and I was guzzling water, but I could tell what it could have been. I tasted the potential.”
Although he likes to boast that he never uses a timer, Lindsey is quick to point out that he probably should. “How many Home Chef meals have you burned?” she asked with a laugh. “It’s only the glazed meals,” he replied. “I made that mistake like twice, and now I know better than to walk away while it’s cooking.”
One thing they never joke about is how much they love the life they’re building together. “It’s pretty great,” William said. “We’re pretty lucky.”
Seared Ahi Tuna
Ahi tuna steaks
Coconut oil
Everything Bagel seasoning
Sriracha mayonnaise
Season tuna steaks with Everything Bagel seasoning. Add about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and preheat for 3-5 minutes. Add tuna and sear 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove steaks from pan, drizzle with Sriracha mayonnaise and serve.
Twice Baked Potatoes
4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
Olive oil
1 cup plus 4 oz. shredded sharp cheese, divided
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 strips bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
Salt
Pepper
Chopped scallions, if desired
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet.
Bake the potatoes 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove potatoes from the oven, let them cool about 10 minutes before cutting them in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness of flesh in each shell.
Return potato shells to baking sheet and cook at 400°F for about 10 minutes.
Combine sour cream, milk, half the cheese, half the butter, half the bacon and half the scallions (if desired) with the baked potato flesh. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix together until smooth.
Remove potato shells from oven and set oven to broil. Fill each shell with the potato mixture until it’s rounded in the middle. Top with remaining cheese, bacon, butter and scallions.
Broil potatoes about 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted. Watch closely.
Allow them to cool about 10 minutes before serving.
How the ‘Ten Island Three’ preserved Alabama history
Story by Katie Bohannon Submitted photos | Archived photos
While prominent names like de Soto and Jackson might eclipse the countless individuals affiliated with the Ten Islands, their experiences, along with the incredible historical foundation planted before them, might have been submerged with the islands if not for the commitment of three local women.
Together, avid researchers Patsy Hanvey, Bette Sue McElroy and Charlotte Hood advocated for the recognition of the Ten Islands in the early 1990s, negotiating the area’s preservation with Alabama Power. The group, who called themselves ‘The Ten Island Three,’ convinced Alabama Power to finance The Ten Islands Historical Park.
“We just started kind of pulling things together,” Hood told The Gadsden Times Staff Writer Cindy West in a 1991 article. “We realized then how unique this history is. It’s just a complete cycle of humanity, from prehistoric to contemporary.”
Commercial art and anthropology-focused Jacksonville State University graduate Hanvey was recognized by the state of Oklahoma as Cherokee by birth. Throughout her life, she traveled across the U.S. until retiring near what was once the Cherokee Nation capital on the Coosa River in North Gadsden, where her ancestors lived.
A recipient of the Annie Forney Daugette award for most outstanding graduate in academics, talent and character, Hanvey overcame dyslexia and frequently reproduced prehistoric and historic Southeastern Cherokee pottery in traditional form. She dug her own clay, keeping dried chunks in various colors in baskets in her workroom and created paints from natural resources.
DeSoto
Hanvey’s archeology professor introduced her to fellow scholar McElroy, who shared her interests. An Auburn University graduate, McElroy taught at Disque Middle School and Episcopal Day School, giving private art lessons to students before becoming the archivist at the Gadsden Public Library. McElroy’s daughter, Mary Ann Watkins, recalls her mother as a lover of life and people, who treasured stories from all generations and discovered value in each moment. McElroy’s immense passion for learning sparked her intrigue in The Ten Islands, which led to her eventual crossed paths with Hanvey and Hood.
Hood studied piano at DeShazo College of Music in Memphis, Tenn., attending both Gadsden State Community College and Jacksonville State University to specialize in early childhood education and music. A 1991 Gadsden Times article detailed Hood’s discovery of an oddly shaped natural artifact at the Ten Islands area, which she found with her husband, an Alabama Power executive. Upon showing the rock to JSU archeology specialist Harry Holstein (Hanvey’s professor), Holstein connected Hood with Hanvey and McElroy, writing a new chapter in history with formation of ‘The Ten Island Three.’
“They were really good friends,” said Watkins. “They were all so passionate about their work.”
Former Gadsden Times writer Bill Thornton recalled a 1993 interview with the women during the official reveal of the historic park. Thornton, who was 22 years old and fresh out of school at the time, remembers them as a hoot – an enthusiastic and unforgettable bunch whose commitment and caring natures were evident.
Aerial view at the park
“It’s been really exciting to see this come together,” Hanvey told Thornton. “The information on this place came together so quickly. It was like someone took us by the hand.”
“People need to know this is a wonderful place, with adventure coming out of every tree,” said McElroy in the same article.
Though Thornton only wrote one article about them, he noted Hanvey, McElroy and Hood made an impression on him that withstood the test of time.
“There are certain people who have been together so long they can finish each other’s sentences,” said Thornton, sharing the trio were those people. “They had a ball with what they were doing – with this shared knowledge they could tap into. This matters (what they did to preserve the Ten Islands). When you think about Alabama history, Alabama is still a rural place in many areas where the past is still very much alive. That was their work. They stayed on my mind so long because of the kind of rare people they were. I can’t remember what I wrote last week, but I remember them.”
Hanvey’s son, Mike, described the trio as a relentless group determined to ensure history is not forgotten, who taught him the importance of Native American culture and influence. He recognized the specific areas of unique expertise each woman possessed, bringing her beneficial talents to the table in a collaborative effort to protect land cradling generations of valuable lessons and intriguing stories.
“The ‘Ten Island Three’ did not want the area to simply be lake covered and forgotten, as thousands of people today are fishing and swimming right above where Hernando de Soto, Andrew Jackson, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston once crossed the wild-flowing Coosa River,” said Mike. “Patsy Hanvey, Bette Sue McElroy and Charlotte Hood might not be remembered by their work but will always be remembered by the millions who will pass through and enjoy the Ten Islands Historical Park for eternity … but that’s all they wanted from the start.
“Man has the ability to build on top of things – to build dams and create lakes without a memorial to remind us the importance of preserving historic locations that came before. Things can easily be forgotten, and that takes special people with special talents to remind us of that importance. In this case, Bette Sue McElroy, Patsy Hanvey and Charlotte Hood were those people … ‘The Ten Island Three.’”
An excerpt written by Hood, McElroy and Hanvey for The Alabama Historical Association culminates the connection between the past and future ‘The Ten Island Three’ strove to protect and preserve. While ancient eras dwindle and new generations arrive, rising and falling with the transformation of the land, passionate individuals like them remain constant throughout the centuries. They act as dedicated gatekeepers of the lives, stories and history submerged in the modern world, luring lost chronicles to the surface.
“On certain days in the winter, when the river is at a low level, and no units are generating, it is still possible to walk across rocks and mud below the dam,” reads the concluding paragraph of the Ten Island Three’s 1995 submission to The Alabama Historical Association. “There you can see the prehistoric fish weir and walk around the bottom of Lock Three. But the days of wading the shoals, crossing on a ferry, walking a railroad bridge, or flagging a train to ‘get to the other side’ of the river are gone forever. As water flows through the dam, the electricity produced by Alabama Power Company lights the way for future generations.”
Ten Islands spans centuries of history
Story by Katie Bohannon Submitted photos | Archived photos
Ages before Etowah County’s Southside bridge connected cities or Alabama Power Company’s H. Neely Henry Dam furthered the development of the Coosa River, a series of 10 islands speckled the water of Northeast Alabama, one mile west of present-day Ohatchee.
Rousseau
The Ten Islands, coined “Oti Palin” by the Creek people who would settle there, traces back to 10,000 B.C., where a land enriched with natural resources such as shoals, river crossings and pathways flourished. Numerous historical incidents occurred on the collection of islands, linking the past to the present in significant ways.
According to John A. Walthall’s Prehistoric Indians of the Southeast, the islands were abundant with animals, including deer, raccoon, gray fox, turkey and quail, whose remnants join a collection of others proving their existence alongside pre-historic hunters and gatherers.
Earliest Ten Islands settlers built fish weirs and stone, reed or wooden traps placed within stream channels to capture fish swimming along currents. Today, one of these fish weirs – along with other artifacts – remains visible below the southernmost island.
The arrival of Hernando de Soto in 1540 altered the first-existing civilizations and charted a different course for the Ten Islands as he crossed the Coosa River, paving the way for other Europeans to follow his footsteps.
The late 1600s established a trading center for Ten Islands inhabitants, with a Frenchman named Bonnefoy journaling his voyage of the Chickasaw or Creek Path which led him to “the river of the Alibamons,” or the Coosa River. Archaeologists later discovered evidence of a town at Ten Islands, with burials revealing French, Spanish and British trade objects at the edge of Bonnefoy’s Creek Path toward the Coosa. Years following Bonnefoy, George Wood claimed the land where the town resided and named it Wood’s Island, a title it carries since 1821.
Andrew Jackson, who would become president of the United States, traveled to the Ten Islands region as a general during The Creek Civil War of 1813, marching forces from Tennessee to Gunter’s Landing (present-day Guntersville) down the Creek Path toward the Ten Islands.
Well-known historical figures served under Jackson’s command, including frontiersman Davy Crockett, future Sec. of State John Henry Eaton, former Texas Gov. Sam Houston and military general (and Jackson’s nephew) John Coffee.
Notable citizens of the Cherokee, Creek and Chickasaw nations fought with Jackson, including Cherokee citizens Richard Brown, Major Ridge, John Lowery, John Ross and the Pathkiller; Creek citizens James Fife, Spoke Hadjo, Chinnaby the ‘Great Natchez Warrior,’ and his two sons Selocta and Sarlotta Fixico; and Chickasaw leader William Colbert.
During this time, Jackson established Fort Strother at the Ten Islands, which became the destination of Coffee, Crockett and other men after winning the Battle of Tallasahatchee. As the war progressed, supplies dwindled and soldiers grew weary, an altercation between an officer and recent recruit John Wood prompted Jackson to order an action that would garner opposition for his presidential campaign. Following a confrontation where an officer required Wood to clean his untidy barracks rather than return to his post, which Wood refused, a court martial found Wood guilty of mutiny. The 18-year-old Wood was executed and buried at Fort Strother, along with many other soldiers whose graves remain there today.
Fort Strother served as the link between several significant battles in the war, including the Battle of Talladega and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which largely brought about a conclusion to the Creek Civil War.
After Jackson’s arrival at the Ten Islands, a series of events occurred – from the land serving as a survey point between the United States and Cherokee and Creek nations to the enforced relocation of thousands of Creek citizens from the Ten Islands region across the Coosa River to Gunter’s Landing. Walking in exile, the path they forged decades before was known as the Trail of Tears.
Throughout the eras, the Ten Islands proved the launching site of the first steamboat on the Coosa River and the site of the Civil War’s Ten Island Skirmish – during which Union Gen. Lovelle Rousseau and his forces defeated Confederate opposition and destroyed Cane Creek and Janney furnaces.
Locks intended to grant riverboats easy access through the shoals were constructed along the Coosa, beginning near Greensport and ending below Wood’s Island, after which a railroad bridge was built.
After Alabama Power Company introduced hydroelectric plant H. Neely Henry Dam in 1962, only two of the original Ten Islands remain – Wood’s Island and a small rock projection visible north of the dam.
What began as a class project of Leadership Pell City over 20 years ago has transformed into one of the biggest events of the year – Hometown Block Party.
Now presented by the Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, the block party has grown into an event that annually draws thousands to downtown Pell City to a free, outdoor festival featuring live music – all genres – food, games, vendors of all types and a whole lot of fun.
Held the first Saturday in June, this year’s event is set for June 4 from 3 to 9 p.m. and will stretch all around the courthouse square plus side streets in a party atmosphere that gets better every year.
Live music is event’s centerpiece.
The mission and vision of the block party has never wavered from its beginnings. It’s only gotten better. Its aim is to draw people downtown for all kinds of festivities with neighbors meeting neighbors, reminiscent of neighborhood block parties of years gone by.
Though the entertainment schedule is still being finalized, Chamber Director Urainah Glidewell says a crowd favorite, the WingNuts, are a go. “People love them,” she says. They play oldies from the 60s and 70s.
Another favorite, Kudzu, is also on tap. “We’ll be showcasing a lot of local talent,” says Glidewell. “This is a typical neighborhood together. It’s just a great time for people to come out and have a good time. Kick back and listen to some good music.”
Three stages for live music will be set up at various street corners, so if you have one type of music you like better than the other, just keep strolling. You’ll hear it.
Folks also will have a choice from a wide variety of vendors, offering everything from food, clothing and jewelry to turtles and lizards.
“It wouldn’t be the block party without the turtle man,” laughed Glidewell. “He comes every year.” She says he sells his critters in a variety of sizes.
Just walking down the street during the festival is an experience unto itself. “The aroma from all the food cooking is wonderful — cheesecake, cookies, barbecue, sausage,” she says, naming a few on the menu.
An annual feature of the Pell City block party is the car show. Entry fee is $10 a car. Part of the proceeds will go this year to Mileena Painter, a local girl who is battling leukemia. Entrants can sign up as late as the day of event.
