The Etowah Chamber is excited to join Coosa Riverkeeper and the community for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and marker installation honoring Tom Sims, the comic artist who continued the legacy of Popeye the Sailor Man. The event will take place on Oct. 15 at 12 p.m. at Jack L. Ray Park in Gadsden, located near the boat ramp and dock.
Tom Sims took over creating and writing Popeye stories following the death of the original creator in 1938. According to historian Beverly Crider, author of Legends and Lore of Birmingham & Central Alabama, Sims drew inspiration for his stories from the Coosa River and his father’s role as captain of the steamboat Leota, built by the River Iron Company of Gadsden. In a 1944 interview, Sims said, “As a boy, I was raised on the Coosa River. When I began writing the script for Popeye, I put my characters back on the old Leota that I knew as a boy, transformed it into a ship, and made the Coosa River a salty sea.”
This quote inspired the inscription for the new marker, highlighting the significance of the Leota and the Coosa River in shaping Sims’ storytelling and the region’s cultural history. The marker recognizes the impact of the river on the community, from its role in commerce to its influence on local art and literature.
The marker is being installed by Coosa Riverkeeper, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Coosa River and supporting the communities that rely on it. Guests at the event will hear remarks from local officials and representatives from Coosa Riverkeeper, celebrating both Sims’ legacy and the importance of preserving the Coosa River.
“This marker is a wonderful way to celebrate Tom Sims’ connection to the Coosa River and Gadsden’s history,” said Phillip Hall, President and CEO of the Etowah Chamber. “It’s a meaningful addition to Jack L. Ray Park and reminds us of the cultural and environmental treasures in our community.”
