Pieces of our past remain on the Coosa River

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Mackenzie Free
Submitted Photos

For most of us, life along the Coosa River is pretty peaceful. Whether we’re headed out to wet a line or just cruise around in the pontoon boat, we probably don’t think much about the bold warriors and soldiers who needed this water to survive. Nor do we envision the battles that took place near the water’s edge. Few reminders of those battles remain today.

Control of waterways and water crossings was a prize to be won in many skirmishes, as was the case in 1864 in the Battle of Ten Islands. The engagement ended badly for the Confederate troops when, vastly outnumbered by the Union forces, they tried valiantly to keep the opposing forces from crossing the Coosa River at the Ten Islands Ford.

Today, the importance of this battle is commemorated at Ten Islands Historical Park in Ragland. A historical marker looking out over the water just north of Neely Henry Dam reminds observers of the history made there.

Union General William Sherman had ordered Major General Lovell Rousseau to lead a raid into Alabama with the mission of destroying the railroad that connected Montgomery to Opelika. If he could destroy that section of rail, he could disrupt the supplies to the Confederate army.

His secondary mission, Rousseau was told, was to destroy any ironworks or furnaces that made weapons along his route.

On the Confederate side, Brigadier General James H. Clanton and a cavalry of 300 were charged with protecting both Janney Furnace and nearby Cane Creek Furnace and keeping Rousseau and his band of 2,300 raiders from crossing the Coosa River. Rousseau’s raiders persevered and were able to defeat Clanton’s men. Having found out the location of the two furnaces, Rousseau sent a detail to destroy them both.

“Rousseau picked Captain Ed Ruger and told him to burn down Janney Furnace and any buildings that supported it,” tells Janney Museum Director Tom Norton, describing events leading up to the attack. “After he burned the place down, he wrapped the small chimney in dynamite and blew it up, too.”

The raiders destroyed the Cane Creek Furnace, but only destroyed the infrastructure of the Janney Furnace. What remains today is what didn’t get burned or blown up. That they didn’t completely destroy the stone structure supports the theory that the Janney Furnace was not fully functional at the time of the attack.

The furnace had just been constructed and was likely not quite ready for production. What businessman Alfred Janney had built, hoping to produce 15 tons of pig iron per day, likely did not have a chance to support the Confederate war effort at all.

That theory would later be supported in a 2006 study of Janney’s 50-foot high remaining stone structure. Jacksonville State University Professor Emeritus Dr. Harry Holstein led a study of the ground in and around the hearth.

“We didn’t find any evidence of charring or burning on the bricks,” said Holstein. “That, coupled with not finding any slag or sand on the casting floor, indicated that it was highly unlikely that the furnace had ever produced any pig iron at all.”

After being destroyed by Rousseau’s Raiders, anything left at the Janney Furnace was hauled away or sold for scrap. In the 140 years that followed, the stone structure was nearly reclaimed by the earth. When Calhoun County Commissioner Eli Henderson helped to establish the Janney restoration project, the furnace was so hidden by overgrowth, that it could barely be seen.

“It was really covered with vines, kudzu, poison ivy and pine trees,” said Holstein. “Eli Henderson really pushed the effort to reclaim the furnace and highlight the history that was made there.”

It since has been cleaned up and is now able to be seen at the site of the Janney Furnace Museum on Janney Road in Ohatchee. A monument erected on the site pays homage to local soldiers who died in the Civil War. Visitors can also see a one-room log cabin like one that would have been in the Janney Furnace workers village.

The Daniels House was built in 1843 and was heavily damaged in a deadly tornado in 2011. It was disassembled and moved five miles to its location near the furnace.

Commissioner Henderson was also a champion in the effort to save another local piece of history. Barely five miles from the Janney Furnace is the site of a military fort that was instrumental in the Creek Indian War of 1813-14. It is overgrown by weeds and woods and all but lost to history now.

Less than a mile from Henry Neely Dam, a simple engraved rock now commemorates the significance of Fort Strother, the first military installation ever built in what is now Alabama.

The Battle of Tallushatchee and the Battle of Talladega might have ended very differently had it not been for this fort built by General Andrew Jackson in 1813. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh was rallying tribes to resist the expansion of the United States into Native American lands.

General Jackson was sent to Alabama to stop Chief Tecumseh’s warriors who were intent on driving out the frontier settlers there.

On a hill overlooking the Coosa, just past the Ten Island Ford, he built Fort Strother, a supply base and forward command post that served to support the efforts in America’s battle with the Creek faction known as the Red Sticks. From this base, he planned to launch attacks against nearby Red Stick villages.

One such attack took place Nov. 3, 1813, when Jackson sent Brigadier General John Coffee and 900 of his troops 10 miles southeast of the fort to destroy the Creek village of Tallushatchee.

Among those troops was a well-known frontiersman named Davy Crockett, serving in the Tennessee militia. By the end of the day, nearly 200 Creek had fallen at the hands of the American force, which logged it as their first military victory of the war.

Six days later, General Jackson marched from Fort Strother to Talladega to help Coffee win the Battle of Talladega. The two wins at Tallushatchee and Talladega caused considerable casualties for the Red Sticks, which set up for an American victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Tallapoosa County the following March.

After General Jackson marched on toward New Orleans to defend the city in 1814, the fort was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

Archaeologists from Jacksonville State and the University of Alabama have studied the site, as recently as 1999, revealing hundreds of artifacts. Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), the team noted the location of at least 60 pinch-toed coffins aligned in military fashion.

“There are actually 80 marble headstones sitting somewhere in Ragland, last I knew,” said Holstein. “Local historians had raised the money to purchase headstones for those soldiers buried there. But the restoration never got off the ground. You can’t just identify the graves and then not protect the cemetery.”

Despite the fort being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, proposals to have it reclaimed and rebuilt have proven too costly and, so far, not a high priority.

Today, what remains of the fort is hidden in dense woods, along with the unmarked graves of soldiers who died there. The campaign to reclaim the fort seems to have died with the passing of its champion, Henderson, in 2020.

These relics of war, some well preserved and others shrouded in the growth of years of neglect, sit as a reminder that our waters have not always been a place of peace and tranquility. Our comfortable homes and businesses are built on the bravery of those who walked these shorelines before us. l

Editor’s Note: You can learn more at the Janney Furnace Museum in Ohatchee.  www.janneyfurnace.org

A lesson in patience and perseverance

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Richard Rybka
Submitted Photos

Quinten Edward Lumpkin had a vision.  He believed in family, community, the Golden Rule and the American dream.  It was his vision that eventually led to a beautiful development of seaside-inspired homes on the shores of the Coosa River.  Though he would never see the first home built, the lighthouse on the peninsula was built with him in mind.

He only had $21 to his name when “Buck,” as he’d been called since childhood, came home from the Navy in 1948.  When he didn’t find a job in his hometown of Gadsden, he figured he’d just open his own business. 

He found a storefront in downtown Gadsden that he could rent for $12.75 a month.  Not wanting to use more than half the cash he had to live on, he got his brother-in-law to co-sign on a $150 loan.   With that, he opened an engine repair and sales shop that evolved into Buck’s Boats. 

The old storefront location didn’t work for long, though, as there was no rollup door to bring in merchandise.  They had to turn boats on their sides to fit them through the standard doorway.  It was so small that only three aluminum boats would fit inside, with enough extra room for five or six outboard motors. 

They moved to a former Buick dealership, which gave them more space, but still only 10 boats fit in the showroom.  In 1969, Buck borrowed enough money to purchase 13 acres on the shores of the Coosa River.  He had sold his home to help raise the deposit on the property, so he and his wife, Pauline, had a partially sunken houseboat dredged up and pulled to the property. 

They cleaned it up and lived there while they figured out how to fund the building of the store.  The boats were sold and serviced under a revival tent they got when an evangelist, who was one of their customers, fell behind on his boat payments and offered the tent as a partial payment. 

Always the creative thinker, Buck saw his chance to fund his building when he read an ad in the newspaper of a Gadsden foundry seeking bids to demolish their building.  He bid $10. 

The next lowest bid was $56,000 from a construction company.  The foundry owner refused Buck’s bid, thinking he would likely not have the means to complete the work on time. 

Undaunted, Buck took out a bond for $56,000 to protect the owner and completed the demolition with two weeks to spare.  Then he took the parts and reassembled it on his own 13-acre plot of land.

After a 17-year career with Mercury Motors, Buck’s son, Tony, bought the business in 1989 and renamed it Buck’s Island.  Now located just minutes from the shores of Neely Henry Lake, it boasts a staff of 33. 

Three generations of the family are now involved in the business.  Mary, his wife of 32 years, runs the day-to-day operations.  Their daughter Katie is in the sales department, while another daughter, Angela, runs the service department with her master technician husband, Israel. 

“As a kid, I loved being here as much as I do now,” says Angela.  “I remember wandering around in the old attic space and seeing things brought back from other countries by my grandfather.”  She also remembers the fun of jumping from boat to boat in the showroom, a love that her own daughter now shares.

Tony, too, grew up spending his days with his dad at the business.  “We didn’t have money for daycare,” explains Tony.  “Mom worked in the sales tax office for the State of Alabama, so I’d come to work every day with Dad until I started school.  He took a broom one day, cut the handle in half and handed it to me and said to get to work.  I helped in the business all the way through high school.” 

One day after he had earned a degree in industrial design from Auburn University, Tony asked his dad how he had learned his business skills.  “I knew my dad had quit school in the 8^th grade to support his mother and sisters after his dad died.   So I said, ‘Dad, how’d you learn to run a business?’  He said, ‘Son, I learned in Sunday school.  I learned that if you treat customers the way you want to be treated, you’ll never want for business.’ ” 

That Golden Rule philosophy still drives the business today.  “We do a lot of business – about 10 times the business the average boat dealer does.  What that means is that we have more stock than most,” explains Tony.  “We also don’t sell boats.  We help facilitate people in buying a boat and guide them through the process.  We try to step into the customer’s shoes and have empathy with the customer.  We just treat them like we’d want to be treated.”

Yet another vision

So what does Buck’s Island, the boat sales and service business, have to do with Buck’s Island, the housing development?  In short, it was Buck’s dream from the time he purchased the land that one day he would move the boat business to build homes on the water’s edge. 

“My dad had told me about his vision of building homes on the 13 acres whenever city water was available.  We had to get new zoning regulations passed to allow the houses to be built the way we wanted,” said Tony. 

He partnered with a builder and in 2000, built the first 10 houses in what they called Harbor Point, a peninsula on the grounds of the property.  Three years later, they moved the boat business to a temporary rental building in Rainbow City so they could tear down the building to make room for the rest of the subdivision on the 13-acre plot. 

As they were building the new housing on the property, they began building their new boat showroom and service center in a new location on Highway 77.  The highway location has provided greater visibility and boosted their business.

The builder has almost completed the last home on the Buck’s Island development, capping the number at 47 homes.  The lighthouse Tony built to draw attention to the property on the banks of the Coosa is also a tribute to the man who inspired the development of the brightly colored waterfront homes. 

He loved visiting the Caribbean islands and guided Tony in planning the development.  “He said to make everyone feel like they’re on vacation when they come home every day,” explains Tony.  Sadly, Buck passed away in 1993 before seeing his vision become reality.

What Buck started with his $150 investment has fueled a deeply rooted passion for giving back to community.  Buck’s Island sponsors Fish Fest, a day of fishing and seminars, and sponsors more than 40 high school fishing teams.  “They’re our future,” Mary underscores. 

Editor’s Note:  You can find Buck’s Island at 4500 Hwy 77.  Their inventory includes Bentley and Crest pontoon boats, as well as Skeeter, G3, Avid, Falcon and RescueONE Connector Boats.  They’ve also added fishing kayaks and a tackle shop.

See a need and fill it

Buck’s earns worldwide reputation for first-responder boat

Story by Roxann Edsall

Coming up with a product that is sold worldwide and helps first responders to be safer and more efficient is something to be proud of.  Southside native and business owner, Tony Lumpkin, is profoundly thankful for such an opportunity. 

He developed a boat that will connect together with others to build a large floating platform of any shape or size.  The design is particularly useful for water rescues, recoveries, dive operations and flood evacuations.

Called RescueONE Connector Boats, they are virtually impossible to tip over when connected, according to Lumpkin.  Sold by his Marine One Corporation and assembled at Buck’s Island, the boats are used by emergency rescue teams worldwide.  “They’re all over the world and in every state except Alaska,” says Lumpkin.  “The Thailand navy has 105 of them, Philippines has 35.  We sell about 100 of them a year.” 

The idea got started in 1992 when two guys from the Calhoun County Rescue Squad came in to Buck’s Island looking at jon boats for their rescue operation.  “They couldn’t find anything that fit their needs,” explains Lumpkin. 

“So I listened to what they did and even went out with them on a rescue operation so I could understand what they needed.  Then I worked on designing one for them.” 

The boats are specially designed to hook together through an interlocking frame design.  Figure eight lashings give the connection added stability.  Add-ons include a retractable dive platform, a portable fire pump and a stacked boat trailer that can haul two connector boats at the same time.

“In many cases, volunteer rescue squads give their own time to give families closure,” tells Lumpkin.  “If I can make something to make their jobs a little easier, I’m happy to do it.”

River Rocks Landing Resort & Venue

Story by Elaine Hobson Miller

Photos by Mackenzie Free

Traffic rolls by the faded sign on I-759 East in Gadsden, the drivers completely unaware of the oasis that lies below. Just off Exit 4B, on the banks of the muddy Coosa, 20 acres of peace and tranquility lie accessible by boat or vehicle.

River Rocks Landing Resort is a little bit of heaven tucked away near a busy city, so close to downtown Gadsden that you can see city hall from the front porch of its office building.

“Look at this view,” says Stacey Windom of Rainbow City, waving toward the river, where a great egret has just taken off with a fish in its mouth. Windom is seated at the bar of the campground’s latest addition, Current Market & Deli, enjoying a pizza. “This campground has all the amenities: pool, water, walkways. This summer, I watched the bass tournament as boats went up and down the river. I camp here a lot with my family, and I bring folks here for dinner, because it’s so convenient.”

As if to illustrate the campground’s amenities, a woman pedals by Current on a bicycle, while a couple strolls hand in hand on one of the gravel paths. Even though it’s September, another woman drops her towel onto a lounge chair by the pool, enjoying the remaining warm days of summer. Overhead, interstate traffic whizzes by, but the woman at the pool can barely hear it. If she were at the back of the campground, she wouldn’t hear the traffic at all.

In weather like this, you might find campground manager Carson Dabbs in a rocking chair on that office porch, his laptop on his knees and a notepad open on the porch railing in front of him, next to a Bluetooth speaker connected to Spotify.

“People don’t understand how nice it is here,” says Dabbs, who lives on the property with his wife and two preschool daughters. “It’s secluded, but it’s so close to some of the best food in the state and shopping, too. We’re family-friendly and a home away from home. I greet folks when they come in because I know them.”

One reason he knows them is that so many return year after year for a weekend or a week, and a few even stay there permanently. Formerly known as River Country Landing, the campground has existed almost 30 years. The old sign is still visible from U.S. 759, and it still says River Country, although the letters are faded. River Rocks plans to redo it this fall.

“We changed hands three years ago,” says Dabbs. “The widow of the original owner ran it after her husband died but was ready to retire. The owner now is Wes Long of Guntersville. He also has a new Fairfield Inn in Albertville and a Hampton Inn in Guntersville and Jacksonville.”

River Rocks has 169 campsites, including the tiny houses and rental camper, along with a boat dock. Then there is the Banana House, a three-story building on the point that earned its nickname because it’s yellow and is surrounded by banana trees. The five-bedroom house, with its wide porches, looks like something from a travel brochure of a Caribbean resort. It sleeps 10 and has its own boat dock. The point itself can be rented for weddings and other special events.

The campground’s main dock has 28 slips, some rented by the year, others by the day, almost all of them rented by campers. The latter come in all ages. A lot of them are locals, but many come from surrounding states such as Georgia and Tennessee. “A group comes down from Canada every year,” Dabbs says. “Our name is beginning to spread among campers. Word of mouth is most of the advertising.”

Long has added to and improved the campground’s amenities. There are now three swimming pools, including an infinity pool (its edge appears to blend with the river); a 4-foot-deep heated pool and a kiddie pool that’s connected to a splash pad. He also added the restaurant, seven tiny houses and a camper for rent.

“We’ve also just opened up our tree house, which sleeps six, and includes a mother-in-law bedroom downstairs,” Dabbs points out.

The tiny houses, built by Clayton Homes of Addison are brought in on wheels and stay on wheels. Some have lofts just tall enough for kids to sleep in. Each tiny house has a name, such as the Sunset House. A small chapel on the riverbank seats 20. A local church started a Sunday service there but had to move it to a room in the office building to accommodate the number of worshippers.

A new basketball court is behind the children’s playground. Several community firepits are scattered about the grounds, along with picnic tables and wooden swings under tall shade trees. The swing facing the water near the restaurant is Dabbs’ favorite spot.

CurrentMarket & Deli opened in March and features pizzas, a catfish po’ boy and Dabbs’ personal favorite, loaded fries. It’s open seven days a week  serves breakfast on weekends, and is accessible to non-campers who park outside the gate via a gravel path. In addition, boats can tie up at the small dock next to the market and enter from the river.

“Jessica and Jason Wilson, Chris and Christi Robinson are partners in the restaurant,” Dabbs says. “Chris owns Blackstone Pub & Eatery, and Jason started Back Forty Beer Company, both in downtown Gadsden. Jason also owns Coldwater Mountain Pub in Anniston.” Jessica is Current’s manager.

Dining space for about 50 people is available inside or on the deck, where a fan keeps the breezes blowing on warm days. Each morning, a family of ducks, including both parents and five ducklings, preens under a weeping willow tree next to the river, across the path from Current. They’re waiting on the lunch crowd to toss them their scraps and are known to follow diners down the path toward their cars.

“We have to make use of all our space, so we built a patio over the storm shelters next to Current,” says Dabbs, explaining more of the campground’s amenities. “In spring and fall, we have live music on the patio, weather permitting, usually Friday or Saturday night, sometimes both during holidays. We feature local groups.” The music most requested by campers and diners is traditional country and Southern rock from the 70s and 80s.

Those who attended Riverfest the first day of October were treated to some of those styles of music. Drake White, a traditional country singer who grew up in Hokes Bluff, entertained the crowd. So did Anderson East from Athens, a blues and Americana musician who was nominated for a Grammy Award in the American Roots category in 2019. Sponsored for many years by the city of Gadsden, the festival had a small version as a test run last year at River Rocks.

“It rained all weekend last year, but we took it on the chin and decided to really go after it this year. It went really well. We had about 1,500 people to turn out for the music, food trucks, arts & crafts and entertainment. Buffalo Rock and River Rocks were the primary sponsors, but we had 10-12 smaller ones, too.”

Another entertainment venue for River Rocks is its annual Drive-Through Christmas Lights display. Beginning Thanksgiving night, the grounds will be open after dark for cars to drive through and view the colorful lights, Nativity scene, blow-ups and animated characters. The cost is $3 for children and $5 for adults.

Dabbs’ daughters, two-year-old Raelynn, and Baeleigh, who will be five at the end of October, consider River Rocks Landing their personal playground and all the guests they meet their friends. “We’ll be driving through, and Baeleigh will say, ‘Daddy, there’s people in my pool,’” he says, grinning like a proud daddy. “Here, everyone is her friend. Both my daughters love it when we turn on the Christmas lights.”

Story by Loyd McIntosh
Photos by Meghan Frondorf

“Paddleboards are like a surfboard. Nose at the front, tail at the back. The most stable part is the middle of the board where the handle is at, so that’s where you’ll stand up.”

Carrie Machen, co-owner of GadRock, a rock climbing and paddleboarding facility located on the banks of the Coosa River in Gadsden, is explaining the basics of paddleboarding to this newbie. The sun is finally peeking out from behind the clouds on a day that began with a storm producing sheets of rain of Old Testament proportions.

Convinced that the weather is safe for a little paddleboarding, Machen continues her instructions. “Now the paddle. You want that blade to angle away from your body, you want one hand at the top of the handle, one halfway down the shaft,” she says.

“The most dangerous part of the handles is the ‘T’ part, so be sure that you’ve got a hand on that paddle at all times,” Machen explains, making a special point to emphasize that the upward thrust of the paddle as it moves through the water could force it to pop up and smack the rider in the chops if he/she isn’t careful. Unlikely to happen? Sure. Unpleasant when it does happen? Absolutely.

“The stroke is bending at the waist and thinking about pulling your body to your paddle. You want your paddle to be pretty straight,” Machen continues. “The paddle goes in as far as you can get with that stretch, bend at the waist, and it comes out at your feet. As you come back past your feet, you’re pushing the nose of the board into the water.”

Following a few more minutes of demonstration on dry land, it’s time to toss the paddleboards over and jump into the water. For the next hour, we paddle along the Coosa River, parallel to I-759, the laid-back gurgling of the water drowning out the traffic on the busy interstate.

Before there was a paddleboard, there was a vision

Gadsden native Carrie Machen and a friend, Kate Wilson, initially conceived GadRock as an indoor climbing gym to support the growing rock-climbing community in Northeast Alabama and to promote the sport to a new generation. Machen also gained an interest in paddling sports while attending Auburn University and envisioned GadRock as a place to introduce the region to the joys of paddle sports.

“I took a kayaking class at Auburn and kind of fell in love with paddling on the water. I’m not hardcore like a lot of people, but I do enjoy being out on the water,” Machen says.

“At first, I thought about kayaks but then I tried stand-up paddling for myself, and I loved it,” she adds. “There’s freedom in it. You can stand up or sit down on your boards and they’re lighter in weight than kayaks.” Machen went on to explain the many options in stand-up paddleboards, from entry-level recreational boards, competition boards, boards designed for fishing, and even inflatable boards which can be inflated and deflated quickly and are a cinch to travel with. “The inflatable paddleboards are very easy to transport. I’ve flown with mine before,” says Machen.

Machen has been a certified paddleboard instructor for the past five years and enjoys introducing the sport to newcomers of all ages. While it may seem like a complicated activity to master, Machen says it’s quite simple once you get the hang of it. The most difficult aspects are learning to stand up on the board, which is optional by the way, and learning to climb back on the board when – not if – you fall into the water.

“Some people are a little intimidated by it,” Machen says. “They think they’re going to fall in. You do fall in, but that’s no big deal. “Maybe a little bit intimidating, but it shouldn’t be because it’s not a hard sport to learn.” 

Although based in Etowah County, Machen is familiar with the waterways of the surrounding areas, including Henry Neely and Logan Martin lakes, and says both are well-suited for paddleboarding.

Part of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, a 650-mile-long trail through many of Alabama’s major rivers, including the Coosa River, Neely Henry and Logan Martin are points along the trail and offer paddleboarders unique opportunities for exploring the diverse and fascinating wildlife throughout the area.

“There are points along the trail in our area on Neely Henry and Logan Martin where there are islands in the water and you can camp,” Machen explained. “There’s a lot of boat traffic in some places, but if you stay close to the shore it’s not a big deal.

“The Creeks are a lot of fun to explore,” she added. “Sometimes instead of going out to Neely Henry, which is fun to do, I like to go in the creeks that feed into Neely Henry and explore those. They are full of wildlife – herons, egrets, cormorants, turtles, bald eagles – and you’re able to get into some of the areas that you can’t get into with a kayak or a canoe.”

Meanwhile, back at the paddleboard lesson

After a spectacularly clumsy and downright hilarious fall into the water during an attempt to stand up, this rookie paddleboarder decided to experience the rest of the adventure on his knees. It doesn’t take long before some basics of paddling, turning and stopping are mastered.

We paddle toward a small island, thick with green vegetation and pine trees, where a flock of white gulls mills about in the marsh. Clearly used to Machen and other paddleboarders, only a handful of these large, graceful, white birds fly off as we paddle closer.

After a few minutes of birdwatching and enjoying the relative silence in the middle of the inlet, we turn our boards around and paddle to the dock – back to the hectic, busyness of dry land.

What’s SUP?

SUP is the acronym for Stand Up Paddleboard, and GadRock features special SUP tour packages designed for beginners, nature lovers, even yoga and fitness versions.

The SUP Eco Tour teams paddlers with knowledgeable guides to learn more about Lake Gadsden’s wildlife, tributaries and historic lore. “Sunset tours are especially fun!,” according to its website.

Beginners are welcome for the SUP Intro Tour. Make sure your techniques are correct and learn the basics en route to more advanced tours available.

Yoga on a paddleboard? That’s right.  This tour combines the basics of paddling and an hour of practicing “balance, control and mindfulness.”

What a way to stay in shape with the SUP Fitness Tour. It’s quite a workout focusing on paddling and control, speed, stretching, strength and balance.

Want something a little more laid back? Try the SUP & SIP Tour – a sunset exploration of tributary creeks and wildlife. A relaxing atmosphere, music and a complimentary beverage holder contribute to the ambience of the evening on the water. And if you want to imbibe, BYOB.

Story by Katie Bohannon
Photos by Mackenzie Free

Summer 2022 proved sweeter for the City of Southside as the village on the Coosa debuted its highly anticipated waterfront park. Lovingly coined Southside Landing, the park beckoned residents and visitors to its pristine property on May 1 – and it has been smooth sailing ever since.

Residents frequented Southside Landing this summer, as the community embraced the waterfront park with an enthusiastic celebration of the city’s latest attraction. From boaters and fishermen enjoying the river to children laughing on the playground, people treasure the new jewel on the Coosa each day.

Southside Landing offers a little reprieve for everyone, including a boat launch, pier, playground, picnic tables and restrooms. Blackstone Bait Shack – a tangent of local beloved restaurant Blackstone Pub & Eatery – is in the process of opening soon.

The concept for Southside Landing arose when the previous mayoral administration took the initiative to purchase property for a boat launch, pier, bait shack and boat slips. When current mayor, Dana Snyder, entered her new position, she began discussing the plans formerly in place as one of her top priorities – determining to finish the park and open the space to the public.

“Southside Landing is the gateway to our city,” said Snyder. “It is a place to gather, play, read, relax, exercise and eat – any day of the week. It offers residents and visitors alike a place to enjoy our beautiful river and soon, a place to hang out, with food and drinks! We will continue to improve it yearly.”

Snyder elaborated on these potential improvements, describing the growth she envisions for the space and Southside overall. She foresees future developments on the horizon, including further retail establishments and restaurants, alongside additions to the playground or walking trail.

She hopes to incorporate outdoor exercise equipment in different spots along the path for all ages to enjoy as a motivating factor for children and adults alike to practice healthy habits and exercise outdoors. Purchasing shades to cover the existing playground and the patio at Blackstone Bait Shack emerge as another endeavor. And Snyder is discussing plans for a possible kayak launch on the Landing’s back side, to provide easy access to present kayakers, while sparking an interest in the activity in others.

As locals soak in the sunshine during summer months and indulge in the recreation at their fingertips at Southside Landing, Snyder shared that the waterfront park transcends seasonal appeal. With city- and county-organized events scheduled from month to month, Southside Landing holds the potential to become a beloved tourist destination in Etowah County year-round.

Small tournaments have already launched from the Landing, with the city’s first sponsored tournament debuting on Sept. 17. Plans for Southside’s collaborative Christmas Boat Parade, hosted alongside Rainbow City, is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 10.

Southside on the move

Southside Landing marks the beginning of a “New Southside,” according to Snyder, who discussed how the park intwines with the city’s innovative progress. As Southside Landing attracts tourism and creates a safe, pleasant space for residents, Snyder and her team strive to implement updates citywide.

With the incentive of providing better and more efficient services to citizens and businesses, Southside recently upgraded its city’s software and procedures, including a pay scale that offers more incentive for employees.

A paving project – affecting over 30 city roads – is almost complete, coinciding with the city’s plans for initiating its own garbage service.

A new fire station, which will accommodate the growing need of health and safety services and establish a place for the city’s first responders to serve residents and businesses is in the works.

Next is the expansion of Southside’s police department. Snyder announced that Southside almost has completed its strategic plan, which will provide the city and its officials with essential information in designing blueprints for future development and boosting economic success.

By improving its infrastructure and services, Snyder said, Southside will be ready for the future growth that is expected throughout its city in the near future.

“Southside Landing is here for residents’ use, because of the hard work of the past and present administrations,” said Snyder, noting that the efforts of dedicated individuals who understood the park’s significance and brought such success to fruition.

“The past administration took an opportunity presented to them and purchased the land with a vision for development of a boat launch and facility to provide public access to the Coosa River – our biggest asset for tourism and citizens. We want everyone to enjoy the park and have fun, while taking pride in Southside Landing and treating it with respect.”

Snyder welcomed the community to experience Southside Landing for themselves, celebrating the improvements taking place throughout the city and looking forward to those yet to come.

She invited residents and interested individuals to share their thoughts with her on the project, noting that her open-door policy remains intact, as does her passion for the lovely city she calls home.