Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Mackenzie Free, Graham Hadley and submitted
Move over pontoons, bass boats and other lake and river-faring vessels. Thereâs a couple of new watercrafts navigating their way around these parts this summer.
On Neely Henry, that distant tune reminiscent of ice cream trucks and days gone by is actually coming from an ice cream boat, which launches and regularly âpatrolsâ Neely Henry Lake.
On the Coosa River in Gadsden, youâll find a parade of dragons, ducks and swans floating by at Coosa Landing â a fleet of pedal boats the city has launched for renting this summer.
Greg and Peggie Watson offering tasty memories on the lake
The ice cream boat is the creation of Greg and Peggie Watson, Ashville residents who saw a need and filled it. Greg is a retired sheriffâs investigator, and Peggie works for the district attorneyâs office.
âThere really isnât much on Henry Neely as far as food, etc., unless you go to Southside or Gadsden,â explained Greg. âWe know it gets hot on the lake, and people need some relief. So, we decided to provide a unique and fun way to help them with ice cream. Thatâs where the ice cream boat idea came from.â
The boatâs 11-foot ice cream flag is hard to miss. So is the ice cream truck song that plays continuously. Boaters and those on dockside have been lining up for a tasty respite from the summer heat.
âPeople on the docks can hear us coming,â Greg said. âWe have met some really great people. We had some people that actually messaged and asked for our location this last weekend. We were near Southside. They came from all the way from Ragland Dam and tracked us down.
âThey said they wanted the ice cream and were looking for us all day. They also had a furry friend with them that devoured the pup cup ice cream from us.â
Hershey ice cream is the main provider for their ice cream. They use real cream. âSo, the taste is by far the best out of all the ice cream in my opinion,â Greg noted. âWe do have another vendor where we get some of the specialty ice cream like Batman, Tweety Bird, and Kung Fu panda. So, itâs the peopleâs choice on what they want. The funny part is that more adults than kids want the ice cream.â
Meanwhile, Coosa Landingâs new pedal boats are getting quite a workout as are the people who power them. Each boat fits up to five people, and they pedal their way to fun in the sun on the water.
âWe are excited to offer families and friends something fun and safe to do together this summer while enjoying the great outdoors in Gadsden,â said Mayor Craig Ford.
You can rent the boats at Coosa Landing bait shop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You must be at least 18 years old and provide identification. Life jackets are required, and the city has some available. The rental fee is $20 up to one hour. For more hours, it costs $15 after the initial $20.
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Graham Hadley Submitted Photos
Unusual, exciting, bold ⊠all positive terms for the adventurer. If you seek exciting escapades, exhilarating exploits or prodigious pursuits, the Gadsden area is a place you should check out.
With a renewed passion for sharing all the area has to offer, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism invites adventure-seekers of all levels to explore their expansive list of upcoming cultural, recreational and adventure-filled special events.
âAdventure Begins Hereâ is the new tourism slogan, one which is punctuated by events like the annual Barbarian Challenge. The six-mile race is scheduled for June 15 through rugged terrain, including 20 obstacles and through the gorge of the 90-foot waterfall at Noccalula Falls.
Noccalula Falls
If thatâs not to your liking, then maybe the thrill of finding treasures in the Worldâs Longest Yard Sale is a better fit. Held the first weekend of August, this 690-mile odyssey offers six states worth of pre-owned plunder stretching from Gadsden to Hudson, Michigan.
The cityâs most well-known treasure is the 500-acre Noccalula Falls Park, situated at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. The parkâs iconic falls are prominently featured in the new Greater Gadsden Area tourism logo.
Activities beyond viewing the falls include camping, mountain biking, mini golf, fly fishing, a petting zoo, a miniature train, botanical gardens, Veteransâ Park and a wedding chapel. They host an art event twice a year called âArt on the Rocks,â the next one scheduled for September. At this event you can view and purchase all types of art and craft items.
âChristmas at the Falls,â featuring over a million lights illuminating the park, drew over 80,000 visitors this past year, opening on Thanksgiving night and running through New Yearâs Eve.
Attracting visitors to the greater Gadsden area to spend one or more nights is the goal of the tourism board, whose website touts the cityâs offerings as âboundless opportunities for outdoor recreation.â Funded through the lodging tax, the tourism board is celebrating its 15th year of existence promoting the greater Gadsden area, which, in addition to Gadsden, includes Rainbow City, Southside, Attalla, Glencoe, Hokes Bluff, Sardis City, and Altoona.
Executive Director of the Greater Gadsden Area Tourism Tina Morrison came to the job less than a year ago from a similar position in Athens, Alabama. The nameplate on her desk reads, âTina Morrison, Magic Maker,â and she makes it a priority to live up to that.
She traveled the world with an engineering and construction firm for 10 years before returning to the United States and taking a job in Perdido Key, Fla., as their chamber and visitorâs center executive director.
Downtown carriage tours
Six weeks after taking the Perdido job, she was mitigating a crisis caused by a huge oil spill, which seriously threatened the tourism industry. She secured a $1 million grant and led a campaign called âThe Coast Is Clear,â which helped people see the conditions of the beach. âWe would go across the street every single day and take video of the beach and post it on the website.â That effort was a major victory for tourism in the Perdido area.
Morrison brings that same enthusiasm and head-on problem solving to Etowah County. She got right to work in Gadsden, developing the new logo and branding following the ribbon cutting on their new location on Broad Street. They are in the downtown civic center, a building which also houses the City of Gadsden Parks and Recreation department and the cityâs event rental office.
âWeâre also working on a brand-new visitorâs guide,â says Morrison. âIt will have less text, more pictures, and lots of QR codes. Youâll be able to click on the QR code and immediately get more information about that event or restaurant. Information to make a visitorâs stay more complete and enjoyable will be just a click away.â
The Alabama Department of Tourism has declared 2024 the Year of Alabama Food. âTo promote that, weâve produced an awesome print ad promoting area food establishments and are working on some special restaurant events in August,â adds Morrison. âWeâre also working on producing some packaged itineraries for guests, so they can have a list of things for them to do to spend the day, the weekend, or longer.â
Morrison is quick to credit Administrative Assistant Cheryl Pate, the other half of the tourism staff, as her partner in progress. âSheâs great. Sheâs been here for five years and is amazing.â
She also credits the mayorâs office with inspiring a new sense of excitement in the city. âHe (Craig Ford) has been here about two years and is lighting a fire under the town,â says Morrison. âWeâre working together as never before.â They also work closely with the Gadsden special events department and Downtown Gadsden, a member-based group that promotes the downtown area.
Communicating scheduled events to prospective visitors and to service providers within the area is a priority for Morrison and Pate. They host quarterly lodging meetings with hotel and campground operators to listen to their needs and to share information on upcoming events that could draw in visitors.
The tourism board has taken over the Etowah County Event Calendar, where visitors can see all the upcoming events in one comprehensive listing. âSince we started that in September, our visitor numbers on that site have increased from 6,000 to 10,000,â said Morrison. âPeople can scan the QR code in our new visitors guide or go to www.greatergadsden.com/events to view the whole list.â
Gadsden is home to both art festivals and museums
Morrison admits that when she moved to the area, she was shocked by the areaâs diversity in cultural arts. âItâs the biggest secret,â she said, telling of the incredible collections currently housed at the Gadsden Museum of Art and its next-door neighbor, Mary G. Harden Cultural Arts Center. âThereâs a pretty amazing cigar box guitar collection on permanent display there.â Twice a year, Noccalula Falls hosts an event called âArt on the Rocks.â
This summer, the Downtown Gadsden group will continue hosting First Fridays, with businesses staying open late, followed by free concerts at The Amp. Country group Nash County will perform July 5 and Rubik Groove (80s and 90s rock) is scheduled for Aug. 2. In October, you can enjoy wine and cheese overlooking the water at âSunset Sips.â During this event, Memorial Bridge is temporarily closed and transformed into a pedestrian gathering spot.
Enjoy that wine. Hike that trail. Challenge your body to perform like a barbarian. Refine your artistic acuity. There are so many options for fun and adventure throughout the year. Go ahead and check out their calendar. You may want to add it to yours.
Paddlers to get new access to Neely Henry through grant
Story by Paul South Photos by Graham Hadley Submitted photos
For Dave Tumlin, the memory is as vivid as summer sunsets on Neely Henry Lake.
As an Alabama kid transplanted to California, he and his family would travel from the West Coast to visit relatives and spend time on the Coosa River. His family eventually moved back to Alabama and built a rock and shake shingle house on the Coosa River in 1968. Dave still lives there today.
The trips â and his parentsâ stories of family and the river â would linger in Tumlinâs head, heart and imagination long after returning to California.
âWhen we were kids in grade school, my brother and I would take the double mattress off my folksâ bed, throw it on the floor, and we would pretend like we were rafting down the river like Tom Sawyer,â Tumlin said. âThatâs how long my love has been for this river and this lake.â
NHLA President Dave Tumlin shows where access will be installed
The Tumlins were one of the lakeâs first families. He remembers when the area was dominated by the Coosa River and cow pastures.
âIt was pretty close to the first house on the lake after the lake came up in the 1960s,â Tumlin said. âWeâve watched it evolve from a beautiful river and bottom land to a more beautiful lake.â
Alabama Power Company created the lake in 1966.
Now retired, Tumlin serves as president of the Neely Henry Lake Association. The organization, representing some 130 lake families working to protect and improve life on the lake, received a $2,200 grant from the Alabama Scenic River Trail Waterway Enhancement Program.
The funds will be used to construct the Rainbow City Paddle Launch. The project will provide the first assisted launch device on Neely Henry Lake, which will benefit paddleboarders, kayakers and canoeists, making water access easier and safer for them, particularly enthusiasts who donât have their own dock.
NHLA was one of six recipients in the inaugural round of ASRT grants.
âThe accessibility, if you donât have your own dock, there is none, quite frankly,â Tumlin said. âThat triggered the thought ⊠What could we do with the popularity of paddleboarding and kayaking and so forth to give the public better access. So, it kind of evolved from there. We felt like it was a good thing to do.â
The grant is a first for the association.
Dave Tumlin explains to kayaker Shawn Craven of Ragland how the new system will work
Martha Grace Mize, Development and Outreach coordinator for the Alabama Scenic River Trail, praised the NHLAâs âreally thought outâ and thorough grant application. In its first year, the grant program attracted 10 applicants. The ASRT, best known for hosting the Great Alabama 650, the nationâs longest paddle race, awarded $25,000 in grants.
âThey (the lake association) were very considerate of thinking about what it would take to bring the project to fruition and what the follow up would be,â Mize said. âThey were very intentional about how this project would impact public use and how they could explore other projects in the future on Neely Henry.â
The ASRT was founded in 2008 to enhance recreation and tourism on Alabamaâs more than 6,000 miles of rivers and streams, the longest historic river trail in the United States.
The accessibility devices can either be fixed or floating. The NHLA launch will float and be affixed to a dock. The new launch will be able to rise up and down with the lake levels.
NHLA, in conjunction with Rainbow City Parks and Recreation, expects to complete the project by summerâs end. The accessibility device will be located at Rainbow Landing near the Southside Bridge on Alabama 77.
âWe wanted to be able to provide something that to our knowledge doesnât exist for the public,â Tumlin said.
Currently, kayakers, paddleboarders and the like have to go to a public dock and lower themselves onto their vessels. Balance can be tricky. The project will change that.
âYou can put your kayak, paddleboard or canoe on top of the floating device and ease yourself into the water using arms that are on there. And the reverse is true when you return. You can pull yourself out of the water.â
The project is in response to the increasing popularity of canoes, paddleboards and kayaks. The COVID-19 pandemic actually boosted the popularity of paddle sports. The global market was estimated at $2.4 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $3.3 billion by 2027, according to the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (gorp.com).
That increasing popularity underscores the need for the project, Tumlin said.
âWith the really rapid growth in the use of kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, we need that accessibility on our lake,â Tumlin said.
âI think this will go a long way to help people who enjoy doing that and give them a safer way to access the lake. It seemed like a really neat thing to do to improve life on the lake because a lot of people are going to kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Itâs a great way to connect with the water,â Tumlin added.
While pontoons, ski and bass boats and personal watercrafts, even sailboats, are popular, paddle sports provide a more intimate experience.
âItâs just a whole different way to experience the lake,â Tumlin said. âThe shoreline is closer and certainly the water is closer. But it gives you a connection you donât get any other way.â
He added, âThereâs nothing cooler than being on a paddleboard or a kayak and going up quietly into a slough. You really are one with the lake when you do that.â
Paddle sports also benefit the environment, propelled by human strength, not fossil fuels.
âItâs quiet. You get exercise when youâre out there, so thatâs a good thing. But from an environmental standpoint, thereâs absolutely no impact. So, itâs a very good thing.â
As for the future, NHLA is considering similar paddle sport projects on the lake and plans to pursue more grants, Tumlin said. The group is currently researching possible sites in Gadsden, Southside and in St. Clair County.
âWe would like to put one up in Gadsden at Coosa Landing,â Tumlin said. âTheyâve got a small inlet area there that I think would be [a good place] to launch before people got out into the river itself.â
Bottom line for Tumlin is, âIâd like to see one in Canoe Creek. Iâd like to see one on Southside and one in Gadsden.â
The love affair that he and his family have had since even before his imaginary childhood Coosa River on a mattress has only deepened. The biodiversity and changing topography are only part of the lakeâs variety. Heâs explored much of it in a flat bottom boat.
North of Gadsden, the lake is riverine, narrow with high banks.
âThatâs a whole different world, and itâs really cool to explore that. When you get down below Gadsden in the Southside area, the lake spreads out and the fishing changes. Youâve got mountains and the history of the area. I could talk forever about the beauty of this lake and the river.â
The initial Neely Henry access project is the latest in a series of projects by the association on the lake that improves the quality of life.
âAnything that can improve life on this river, thatâs the most important thing,â Tumlin said. âWeâve seen the growth of boats and more families on the water and more kids experiencing what I experienced as a kid on the water. (Paddle sports are) a whole new way of experiencing the water. Itâs just great to see that growth.â
For Tumlin, as certainly for other families and visitors, Neely Henry Lake is â to borrow a phrase from an old hymn â a fount of blessings.
âWhen Iâm out there [on my patio looking at the lake], maybe having a glass of wine in the evening, I think how blessed Iâve been that my parents made the decision that they did. That decision â being on this lake â has affected my whole family. Just the joy over the years that my family has been able to experience because we live on this lake.â
What would his parents think of the new project?
âI think they would be really pleased that the lake association and the Alabama Scenic River Trail were able to expand to a whole other group of people the joy of being on this lake.â
Editorâs Notes: For more information on the Neely Henry Lake Association, visit neelyhenrylake.org or call Tumlin at (256)368-5200.
With the opening in April of Alabama Cancer Careâs new 10,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Coosa River, Gadsden is expanding its healthcare footprint in northeast Alabama.
One of the things that makes Gadsden unique for a city its size, is that itâs home to two full-service hospitals â Gadsden Regional Medical Center and Riverview Regional Medical Center â as well as Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The city appears to be following the lead of neighboring Birmingham, transitioning in part from a âsmokestack economyâ to one propelled by the service sector.
It will still recruit manufacturing firms, but leaders are diversifying. âWeâve not abandoned continuing to recruit for manufacturing, weâve just broadened our scope,â said David Hooks, director of the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority.â
Hooks, former executive director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs under then-Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr., said Gadsden is becoming a major health care hub serving northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia.
âI thought it was imperative that we capitalize, not only on keeping those hospitals open, but growing them and adding health care services with them. The cancer centers is one of the first indications of our doing that,â Hooks said.
The push to expand Gadsdenâs health care offerings are part of an effort to build a diverse economy, driven by tourism, recreation, health care and industrial growth. The city is also fast becoming a sports and cultural center. City officials hope to transform one-day visits to three-day stays.
âThe City of Gadsden has traditionally been viewed as an industrial city,â Hooks said. âAs we now move into the 21st century, we are looking to broaden our economic base and become a destination city.â
The $6.5 million center means that residents in a 10-county region wonât have to travel to Birmingham for treatment.
Mayor Craig Ford at the grand opening
In fact, when he became the IDA director in 2019, he targeted the health care sector as a major component of the areaâs economic development drive.
âOne of the first things we did was look at the target markets that we had in place and looked at where we should be expanding, and we added two (sectors). We added food and farming, and we added health care.
âHealth care has been the fastest growing industrial sector of the last 20 years, and it will continue to be the fastest growing industrial sector for the next 20 years,â Hooks said.
âWe have a major health care community in the area; weâre a regional health hub, and thereâs no reason for us not to continue to develop that growth,â Hooks said.
Mayor Craig Ford agreed.
âWe are constantly looking for ways to grow (health care) in Gadsden and recruit companies that offer different types of services and treatments,â Ford said. âLook at Birmingham and what a great job they have done with UAB and how that complex has really grown that area of the city.â
Gadsden City Council President Kent Back said that while Gadsden Regional offers cancer care, Alabama Cancer Centerâs market research shows a need for another cancer care facility.
Back believes the natural beauty of the Coosa riverfront will lift the spirits of patients during their treatments.
âI think thatâs going to be a game changer,â Back said. âMost cancer treatment facilities donât have that kind of amenity. This company has a history. Theyâve been successful.â
Studies in Europe and in the United States show that cancer patients who are treated closer to home can have more positive outcomes. Area residents wonât face the travel and parking hassles of a trek to Birmingham.
âIf you live in Ider, for example, Birmingham can be pretty intimidating to travel and navigate and park,â Back said. âTheyâd rather come to Gadsden and get treatment.â
The new center is located on the old National Guard Armory site in an agreement forged during the administration of then-Mayor Sherman Guyton.
Kim Clebine, Bobbie Martin and Justin Steinman show off a stereotatic radiation therapy linear particle accelerator
Current Mayor Craig Ford said Gadsden was selected as the home for the new, full-service oncology center because of its location. Some 16 new jobs will be created.
The new facility will help the city and county maintain its health care presence to serve Gadsden and the surrounding counties, Hooks said.
âThe particular services that this facility will render will allow people that are currently driving out of the county for these services to Birmingham and other areas, to be able to stay close to home and receive the appropriate care that they need here in Etowah County.â
With its proximity to a hospital and to the burgeoning riverfront entertainment district, the growing healthcare facility can fuel Gadsdenâs economic growth, both on the Coosa and downtown.
âIf you look at what happened in Birmingham with UAB and the resurrection of the southside of Birmingham, Birminghamâs growth has been driven by health care services. I think you can see Gadsdenâs economy driven by the health care sector around that facility as well,â Hooks said.
âGadsden has a similar economic base to what Birmingham used to be, just smaller,â he added. âI think thereâs a lot to be learned from that. I think thereâs an opportunity for us to redevelop downtown. I think Gadsden has an opportunity to be the gateway to all of northeast Alabama.â
The impact will not be just be felt in Alabama, but reach into Georgia as well. Gadsden has the impetus to improve its services and grow its opportunities, Hooks said.
âWe, as a city, need to continue to improve our services, broaden our services and give people a reason to drive in this direction.â
City plans for more development will continue to boost local economy
Story by Paul South Photos by Graham Hadley and contributed photos
Earlier in this century, this city on the Coosa River looked to be on its last legs.
Gadsdenâs two largest employers â Republic Steel in 2000 and Goodyear in 2020 â closed their doors, taking with them thousands of jobs.
The cityâs riverfront on the Coosa was an overgrown tangle of trees, weeds and brush. âWe didnât even know we had a waterfront,â Gadsden Director of Economic Development and Governmental Affairs John Moore said.
That was then.
This is now.
Spearheaded in large part by riverfront revitalization, Gadsden is seeing an economic resurrection. The riverfront is booming, thanks to a mix of hospitality, healthcare and recreation.
Gadsden City Council President Kent Back summed it up in two words: âGadsden reimaginedâ
Existing riverfront boardwalk
It all started with the cleanup of the waterfront.
âItâs been remarkable,â Back said. âJust the removal of the bushes and the trees that blocked the view has created a whole new vibe, if you will, that before you hardly knew was there.â
Another boost, Back said, will come from Mayor Craig Fordâs vision to move U.S. 411 in Gadsden off of the river, a herculean task involvinfg a snarl of federal and state bureaucracies.
âWhat it will do, itâll open up development on the river. Thereâs a plan to create a really nice boardwalk that would stretch that whole stretch of road. And then you would have greenspace where you could have commercial development.â
Ford envisions a mix of upscale restaurants and bars connected by the boardwalk to a hotel, located on the current City Hall site. The city is also planning the development of the area near Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and the Venue at Coosa Landing, transforming the area into an outdoor recreation area surrounded by outdoor dining.
On the recreation front, Gadsden has partnered with Gadsden State Community College to build the Gadsden Sports Park. The expected cost of the project is an estimated $25 million. Part of the park â made up of baseball, softball and soccer fields â includes a field for kids with disabilities, giving them opportunities to compete. Back spearheaded the idea.
âI see it all the time with these Challenger leagues, Field of Dreams and that concept. I really thought we needed to do that, and the mayor agreed with me,â Back said.
The completed and projected projects along the river are fueled by citizen demand, Ford said, not just among Gadsden residents, but also those in neighboring towns.
âI think the growth is just the demand of not just the people in the City of Gadsden, but surrounding communities that want to see Gadsden develop the river and give people something to do in Gadsden,â Ford said.
The Venue at Coosa Landing
City officials have identified several parcels of city-owned property now targeted for future development. In turn, Gadsden is making its pitch to developers across the Southeast.
The relocation of Highway 411 will be critical to the development of the riverfront, Moore said.
âI see the City of Gadsden in a few years thriving off riverfront development in the way of tourism, once we relocate Highway 411 to create more greenspace along the river as well as restaurants, shops, bars and outdoor activity,â Moore said. âThese developments will all be centrally focused around a four-star hotel with a rooftop bar, pools and spa.â
Moore sees the city as âthe home of the three-day getaway, where people from 120 to 150 miles will want to come and play.â
Ford, who often envisions Gadsden reimagined as a âfun town,â says a city that not so long ago was given up for dead is today âgrowing and thriving in a post-COVID world, which canât be said for a lot of cities.â
He added, âWe are working aggressively to become an entertainment town that offers visitors a riverfront experience, natural waterfalls for hiking and multiple golf courses for leisure.â
The city, thanks to picturesque Noccalula Falls, is fast becoming a popular fly fishing and kayaking destination. The surrounding park is also home to arts and craft fairs and other events. The city has invested $16 million in that area.
Gadsden, home to two hospitals, is also growing its healthcare footprint near the Coosa. Tuscaloosa-based Alabama Cancer Care has invested $6.5 million to construct a new cancer treatment center. Serving a 10-county area, the new facility with its riverfront view means cancer-stricken residents of the region will not have to make the taxing trip to Birmingham for treatments as they battle the disease.
The facility is located at the old armory site in Gadsden, a deal closed shortly after Ford took office. Healthcare was among the targeted sectors by David Hooks when he became executive director of the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority.
The new facility will mean some 16 good-paying jobs for city residents. Ford says the city is following Birminghamâs example as a health care hub in the state. After all, Birmingham transformed its once smokestack economy of iron and steel into a service-based economy.
âWith two hospitals located inside the city, healthcare is a target for economic development,â he said. âWe are constantly looking for ways to grow this industry in Gadsden and recruit companies that offer different types of services and treatments,â Ford said. âLook at Birmingham and what a great job they have done with UAB and how that complex has really grown that area in the city.â
The growth along the banks of the Coosa, fueled by the current administrationâs vision, means a flood of optimism in the city.
âIn reimagining ourselves, Gadsden is taking advantage of the natural gifts that we have in a river that comes right down the middle of our city and weâve never really done that before. ⊠Cities would kill to have a 90-foot waterfall and a riverfront in their city. Weâve got both.â
Ford sums up the beehive of activity along the river and across the city, an effort aimed at improving the quality of life across the board for locals and putting the economic setbacks of the past in Gadsdenâs rearview mirror.
The perfect place to make a home on Neely Henry Lake
Story by Scottie Vickery Photos by Mackenzie Free
Connections are a vital part of Tracci Cordellâs life. She treasures the links to her past as much as she loves introducing friends and co-workers to each other, enlarging her tribe as a result. Thatâs why her new home on Neely Henry Lake has become the perfect refuge, a place that anchors her to her roots and allows her to strengthen bonds with those she loves.
âI wanted to have a place where everyone could just come and hang out,â she said of the home she built last year on property her parents owned for decades in the Riddles Bend area of the lake. âI donât have a lot of family here now, but my friends have become family. Every good memory I have growing up happened right here, and now Iâm making more.â
Friends Rainbow City Mayor Joe Taylor (center) and Southside Mayor Dana Snyder get in on the kitchen action with Cordell
Connection has become even more important to Cordell in recent years. In a 13-month period from January 2019 to February 2020, she lost her husband, Ron; her sister, Terri Maddock; her mother, Gail Maddock; and Scott Reed, a cousin who was like a brother.
âYou have two choices when something like that happens,â she said. âYou donât go on, or you can just choose to live. Before he died, my husband said, âI want you to be happy and let your light shine.ââ
Thatâs why, when Cordell moved into her new home last June, one of the first things she displayed on the entry table by the front door were wooden blocks that read âChoose Joy Today.â A painting of her childhood home in Gadsden, a gift from her sister Tammi, is surrounded by pictures of her loved ones.
These days, Cordell finds joy gazing out her windows at the sunlight dancing off the water or gathering a crowd around the firepit. One of her favorite things, though, is hosting the yearly âsauce-a-thonâ when she and a group of friends help make 100 quarts of her momâs Italian Spaghetti Sauce, just like Cordell used to do with her mother and two sisters.
The recipe, in her motherâs handwriting, is so special to Cordell that she had it made into wallpaper for her kitchen pantry. âSheâd been making it all her life, but after she started getting older and had had a stroke, I knew we needed to pay attention,â Cordell said. âAfter she died, friends started coming to help and then more friends came. Itâs just a big fun time.â
Dana Snyder, the mayor of Southside, is one of Cordellâs longtime friends who has rolled her sleeves up for the big event. Their friendship, however, has yielded much more than just delicious Italian sauce. Cordell introduced Snyder to another friend, Joe Taylor, who is the mayor of Rainbow City.
âThe first time I met Dana was when Tracci bummed money from me for her campaign,â Taylor said with a laugh. All three worked for the City of Gadsden at the time, and as their friendship has grown through the years, so has their commitment to the lake that is such a vital part of their lives and communities.
The vast majority â about 79 percent â of Neely Henryâs 339 miles of shoreline is within the city limits of Southside and Rainbow City. As a result, Snyder said that she and Taylor have become professional partners of sorts in addition to being friends.
âWhen we were both elected, we said we were going to work together,â Snyder said. âEarly on, we said we were going to be partners.â Taylor agreed, adding that âeverything we do is to help each city. This lake is critical to the life of this region. It has to be one of the paramount issues when it comes to planning.â
Establishing roots
When Cordell built her home on Neely Henry, one of t was the fulfillment of a dream her parents had more than 45 years ago. Richard and Gail Maddock bought the lot in 1978 and it became the familyâs favorite escape. The property wasnât cleared and there were trees and brush all the way down to the river, but that didnât stop Cordell and her sisters.
âMy mom would cut a place out so she could put her chair and we would play in the water,â she said. âWe came here every weekend and had birthday parties here. Eventually my parents built a T-shaped dock for Tammi, Terri, and Tracci.â
Their father, Richard, died of colon cancer at 59, and after their mother and sister passed away, Cordell and Tammi began the process of cleaning out and making hard decisions. Tammi lives in Virginia and Cordell had a house in Southside at the time, but they couldnât bear the thought of selling the lake lot.
âWe were cleaning out and found some house plans that Dad had made,â Cordell recalled. âWe looked at each other and Tammi said, âWe canât get rid of it.ââ
They soon found another sign. âI was a spoiled Daddyâs girl, and he always told me he bought this lot for my birthday,â Cordell said. She didnât really believe it until they found paperwork showing the purchase was made on February 28, 1978, Cordellâs 7th birthday.
Once the decision was made, Cordell sold her house and stayed with some family friends during the building process. After moving in, she filled her home with specials memories from the past that she wanted to carry into her future. She refurbished her great-grandmotherâs kitchen table and hung a picture of a maple tree in its full fall splendor nearby. âThat was my dadâs favorite tree in Gadsden,â she said.
Just off the kitchen is a hallway to the laundry room, which features a collection of dozens of black and white photos of her family members and friends. Her husband is there, as is her daughter, Kelsi, a flight attendant who lives with Cordell when sheâs not working. There are pictures of her parents, her sisters, her uncle Ronnie Reed, and other family members, as well as a host of friends and her boyfriend, Barry Ragsdale.
âThese are my people,â she said. âThey are my tribe. Theyâre family, and theyâre friends who have come family.â
Cordell also cherishes the painting of her father that hangs in her bedroom. âHe was over purchasing at Gulf State Steel for a long time and he was a suit and tie guy at work,â she said. âHe was a wannabe farmer, though, so he would come home and put on his overalls and John Deere cap and head outside to his tractor.â
The three girls gave him the painting, which was created by Elaine Campbell, a family friend and artist, for Fatherâs Day one year. âIt cost $600 and we each paid $200,â said Cordell, adding that it felt like a fortune since she was in high school at the time. Today, though, she considers the painting and the memories it evokes to be priceless treasures.
Large island gives plenty of room to help cook or dine
She feels the same way about the wallpaper in her pantry. After finding the index card with the handwritten recipe for Italian Spaghetti sauce that her mother got from a neighbor in 1979, Cordell had cutting boards featuring the recipe made for family members. After scouring Etsy, an online site featuring handmade and vintage items, she decided to have the recipe made into wallpaper.
âI thought about just doing one wall with the wallpaper but then I decided that if I could do a wall, why couldnât I do a whole room,â Cordell said with a laugh. âIt makes me smile every time I come in here.â
Chances are, the fact that Cordell continues to make the sauce makes her mother smile, as well. âI have such wonderful memories of making this sauce with my mom and my sisters,â she said. âThere are no Italians in my family. Why my mother started making this sauce, I have no idea. But I think she would love that weâre still making it.â
Sauce-making day has steadily evolved over the years. âWe used to make it outside, but itâs too hot,â Cordell said. âItâs usually the opening day of dove season. The men are in the woods and weâre in the kitchen, but we make them core the tomatoes before they leave.â
Cordell only uses tomatoes from Chandler Mountain, and she gets 10 half-bushel boxes. The first step is to lay them all out on blankets and tables and countertops âto look for any bad spots you might miss,â she said. âOne may be getting mushy, so youâve got to get it out of there.â
The day is as much fun as it is messy. âWe have a really good time talking and laughing,â Cordell said. âItâs family, itâs making memories, and itâs just what we do.â
Lure of the lake
The fact that Cordell and her tribe have a beautiful view of the water makes the day even more wonderful. âIt just means peace to me,â she said, adding that Taylor weighed in on her decision to build. âHe said, âWhatever you do, donât sell that lot,ââ she said.
He and his wife Rachel have called Neely Henry home since 2016 and he said that lake property is much harder to come by because so many people keep it in the family for generations. Snyder knows that firsthand. âIt took us several years to find a lot,â she said, adding that she and her husband Chris plan to start building within the next year.
The cherished painting of her father hangs in her bedroom, a gift to him on Fatherâs Day from the daughters
âI already say Iâm a river rat, though,â she said. âMy grandparents had a house in Whorton Bend and weâd go there every weekend. My grandfather would take us fishing and for rides on the pontoon boat. My aunt had a paddle boat, and we would just disappear.â
The passion Snyder, Taylor and Cordell share for the lake and the whole region has helped cement their friendship. In addition, all three have worked in different capacities for the City of Gadsden.
Cordell worked in the human resources department for more than 20 years before Mayor Craig Ford named her planning and zoning administrator last July. Part of her new duties include helping to guide and implement âGROW Gadsden,â the cityâs new comprehensive plan. âThe one driving force behind this plan has been the Coosa River that runs through Gadsden,â she said. âIt is one of our most talked about assets.â
Snyder, who worked for a private law firm for 15 years before earning an accounting degree, transitioned from private practice to civil service when she joined the City of Gadsdenâs legal department in 2009. She also served on the Southside City Council for four years before being elected mayor in 2020.
Although the mayoral position is officially part-time, Snyder left her full-time job with the city after she was elected to focus on her new duties. âI knew I couldnât get anything done with a full-time job,â she said. âIâm one of those people who wants things done today and not tomorrow.â
Taylor joined the City of Gadsden in 1995 and served as a commander with the Fire Department after running a landscaping business and serving in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and then in the Army National Guard. He also remodels houses and has refurbished and sold nearly 150.
âThis job is is everything I had done before all rolled into one,â he said of his role as mayor, which he took on in 2020. âDana and I have both been civil servants, and that has helped us in our role as mayors.â
Both mayors have also developed comprehensive plans for their cities, and they agree that finding ways for more people to enjoy Neely Henry needs to be a priority.
âAs the cities grow, both of them, weâve got to provide more public access (to the lake) for people who donât live on the water,â Snyder said. âThe fact that we are on this lake is the greatest asset we could ever have,â Taylor added.
As the owner of a new home on the water and her new role at work, Cordell understands that concept more than ever. âI have really come full circle from growing up on the river to helping make sure it is being showcased as the jewel it truly is. Itâs home, and I canât imagine ever living anywhere else.â
Italian Spaghetti
(Tracci Cordell)
1 pint Wesson oil 4 hot banana peppers, chopped 3 pounds onions, chopped œ bushel tomatoes, unpeeled and quartered 2 whole heads garlic 1 cup sugar œ cup salt 4 12-ounce cans of tomato past 1 tablespoon oregano 1 teaspoon sweet basil
Optional: 1 to 1 œ pounds of ground beef, Italian sausage or ground turkey, cooked.
Simmer the tomatoes and garlic for about 1 œ to 2 hours; more if necessary. Drain in a colander and return to pot. Saute banana peppers and onions in oil until soft and add to tomato mixture. Add sugar, salt, tomato paste, oregano, and basil and bring to a full boil. Put into jars and seal. Yields 12 quarts of sauce with meat or 9 quarts of sauce without meat.
Italian Salad and Dressing
(Dana Snyder, Mayor of Southside)
Salad: Use a variety of greens, such as romaine, kale and spinach 1 medium red onion, sliced œ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup pepperoncini peppers Kalamata olives Salt and pepper to taste Croutons
Italian Dressing: 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil œ tsp salt œ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Mix all ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined. Shake again before each use.
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Mackenzie Free Submitted Photos
In the heart of Gadsden, there stands an unassuming brick apartment building. It seems rather unremarkable for 2024, but if one were to step back in time just a few decades, to the year 1930, this same building was quite remarkable.
The hotel business had been a part of the Reich family since Adolphâs father, Hungarian-born David Reich, purchased Gadsdenâs Printup Hotel in 1894. The Printup had been built by the Gadsden Hotel Company in 1888, in large part as a response to housing needs that resulted from the addition of the Rome-to-Gadsden branch of the Southern Railway. A train station was conveniently located across the street from the hotelâs lobby.
David and his wife, Lottie, owned and managed the Printup until Davidâs death in 1914. At that time, Adolph took over ownership and made major renovations to this property and began dreaming of building a more modern facility. The opening of the Reich Hotel 16 years later was the fulfilling of a promise made to his mother, that one day Adolph would build his dream hotel for Gadsden.
Gadsden, at the time, was an important port city. People and goods moved along the Coosa River, bringing much-needed supplies, guests and new citizens, many needing a temporary place to stay. The 1930 opening of the Reich Hotel was both perfect and challenging timing for Adolphâs new venture.
It was good in that the new Goodyear Tire Gadsden plant had just been built, and executives needed lodging. It was unfortunate timing in that the hotel opened just a few months into the start of the Great Depression. Despite the bleak times, the hotel thrived, and Adolph and the Reich Hotel became well known in the community. Reichâs hotel business continued to do well through World War II and into the early 1960s.
Wadeâs father, Bobby, with a football ice sculpture
The Reich was the site of many social affairs over the years, ranging from weddings to high school proms. âI used to be a schoolteacher, and we had a lot of Christmas parties there at the Reich Hotel,â said Gary Garrett, president of the Etowah Historical Society. âIt was beautiful. My mother was a hairdresser, and she used to have a lot of the beauty conventions there, too. I knew the son, Bobby, through my mother.â
Adolphâs son, Robert âBobbyâ Reich had graduated from the University of Alabama and gotten into the hotel business himself, building the Guest House Hotel in Birmingham. Bobby eventually sold that hotel and returned to Gadsden to help manage the Reich Hotel.
By the mid 60s, the interstate highway systems made traveling by car more popular, and the hotel industry began to lean more toward âmotelâ type properties, downplaying the grand lobby style hotels. In response, Adolph took out a bank loan, and Bobby oversaw a major remodel of the Reich, beginning by tearing off the roof to build a patio and swimming pool and adding the additional comfort of air conditioning. Then a motel wing was added, and the name was changed to the Reich Motor Hotel. All rooms were refurnished with modern furniture. The old furniture was sent to the Printup Hotel, which Reich still owned.
Bobbyâs son, Wade Reich, was in 7th grade when they put in the pool at the Reich, and he remembers enjoying that. But, he admits, he had an even better time in the elevator. âI loved operating the Otis hand-crank elevator,â he says. âWeâd crank it up to the 6th floor and then let it drop to the lobby. Your stomach would be up in your throat. That was a lot of fun!â
The transition to the motor hotel model and the million-dollar renovation were the beginnings of the end for the Reich Hotel. Marketing the new motor hotel product did not go well. Bobby ended up selling his familyâs Gadsden home and moving into the Reich Hotel to keep it afloat.
When that didnât work, in 1972, the Reich Hotel was sold, and the family moved into the Printup. The hotel building is still standing, now renamed Daughette Towers and operates as a government-subsidized apartment building serving seniors and disabled adults.
The Reichs retained ownership of the building, offering spaces for ground leases, including a car repair shop, barber and beauty shops, a taxi service and a dress shop.
Wade and Eachin Reich
While Bobby and Jane focused on saving the Printup, their son, Wade Reich, completed his college degree in business administration and marketing. After graduation, in 1974, he and his parents painted the Printup lobby and opened a new restaurant called Poppoâs, the name paying homage to Wadeâs grandfather, Adolph.
The restaurant stayed in business until 1978, when, Wade says, âit became apparent the future would be better for family if we sold the building.â
Having sold the building, Wade went to work for Dan Wallace, the inspiration for the movie Big Fish, whose company specialized in grocery store premiere promotions. That venture ended up sending him to London, which led to a new job with a similar business in Paris.
Wade and his wife, Jennifer, spent 14 years living in Paris. Although he loved Paris, Wade does have one regret. He never attended the famed Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. âI could have done Cordon Bleu, but I didnât,â Wade laments. âItâs crazy! Iâd spent countless hours taking customers to all the fine restaurants in Europe. I wish Iâd done it.â
Wade and Jennifer returned to the Birmingham area in 2002 to be close to his aging mother. He worked in the grocery store promotions business again for a little while. Then a friend asked him to help run a gas station in Pell City. He came to run the Chevron station near downtown Pell City. Then, in 2008, he and his business partner bought the Texaco station across the street. In 2009, they started smoking butts and ribs there for holidays under the name Butts To Go.
In the 15 years since it opened, Butts To Go has been featured in several publications internationally, including The Toronto Star, USA Today, The Guardian (London), and in Southern Living magazine. They were also featured in the cookbook travelogue The Southâs Best Butts by Matt Moore. In late 2021, Butts To Go left the Texaco, and after a brief partnership with The Kitchen, they landed in the old Dominos location on Mays Drive.
Wade has worked long hours all his life and admits to being a âtinkerer.â He started a new venture last year with his son, Eakin. By day, Wade works at Butts To Go, but at night, heâs busy helping wherever he is needed at The Grill at the Farm, a restaurant which opened just nine months ago off Logan Martin Dam Road.
Eakin returned to Cropwell from Key West, where he was food and beverage director at Jimmy Buffettâs famed Margaritaville Beach House Resort. Now he manages The Grill and is busy developing plans for the next stages of the propertyâs growth. âIt owns me,â Eakin admits. âItâs been fun being here from the ground up. And itâs good to be near family.â
Plans for the future of the 62 acres the restaurant sits on are still in the development stages, Wade says. âWeâre trying to figure it out,â he adds. âWe have event space right now for 130 people. If we fixed up the barn and added a kitchen out there, we would be able to do bigger things. Weâre still working on what it will be.â Whatever The Grill is or is to become, he says, âwe wouldnât be doing this if Eakin werenât here.â
As busy as they are, the Reich family continues to give back to community that has supported their businesses. Recently, they helped with food for events for Dovetail Landing, a veteran transition and wellness facility being built in Lincoln, and for the Wellhouse, a home for female victims of human trafficking in St. Clair County.
Family, hospitality and community. The legacy now lives on through five generations of the Reich family.
Artisans throughout the Southeast, laden with wares ranging from handmade mustache cups to molasses, are heading to Gadsden this spring for a favorite, southern tradition â Art on the Rocks at Noccalula Falls May 4-5.
This semi-annual event is a celebration of beautifully created, handmade arts and crafts of pottery, paintings, jewelry, jams, jellies, candles, soaps, dream catchers, crochet, metal works, wood carvings, and, well, rocks.
Yes, actual art on actual rocks!
Crowds from all over keep returning to Art on the Rocks
âThatâs right,â said Laura Gladden, park administrative assistant and event coordinator. âOne of our vendors gets large rocks and paints very detailed delicate pictures on them. Theyâre beautiful. I have one in my house.â
According to Gladden, products offered during the two-day event are as individual as the vendors themselves. âWe have a gentleman who paints really big pieces of artwork â so big, that people can actually put it on the side of a barn. Another one works in 3-D art.
When she talks about paintings, she notes that each artist has his or her own unique style. âOne person will paint only animals. Beautiful paintings of animals. Another paints only landscapes with colors that pop out at you.â
Gladden has been with Art on the Rocks in its current incarnation since 2019. Thatâs the year the event returned to the park, after about a 25-year hiatus.
Long time vendor and event participant, Tina Pendley, who, along with her husband David, owns Sweet Tea Pottery, was instrumental in bringing Art on the Rocks back to Gadsden and Noccalula Falls.
Sweet Tea draws its name from its roots. âWe wanted something that clearly said the South and what is more southern than sweet tea?,â she asked.
She recalls the historic roots of the festival as well. The event actually got its start back in 1958 as a project of the Gadsden Womenâs Club and art-loving member, Mrs. Frank (Merci) Stowers.
Visitors browse the many vendor stalls at the Falls
âMrs. Stowers, loved to travel,â said Pendley, âand she loved art. After attending an outdoor event in Texas, she brought the idea to the womenâs club about having an outdoor art exhibit. The members loved the idea.â
So, she continued, âthey started the planning in January, and held the first Art on the Rocks on May 18, 1958. It was a huge success and continued to be successful for 25 years. Eventually, it shut down for about 25 years.â
At some point during the eventâs early history, it had come under sponsorship of the Gadsden Art Association, of which the Pendleys were members. She remembers it was at one of the organizationâs 2018 meetings when the topic of Art on the Rocks resurfaced.
âWe were talking about a fundraiser,â said Pendley, âand I asked the question had they ever considered bringing back Art on the Rocks, and they had not, but they said they would consider it if I would get some information.â
That go-ahead was all Pendley needed to get the ball rolling. She discovered that Noccalula Falls officials would âloveâ to have an arts and crafts show but didnât know how to get vendors.
Noccalula Falls is the perfect setting for Art on the Rocks
It was a perfect match. The Pendleys knew how to get vendors because they worked these events with their pottery, but they didnât know how to set up the park. It was the proverbial marriage made in heaven.
âI met with Christina Richardson (supervisor, Noccalula Falls),â said Pendley. âI knew if we worked together, we could make this happen. She said weâve got a great crew here at the Falls, and we can make it work. So, I went back to the Art Association and brought back a lot of information about how we can work together with Noccalula Falls.â
And they voted to return Art on the Rocks to its former home at Noccalula.
âItâs just been a great success,â she added. âWeâve gone from having just one show a year to two shows. Itâs been a great event to add to the community.â
Gladden agrees. âI love it. Itâs my favorite event to work up here. Itâs really got a great energy and vibe from not only the people attending but also from all our vendors. Iâve heard many of them say itâs their favorite show to work.
For Pendley, the biggest drawing card for folks to attend Art on the Rocks is the venue itself. âItâs beautiful here. Weâve got not only the waterfall but the green spaces as well. And thereâs something for everybody from the train rides to the petting zoo.â
And yes, there will be plenty of food said Gladden. Vendors will serve everything from blooming onions to funnel cakes and everything in between.
Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for kids/seniors/military. Park season passes will be accepted. Pets are welcome everywhere but near the animal habitat. Vendors may register through April 15.
First Fridays are on their way back and not a moment too soon, for most. When Broad Street overflows with crowds, cars and choruses of entertainment, youâll know itâs the place to be the first Friday in April and every first Friday thereafter until October.
Talk about a growing success story. First Friday is legendary, regularly drawing from multiple communities throughout the region and states all around the Southeast.
Presented by Downtown Gadsden Inc., it began in 2006 as an effort to bring more people to the heart of the city with the aim of promoting what downtown businesses have to offer.
Vendors, entertainment and of course, the car show â something for everyone
A classic car show was the nucleus in those early years, generating bigger and bigger crowds. Entertainment and a showcasing of downtown stores, restaurants, coffee shops and bars gradually combined for a perfect evening out for the whole family.
And thatâs what is in store April 5 when First Friday gets underway once more. âIf it ainât broke, donât fix it,â said Kay Moore, executive director of Downtown Gadsden. Just grow it.
Entertainment of all genres will be on 2nd, 3rd and 4th streets and possibly, the 600 block. The sounds of Jazz, R & B, Rock ân Roll, Bluegrass, Line Dancing and the Cowboy Church Band will fill those streets and so will crowds gathering to hear their favorites.
Live music in Downtown Gadsden
While downtown, you might take a look at some new additions as part of the Main Street program that Downtown Gadsden is investing a great deal of effort. It is an 18-foot kinetic wood sculpture, which comes courtesy of a project envisioned by Moore and spearheaded by Mario Gallardo, Gadsden State art instructor and director of the Walnut Gallery along with Gadsden Museum of Art Director Ray Wetzel.Â
Titled âUp from the Depthsâ, was funded through a collaboration between DGI, Walnut Gallery, Gadsden Museum of Art, the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, The Chamber, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism, and the City of Gadsden with additional support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
It is fabricated in brushed aluminum and features abstract, fish-like forms that turn and shift as the wind blows. They chose the site due to its close proximity to the Coosa River, and Phillip Williams, the property owner, agreed to host the sculpture long-term. Itâs all about returning downtown to its days of grandeur and from the looks of it, the investment by all involved is paying sizable dividends for downtown Gadsden.
Editorâs note:For more, go to downtowngadsden.com.
On the Saturday of the 2023 inaugural Alabama Fishing Show at The Venue at Coosa Landing, Gadsdenâs director of economic development, John Moore, decided to check things out.
What he saw was jaw dropping.
âThe doors opened at 10. I pulled in about 9:45, and I swear to you, there were at least 400 to 500 people waiting to get in,â Moore says. âThe thing stretched out from the Venue, and it just wrapped around in the parking lot.
âI was like, âWhat the heck?â Thereâs something here on this. I was just amazed. People starve for stuff like this.â
Indeed, there was. An estimated 7,500 visitors streamed to the event, anglers shopping for everything from handmade rods and tackle to high tech electronic fish finders.
The Alabama Fishing Show returns to The Venue at Coosa Landing, March 8-10. Daily prices are $12 for adults, $8 for kids. Children under 5 get in free. Food and drinks are available for sale. Parking is free.
Hours are 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. â 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The Gadsden event was years in the making before its debut. Alabama Fishing Show organizer Shelia Bunch began discussions with the city several years ago about bringing the East Tennessee Fishing Show to Alabama. For Bunch, geography was the draw.
âYou guys have some of the greatest lakes down there. Youâve got some of the best pro fishermen from that area. One thing that was missing was a true fishing show,â Bunch says.
A true fishing show is about more than watercraft, she adds. âIâm talking about bringing vendors from all over with products that you canât even get anywhere else except for this show. Youâve got handmade fishing rods, youâve got crankbaits. Youâve got jigs that you canât buy anywhere else but this show. And a lot of these vendors are small business people. Their passion is all about fishing and about catching fish. They work day and night on their products.â
Along with featuring more than 100 vendors casting their wares upon the water to sell, Bunch hopes to reach a new, younger generation of anglers. The 2024 show will host a kidsâ fishing tournament at the Venue on March 9.
Introducing kids to fishing is a goal of the show, Bunch, a mother of three, says. âWe feel like kids are our future when it comes to fishing. Our goal is to give kids the opportunity to fish and make it a big deal, right there at the show.â
Pro anglers will appear at the show, and seminars are also slated to educate anglers on how to use the equipment and make their fishing experience more enjoyable.
âWe try to make it a fishermanâs paradise,â Bunch says. But the show has something to hook the entire family.
âThe mothers are really involved in the kidsâ fishing tournament,â Bunch says. âWe honor the women and give away hats to the wives who put up with the fishermen. The first 200 (women) through the door get a free hat. They really love that.â
She adds, âItâs a great place for families to connect.â
The show will highlight the hottest trends in fishing. Electronics lead the pack.
âEvery year, Lowrance or Hummingbird or Power-Pole or any of them, they come out with something new every year,â Bunch says. Those will be on display at the show. A lot of people buy this equipment and donât know how to use it, so we will have people who come and do seminars to show you how to use your electronics.â
Safety and environmentally friendly equipment are also trending, Bunch says.
âSafety and taking care of your lakes and taking care of your fish is a big thing. Thatâs why you have catch and release ⊠When you catch fish, you need to save the fish.â
Like Moore, Bunch was âshockedâ by the big turnout in the inaugural show, because it was a new event in unfamiliar waters, so to speak. This year, she expects an even bigger turnout.
âWeâre wanting about 10,000 this year,â Bunch says. âThatâs my goal.â
As an aside, one in six Americans are anglers. And, the sport is growing.
For Bunch, putting on the fishing show are measured in smiles.
âTruthfully, my favorite part is seeing my vendors do well â for them to walk away with smiles on their faces and me knowing that they did well at the show. My second favorite part is seeing the people leave there with smiles on their faces, knowing they got supplies they couldnât get anywhere else.â Anglers â from offshore to fly fishermen â who attend the fishing show can up their game without breaking the bank, and they share a common mission with vendors.
âThe goal is to catch a big fish,â Bunch says.
Moore believes the COVID-19 pandemic that kept folks shuttered for two years played a role in the huge turnout, and something more.
âI think (the pandemic) had something to do with it. Number two is that thereâs nothing like it within a 60-mile radius. You have to go to Birmingham to the (Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center) or to Huntsville to Von Braun to see a show of this magnitude with this many vendors.â
And vendors were hooked on Gadsden.
âThey signed up that day for (2024),â Moore says.
The show fits with Gadsdenâs branding efforts as a tourist destination, Moore says.
âThe mayor (Craig Ford) always says that not only do we have a responsibility to our citizens, but we have a responsibility to our merchants, too, bringing stuff like this in here.
âIt actually helps grow our economy. Every hotel room in Etowah County is filled. The shops will be filled. Itâs perfect. The wife may go and shop downtown, while the husband looks for fishing supplies. There were a lot of buddies going to the show in sort of a guysâ trip.â
At the end of the day, he adds, âwhat weâre looking for is to be âFun Townâ. Weâre looking to be that city that people look to spend three, four, five days enjoying the river, the mountains, the downtown area, the shopping,â Moore says. âI think the fishing show plays into that.â
Along with a crowd, Bunch hopes to hook something else â for vendors and attendees alike. âI just want everyone to do well and be happy.â
Clearly an evangelist for fishing, Bunch captures the spirit of the show. âFishing is a great time for families, and you canât get those times back.â
