Wednesday, January 23, 2013 – Adam Jortner
“The Gods of Prophetstown: The Battle of Tippecanoe and the Holy War for the American Frontier.”
Adam Jortner proposes that the death struggle for America’s heartland was more than just a war between whites like William Henry Harrison who wanted to expel the Indians and Tecumseh and his brother—The Prophet—who wanted to preserve the traditional Indian way and keep the whites at a distance. The Prophet who claimed the miracle of making the sun go dark at midday declared himself to be in directcontact with the Master of Life and deemed himself the supreme religious authority
for all Native Americans.
Harrison who was the governor of the Indiana Territory and future American President was relentless in
evicting Indians from the Midwest. Jortner places the religious dimension of the struggle at the forefront
declaring the climatic battle at Tippecanoe in 1811 as much a clash of gods as men.
Dr. Adam Jortner has spent the last several years studying the ways in which claims of supernatural power transformed American politics and Christianity. He has B.A. from the College of William and Mary, an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where he won the Zora Neale Hurston Prize for the best paper on gender studies for his work on Ann Lee, founder of American Shakerism. He currently teaches American  History at Auburn University, and has spoken on American religion and history of the super-natural to groups in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013– John Hall
“Longleaf, Far as the Eye Can See”
Longleaf forests—those grand old pines which were the “alpha tree” of the largest ecosystem in North
America—once covered 92 million acres from Texas to Maryland to Florida. The longleaf defined the
southern forest, but logging, suppression of fire and a complex web of other factors reduced this tree to
only 3 million acres. There is a resurgence of interest in the stately tree, and longleaf forests are once again spreading across the South. John Hall who helped write the narrative on the recently published book on the longleaf pine will explore the development of longleaf forests prior to human contact and the influence that the longleaf has had on southern culture.
Dr. Hall, educated at the University of Alabama, has taught science and served as the Director of Inter-pretation for the University of Alabama Museums; he is the curator of the Black Belt Museum at Livingston. Dr. Hall conducts workshops and programs throughout Alabama. He has received the prestigious Distinguished Service Award given by the Alabama Historical Commission. His most recent book is Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama Rivers.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 – Edwin Bridges
“Reflections on Great Events in Alabama History”
Dr. Edwin Bridges, former Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, will focus on three events which he declares important not just for Alabama but for American history. He said, “In 2013, we are observing three  sets of commemorations at the same time—the 200th anniversary of the Creek War, the 150th of the Civil War, and the 50th of major events in the Civil Rights Movement. My presentation will attempt to step back and reflect on these events as part of the great drama of Alabama history.”
As the director of ADAH, Dr. Bridges guided the study and preservation of Alabama history for thirty years. During his last years, he masterminded the “Becoming Alabama” statewide partnership to promote a better understanding of Alabama history and the significance of these three periods in the shaping of our state and nation. Bridges graduated from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, received his M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 – Doyle Johnson and Johnson Grass
“Bluegrass Music: Tugging the Heart Strings”
Bluegrass music—a form of “American Roots” music—has origins in Scottish, Irish and English music with immigrants bringing their music to Appalachia. The earliest accompaniment to Bluegrass was the fiddle with the bass, banjo, guitar and mandolin added later. Bluegrass, like jazz, has one instrument featured on the melody (taking turns as lead) with the other instruments as accompaniment producing a beautiful effect that Bluegrass pioneer, Bill Monroe, call “a high lonesome sound.”
The Johnson Grass Band, of more that 60 years duration, will play the music and sing the songs. The band consists of family patriarch, Doyle Johnson, vocalist and lead guitar; daughter, Pam Landers, on stand-up bass and vocals; grand-daughter, April Sargent, on vocals; and grandson, Drew Bivin, on mandolin. The band regularly features guest artist on banjo, fiddle and guitar.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 – Buddy Simpkins and Friends
“Let the Good Times Roll”
Once again, retired Sylacauga High School Band Director, Buddy Simpkins, has gathered a “who’s who” of musicians to join him in playing for the enjoyment of the Comer Library brown bag audience. Drawing on songs from musical history, the group will play their favorite repertoire of tunes—jazz, rhythm and blues, pop and swing, or whatever strikes their fancy—for those who wish to take the journey back to the good times.
Buddy, on drums, will be joined by the renowned jazz double bassist, Cleve Eaton, from Fairfield, Alabama. During his years as recording artist, Eaton played with all of the greats and was dubbed “the Count’s Bassist” during his seventeen year stint with the Count Basie Orchestra. Bo Berry from Birmingham will play the trumpet. The talented trumpeter played with “Jam Sessions:” on the Avenue from 1947 to 1963. During his career, he played with such greats as Wynton Marsalis and Count Basie; in 1993, Berry was elected to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Pianist, Kermit Orr, began taking piano lessons early and had long musical career playing with the Fort Benning Band for heads of state and performing with such greats as Miles Davis and Dinah Washington.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 – Chris Phillips and Friends
“Places in the Heart: The Immortal Power of Song”
Chris Phillips, a favorite with Comer Library’s brown bag audience, will explore the power of song. He is excited about this venture saying, “There is room for humor, poignancy and patriotism as we explore the question—What inspires a song? Songs stand as monuments to people, ideas, and experiences. They also memorialize places. The iconic rock band U2 sang of a place “where the streets have no name.” Nat King Cole encouraged those traveling west to “take the highway that’s the best.” Sinatra had his plans to conquer the “city that doesn’t sleep.” Certain places often stand as markers of very important life experiences, and songs about places link emotional and poetic meaning with geography in ways that allow a shared nostalgia for locations both exotic and familiar. Come join us on a sonic journey to beloved places far and wide.”
Chris is the Minister of Worship and Arts at First Methodist Church. He attended Samford
University where he pursued church music in undergraduate studies and music education as a
graduate student. His wife, Julie, is a dancer and the couple has one son, Ben.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 – Dolores Hydock
“Behind the Covers: Norman Rockwell as Storyteller”
Born in New York City in 1894, Norman Rockwell always wanted to be an artist and he began his art classes early in life. His first commission came before his sixteenth birthday and in 1916, the 22-year old Rockwell painted his first cover for the Saturday Evening Post—a magazine that Rockwell called “the greatest show window in America.” The 1930s and 1940s were perhaps Rockwell’s most fruitful decades with his work beginning to reflect small-town American life. But Rockwell didn’t just paint pictures—every picture told a story. In this presentation, storyteller Dolores Hydock shares surprising stories from Rockwell’s life and career, and describes the creative process that Rockwell used to carefully craft his one-image stories.
Hydock, originally from Pennsylvania, is an actress and story performer whose work has been featured in a variety of concerts, festivals, and special events throughout the United States. She is a touring artist for the Alabama State Council on the Arts, a speaker with the Alabama Humanities Foundation, and a member of the Southern Order of Storytellers. Dolores lives in Birmingham, Alabama and in her spare time, teaches Cajun and zydeco dancing. She is a great favorite with the brown bag lecture audience and her entertaining and thought-provoking stories always leave them wanting more of the same!

When the doors of Sylacauga’s first banking institution were thrown open to the public thirty years ago the foundation for the First National Bank of Sylacauga was laid.  This was on the east side of Broadway, four doors south of the corner of Broadway and Third, where thirty years later, almost to the day, the doors of the institution again swing wide to the people of this constantly growing community, admitting them to what is undoubtedly one of the handsomest and most modern banking houses in the South commemorating thirty continuous years of honorable banking services.  On Tuesday, May 7, its customers, friends and the entire public are extended a cordial invitation to join them in celebration of this happy event, between the hours of 9 a. m. and 7 p. m.

When this institution made its first bow to the public thirty years ago Sylacauga was a struggling country village of approximately seven hundred souls.  At that time the corner now occupied by the beautiful home of the First National Bank and the Sylacauga Post Office was vacant.  With the exception of the old First National Bank building, the stores now occupied by Wallis Hardware Company and the building of Mr. C. E. Turner, there were no improvements on the east side of Broadway.  These two mercantile buildings at that time were built and occupied by T. J. Mathews, general merchandise, and Conoway Drug Company, respectively.

It is interesting to contrast this situation with the modern brick structure not completely filling the vacant spaces, viz:

First National Bank new building house; Sylacauga Post Office; Borough’s Jewelry Store; J. W. Langley, Optician; C. E. Turner Tonsorial Parlors:  B. and C. Cash Store; First National Bank old office to be remodeled for a commercial house, the second story of which is occupied by Judge Williams, Dr. R. S. Hunt, Dr. B. C. Duncan, the front upper half by Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company which will be remodeled by June first for installation of Common Battery System; Southland Stores; Wallis Hardware Company; Iles Five and Ten cent Store; Scott Café; Thompson Tonsorial Parlors; American Lunch; Palace Drug Company; Wood Jewelry Company; Rex Hotel; McDonald Insurance Agency; Dixie Stage Line; Marble City Inn; Sylacauga Chevrolet Company; balance of block being owned by government for post office site.

In the block directly south of the Rex Hotel, on the same side of Broadway, there was not a building of any character.  In this space-thirty years later we find many modern business building-buildings of brick and cement which would be a credit to any city, viz:

Buck’s Tire and Oil Company; Dr. Felix H. Craddock; Singer Sewing Machine Company; Adcock Grocery Company; American Theatre; Hill Grocery Company; Star Tonsorial Parlors; Munroes’ Cash and Carry; Western Union Telegraph Company; Hurt Pressing Shop; Jordan Insurance Agency; City’s Offices; First National Theatre and Masonic Hall; Sylacauga Infirmary; Offices of Drs. French H. Craddock and Whetstone; Dr. Castleman’s office and residence.

Such was the case in the block still to the South, with the single exception of the frame chapel of the Episcopal Church, upon the site of which now stands the Broadway Service Station.

Immediately North of the new home of the First National Bank on the East side of Broadway and North of Third Street, the entire block was built by Smith Brothers more than thirty years ago and was entirely occupied by them for general merchandise purposes, with the exception of  the store building of the late W. J. Cannon.  Today these buildings are the home of:

City National Bank, upper floor: Dr Stewart, E. L. Smith, atty., and Dr. J. W. Jackson, Marble City Dry Goods Company, Smith and Looney Supply Company; Landham and Shinn Furniture Company.

On the same side of Broadway and North of Noble Avenue, there were thirty years ago only jto be found a frame iron clad store of H. C. Phillips, The Farmers’ Warehouse, Central of Georgia Station, and the old two story brick structure just East of the present High School, a distance of many blocks and extending to the City Park on the north end of the city.  In this space today-thirty years later-there are many modern building, viz:

Sylacauga Service Station, Sylacauga Chevrolet Used Car lot, Central of Georgia General Freight office and Station, Charlie’s Café, S. P. Hagan and Son, Palace Service Station; Hawkins Studios; Shell Petroleum Company.

To many Sylacauga citizens a retrospective review of the many changes taking place, within the period of thirty years will be a matter of personal interest, picturing as it does scenes long since disappearing as Sylacauga has gradually shed its swaddling clothes to (one line omitted) tion the more pretentious ones of a modern American city, such as the old well then on the vacant lot upon which now rests the modern brick building of Goldberg Brothers, and on this side of Broadway in this particular block the space was entirely vacant with the exception of the buildings then occupied by Mr. J. W. Brown as a mercantile establishment, in which is now the home to the Merchants and Planters National Bank and the Leader, a small frame iron sheathed building then situated where now stands the Sylacauga Cash Store and the old Whetstone two story building, space now occupied by Lloyd’s Bakery and the Jitney Jungle.  It is interesting to note that a block then containing only a few building now contains:

Peoples Drug Company, Goldberg Brothers; Merchants and Planters National Bank; The Leader; Iles 5 and 10 cent Store; Pierson, Pearson and Thomas; Sylacauga Cash Store; Lloyd’s Bakery; Jitney Jungle; Coleman Shoe Parlors; Rosenberg’s 5 cents to $5.00 Store; Hagan Drug Company; Second floor by Drs. Davis, Porch and Boozer, Garrett Hagan, atty., and the Chamber of Commerce office; Sylacauga Furniture Company; On Norton between Second Broadway and Norton of this block; Marble City Filling Station, City Fire Department; Sylacauga Wholesale; Michael Construction Company; J. D. Richards Office and Shoe Parlor; Thompson Pressing Shop; Edwards Market; Jones Shoe Parlors.

On the Western side of Broadway between Second and First Streets there were no improvements whatever.  In this space now stand many creditable modern business buildings-a solid block of them in which the following business concerns are to be found:

Mathews Dry Goods Company; Sylacauga Hardware Co; M. O. Thweatt; Sylacauga News; Bridges Market; Nifty Jiffy; Sylacauga Motor Company Display Room and Sylacauga Motor Car Company; Sylacauga Bottling Company; Batson Grocery Company, Lane Grocer Company; Sylacauga Advance; Howard Undertaking Parlors.

In the next block South there were also no improvements of any kind and in which space today stands the modern and creditable Knight Hotel and in the block between Third Street and Noble Avenue on the West side of Broadway there were thirty years ago the buildings now existing with the exception of a one store frame building in about the center of the block.  These buildings are now the homes of Ira A. Watson; Offices of I. D. Wood and V. W. Hagan and B. E. Samuels, atty; Dixie Confectionary, Sylacauga Fruit Store; O. C. Mathews, Franklin Hotel, Sylacauga Produce Company, C. C. Atkinson, R. W. Prather,: Hickman Café; Sylacauga Furniture Company; Branch Store; L. M. Veazey; Stewart Pressing Shop; Son Lee Laundry; Estes Self-Serving Store; J. E. Stone.

The entire space from Noble Avenue North was vacant excepting three story building now used as a dormitory of State Secondary Agricultural School and at that time used as a dormitory and agricultural school combined and a few frame residences which have given way to the modern up to date business buildings occupied by the following concerns:

L. & N. Freight Depot, Union Passenger Station; Southern Cotton Oil Company; Motes Service Station; Sawyer’s Café; Motes Furniture Company; Motes and Company; Ideal Drug Company; McCarty’s Café; Broadway Tonsorial Parlors: Sylacauga Mattress Company; Marble City Bakery, T. H. Owings; City Café; Scott’s Garage; V. V. Kendricks; B. O. P. Motor Company (Buick, Oakland and Pontiac).

Thirty years ago there were no buildings or business houses on the West side of Norton Avenue where are today found the following:

Memorial Hospital, Lyons Brothers, Smith and Howard Gin, S. N. Gamel, Heaslett Auto Supply Company, Ogletree Mercantile Company, office W. M. Peace; Tate Motor Car Company; Hightower Sales Stables; Sylacauga Fertilizer Company; American Marble and Granite Company; Standard Oil Company; R. C. Teel.

Thirty years ago East Third Street was entirely vacant, Today:

J. R. Black Lumber Company, Falconi Marble Works; Eagle Iron Works, Sylacauga Bonded Warehouse.

Thirty years ago Sylacauga had no industries, but coincident with the establishment of its first banking institution, some of its officers and stockholders organized and build its first cotton mill, then know as the McDonald Cotton Mills, later conveyed to the late John M. Lewis who changed its name to Central Mills and who, still later, sold it to the late Governor B. B. Comer and associates, its present owners, who added to the original unit the Eva Jane Mills, the Sally B. Mills, the Catherine Mills and the Blanket Mill, and allied industries such as poultry, dairying, ice manufacturing , laundrying, etc.

During the past 30 years and since establishment of First National Bank, Reynolds and McMaechal erected the Sylacauga Brick Company’s plant, conveying later to M. J. Gregg and associates who sold to Mr. F. M. Van Duesen, under whose management the industry has been converted into a modern shale brick plant.

E. J. Smith built the cotton seed oil plant, selling to the Southern Cotton Oil Company.

While Gantts Quarry was worked locally before the Civil War, it was laying dormant 30 years ago, but was later developed by Hiller & Ford who sold to Henry Evans, New York capitalist; he selling in 1919 to the present owners, Col. Sewell and Messrs. Runge, Harrison, Hiller, Gardner and King incorporated under the name of Alabama Marble Company, taking the raw material from the ground, finishing and installing it complete in buildings throughout the country.

The Moretti-Harrah Marble Company was afterwards organized by G. Moretti, who sold to its present owners, who quarry, saw and sell their own products.

Then comes the development of Madras Marble Corporation by Jno. Wiley, who sold to the present owners and they now saw marble from their own quarries, selling its own products.

Added industries since establishment:  Hightower and Parker Gin, Sylacauga Ice and Coal Company, Duke Brothers Lumber Company, Pan Am Oil Company, Shell Oil Company, Bretts Naval Stores, Henderson and Hosey Lumber Company, Sylacauga Cotton Gin.

Thirty years ago Sylacauga had only one school building in which all grades are taught.  This was the old three-story frame building erected originally for hotel purposes and later conveyed to the state for use of agricultural college. Soon, however, it became necessary to separate the grades and the old brick building nearby was temporarily used for grammar grades.  We now have modern facilities for the city schools and one to the most accreditable high school structure in the state, in which is conducted the State Secondary Agricultural College, the old building being used for dormitory purposes.

Its churches thirty years ago were small frame structures being later superceded by edifices that would be a credit to any city in the South.  The Baptist people then worshipped in an old style one room frame structure, facing Church Street some distance north of the present modern pastorium, which building was abandoned and a new frame church erected upon the site this congregation now occupies and which was again abandoned for the beautiful building and site now in use.  The Methodist congregation thirty years ago worshipped in an old one room frame building located on the hill top near the side of the modern brick structure now in use.  The Episcopalian people then used a small frame chapel on Broadway, which was since sold and a new site on Norton Avenue secured for future use.  Thirty years ago there was no Presbyterian organization in the city. Some twenty years ago the present congregation was organized and soon afterwards erected the frame structure now in use on Norton Avenue, which is soon to give way to a modern brick building at the present site.

Thirty years ago Sylacauga was without a water system, electric lighting system or sanitation equipment of any sort-no sewer system-no paved streets-no sidewalks.  In 1903 the town council, then consisting of T. P. Johnston, Mayor; J. W. Brown, E. S. Smith, F. H. Craddock, J. J. Hightower, R. W. Prather, M. E. Conoway, R. L. Edwards, L. H. Crumpler, aldermen; and E. A. Hammett, clerk, undertook the erection of a water plant, and electric lighting plant, getting the construction well under way before the expiration of their terms of office.  At that time its municipal bonds could not be sold in the Eastern bond markets as the bond houses all stated that the town was too small, with only about 600 to 700 people, suggesting the possibility of so small a number folding their tents and silently stealing away, but the officials succeeded in finding a local market for the bonds, with the proceeds of which the plants were put under consideration and considerable progress made.  The following persons were solicited by the above named city officials to offer for office and take over the administration of the city’s affairs: S. P. McDonald, mayor; W. J. McLeod, C. W. Hammett, R. W. Prather, H. H. Howard, S. S. McClendon, M. W. Peace, T. B. White, J. J. Hightower, aldermen; and E. A. Hammett, clerk; and were subsequently elected, completing the water and light plant, installed a system of sanitary sewers, cement sidewalks, and today the city has all the modern facilities to be found in cities much larger in size.

From a village of some 700 people thirty years ago Sylacauga has grown to its present proportions-Greater Sylacauga, now a city of more than ten thousand people in its trade area…

The Sylacauga News. Friday, May 3, 1929.