Visit Calhoun County video series highlights water, history and regional tourism
Ohatchee’s story begins with the water.
That’s the message behind a new Calhoun County Tourism video highlighting the town, its history and its connection to Neely Henry Lake as part of a broader effort to promote communities across the region and state.
Cher Dulaney, Calhoun County tourism director, said the video is part of a series that began in January with aim of exploring the county and sharing those experiences with anyone interested in this part of Alabama..
“We started a series to explore Calhoun County as a whole,” she said.
The Ohatchee video was released just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, timed to the start of summer and built in large part around Neely Henry.
“Neely Henry is a huge asset to the city of Ohatchee,” Dulaney said.
The video, produced by Simply Data Marketing, includes footage shot by boat and drone, with scenes of the lake, dam and areas around Ohatchee. Dulaney was on the shoot with the marketing team. Thomas Shelton, who has an Alfa Insurance Agency in historic downtown Oxford, provided the boat and helped make the lake footage possible.
Shelton also has been active in efforts to bring fishing tournament activity into Calhoun County and the surrounding region and is an avid angler himself.
Dulaney said you have to take a big-picture approach to promoting the lake and the area because lake business does not stop at city or county lines.
The same is true, she said, for other regional draws, including Cheaha State Park and Talladega Superspeedway. Visitors may come for one destination, but their trip often includes hotels, restaurants, gas, groceries and shopping in nearby communities.
For Ohatchee and surrounding communities, the lake has that same kind of spillover impact. People headed to the water may stop in Alexandria, Anniston, Oxford or along the Highway 431 corridor before spending time on Neely Henry.
“It has an economic impact when people are coming in and preparing for their day or weekend on the water,” she said.
Dulaney said the videos are being produced for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, where travelers increasingly find ideas for day trips and weekend plans. The county also is working through a website redesign, with plans to make the videos available there for people who are not on every social media platform.
The goal, she said, is not only to reach visitors but also to remind residents what is available close to home.
“Sometimes you’re going through your daily life and you don’t really see what we have,” Dulaney said.
That awareness effort extends beyond Ohatchee. Dulaney pointed to Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Choccolocco Creek, Lake Yahou at Ft. McClellan and other outdoor attractions as part of the local story.
“Our region as a whole is so outstanding, and every little pocket of our region has a little something different to offer,” she said.
For Calhoun County Tourism, the Ohatchee video is one more piece of that larger effort — showing the water, history and small-town character that make the community part of the region’s tourism draw. “Awareness is the main vision that we have,” Dulaney said, “to make sure we’re increasing the awareness of what makes these places so special throughout Calhoun County and the region.”
Follow Visit Calhoun County on facebook, Instagram & Tictok and check out their website at visitcalhouncounty.com
Anna Lindsey-Brown grew up on the family farm in Cherokee County near Centre. Cotton and soybeans were the staples of her formative learning in her early years, so when it was time to go to college, she naturally majored in what was familiar – Agribusiness.
After graduating from Auburn University, her career path began at the Little River Canyon Center in Ft. Payne. The director was looking for someone to run the newly created gift shop for the partnership between the National Park Service and Jacksonville State University.
The director chose her, and she helped build it into a $200,000 a year business that welcomes half a million visitors, wielding an economic impact of $16 million annually.
Recognizing the value of such experience, the Etowah County Tourism Board chose Lindsey-Brown to lead its tourism effort into the future. “A Northeast Alabama native with a strong background in tourism, events, and community engagement, Anna brings fresh energy and a passion for showcasing everything that makes Etowah County a premier destination,” the Board said in naming her executive director.
“I come from a tourist attraction,” Lindsey-Brown said, and she looks forward to putting her experience to work for Etowah County. While in school, she also served another tourist attraction – Jules Collins Smith Museum of Art in Auburn.
Because Greater Gadsden Tourism is a countywide role, she said, “you can make a bigger impact. There are a lot of things going on in Etowah County. I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Her first weeks have been invested in getting to know the community by attending meetings, ribbon cuttings and local events while connecting with leaders, businesses and tourism partners across the county.
Highlights have included the grand openings of the Challenger Learning Center and The Bluff Amphitheater, as well as attending Arts Trail on Broad and many other community events.
As tourism continues its upward momentum across the region, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism is focused on “promoting our unique venues, excellent lodging partners, upcoming events, local shopping and dining and the incredible outdoor adventures that make Etowah County special.”
Lindsey-Brown agreed. “There is so much positive momentum happening across Etowah County,” she said. “I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome and excited to help continue telling the story of our communities.”
Gadsden gives you more ways to enjoy Neely Henry Lake
Story by Paul South Submitted Photos
Most days from his house on Neely Henry Lake, while sipping his morning coffee and reading his devotion, Dave Tumlin takes even more comfort in a familiar sight, his neighbors kayaking the glassy calm waters.
Later in the day when four pedal boats at Gadsden’s Coosa Landing – built in the likenesses of a duck, a dragon and two swans – are ready for passengers, Julie Tucker gets ready to smile.
On Neely Henry, there’s a new kayak launch at Coosa Landing, where pedal boats are already wildly popular, giving residents and visitors two more ways to chart a course for fun on the water.
Here’s a gander at each:
A New Kayak and Canoe Launch
For Tumlin, president of the Neely Henry Lake Association, it’s always wonderful at the lake.”
It’s even better when more people are provided with access like the new kayak/canoe launch that includes a new dock. The launch, built in partnership with the City of Gadsden and funded by a grant from the Alabama Scenic River Trail (ASRT) 2025 Waterway Enhancement Program, opened May 4. The ASRT sponsors the Great Alabama 650, America’s longest paddle boat race.
The new Neely Henry launch is the second kayak launch spearheaded by the NHLA. The first was built in 2024 in Rainbow City, a project also funded by a grant from the ASRT.
The launch is located at Coosa Landing, on the east Gadsden side of the Broad Street Bridge.
“There’s a big launching area there,” Tumlin said. “There are a lot of fishing tournaments that work out of that area, as well as people who just want to get out on the lake.”
The site also includes signage that includes QR codes that provide directions, as well as information about ASRT, localities and the NHLA. QR code users also have the opportunity to respond to a short survey and provide feedback.
“It’s really neat to be able to have that convenience now,” Tumlin said.
The NHLA got an unexpected blessing. When the supplier for construction materials learned the association was a non-profit, he gave a discount. The NHLA turned the unexpected windfall over to the City of Gadsden to help offset costs of the new dock at the launch, Tumlin said.
The new launch – and the pedal boats – give residents and visitors an opportunity to take to the water, something they otherwise might not be able to do, Tumlin said. The launch has a lift, making it easier to access the lake for people with disabilities or other mobility challenges.
“Kayaking is a growing sport,” Tumlin said. “The more people you can get out on this water, the better it is. It’s neat to see the paddling sports. It’s eco-friendly. It’s quiet … You’re so close to the water, the shoreline, if you want to be. You’re totally connected.”
Tumlin, a pontoon boat owner whose family has been part of the Neely Henry community since the 1960s, believes the new launch strikes a balance between protecting the environment while at the same time allowing greater access to the lake.
“It’s important to have people out there,” he said. “If you can’t afford a pontoon or any of that other (motorized watercraft), you can do this in a different way that’s less impactful. I love my pontoon … But it’s nice to shut that thing down and just float and get one with (nature). By paddling, that’s a much, much better way to do that.”
A pedal-powered menagerieat Coosa Landing
These ladies are from Ireland and chose to top in Coosa Landing to ride the pedal boats
For the second summer, Coosa Landing is featuring a mini-menagerie of animal-themed pedal boats. For Julie Tucker, administrative supervisor at Gadsden’s growing entertainment district, the small fleet is another source of fun for locals and visitors alike.
“The (boats) are on the same side slough as the kayak lift,” Tucker said. “It’s $20 an hour for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour,” Tucker said. Each boat seats five, but two pedal. Life jackets are required and are provided on site. The boats are available from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. At least one passenger must be 18 or older.
Weather plays a role in pedal boat availability. Winds have to be less than 10 miles per hour. There can be no lightning, thunder or storms in the area.
The boats may be moved to a side slough – on some fishing tournament Saturdays, if the event of an especially large competition. “So far, that hasn’t happened, Tucker said.
The boats were extremely popular in their first year. But powering the boats is “a lot of work,” Tucker said.
“I can’t tell you how many calls we get every day about the pedal boats,” she said. “They are a safe thing to do. We’ve never had one to turn over. For the most part, we have a lot of respect. When a (motorized craft) sees a pedal boat, they try to move away from them and leave them alone. They know it’s just a family having fun.”
The boats have rightly earned rave reviews.
“People see them; they love them. People will see them when they’re driving down the road and come in and say, ‘Hey, what have I gotta do?’ They’ll have fun.”
The pedal boats fit neatly into Gadsden’s plan to turn the city into a fun destination.
“The thing I’ve noticed about Mayor Ford is that he loves to see families have fun,” Tucker said. “He loves to bring in opportunities for families to have fun. He’s all about giving Gadsden something to do. You know, it’s exercise.”
She added, “People love to see these boats going up and down the lake and for Gadsden to have fun things going on.”
Children love the pedal boats. In fact, Tucker’s grandkids are big fans.
“There’s not a kid that comes through here that doesn’t want to ride the pedal boats,” Tucker said.
Tucker’s reward comes in the form of big, toothy grins, the same ones sparked by the ice rink, bumper cars and Christmas tree during Gadsden’s season, or the Lantern Festival at Noccalula Falls, for example.
“It’s almost like a Six Flags ride,” Tucker said. “(Pedal boat passengers) are tired. They’re hot. But they’re smiling. It’s something about being out on the water. It makes everything in your life seem a little bit less severe. That’s something I’ve noticed. There’s something about the water.”
Editor’s Note:For more information about Gadsden’s pedal boats, call 256-549-4677.
For more information about the Neely Henry Lake Association, visit neelyhenrylake.org, or call 256-368-5200.
Gadsden museum finding new ways to promote art for generations to come
When Ray Wetzel was in high school in Hokes Bluff, there was no art program. But through encouragement and mentoring, he followed his passion into college and emerged with a Fine Arts degree in painting.
Now, as director of Gadsden Museum of Art, Wetzel wants to provide to young people opportunities he lacked early on by promoting the arts in new and innovative ways.
May 8-9, art will take center stage – or in this case, center street – as Arts Trail on Broad arrives for its inaugural event sponsored by Alabama Arts Trail, City of Gadsden and Gadsden Museum of Art.
Feeling Light Headed by Stacy Holloway
The Arts Trail is a project of the Alabama Visual Arts Network which has been linking artists’ studios around the state for more than 60 years.
Arts Trail on Broad was “birthed” from the successes of Gadsden Arts Council’s Artoberfest in October in Alabama City, which seeks to bring arts to life around different arts organizations, such as music, dance and theatre.
Wetzel is a board member with Alabama Visual Arts Network and wanted to merge the idea with art as the centerpiece of a Broad Street event. It brings art groups to Gadsden in various mediums. There will be sculptures, murals, metal and iron works, painting and more with artist demonstrations up and down Broad Street.
Demonstrating artists will actively share their creative process with the public (for example: live painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, fiber, mixed media), while also having the opportunity to present and sell their work.
Friday’s events begin at 11 with demonstrations for high school students. The first leg of the two-day event is talking to young people – professional artists sharing their experiences, said Wetzel. “Art is a billion-dollar industry. It’s not a dead- end career. We want to encourage children to go into this field.”
Alabama Contemporary Art Center will bring “big name artists” to Gadsden, Wetzel said, heightening the draw of this new event.
True Colors, an Etowah County Schools art program for underserved students, will have an exhibition reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gadsden Museum of Art, and free music of all types will be performed throughout the weekend.
Works by Jonathan Peterson
Entertainment is nonstop on Friday night.
Maypole performance by the Downtown Dance Conservatory (6 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Piano concert by Eden Brent (7 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Me & My Knife (8 p.m.) and
Quintron and Miss Pussycat (9 p.m.) on the street by the Gadsden Museum of Art
Live music will be performed by:
Sam and The Big Boys (6:30 p.m.)
Phantom Eye (7:30 p.m.)
The Laborers (8:30 p.m.)
Brotha Josh (9:30 p.m.)
The Golden Flakes (10:30 p.m.)
Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with a Mother’s Day Market with over 30 art vendors, Chompshop Cardboard Sculpture Contest and directed drawing workshops.
From 11-1, Jacksonville State University will offer portfolio reviews and critiques. And all day long will feature a bounce house and food trucks. l
Editor’s Note: Performance times are subject to change. Please visit this page for the latest show times: gadsdenmuseum.com/all-events
Another year of success for event at Quintard Mall
Story and photos by Graham Hadley
The East Alabama Boat show notched another successful year as boat dealers filled the Quintard Mall parking lot in Oxford with row after row of a huge variety of watercraft – from WaveRunners to large performance luxury tritoons.
Vanessa and Clyde Keel from Lincoln try out a personal watercraft
The event, sponsored by AmFirst, was held April 10-12, and featured boats from Poor House Branch Marina, Sylacauga Marine and Wedowee Marine, and vendors like Oxford’s Tackle Box.
Organizer Thomas Shelton, who worked with the City of Oxford to make it all happen, credits the success of the boat show to a combination of great location combined with what the boat dealers bring to the table.
“The mall is the perfect location, at the intersection of two highways, plenty room for the boats and parking,” he said. “We try to pick a place for these events that generates traffic for the local businesses. And the mall has all the amenities – restrooms and the food court, plus the arcade and movie theater and other shops. From a family perspective, it made perfect sense. It makes the show a more inclusive event.
“And the folks at Quintard Mall are great to work with. They were very welcoming and really care about their tenants and do what they can to generate traffic for the mall.”
Shelton said, because they have almost no overhead, it is a very affordable show for the boat dealers, vendors and sponsors. “Almost everything they put into the show goes into marketing it. It’s a very effective way to market and a good way for the sponsor and the dealers to get their money’s worth.”
Oxford’s Tackle Box was on hand to show off fishing gear
The show is limited to three dealers with the idea that they bring lots of boats – fishing, ski and wake, pontoons and tritoons, and personal watercraft. Shelton said that works out well because it means those few dealers get all the customer traffic and are much more likely to make sales.
“Because we are so affordable a show, the dealers, for all their work, only have to make a few sales for the event to be profitable for them.”
Shelton, who has a local Alfa insurance agency in Oxford, consults on the boat show and to bring more fishing tournaments to Calhoun County and surrounding areas. He taps into his love of fishing and the water and his experience as a competitive fisherman to help attract the events to the region.
“I am a presenting sponsor for the Alabama Bass Trail, Fishers of Men, Sylacauga Marine Trail and others. In fact, my daughter and I are going to be on the ABT fishing tournament tomorrow on Neely Henry.”
Bringing in big dealers from across the region – Poor House in Talladega County, Wedowee Marine and Sylacauga Marine – is a win-win for the mall and Calhoun County.
Something for everyone: bass boats, wake boats and pontoons
“The show was well attended. The dealers said they were happy with sales, and it drew not only local visitors, but people from Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Auburn and parts of Georgia,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center.
“It brings traffic to the mall and other businesses and highlights that, with all the renovations, the mall is becoming a lifestyle center for the community. Having something regional in reach going on in the parking lot is great for that.
“Its part of the big picture – attracting more and more people to the area.”
With the latest successful show under his belt, Shelton said he is already looking to next year.
“As long as there is interest, we will continue to host the show here. And we have had a lot of interest.”
At age 8, Grant Stinson drove the family boat on Logan Martin, able to steer the craft better than more experienced adults.
At 15, he was working in a local marina, climbing up the boat business ladder. After college, he began a 13-year tenure at Rambo Marine, one of the mainstays of Alabama’s marine industry, beginning as a “lot guy,” selling boats and eventually climbing to general manager.
The experience hooked him on an idea.
“I just encountered a lot of affluent people there that all had homes on Logan Martin, Smith (Lake) and Lake Martin, the lakes around Birmingham,” Stinson said. “They really didn’t have someone who could take care of their lake house and their boat and their dock and everything. So when they would show up at the lake on Friday afternoon, they spent all of Saturday working. When Sunday got here, they felt like they’d worked all weekend.”
Cutting the yard, fueling the boat and getting the house in shape drained hours from what should have been a relaxing weekend at a family’s second home, turning it instead to toil and trouble.
That’s how Coosa Concierge was born.
The company that Stinson founded earlier this year focuses on “the lake life,” the kicked back, chilled out way of living of which waterfront homeowners dream of from that first search for a second home.
Pulling away from the dock in Riverside after fueling up
“We focus on what really matters to folks when they get (to their lake home) – the lake life. ‘Is the boat ready? Is the house ready? And can we go enjoy it?,’ so they don’t have to spend every waking hour worrying about whether the boat’s ready and all of that.”
Coosa Concierge offers a base package to new clients. Once a month. Concierge staff come to the home, do a visual inspection of the home, making sure the dock is presentable, and that there are no trees down on the property and making sure the boat is as it’s supposed to be, ready for the water. Basic memberships cost $299 per month.
“We give the client a detailed (monthly) report,” Stinson said. “That comes in especially handy in the off season. They don’t come from October to March. The report lets them know things are as they are supposed to be.”
Coosa Concierge also offers a la carte services, making sure the dock is clean, boat lifts ready for the season and the yard ship shape and all the watercraft ready.
In the fall, Coosa Concierge offers services to help shut down the house for the offseason.
“It’s our fall shutdown,” Stinson said. “Let’s make sure everything’s winterized. Let’s make sure the outside faucets are off and dock furniture is put away. Let’s make sure the water toys are put away in the garage, Lilypads, kayaks, paddleboards, yard ornaments. There is so much stuff that people don’t think about.”
He added, “There are a lot of little a la carte things that people ask us to do that people may ask us to do. We may outsource that to somebody, and we just manage the project for (the homeowner).”
For example, Coosa Concierge will coordinate lawn care services for clients upon request. Stinson’s brother-in-law, Jack Wood, owns Cutter Lawn Maintenance.
Coosa Concierge also offers Logan Martin clients a service called “Stock and Shop.” In advance of the homeowners’ arrival, Concierge follows a client’s grocery list, shopping at the client’s preferred stores to fill the refrigerator, pantry and bar. Each order is thoughtfully put away, ready for visitors.
Coosa Concierge also offers a “Weekend Readiness” package. The package removes the aggravation of a dead boat battery or empty gas tank, a recurring challenge in the boat world.
“They can call me and get on the list for the weekends they have and say, ‘I want the jet skis set up. I want the boat filled up with gas, wiped down, so that the batteries are hot and everything is ready to go.’ That’s one of the biggest things we offer.”
Stinson, who lives with his family on Logan Martin, is especially sensitive to the challenges posed by fickle Alabama weather, especially the threat of spring and summer tornados.
“If there’s something that’s happening at my house, I need to go check on my clients’ homes around the lake as well,” Stinson said. They will also step in to check on a concerned client’s property when asked, making sure everything is in order.
Coosa Concierge offers water toy and party rentals – kayaks, paddleboards and the like – to help transform a lake weekend into a precious memory.
Stinson’s heart belongs to the water. He clearly loves his work. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he said. “I just really enjoy seeing people enjoy the lake, actually seeing them enjoy it and not have to work the whole weekend.”
Over the years, he’s heard countless times a sad refrain from lake homeowners spending time working on rather than enjoying their lake property.
“That’s not how it’s supposed to be,” Stinson said. “This is your vacation home. It should be that you are going to your vacation home to enjoy it, to relax. That’s what I enjoy the most – seeing people enjoy the lake.
“I’ve been here so long, that’s really what it’s about. Our mission is to help people enjoy the lake as it should be,” Stinson said. “Enjoy it all summer and not have to work every weekend. I really think it’s as simple as that, really.”
When Susan Kell made the move to full-time lake life seven years ago, she took a bit of a gamble.
Although she was born and raised in Ashville, where her house on Neely Henry Lake is, she’d lived on Chandler Mountain for 50 years, and it was home. Leaving the place where she and her late husband, Paul, had raised their three children was hard, even though she wasn’t going far.
But the lure of being even closer to her children and grandchildren made the decision much easier. These days, she loves puttering around her yard that’s filled with colorful azaleas in the spring, and hosting family gatherings.
Susan’s Taco Bean Salad is a favorite and serves a large crowd
Although living at the lake year-round is still fairly new to Susan, spending time at the A-frame house, situated near Canoe Creek right next to the bridge between Ashville and Rainbow City, isn’t. Paul, the founder of Kell Realy, bought the house 25 years ago, and they used it as a weekend house most of that time.
“He was going to fix it up and resell it, but the kids wanted to keep it,” Susan said, adding that her eight grandchildren, who range in age from 8-26, are big fans, as well. The pool is as big a draw as the lake, and the large, flat lot makes it the perfect spot to host celebrations.
“Paul really liked to entertain,” said Susan, who was a teacher and librarian at Ashville Elementary School for 25 years. “We’ve always had friends and family over and lots of church gatherings, and the kids know they can have a party any time they want to. We’ve had birthday parties, ball parties, graduation parties and an engagement party. Last December, we even had a wedding” for a family friend.
Historical details
While the emphasis has been on family ever since the Kells have owned the home, that wasn’t always the case. Many locals know the house as “the gambling house,” because decades ago, a former owner hosted big weekend gambling parties.
The story goes that the main floor of the house featured nothing but poker tables and a fish pond that was tucked under the circular staircase, according to Susan’s daughter, Jennifer Spears.
The second floor feature a great room, kitchenette, and two bedrooms
The pool house, now filled with tubes and towels, was home to a large bar, and drinks could be passed out to the pool deck through a sliding glass window. “There are a lot of stories about this place,” Jennifer said.
While the house, which was built in the 1970s, has an interesting history, Susan has filled it with antiques and family heirlooms that tell other stories of Ashville’s past, as well as her family’s. After buying the house, she and Paul built walls to make a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, which had originally been one large open space.
A trunk, handmade by Paul, is at the foot of the bed, and the coffee table and end table he made are in the den. Pictures painted by her mother, Florence McClendon, are displayed throughout the house, as are pictures they collected on some of their travels.
Paul, who also was an auctioneer in addition to his career as a Realtor, would regularly host antique auctions, and “we used to go to England and Belgium and France and bring loads of antiques back,” said Susan. Along with Betty Hilley, she operated Ashville Antiques for a number of years.
The A-frame’s windows, seen from the third floor, offer an expansive view of the lake
In addition to furniture and other treasures she and Paul collected, Susan has a bedroom suite, a hall tree, rocking chair and the old dinner bell from the Teague Hotel, which was built in the early 1800s and stood on Ashville’s town square until it was torn down in 1960.
Her great grandmother, Lula Nunnally, a widow, bought and ran the hotel for years. Later, Lula’s daughter and Susan’s grandmother, Annie Teague McClendon, ran the inn. In addition to taking in boarders, she would cook meals for people who traveled to Ashville for court hearings, Susan said.
While one of the two upstairs bedrooms is filled with furniture from the hotel, the second one boasts a special touch courtesy of Susan’s other grandmother, Stella Moorer. She pieced a colorful quilt that graces the bed that was once Stella’s in the room Susan likes to call the boat room. “It reminds me of a boat,” with its sloped ceiling and built-in bureau, she said.
The quilt her grandmother made is only one kind of heirloom Susan treasures. She loves to cook, and she especially enjoys making recipes that have been passed on to her by family members and friends. One of her favorites is her mother-in-law’s strawberry icing. Frances Kell, known as “Nanny,” was 100 when she passed away this past year, and that makes the recipe, which the family has enjoyed for as long as they can remember, even more special.
Another recipe that often makes an appearance during special occasions is “Martha’s Punch,” which Susan got from Martha Umphrey. “She was our pastor’s wife years and years ago, and she would make it for showers,” said Susan, a member of Mt. Lebanon Church in Steele.
Selling points
Although her family has always been close-knit, Susan sees them even more since she moved to the lake. Her son, Josh, who now heads Kell Realty, lives next door with his family. Her daughter, Paula Ballard, and her family are right across the road, and Jennifer and her family live less than a mile from her. “That’s the best part, being so close to the kids,” Susan said.
The view isn’t bad, either, whether you’re in the house looking at the water or in the water looking at the house. The azaleas, which were planted when they bought the house and are trimmed back each year, are the stars of the show, but Susan’s green thumb is evident all over the property.
The pool is a favorite hangout spot for the grandchildren
She lovingly tends to the lilies her mother gave her 25 years ago, as well as the Irises she got from her mother-in-law’s house and replanted. She also loves the huge Oleander that blooms every year.
She recently spruced up beds and pots by the pool house with gardenias as well as begonias that she kept in the greenhouse during the winter. “In the fall, I take them up and put them in pots and keep them in the greenhouse,” she said. “Then I replant them so I don’t have to get the little bitty plants. They are already big and pretty.”
The beauty of the home and yard isn’t lost on others. “People have just driven up to the house and asked to buy it, and others have come up in boats asking how much I want for it,” Susan said with a laugh.
“People are always trying to buy it, but we don’t want to sell.”
Martha’s Punch
(Makes 2 gallons)
Ingredients:
2 large bottles (2-liter) ginger ale
6 cups sugar
6 packages lemon Kool-Aid
2 tall cans (46-ounce) pineapple juice
2 pineapple cans of hot water
Directions:
Mix Kool-Aid, sugar and hot water (make sure it’s hot and not warm) with pineapple juice and freeze. To serve, thaw the mixture enough to slice it and add the ginger ale.
*You can use a little less sugar if you prefer a less sweet punch.
Nanny’s Strawberry Icing
(Use on a yellow or white cake)
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh strawberries OR 1 package of frozen strawberries
2 cups sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons sugar
2-3 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Directions:
Cook strawberries with 2 cups of sugar until it makes a syrup. Beat egg whites with 2-3 tablespoons sugar and cream of tartar until stiff. Pour strawberry mixture into egg whites and continue beating several minutes until fluffy.
Taco Bean Salad
(This makes a large amount; half the recipe is plenty for one family)
Ingredients:
2 cans chili beans, drained
3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper diced
1 medium onion, diced
8 ounces grated cheese
16 ounces of Fritos (you can use less, if you prefer)
1 small bottle Russian salad dressing
Directions:
Mix all ingredients except dressing and Fritos together and chill. Add Fritos and dressing just before serving and toss.
Hemlock Inn Bran Muffins
Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
5 cups flour
1 (15-ounce) box Raisin Bran
1 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking soda
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 quart buttermilk
2 sticks melted butter or margarine
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients together and fold into the dry mixture. Place in covered bowl in the refrigerator and take out desired amount as needed. Batter will keep for two months. When ready to bake, fill muffin tins about 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-15 minutes.
Celebrating two and a half centuries of nation’s independence
Story by Paul South and Graham Hadley Submitted Photos
John Adams, one of America’s Founding Fathers and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, laid down the perfect blueprint for celebrating the birth of the nation on July 4.
In a famous letter to his wife Abigail, Adams wrote that the day should be celebrated “with pomp and parades, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfire and illuminations.”
Add in the intoxicating aroma of good Alabama barbecue, and it’s the perfect Fourth.
In Gadsden, Pell City, Southside and all along the Coosa River and its man-made companion lakes, Logan Martin and Neely Henry, folks will follow Mr. Adams’ recipe for Independence Day in their celebrations, especially in this, the Republic’s 250th anniversary.
The three cities began planning for the nation’s semi quincentennial on July 5, 2025, a year in advance of America’s milestone birthday bash.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s on the holiday agenda in the region:
Pell City: A Bigger Bang Theory
In late summer of 2025, during the city’s budgeting process, Community Engagement Special Projects Manager Jeff Thompson and Parks and Recreation Director Bubba Edge began the planning for Independence Day 2026. Given the milestone 250th birthday, the two wanted to do something special.
Live music at Pell City’s Lakeside Park
“The (City) Council went above and beyond,” Thompson said. “What they agreed to was not only to increase the fireworks budget for the extraordinarily popular show that’s on Logan Martin every year, but to double it.”
That means a show that normally costs $30,000 will be a bigger $60,000 fireworks show at the park.
“We were ecstatic,” Thompson said. “This is a community that is patriotic, that loves its veterans, that understands the significance of (this day). The Council’s decision exemplifies that.”
The decision meant that Thompson, Edge and the city had work to do. It was a welcome challenge.
“It gave us the opportunity to really try and capture this important anniversary with a special event at Lakeside Park and the Pell City Sports Complex,” Thompson said.
Pyro Shows annually puts on the fireworks extravaganza for Pell City’s Fourth festivities.
“The way that it works is much like going to a fireworks store as an individual,” Thompson said. “We have asked them for something amazing this year … What we’ve asked for is bigger and more. We want it to be a celebration, and we want this community and the surrounding communities that attend this event and this show to feel what we’re putting into this; how much we love our country and how special this day is.”
Fireworks are only part of Pell City’s Independence Day festivities. Valley Bank, WinSouth Federal Credit Union and Exit Realty Coosa River Realty-Michelle Green have partnered with the city to create a stage with live music, as well as food trucks with a variety of popular eats and a kids’ area in the sports complex. The three events together are called “Lights Over Logan Martin.”
Asked his favorite part of the prep for this special Independence Day, Thompson said, “I think it’s the recognition from this community that this is most certainly something to celebrate and the community’s desire to get on board.”
He added, “It has not been difficult at all to talk to the people here and this mayor and City Council who are overjoyed with this idea and this public about how special this day is and how much they want to be a part of it.”
City officials are expecting 10,000 people on land for the event, not including the massive flotilla of boat traffic that’s expected on water.
“My personal goal, from the city’s perspective, is to be able to give this community something that they can be proud of on the 250th anniversary of their wonderful country,” Thompson said.
“I want people to know that they live in a community that is incredibly patriotic and incredibly generous, and (this community) wants you to come out and celebrate with it on the Fourth of July.”
Gadsden: A year in the making
Asked when the region’s largest city began planning for America’s special day, John Moore, Gadsden’s director of economic development and governmental affairs, laughed. “Probably July 5 (2025),” he said.
But for Gadsden, a city building a reputation for top-drawer events, America’s 250th anniversary will be a springboard to bigger, better Independence Day celebrations, while drawing from its past with local bands and food trucks.
Black Jacket Symphony performing Yacht Rock
Featured local performers John Player and Tony Irby are on the bill, with the evening’s music capped off by internationally known Black Jacket Symphony performing Yacht Rock. The concert is free.”
“I think we’re going to try to bring back that River Fest sort of feel,” Moore said. “We’re going to bring the stage out to the four-lane on 411. It’s right on the banks of the Coosa River.”
While the concert is free, adult beverages, soft drinks and food will be available for purchase.
“We’re going to put a bar on every corner we can,” Moore said.
The evening will close out with a fireworks show off Gadsden’s Broad Street Bridge.
“We will probably put on the biggest fireworks show the city has ever seen,” Moore said.
In fact, Moore said, it may be the largest celebration of America’s birthday in the city’s history – “with us bringing the concert out on 411 and the fireworks show off the bridge, plus we’re working on some things I can’t talk about right now.”
Folks can expect to see increased promotion of Gadsden’s celebration as it draws closer.
The celebration is part of a concerted effort on the part of Mayor Craig Ford and the city to make Gadsden a destination city.
“That’s what the mayor brought me on for,” Moore said. “We’re always looking for something that’s not being done in the area, or something that can be improved. That’s how we picked up with the Lantern Festival (at Noccalula Falls) that wasn’t being done anywhere in the area.”
As of late March, some 40,000 people had attended Lantern Fest, at least half coming from outside the region, Moore said.
On Independence Day, some 500 to 800 boats are expected on the Coosa.
“It’s an amazing thing to see that sea of boats,” Moore said. “And to see people stretched across the city; there’s roughly 25,000 people within a one-mile radius of City Hall getting ready to watch the fireworks show. It’s got to be one of the largest fireworks shows in the state, just in terms of the number of people.”
What’s the takeaway from Gadsden’s celebration of the Fourth? Moore was quick to reply. “It should be one of those holidays when people remember the ultimate sacrifice that servicemen and women gave to give us the freedoms that we were looking for on that day in 1776.”
Southside: Challenges, charity and selling the sizzle
Southside residents will be able to join their neighbors in Gadsden and Rainbow City for fireworks and festivities on the Fourth, because of Highway 77 bridge construction in the city, Mayor Joey Statum said.
The new two-lane bridge will better connect Southside and Rainbow City, but the project is expected to take two or more years.
But on May 23 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., the city will host “Cruising for a Cure” at Southside Community Center, a car show to raise money to help local kids and their families battling childhood cancer.
Cruising for a Cure returning to Southside
Classic cars can enter for $10 a vehicle. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and other drawings. But 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the families who are fighting cancer.
Food trucks and vendors will also be on hand.
It’s an early kickoff for America’s 250th anniversary, Statum said. Last year, the event raised $9,000.
Whorton Bend Baptist Church and many others are among the sponsors for the event.
While individuals will shoot fireworks from the river and at the landing, there will not be city-sponsored illuminations on the Fourth. However, next year, Southside hopes to bring back City Fest, which will include fireworks.
“We hope to do that every year,” Statum said. He was elected last November.
Southside, like Gadsden and Pell City, hopes to bring more events to town.
“The vision we have is that with the landing we have now, we want to have an entertainment district,” Statum said. “We want a place where families can come and enjoy a nice dinner, have some drinks, have their kids play.”
Statum would also like to see a permanent spot for Southside’s “Dinner and a Movie” nights. “We want a place where people can come and be entertained,” Statum said.
The city also wants to bolster the downtown business district. “That’s a long-term vision,” he said.’
But things are already on the move. Johnson’s Grocery is new. Southside Pharmacy is, too. Restaurants have committed to coming to town. Southside Hardware is building a 12,000 square foot store. A Waffle House location will begin construction in May.
Tennis and pickleball courts are also on the city’s agenda.
“All these things are quality of life things,” Statum said. “We have a vision as a mayor and city council to bring in revenue from all the things that are going on Highway 77 to improve our quality of life.”
He added, “We’re going to take advantage of our resources which are here and the river, and we’re going to have a good quality of life and keep our kids here, working here.”
Rainbow City: Freedom takes flight
In what could be described as one of the nation’s most unique celebrations of America’s 250th birthday, Rainbow City presents its fourth annual Freedom Flight Drone Show.
This is the fourth annual aerial spectacular at the city’s soccer complex, which this year will include 500 unmanned aircraft. The one-of-a-kind event is sensitive to the needs of children and veterans who may be negatively affected by the loud explosions of a traditional fireworks display, Mayor Joe Taylor said.
Patriotic images in the sky over Rainbow City thanks to the Freedom Flight Drone Show
“It’s less obnoxious for certain groups of the population, like children who have sensory disabilities or veterans who have PTSD. It also is for pets with owners who want to come with their pets out in public and not have to worry about the loud boom of a fireworks show.”
The drone show is paired with a community market the week before the Fourth on June 27.
“It’s a patriotic celebration. This year we’ll have 500 drones,” Tayor said. “We’ll fly a marketing flight that will feature the logos of all our community partners, and then we’ll have more music and an hour later, we’ll fly 500 drones. One hundred will feature non-explosive pyrotechnics that will be like sparklers that will give a better sense of what the show’s all about – patriotism and especially the 250th anniversary of the United States.”
Freedom Flight seeks to be sensitive to the entire population. Twenty thousand people are expected to see the show from various vantage points, double Rainbow City’s population.
The drone show will include two 15-minute segments.
“We’re really trying to appeal to the sensibility and the needs of the people who live here,” Taylor said. “You know, we have a lot of pet ownership. We have several rehabilitative services here that deal with children that have autism or different conditions that loud noise can cause a problem for them. People don’t like to use the word inclusive, but we’re trying to be inclusive to everyone in our celebration.”
Taylor got the idea for the drone event after seeing a similar show in Arizona.
“It’s a different type of show,” he said. “It’s something that’s pretty special, and it’s very, very unique.”
While 5,000 people will be in the area of Freedom Flight, the show will be visible for miles, Taylor said.
“We put the (patriotic music) on a local radio station, and you can see the show from inside your car or inside your house, depending on your line of sight,” Taylor said.
The event also has an educational component. The city’s Challenger Learning Center, which offers STEM learning, will give students a chance to have a close encounter with the science of drone technology on the afternoon before the show.
“They teach kids how to fly drones,” Taylor said. “It’s high-level technology.”
Rainbow City’s celebration will also feature food trucks and arts and crafts at the community market. Aside from food, drink and the arts and crafts, everything else is free.
Taylor takes pride in the drone event. A 17-year veteran of Army Special Forces, America’s 250th takes on a special significance.
“This country has done so much for me,” Taylor said. “We really do want to create a family-friendly environment where you can come out and enjoy a patriotic celebration with about 5,000 of your best friends.”
Lincoln’s Landing: Fishing and fireworks
No sports are more American than fishing and stock car racing. Lincoln, Alabama, is one of the capitals of both sports. The world’s best drivers compete annually at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, and the world’s best anglers cast for a trophy catch on the Coosa River.
So it goes without saying, Lincoln’s Landing is a hot spot to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. In fact, a fishing tournament will join a fireworks display as the marquee events to spark the Independence Day celebration.
Boats line Logan Martin just off shore from Lincon’s Landing
With all the celebrations on tap for the Coosa River region, Lincoln’s Landing wants to start the party early.
“We will have a decent-sized fishing tournament here on June 27. We’re also doing our fireworks show that day,” said Michael Morris, Lincoln’s Landing park director. “We usually have people out here all day, depending on if Angler’s Pointe (next door) is doing anything. People come over here and park and go visit over there. Some folks bring their grills. They try to make it a big day.”
The Lincoln’s Landing event will also include food trucks. Also 94.1 The River will provide music for the day and a patriotic soundtrack for the fireworks display.
Morris explained Lincoln’s Landing’s early start to the holiday fun.
“We look to do ours the week before just so that it works well for the fireworks company and works well for us,” Morris said. “Instead of having all the (area) fireworks shows in one weekend, you have them spread out, and we kind of pull the most people. We try to do it so that we have the best outcome and the most people can enjoy it with their families.”
The show is expected to last 20 to 30 minutes.
Morris, who has been with Lincoln’s Landing since the park’s earliest days, said the Independence Day celebration is “probably my favorite event” on the park calendar.”
Of all the events Lincoln’s Landing does, “I’d like to say the Fourth of July is my favorite because of the meaning behind it and the amount of people,” he said. “It’s not just the fishing tournament out here, but you see non-fishermen coming out here to enjoy the 39 acres that we sit on.”
The event draws anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people and that includes people that are on the water.
Because Lincoln’s Landing is on Logan Martin Lake’s main channel, Morris said, “I can see boats from bend to bend. They’re just all scattered. It’s a full house.”
Morris offered advice for first-time revelers at Lincoln’s Landing. “The main reason the place was built was for tournament fishermen,” Morris said. “But my goal is that we want everybody in our community to enjoy it. We don’t want anybody to say, ‘That’s a tournament fishing park. I can’t go out there and take my grandkids fishing off the pier. We want everyone to enjoy it, because without the community of the city of Lincoln, we wouldn’t be able to have this place. We want people to take pride in this place as I do.”
If the founders like John Adams could see what’s happening in Southside, Gadsden, Pell City and Lincoln, they’d no doubt smile.
To borrow a phrase that Statum brings to city hall every day – “Let’s sell the sizzle. We’re selling the sizzle in Southside. We want the people of Southside to have the quality of life they deserve.”
Calhoun County’s Year-Long Celebration
Residents in Calhoun County will get to stretch their celebrations of the two and a half centuries of American independence across multiple days.
Jacksonville starts the ball rolling July 3, at 6 p.m. at Jax Fest, with music, vendors, food trucks, games, fireworks and more.
Liberty at the Landing dedication April 23
Oxford follows up with the Freedom Festival at Oxford Lake and Civic Center July 4, with a day of family-friendly events capped off with a spectacular fireworks show.
And those are just two of the highlights of what promoters are calling a year-long event for the region.
“We have the opportunity to be part of the America 250AL initiative.We put together a committee and started the Calhoun County 250 effort,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center. “We have been working here with the Chamber, our mayors, local businesses and volunteers to be the hub for all things America 250 in Calhoun.”
The county officially kicked off the local movement in the national and state semiquincentennial celebrations with the planting of a Liberty Tree at the Chief Ladiga Landing on the landmark rails-to-trails project in Jacksonville. The planting took place in March, with countywide Liberty Tree Ceremony following on April 23.
“State and local officials, an honor guard, the Pledge, music and the reading of the Declaration of Independence were part of the event,” Dulaney said.
“The events surrounding the Liberty Tree have become a symbol for the efforts in Calhoun County because of what the tree symbolizes — the unity — because people from all across the county had to come to the table to collaborate to make it happen.”
Plans are for the Chief Ladiga Trail to play a key role in other events for the America250AL initiative, she said.
“Jacksonville is putting together the 250 Ladiga Freedom ride June 28. The ride will be 12.5 miles each way, starting and ending at Ladiga Landing, for a total of 25 miles in recognition of the 250th.”
Keeping that theme, the event starts at 2:50 p.m., and participants are invited to wear “their favorite red, white and blue clothing to celebrate America. Participation is free, no registration required,” the organizers’ Facebook page states.
“We are working with other cities on the trail to do similar events,” Dulaney said.
Dulaney sees the celebrations, including local education efforts about the historic importance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as a year-long event.
“It’s definitely a work in progress. It’s ongoing,” she said.
The committee and Chamber officials are looking at tying in America Gives to the America250AL efforts and Calhoun Gives, focusing on events around Veterans Day, among other options.
“This is the year of freedom. We want to celebrate that.”
New dining by the water options for Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Mackenzie Free
Lake residents often claim that if you live on Logan Martin, you’re lucky enough. Now residents and visitors alike can claim the luck of the Irish, too, as they celebrate the grand opening of a brand-new eatery pub establishment on Coosa Island.
In the location of the former Porky Pirates BBQ and Lakeside Grill, Oh Sherri Island Pub opened its doors just over a month ago. It is the second Oh Sherri location for owners Joel and Diana Wallace, whose original Moody location has been open for four years. A third location is set to open in Ohatchee in the next few weeks.
Blending the traditions of Irish cuisine and libations with the culture of the lakeside community, the new pub establishment will feature community-centered events, live Irish music and dance, and a variety of music by local artists from different genres.
Play games with friends while you wait for your food
“We will have essentially the same menu as our original location but will add a couple of specials for the lake, like shrimp, oysters or crab boil. And we’ll do Shepherd’s Pie, pulled pork sliders and Chicago or New York style hotdogs for boaters who want to get in and out fast,” says Joel. “We also plan to have a steam table with a hot bar where we can get you out quick, if that’s what you want.”
But the real beauty of a traditional Irish pub, the Wallaces say, is the no-rush atmosphere. “We want an atmosphere that if you want to you can just hang out,” says Joel.
Diana, a professor and director of first-year engineering curriculum at UAB, adds that they want their pub to be a place where you come to “decelerate from your day, meet new people, and go back to human interactions. Some restaurants want you to come in, eat, and go. We want you to spend time here.”
Maybe not everyone will know your name, but the Moody location regulars know they are welcome to stay, swap stories, relax and make new friends. New friendships created in the four years that location has been in business have resulted in four couples getting married after meeting each other there.
While that isn’t the model the Wallaces are necessarily going for, it speaks to their emphasis on relationship building through community and conversation.
The pub, which is accessible by water, offers a family-friendly atmosphere during the day and early evening, encouraging friends and families to play board games and cards around the table. Later evening hours are all about relaxing and enjoying the music with friends old and new. “It’s a place where you can come and relax and enjoy each other’s company,” says Joel.
The Wallaces are leasing the Coosa Island property from Matthew Kronen, who also owns the docks. The docks, which can accommodate 21 boats, are in the final stages of being completely rebuilt.
Owners Joel and Diana Wallace on deck at Oh Sherri’s
“We’ve fabricated the steel frames, added new wood and new posts,” says Kronen. “We’ve probably over-engineered it. But it should be ready well before the water comes up.” They’ve also simplified the docking process by removing the large boats and yachts that had previously been moored at the docks.
The Wallaces have renovated the inside, removed the oversized picnic tables and exchanged them for smaller, more intimate and flexible table arrangements. With a small army of volunteers and staff, they’ve redone the walls, seating areas and ceilings, making it feel warmer and more intimate. “We had a lot of help from a lot of people,” Joel said, adding that the goal was to create an authentic Irish pub feel.
Opening an Irish pub was the dream Joel’s dad, Frank Wallace, shared with him. Growing up in Chicago, Joel was close to his father and shared a love of sports, particularly the Chicago Bears. Having lost a sister when she was three years old and before he was born, Joel grew up hearing stories about Sherri, never having known her. When father and son talked about opening a pub, the plan was always to call it Oh Sherri (a nod to her impetuous behavior to which her parents would frequently respond with an exasperated “Oh, Sherri…”)
After coaching men’s soccer for 30 years, Joel opened the Moody pub and named it for his sister. “We’ve always believed that Sherri was our guardian angel,” Joel says. “Her picture will be on the wall of each of our locations.”
Because of his coaching background, Joel admits to running his businesses like a sports team. “We want to be organized and disciplined,” he says. “If things don’t go just right, you adjust as necessary and do the best you can. Honestly, it’s about just being really organized and being honest.”
Joel and Diana have a lot of practice being organized, as a blended family of 12. They have 10 children between them, with four grandchildren under the age of 6. “Speaking of family, we want to be a family-friendly, respectful place,” Joel says. “We know we’ll have to adjust our closing times for the lake. We put family first.”
The Ohatchee pub will be half a mile from Neely Henry dam at the corner of Highway 144 and Highway 77 at the former River Grill location. All three locations will be running St. Patrick’s Day specials throughout March.
A noted Irish Proverb says, “If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.” This month, or any month for that matter, we can all be lucky enough to support the new pub on the lake. You can follow them on Facebook at Ohsherriislandpub.a lot of other folks, learn who they are and who their businesses are. If they haven’t been here before, come check us out. If they have, come back and see what’s new this year.”
Where there’s smoke, there’s championship barbecue. At least that’s the menu for April 3-4 at Smoke on the Falls Noccalula Barbecue Competition weekend.
Smoke on the Falls is back at the Noccalula Falls Campground in 2026 with the Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified barbecue contests pitting 60 plus teams through the Professional and Backyard division.
A children’s division is also a part of the competition.
It will be held at Noccalula Campground and is earning a national reputation through its affiliation with KCBS.
