The Vagabond – Captain Elliott’s short-lived peach orchard
By Danny Crownover The largest peach orchard ever planted in Etowah County was located on the side of the mountain overlooking what later became the Gadsden Country Club. The orchard (pictured near right) was owned by Captain J.M. Elliott, Jr., who in 1905 planted 74,000 trees. The Elliott Fruit Company was organized to promote and […]
Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell
Let’s cool off from this summer heat with some cool pies. Lemon Blueberry Pie 1 9-inch graham cracker crust or baked pastry shell 3 egg yolks 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk ½ cup real lemon juice 1 ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind 1 drop of yellow coloring 1 21 ounce can blueberry filling […]
From God’s word – God’s recipe is better than biscuits
By Toni Ford A pastor once asked an old farmer decked out in bib overalls to say grace for the morning breakfast. “Lord, I hate buttermilk,” the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going. The farmer loudly proclaimed, “Lord, I hate lard.” The […]
Keep Smilin’ with Rosie Preston – Too much, too little, too late
By Rosie Preston The title to this column describes my life and how I’ve adjusted to health changes, getting older, and feeling like I’ll never get my “to do” list accomplished. Every night, I lie in bed and make plans for the next day. I promise more than I could ever do, but it sure […]
Gadsden man to celebrate 103rd birthday Saturday
By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor Ralph “Pat” Patterson is many things — a U.S. Navy veteran, an University of Alabama football fan, a retired bus driver and as of 2020, a centenarian. Patterson was born to parents John Lauil Patterson and Agnes Cornelia Whorton Patterson on Sept. 2, 1920 in Gadsden. He had one brother, […]
PHOTOS: City schools promote literacy with parent night
Photos by Kaitlin Hoskins/Messenger. By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor Gadsden City Schools and the City of Gadsden partnered together at The Venue at Coosa Landing Tuesday, August 29, to host a night of literacy promotion among school officials, students and parents. The Elementary Literacy Parent Night was a chance for school leaders to engage students […]
Hokes Bluff Laundry is a dream 20 years in the making
By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor The new Hokes Bluff Laundry took a few years to get from concept to brick and mortar, but according to Kelley McGinnis, co-owner of the business, the idea came about 20 years prior. “We dreamed about it 20 years ago,” McGinnis said. “We’ve kind of seen in the past 20 […]
Dancing on the line, sort of
By Vicki Scott Last week, I had no plans (just prayers) for our Gathering of the Hummingbirds senior activity program here in Dadeville. During each meeting, we reserve about 20 minutes for speakers or special guests. Our church pastor visits a local restaurant to pick up some fried chicken fingers during this time. I had […]