Rural blight Archives - Jackson's Ramblings

December 2, 2023December 2, 2023

Snow Hill Institute Visit

As long as I can remember traveling up Al 21 going north, I have seen a sign that says Snow Hill Institute. I have learned over the years that this was indeed a very famous school.

Until I started doing my focus totally on the Black Belt, I did not know that much about it other than it was an old school for Black Children.

I was born in 1957 and remember the goings on of the Civil rights Movement of the early 1960’s although I was a small child. I know that in the early 1970’s the laws concerning segregation caused many schools that had been for black children to close and students both black and white were bused to other schools to satisfy that all were desegregated. Because of that fact many small country, and even some larger town or city, schools closed and bigger ones were built or added on to.

I saw Snow Hill Institute on a Historical list of Black Belt things and immediately it hit me. I know “about” where this is. I have never actually driven through and seen where it stands nor what it looks like. Like always I had to do some research.

Naturally one of the first places I went to learn was the internet. As with more times than not the first thing I found on it was at encyclopediaofalabama .org. Here is what they have to say about it. (1) “The Snow Hill Normal and Industrial Institute was an African American school founded in the Snow Hill community of Wilcox County in 1893 by Tuskegee Institute graduate William J. Edwards. It operated as a private academy until in 1924 and the boasted 27 buildings, 35 employees, and some 400 students at its height. The building then served as an Alabama public school until 1973, when court-ordered desegregation forced its closure. Of the original campus, eight buildings survive. The site, which includes the burial plot of William Edwards, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.”

Like so many of the historical sites we have there is multitudes of information online with a simple search of their name. Snow Hill Institute is no exception.

Because of that fact I rarely add much more because of the ease of research through search engines it is easier to just make that reference instead of trying to compile it and then make sure everybody is cited as they should be for their hard work.

As I stated earlier, I had known about Snow Hill somewhat. I did not however know exactly where it stood other than the sign on Hwy 21 pointing in to it.

My wife and I were out rambling on this particular day, and I saw the sign. My wife had asked me about it earlier on another trip recently and I had told her what I knew, and we did not take time to go in to find it. Today we had time and here we went.

I turned from Hwy 21 and headed up towards the school. I was not sure what I was even Hunting. We came to the brick sign at what we learned was the entrance. Then we headed up the narrow-paved road into the school. That is when I saw it.

My first glance was shock. I was actually disturbed. I saw what had been these beautiful brick buildings that were now going away fast. It was obvious that there had been roof damage at some time in the past probably from a storm of some kind. There were remnants of blue tarps on the roof.

The roofs were falling in in places. It was a sad time for me. I do not know what I was actually hoping to see but in my expectations something as important to history of Alabama as this I felt would be, and rightfully should be preserved. Instead, they were falling in and fast going away.

We drove up the road and I stopped several different times and took photos documenting best I could and then we would move a little further in and I would do the same. We moved on up to the top of the hill and then turned around and came back out. For me it was a solemn time. Any time I see things of great historical significance in trouble it does something to me. I want to see them all preserved.

As always when I left my mind went to racing. I could imagine what it was like for all of those young people at that time in history. I could imagine what the classes were like. I could imagine that there were things like vegetable gardens there. I could imagine what great people came from this place and the accomplishments they were able to achieve because of the education they received here.

Hopefully in the not-too-distant future something can be done to this great historical place and it can be preserved. Like so many others of great significance it is slowly decaying and going away so that a future generation will not be able to see what it was like and know the great things that were accomplished here.

( 1 ) https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/media/snow-hill-normal-and-industrial-institute/

September 19, 2023September 25, 2023

I have been to Smut Eye, Alabama

The U.S. has a lot of little, small towns with really, unusual names. Some of them even border on the bizarre I would guess you would say. I have been through a few in my time and have heard of many more that I honestly have not taken time to research to see if they really exist. I know in Northern Monroe County, AL. there is Hybart which is named after the family who was the first postmaster there. Then there is Scratch Ankle, it is out from Franklin, AL. There is also Burnt Corn which is on the Old Federal Road on the Eastern Side of Monroe County and is also the County Line. Burnt Corn actually is divided by the road. One side is in Monroe County and one side of the road is Conecuh County.

I have written blogs on Franklin, Burnt Corn, and on Hybart. At some time in the future, I will probably write one on Scratch Ankle.

I have heard of a town named Smut Eye for years but honestly, I never took time to see if it actually did exist, and I surely had never been there that I remember anyway.

As I was planning out a trip a month or so ago, I ran across the name on the map. Immediately I was enthused. I marked that one on my list. I just had to go to Smut Eye. I was not sure what I would find. Pretty much any of these little towns that I visit is a surprise. “Kind of like a box of chocolates.” You never know till you get there and see. I just had to go to Smut Eye if for no other reason than to say, “Hey I have been to Smut Eye, Alabama before.

According to various sources online it is an unincorporated community in Bullock County, Alabama. Various sources say that it got its name from the soot on people’s faces that hung around the Blacksmith Shop. I am sure there are several renditions of that story concerning the Blacksmith Shop. There is an in-depth story or two on that subject and much more information online at http://www.smuteye.com/history-smuteye.htm.

As with most very small communities scattered across the country, time has not been good to the structures there. It was getting on over in the afternoon when I got there, and it was going to be the last stop for me for the afternoon. I had dawdled for too long in other places. I was staying the night all the way over at Bluff Creek on the Georgia line. I was not nearly as far East as I had intended to be by that time of the afternoon.

I did not have time to look for long, but I did see a couple of old buildings and I took a few pictures.

As I sat back for the night after I had been there, I could only think what Smut Eye might have been like a hundred years ago. Although I have not seen pictures of it, nor do I know where it was located, in my mind’s eye I started to visualize what the blacksmith shop might have looked like. I pondered on the mental picture that I painted of it. The horses and mules that would come in to be shod. Quite possibly there would be oxen that would be shod as well. There would have been wagons quite possibly that would have had to have wheels repaired on. There would have been plows to sharpen and possibly other things needing repaired on the plow stocks. I stopped and focused on the shop itself. There would have been a forge to heat metal with. There would have been an anvil to hammer out things on to shape them. There would have been a vise mounted on a post somewhere most likely in an open area of the shop. There would have been numerous other tools sitting around as well.

Because of writings I read about the place I stopped and started thinking about the people coming in and hanging out. It quite possibly would have been a gathering place that the men of the community would have used when they were not working in the fields or, doing other farm work. Possibly a place that they might gather if they brought their wives and daughters to the store. The men and boys might have meandered over to there to wait and socialize.

Too many years have come and gone. For those that are associated with the place locally there are I am sure, some memories that have been handed down by the generations. In the not-too-distant future, even the numbers of those that have heard the stories will dwindle down, until they are remembered no more.

Smut Eye Alabama, another small town in the U. S. that has been bypassed with progress, or from the perspective of some like myself destroyed by a false progress that so many deem as good.

One thing is for sure. I can truthfully say. I have been to Smut Eye, Alabama.

August 27, 2023September 10, 2023

Fort Deposit, Alabama

As those of you that have followed me on Facebook and other means know that I am working on several projects. One being get a drone video of as many standing Forest Fire Lookout Towers that are still standing in Alabama as I can. Another project that I want to accomplish is to visit all 67 counties in Alabama. In those counties I like to document the buildings left standing that probably won’t be a decade from now. I also like to document as many churches as I can that I see. Most times it is the old country whitewashed ones standing out and away, but many of the others as well. Of course, I will photograph anything interesting, different, or historical.

As I say more times than not when I write, I photograph the decay of our beloved Southland not to point an accusing finger nor degrade any local areas but rather to bring awareness to what has happened, and the damage done.

As is true with many I run into it bothers me to see what has happened to our great beautiful land. I try to shy away from politics and finger pointing as to the issues and rather to just show what has happened and allow those that see to make their own determinations.

I know all of this sounds redundant, but I feel that it needs to be said over and over.

Another decade and much of what we see in whatever forms of decay won’t be standing at all.

On this particular, trip my goal as to travel East from I-65 to the Georgia state line taking a zig zagging route pretty much North of Al. Hwy 10. This was to be my third trip across on this venture. The previous two trips had been across at lower levels with me working across one day, spending the night on the East side and working back West the second day.

As I was planning a recent Ramble, I was looking at my maps. I was trying to make a determination on what route I wanted to take. As the paths across move northward it requires more driving over the same areas already covered to get to the starting point so to speak.

For whatever reason my eyes settled on Fort Deposit. I have been through what we all know as Fort Deposit on I-65 hundreds of times in my lifetime. I however, cannot say that I have ever visited the town of Fort Deposit other than many years ago I went to the Calico Fort Arts and Craft show a couple of different times.

For whatever reason I honestly thought the town itself was on the East side of I-65 and not the West.

As my eyes settled on Ft. Deposit I started to settle on a route there taking the back roads. On this route I found Mt. Willing where a Fire Tower is still standing that I did not have photos of, so I could check something else off the list of things I Was working on. I actually wrote about that in an earlier post. https://jacksonsramblings.com/mt-willing-lookout-tower/.

Now as I drove the route up, and shot photos of various things, primarily old churches on the way up, and got the Fire Tower shots done, I made it to Fort Deposit.

According to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Deposit,_Alabama

Since 1890 it has been the largest town in Lowndes County, AL. According to the information on Wikipedia it grew from 2000 to 2010 but then declined between 2010 and 2020. I would venture to say from the appearance I saw it is declining sharply since 2020. I have no way of knowing that for sure and I honestly hope something changes to reverse that.

Reportedly the town sits on 5.6 square miles.

Fort Deposit was named for the fort built there under orders of General Andrew Jackson. It was a supply fort that was built to supply soldiers during the times of the Creek Indian Wars. It was incorporated February 13, 1891. It also is supposed to be the highest point between Montgomery, AL. and New Orleans, LA.

Again this information came from Wikipedia and is referenced there is anybody chooses to source it all out.

Now as I arrived in Fort Deposit I was not certain what I would see. From experience of traveling small old towns, I figured there would be some buildings that were vacant and in various stages of decay. Sadly, very seldom do I visit an older Southern Town do I not see that.

The very first thing I saw upon entering town was a gathering of people. Curious I slowed down and realized that it was a food giveaway. There were trailers with pallets of food that was being distributed. There was a line of cars with folks waiting in line to get food. This is a sight that is all too common across the country. I did not take time to even estimate how many cars there were nor how many people but I know that the length of the line was incredible to me. This added to my thoughts of how depressed our beloved Southland has become.

I rode around and took various pictures of the various places in town. This is a town that has suffered immensely. A once bustling beautiful town that is like hundreds if not thousands more across America that are nothing more than rotting down buildings.

I say it every time I go into a town like this it breaks my heart. As I have seen on the various trips I have taken in the past and would see on this trip these towns are everywhere as I will write in blog posts to come.

Stores, post office buildings, doctor’s offices, churches, and many homes. So many times just sitting there deteriorating.

Many times, you can identify the place by the sign or remnants of a sign that is there still. Other times there is no sign and if a local does not fill you in you have no way of knowing what was there. Clothing stores, mom and pop grocery stores, all closed up.

Overlooking the town there was a beautiful painted water tank. That is a sign of hope. It is a thing of beauty. As always that is still a sign of the future. I also saw numerous houses well kept up in the residential areas of town. That is a positive as well. Although the businesses were forced to close fortunately people are still able to. Live there.

One beautiful thing to me was this beautiful church building. I hope somebody will chime and with comments and tell me all about it. It looks to me like it is going through some sort of renovation, which I think is awesome.

I saw other positive things here. There were other churches that were still kept. Even though there were many buildings that were empty or just there, there was life still in this town which I am glad to see.

Like so many of our southern neighbors this town will most probably be here many years to come and somehow I would not doubt it coming back to something of its former glory one day.

As always it was a pleasure to visit Fort Deposit, Alabama and hopefully I will see it again in the not too distant future and hopefully there will be signs of growth and comeback that are evident to all.

August 21, 2023November 5, 2023

Rambling The Southland

As many of you know that follow me on Facebook, and other sources online and even in person, I travel a lot. In fact, I have made it my mission to visit all 67 counties in Alabama within the next year. Somewhere in that timeframe I intend to visit a lot more of Mississippi as well.

More than one person has asked me why, are you doing that?

Well, it goes like this. As many who know me know, I have a fascination for history. Now at different times I have interest in different things. Plus, I have an overwhelming interest in photography. Now, put the two together and guess what you come up with? I have an almost unquenchable interest in taking photographs of things from the past.

Living in Monroe County, Alabama I have seen the towns of Frisco City, Repton, Peterman, Tunnel Springs, Beatrice and so forth pretty much dry up in my lifetime. I mean there are still people there but there are basically just rows of rotting down buildings that are for the most part falling in. I guess it had never even dawned on me that this was a problem in other places. Not sure why, but it just never seemed to really click.

As many know I also fly drones and love old Fire Towers. A couple of years ago I started on a project to locate and do a drone video of as many of those old Fire Towers as I could find. I don’t know why but even with that I had no clue as to how many were standing still in the State of Alabama nor the condition, they were in.

As I started to travel and get photos of those towers. I also started to notice how many old churches that there are standing that are abandoned or are on the verge of being abandoned. It was like a light bulb went off in my head I guess you could say. It is like most small towns you go into there is one or two old churches normally that were founded in the mid to late 1800’s that are just sitting there.

Then as I rode through the towns, I was familiar with and for some reason I started to really notice how many buildings were vacant and rotting down it really started to hit me. These are going away fast. The buildings, the churches, and the fire towers. They are all going away at an alarming rate.

That is when my mission I guess you would call it became clear to me. I am retired. I have less and less responsibilities. I have my health. I have decent vehicles, and I have decent equipment to document this stuff with. I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination but by managing reasonably well I have the resources to travel and do it.

Here is my Dodge Caravan that is converted into a sleeper van. It has AC and an almost full sized bed so that I can sleep comfortably. I also have a small cooler sized refrigerator. It is quite comfortable and is ideal for most excursions.

So that leads me to where I am now. I am on a mission to travel our beloved Southland and document as much of it as I can. Churches, fire towers, stores, water towers, other places of business and anything else interesting I see along the way.

As many know I am the founder and moderator of the group “The Good Ole Days of Monroe County Al.”. I love that group. It is a great group, and it has done well. It however as was created is for Monroe County Alabama and thus I wanted it to remain that way.

I quickly realized that doing what I wanted to do was going to cause me to do a lot out of Monroe County. One visit to Mississippi made me realize that it was going to be more than just Alabama. Thus, Jackson’s Ramblings came into being. Then my slogan, “Rambling the Southland and Beyond.” Well, that seemed to get it going. Then when I hit on a slogan, immediately I thought Facebook group. So, I named the Facebook Group, “Rambling the Southland and Beyond.” That way anything documented would fit the category.

There have been many contributors who have a like desire of photographing old, unusual, and or interesting things, that have shared and continue to share on the group. I hope that as time goes on that those and more will continue to share. If you area reading this and are one of those you are greatly appreciated.

At the time of this writing the group has 2740 or so members and is growing many weeks at the rate of 50 to 100 a week. It was created in June of 2022. My only hope is to see the group grow to how ever big it can grow. Tens of thousands would be incredible.

I also love to write. As those who take time to read my writing can readily see I have a lacking in writing skills. I aways joke and say that they only thing that kept me from doing great in high school was elementary school. I am the first to admit that I have issues with grammar and punctuation. However, I like to feel like that I make up for that with desire and determination.

With all of that said, there is a wealth of places, buildings, and other things that are standing today that in a very few years will no longer be standing. For the years I have left, and I hope it is a lot, I intend to take photos of those things, document them as best I can, and write about them as time allows.

It would be incredible to be able to fund the travel, and equipment, to do this in some way while doing it. I do not have a large enough audience for any business or group to pay me sponsorship. My viewership on my blog is too small for the ads associated with it to make me money, or at least for this time. I have not updated my Youtube channel in a while as well. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep it all up. Some weeks I drive 500 plus miles or more. Sometimes I spend a night in my van some place to keep from having to stay in a hotel or drive home. Then there are hundreds of photos to look at figure out where they were taken, organize them and then file. It is a labor of love but also almost a full time job.

Hopefully in the future this can change. I plan to try to write more blog posts as I travel and interact more that way. Hopefully I can go back to doing more videos as well.

Thanks, to all who have supported me in this endeavor, and I look forward to meeting others along the way who have like interests.

Come join me as I Ramble the Southland and Beyond.