Lookout Alabama magazine - Spring 2015

Celebrating the Lookout Mountain region’s culture, history and natural beauty
spring 2015
And more! TerraMae Appalachian Bistro puts new twist on
regional fare, artist Cloud Farrow deals in details, a history-filled
event venue, Curtis Strange’s musical talent crosses genres, hiking
in Little River Canyon, pastoral landscape hides battlefield’s tragic
past, The Summit offers spiritual R&R, Amazin’ Raisins makes
healthy eating fun, therapeutic riding school meets challenges
falls park
Noccalula
offers history,
adventure and
intrigue
set against a
dramatic focal
point
Sally Gentry looks to
follow in her famous
father’s footsteps
Vacation in an
authentic pioneer
cabin, complete
with today’s
amenities

4 LOOKOUT ALABAMA Spring 2015 Spring 2015 LOOKOUT ALABAMA 5
H
istory–thebaneofmosthighschoolstudents’existence.Truly,
the way we usually are taught history, it can be a bore. Dates
andnamesofleaders,battlesandseeminglyinfinitelistsofwho
conquered whom. From inside the four walls of a classroom,
we are given a CliffsNotes version of our past. I know I used to feel this way.
Butlocalhistoryopenedmyeyes.Igrewupfeelingfairlyisolatedfromthe
real world. I thought everything noteworthy always happened somewhere
other than where I lived. My awakening came from finding arrowheads in
the freshly plowed fields behind our house after a hard rain. Who were the
people who made them? What were their lives likes? Where did they go?
Who else was here before me?
Though fascinated with my finds, it was only after I was a young adult
that I really began to realize that the local history of my small world was rich
and diverse. I pored over the Fort Payne, Ala.-based Landmarks of DeKalb
publications that my granny bought and learned more and more about this
area. I still felt far removed from the action of the big cities, but I found new
reasons to be proud of my home. Its history is colorful, inspiring, sometimes
tragic and often triumphant in spirit. This region and its unique landscape
have been a magnet for people for thousands of years (see history sidebar to
Noccalula Falls article, page 36). It’s been home to various groups, invaded,
fought over, settled and fought over some more.
This region was home to the last remnants of the Cherokee Nation – from
here, these people made their final stand in the American courts before be-
ing forced west on the infamous Trail of Tears. It was a region occupied by
two great armies during the Civil War and where skirmishes and major bat-
tles (see article on Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park,
page 56) left legacies still felt today. It was the site of New England specula-
tion that gave rise to short-lived booms throughout the region – most no-
tably in Fort Payne, where this heritage is still celebrated annually with the
Boom Days festival. It was a place of growth and prosperity in the wake of
the industrial age. And finally, it has spawned great men and woman who
have shined on the world stage.
We pay homage to this area’s past in each issue with our History Book
department, but virtually every story contains elements of history. You can’t
escape it because the past shows us the direction in which we are headed.
AsIgetolder,Ifindmyselfembracingthepastmoreandmore.Ifindboth
excitementandcontentmentindiscoveringsomethingnewthatisreallyold.
Sadly, we occasionally lose an im-
portant piece of our history as we did
last year when the Mentone Springs
Hotel burned. Future generations
will have to rely on the written and
verbal accounts and photographs
documenting the iconic symbol of
the mountain village of Mentone,
Ala. I often find myself standing at a
historical marker trying to visualize
the time period or event described
on these placards. Fortunately, the Lookout Mountain region still has
many historical buildings and preserved areas for visitors to enjoy.
These places give us the opportunity to instill in the younger generation
the idea that history doesn’t have to be a bore if you get out and experience
it. Sometimes it takes a little searching and self-discovery.
We invite you to come explore this region and its glorious history. It’s like
a little mystery that’s a treasure unto itself.
Historically Speaking...
The Lookout Mountain region has an exciting and
diverse heritage beyond facts and figures.
Publisher’s Note
Randy Grider
rgrider@lookoutalabama.com
Grady Gillam and Ora Epperson at Noccalula Falls in 1915 / photo courtesy Danny Crownover
Get to Know
A L A B A M A
fishing • shopping • food • golf • festivals • hiking • music • parks • climbing

Spring 2015 LOOKOUT ALABAMA 5
4 Lookout ALAbAmA Spring 2015
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Featured on
Absolutely Alabama
TasTe of
SPRING 2015
Volume 3 • Issue 1
Features
36
LegendaryPark
A wealth of attractions and activities
surround a majestic waterfall with an
intriguing past.
cover photo by Olivia Grider
42
Pinnacle of R&R
Once owned by a renowned musician
and now by the Chick-fil-A family, The
Summit provides a spiritual retreat.
46
Bluffside Venue
Historic Cragsmere Manor boasts a
unique heritage and now serves as a
perfect setting for vacations, weddings
and other events.
The Alabama band member’s
daughter finds her own songwriting
inspiration in her famous father.
Talking with Teddy and Sally
30

Departments
SPRING 2015
10 Artist Spotlight:

Cloud Farrow’s drawings
of natural and historic
subjects are intricate
records of time and place.
14 Mountain Melodies:
Curtis Strange crosses
musical genres with
seemingly endless
playlists.
16 Inn for the Night:

Bear Creek Cabins are
built on passion and
determination reminiscent
of early pioneers.
20 What’s Cookin’:
TerraMae Appalachian
Bistroputsaninternational
twist on Southern
farm-to-table fare.
People to See Places to Go
16 20
10 14
PUBLISHER
Randy Grider
EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Olivia Grider
CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS
John Dersham • Caden Grider
LaRue Hardinger • Brett Jaillet
Elizabeth Manning
Kathryne Slate McDorman
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Dersham • Brittney Hughes
Brett Jaillet • Steven Stiefel
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
OliviaGrider(editorial)•DavidWatson(ads)
WEB MASTER
N. L. McAnelly
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Jake Harris
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Michelle McAnelly
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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Appalachian Press, P.O. Box 681208, Fort Payne,
AL 35968. Gift subscriptions available.
LETTERS
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Reach us at editorial@lookoutalabama.com or
LookoutAlabama, P.O. Box 681208,
Fort Payne, AL 35968.
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Reasons to Stay
8 Life on Lookout Mountain:
John Dersham encourages
you to experience the
renewing power of
spring’s beauty.
60 The Homestead:
A Civil War-era home in
Cave Spring, Ga., is a
perfect match for history
buffs and antique collectors
Dianna and Eric Haney.
64 Doing Business Here:

Amazing Fruit Products-US
promotes healthy eating
with a fun snack.
What to Know
52 Good Works:

Challenges Met offers
therapeutic horse riding
for individuals with
special needs.
56 History Book:
Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National
Military Park offer a
serene setting for learning
about some of the
bloodiest battles of the
American Civil War.
28 52 8
Lookout Alabama™ is published four times a year,
quarterly, and is a trademark of its publisher,
Southern Appalachian Press, Inc., P.O. Box 681208,
Fort Payne, AL 35968. Copyright 2015 by Southern
Appalachian Press. All rights reserved. Reproduc-
tion in whole or part without written permission of
the publisher is prohibited. Lookout Alabama has
made every effort to ensure listings and informa-
tion are accurate and assumes no liability for errors
or omissions. In no event shall Lookout Alabama or
its publisher be liable for any advertisement-related
damages beyond the cost of the advertisement.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Lookout
Alabama, P.O. Box 681208, Fort Payne, AL 35968.
Things to Do
24 Shop Around:

Check out handmade
items from the Lookout
Mountain region’s artists.
28 Kids’ View:
The Little River Canyon
area proves to be an
outdoor paradise for
young hikers.
70 What’s Happening:

Here’s a rundown of spring
events and activities on
and around Lookout
Mountain.

T
OH, HOW I LOVE SPRING. I CAN’T WAIT TO FEEL THE FIRST
warm winds that blow in, sporadically at first, in March and gradually be-
come more frequent.
The feel of a breeze on a warm day in April is something I look forward
to each year, and when it comes, it makes me think about the springtimes
of my youth, when the world was new and everything I did seemed to be
for the first time: family picnics at the park, playing baseball, flying kites,
playing outside with friends till dark and then my first girlfriend and the
feeling of being in love in spring.
This season is a time of new life, of rebirth in nature. It is a time when the
world seems to start fresh again. Winter has taken away the old life with
cold winds, freezing temperatures and snow. The old leaves are gone, and
the slate has been cleaned. It is time to begin again.
I have always felt the same is true for me. In spring, I feel renewed and
eager like little buds on trees turning into flowers and then leaves. I feel
young again and ready to celebrate life by living all I can. Spring is energiz-
ing. In many ways, I look at spring rather than January as the beginning of
the year. It starts a new cycle of seasons…a new year.
Here, where I live on Lookout Mountain, the seasonal distinctions are
clear. Lookout Mountain features unusual biodiversity as well. Spring is
quite a spectacle as Mother Nature brings forth an artistic palette of colorful
trees, flowers and bushes.
I love watching the trees first start leafing out from the buds. The
tiny, translucent leaves sparkle and shimmer in the warm sunlight.
They are alive and young and ready to grow and prosper as summer
beckons them on.
People and nature are really the same thing experiencing the same cycles
of life. This is why we should embrace nature and take good care of her.
Taking care of nature is taking care of ourselves, for we are not separate,
and we cannot survive separately. Spring is a new chance for us to experi-
ence our oneness with the environment, to embrace the beauty around
us and share that beauty with others who might be too busy to notice it
without some prompting.
Now that spring is upon us, go out, hike, ride a bike or go to a park and feel
the warm air on your face. The Lookout Mountain region is a perfect place for
all these activities. Consider leaving your hectic schedule and to-do lists behind
for a weekend vacation of relaxing and appreciating nature. Be at peace. After
all, it’s spring – a time of rebirth, a time to begin again.
John Dersham is president/CEO of DeKalb Tourism.
text and photography by JOHN DERSHAM
Lookout Mountain
Life on
256-845-3957 / 888-805-4740
DiscoverLookoutMountain.com
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WOW

C
LOUD FARROW OFFERS HIS HANDS AS A MEDIUM
for understandinghisapproachtolifeandwork.Everyfingerhas
a piece missing or is deformed in some way, results of the years
he spent in construction and cabinetmaking.
“With everything I’ve ever done, I’ve been too extreme,” says Farrow,
who now makes his living through art. “I’m thinking about what I’m doing.
I don’t think about me. When I sit at my drawing board, there’s no world
around me.”
Farrow, 69, is often commissioned to draw
old home places or other structures people re-
member from their childhoods, and he can’t
call a work complete until his customer is
comfortable with every element. “If you pay
somebody to do something and there’s a res-
ervation about that work, you can’t like it,” he
says. “That’s why it’s important to be as precise
as possible.”
Precision is key to many aspects of Farrow’s
artwork. “I love detail,” he says. “I don’t leave
anything a blur. I get it all.” Another striking
attribute of Farrow’s drawings is the exactness
with which he executes scale and proportion.
It’s almost as if drawings of houses and build-
ings began with their blueprints.
This isn’t a coincidence. For much of his life,
Farrow drew things for utilitarian rather than
artistic purposes. He earned a degree in archi-
tectural and mechanical drafting before going
to work for his stepfather’s commercial-con-
struction company in Birmingham, Ala. For
decades, he owned and operated a cabinet-
making business that supported his family as
he and his wife raised five children. “I always
said I couldn’t build anything I couldn’t draw,” he says, noting problems
could be worked out in the drawing phase.
When asked about his medium, Farrow says most of his work is mixed
media, starting with a pen and ink structure and possibly incorporating
watercolor, acrylic inks, oil pastels and more. “I try to get there any way I
can – whatever it takes to get what I want,” he says.
He says creating a sense of depth that will fool the mind into thinking an
object on a two-dimensional piece of paper is three dimensional is one of
his biggest challenges.
After his last industrial accident, Farrow says his hands were ruined and
his coordination was off, making it likely he would get hurt worse if he con-
tinued working. So he retired – and was diagnosed with cancer almost im-
mediately. The disease has been in remission since 2007, but chemotherapy
lefthimwithfibrosis,alungconditionthatmakesphysical laborimpossible
for him. With his savings wiped out to pay for cancer treatment (he had
no health insurance), Farrow struggled to come up with a way to support
himself. “I wanted to do something constructive, something worthwhile,
not be a beggar,” he says. “I’d rather be dead than have another man carry
my load for me.”
Farrow had been drawing for as long as he
could remember. As a child, his drawings were
mostly doodles for his own enjoyment, and
he recalls being punished in the second grade
for drawing when he should have been study-
ing. He wondered if his artistic drawing skills
might come in handy now and tested them by
putting a few framed prints in a café in Sand
Rock, Ala. A Canadian couple bought one of
the prints, and his work continued to sell.
Farrow soon began taking commissions as
well. Every month since, he’s drawn three or
four commissioned works.
He chooses many subjects himself, too, and
sells prints of this work. Natural and historic
subjects attract Farrow. Nature-themed draw-
ings are often of trees, woods, valleys, cotton
fields, “little hidden things,” and natural fea-
tures of northeast Alabama such as Little River
Canyon, Cherokee Rock Village, Yellow Creek
Falls and other waterfalls. “I love to capture
water because it’s really challenging,” he says.
Historic subjects include Cornwall Furnace
and the cabins, mills and barns of the Appa-
lachian region. Farrow says he is deeply im-
pressed by these structures that were built by people who struggled to make
a life in a rough place. “By drawing an old mill, I can experience how much
trouble they went through to get water to the wheel,” he says. “These were
real American people. These were the people who built this country. This is
where we came from.”
Farrow always draws from a photo or collection of photos showing dif-
ferent angles and close-up and wide views of the subject. In the case of
commissions, he sometimes needs to draw a structure that no longer exists
from an angle other than the one shown in a single photo. His drafting and
construction knowledge are particularly helpful in those situations. “I can
pretty much get it,” he says. “I have done hundreds of these.”
by OLIVIA GRIDER
I N N F O R T H E N I G H T | p.16 K I D S ’ V I E W | p.26
S H O P A R O U N D | p.24
M O U N TA I N M E L O D I E S | p.14
Artist Spotlight
Cloud Farrow
W H AT ’ S C O O K I N ’ | p.20
Drawing on the Past
Cloud Farrow’s dedication to capturing minute detail in his depictions
of nature and historical structures stems from previous careers.
CLOUD FARROW ENJOYS DRAWING
structures from the Appalachian
region. This mill is in the Cades Cove
section of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park.
Since 2007, Cloud Farrow has taught free, weekly art
classes at the Cherokee County Public Library in Centre,
Ala. Here he helps Ian Goodwin, 9, with a drawing of
Abraham Lincoln. photo by Olivia Grider

When I talk with Farrow, he is working on a depiction of a mill in the Ca-
des Cove section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The draw-
ing is based on a photograph by Bob McGill, a retired fine-art printer who
passed away in January. Much of Farrow’s recent work was drawn from
McGill’s photography, and Farrow says he loves the way McGill captured
colors and light.
“Without a good subject I can’t do a good rendering,” Farrow says. “Bob
was well placed in my career. He gave me much good advice. He liked my
work and knew what I enjoy drawing, so he sent fantastic shots on a regular
basis with his permission to use them.”
Farrow began teaching art at Cherokee County Public Library in Centre,
Ala., right after his cancer went into remission. Doris Pearson, chairman of
the library board, had run across his work and commissioned him to draw
ahomeplace.Aroundthesametime,heaskedtheheadoftheCreativeArts
Guild in Dalton, Ga., to critique his work. She told him his drawings were
fine and he should offer to teach his craft in his community. When he told
Pearson he planned to do that, she suggested he hold classes at the library.
Farrow began giving free lessons one afternoon a week. While the major-
ity of his students are children, he says he teaches kids from 6 years old to
106. Sometimes there’s one student and sometimes there’s 40. Either way,
Farrow says he’s happy.
“I can’t live without a purpose,” he says. “These students, they give me a
purpose as a human being – even more than my work as an artist.”
The class is a critique rather than lecture session. Each person chooses
what he or she wants to draw, and a librarian often helps locate photos of
the desired subjects. Farrow floats around the room, giving each budding
artist advice and encouragement and answering questions.
Judging by the artwork I see when I visit the class in December, this sim-
ple method is quite successful. Jo Sewell, a retired schoolteacher, is putting
final touches on a professional-looking rendering of a hound dog barking
up a tree. She’s only been taking the class for six months and had no previ-
ous art training.
Rebekah Coffman, a 14-year-old interested in fashion design, has drawn
a dress made out of musical notes. “She has the ability to visualize things
and put them on paper,” Farrow tells her mother. “She has a lot of talent.”
Ian Goodwin, 9, says he has learned much from the classes. For example,
he now knows how to fill in objects to create different textures. Real small
circles are best for solid colors, he tells me.
“My art has gotten a lot better,” says Evan Goodwin, 15. He uses a draw-
ing of a fox he’s working on to show me how he’s learned to use a tool called
a tortillion to blur backgrounds.
Unless the community gives kids a goal and something to focus on, they
go in circles and lose their potential, Farrow says. “If you have something
society wants, society will support you,” Farrow says he tells the kids in his
class. “That’s why it’s important for my generation to recycle itself and put
itself back into the new generation. It might not be art; it might be auto-
mechanics. From mentoring relationships, young people can learn to sup-
port themselves.”
Farrow says he tries to let others with disabilities know art can be an ave-
nueforindependence.He’staughtpeoplewithcerebralpalsy,autismandpa-
ralysis. One mentally disabled 47-year-old man now regularly sells his work.
Farrow believes all his students are talented and that each artist has a way
of touching paper that’s unique. “That makes art an endless and fantastic
experience,” he says.
His teaching philosophy is based on the idea that anyone can learn to
draw and paint if they have a will to do so. “There’s nothing a person can’t
do as long as they have a desire to be challenged. A challenging situation is
the best thing and the healthiest thing one can possibly have.”
Farrow says he has lived up and down the state of Alabama, and chose to
retire in the Lookout Mountain area, buying a home near Sand Rock.
He first visited the region when he was in his 20s, living in Birmingham,
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cloud Farrow says he is impressed by old things
(rather than new) like this shed; Farrow displays his work; He often draws pi-
oneer-era cabins; One of Farrow’s most recognized works, a depiction of St.
Joseph’s on the Mountain Episcopal Church in Mentone, Ala.; A century-old
covered bridge in Stone Mountain Park in Georgia; Farrow says he wanted to
document the structural significance of this cantilever barn in Cades Cove;
Rocks, trees, water and other natural subjects also are favorites for Farrow.
and a friend invited him to Little River Canyon to rappel. “I just fell in love
with Little River Canyon,” he says. “It was always to me a mystical thing. All
the nature in northeast Alabama has kind of a mystical effect on me. It’s like
being in another world from the other places I’ve been. I was drawn like a
magnet to the area because of the natural beauty.”
From a retirement standpoint, Farrow says the area offers numerous ad-
vantages, including reasonable real estate prices, low property taxes and a
location that’s not far from good hospitals.
The region also offers many of the things he likes to draw. “It’s a re-
ally good life here in that it’s not been done here yet,” he says. “It’s not
established. It doesn’t have the big hotels. It’s just a natural place that has
a feel about it. I can play a part in awakening the world to this wonderful
place in Alabama.”
Farrow displays his work at art shows in the fall and spring and has a
booth at Trade Day in Collinsville, Ala., where he sells prints and takes
commissions.
Prints of Farrow’s work look sharp and vibrant to me, but he explains he
doesn’t pay for “super-high-end” printing because he wants his prints to be
affordable for people like him.
Throughout our conversation, Farrow mentions he is constantly learn-
ing. “I will always be a student of art,” he says. “That’s the thing about
art. You never reach the top of the hill. It’s like philosophy. It evolves. It’s
eternal – at least it is for me.”
Cloud Farrow and his work can be found at Trade Day in Collinsville, Ala.,
most Saturdays. His drawings also can be purchased at Desoto State Park
in Fort Payne, Ala., Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden, Ala., Katherine’s
Framing in Fort Payne, Mentone Art Gallery in Mentone, Ala., Cherokee
County Historical Museum in Centre, Ala., and online at cloudfarrowfineart.
com and fineartamerica.com. He says he is always willing to share what he’s
learned about the art world, tools of the trade and techniques. E-mail him
at cloudfarrow07@gmail.com or visit his Facebook page at facebook.com/
lookoutmountainartist. His free art class is held at the Cherokee County
Public Library in Centre, Ala., at 3:30 on Thursdays.
Cherokee
County
Geo-Tour
The 13 sites on the Cherokee County Geo-Tour
make exploring this area’s natural beauty and
unique history a true treasure hunt.
cherokee-chamber.org
256-927-8455
Site1: Chamberof
CommerceTourism
N3409.884,W8539.836
Site2: WeissLakeOverlook/
CausewayBoatRamp
N3412.119,W8537.310
Site3: HistoricMarker–
ForrestDefeatsStreight
N3414.057,W8532.423
Site4: CornwallFurnace
N3414.828,W8535.304
Site5: LittleRiverFalls
N3423.705,W8537.561
Site6: CanyonMouthPark
N3417.157,W8540.968
Site7: OrbixHotGlass
N3417.926,W8542.281
Site8: YellowCreekFalls
N3413.399,W8543.516
Site9: CherokeeRockVillage
N3410.929,W8548.772
Site10: LeesburgLanding
N3409.645,W8545.904
Site11: WeissDam
N3407.943,W8547.635
Site12: CountryClub
N3406.661,W8539.064
Site13: HistoricalMuseum
N3409.122,W8540.719
Drop by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce in
Centre, Alabama for a tri-fold brochure of coordinates and
additional information about the sites and hints about
each cache or visit goo.gl/rzs8Yc for an interactive map.
When you finish the tour with all the codes, return your list to
the Chamber of Commerce or the Cherokee County Museum to
receive your Cherokee County Pathtag. Alternately, you may
submit your answers online and receive your pathtag through
the mail - goo.gl/f6Xnk8.

C
URTIS STRANGE IS AN EVERYMAN’S MUSICIAN.
With a seemingly infinite playlist of songs from almost any
genre, he is a virtual Pandora of musical entertainment. In
fact, I’ve tested him on many occasions and am always im-
pressed at his range. James Taylor, Dire Straits, Bob Seger, Kris Krist-
offerson, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, Allman Brothers,
Buddy Holly, The Band…
How can a soon-to-be-21-year-old have
such a vast repertoire always on the ready?
Well, it helps if you have a father who teach-
es you to play music at a young age and
you’re motivated.
“I started playing when I was 11,” Strange
says. “My dad [Troy Strange] played guitar,
and we had all the guitars laying around. I
was playing in a band named Maiden China
by the time I was 13. I built up a huge playlist
over the years. I know so many songs that I
don’t even know how many I know. It’s easily
in the hundreds.”
In a way, Strange, who also plays harmon-
ica and bass, channels the persona of any
artist whose music he plays. This isn’t cheap
mimicking – he studies the mannerisms and
other nuances that add depth and authentic-
ity to his cover performances.
“I spent the most time learning James
Taylor’s technique,” Strange says.” I even got
fake fingernails put on so I can play like him.
That’s what he does, gets fake fingernails put
on. James Taylor, John Prine, Bob Dylan,
The Band – I’ve studied all of them. I take
away what I learn and use it. If I like the way
a song sounds, I want to emulate that tech-
nique.”
Strange is often described as soulful – and
sometimes as an old soul. His favorite song,
the haunting “Whiter Shade of Pale,” lends
credence to those arguments.
Strange’s philosophy concerning music is
simple. “There’s good music in every genre,”
he says. “It’s a universally loved source of
creativity and expression.”
Born in Bloomington, Ind., and raised in Fort Payne, Ala., Strange’s
love of music has no boundaries – RB, country, rock, Christian con-
temporary, jazz – and he can be found playing several times a week,
whether it’s with friend and fellow musician Dr. Rob Bouchard, at
the Fort Payne First United Methodist Church or as part of the band
Permagroove.
“I have a lot of love for Permagroove,” Strange says. “We started as
another band about two and a half years ago. [Today it’s comprised of
Strange, Jason Guinn, Jay Chadwick and Chase Armstrong.] We do
some original stuff and a lot genres, but
around the same kind of theme. The major-
ity of it is ’60s and ’70s – funk, reggae, jam
band.”
Permagroove plays throughout the re-
gion with shows in cities including Atlanta
and Huntsville, Birmingham and Gadsden
in Alabama.
Strange, who has Tourette’s syndrome
(limited to subtle body ticks and often un-
noticed by the casual observer), seems com-
fortable in front of an audience, even though
that was not always the case. He credits his
Fort Payne High School drama teacher, Paul
Crawford, and football coach, Paul Ellis,
with boosting his confidence in a way that
has aided his stage presence.
“Drama and doing plays helped me with
interaction,” he says. “And football helped
me. Coach Ellis used to say, ‘You can be
nervous, but never scared.’ I remember
that and tell other people that when they
are nervous.”
Music is both a passion and artistic release
that Strange would like to take to the next
level. “I love music, and it’s helping pay for
my college right now – and if anyone wants
to donate...” Strange trails off playfully. “I
would love for it to take me somewhere. I
would love not only to be able to sustain my-
self, but to really live playing music.”
But above all, Strange adds, “I want to
do something great in this world. I want to
help people who otherwise would not have a
shot. I’ve had people to help me, and I want
to give back.”
To learn about Curtis Strange’s upcoming performances, visit
permagroovemusic.com or his Facebook page by typing his name and Fort
Payne in the search field.
James Taylor, John Prine,
Bob Dylan, The Band –
I’ve studied all of them.
I take away what I learn
and use it. If I like the way
a song sounds, I want to
emulate that technique.”
– Curtis Strange
A R T I S T S P O T L I G H T | p.10 S H O P A R O U N D | p.24
W H AT ’ S C O O K I N ’ | p.20 K I D S ’ V I E W | p.26
Mountain Melodies
Curtis Strange
I N N F O R T H E N I G H T | p.16
Curtis Strange’s soulful sound and extensive portfolio encompass a range of genres.
story by RANDY GRIDER | photos by STEVEN STIEFEL and RANDY GRIDER
No Boundaries
CURTISSTRANGE
plays original and cover
music. OPPOSITE:Strange
performs with Dr. Rob
Bouchard atVintage 1889
restaurantinFortPayne,Ala.

D
DRIVING ONTO THE PROPERTY THAT HOUSES BEAR CREEK
Cabins, you know you are entering something very different and special.
The labyrinth of rocks on the right side of the country road makes you
slow to a crawl and beckons you to come explore before you even arrive
at your destination.
The only thing that keeps me from hitting the brakes and doing a little
bouldering with the goats that use these incredible formations as their
private jungle gym is the anticipation of seeing the cabin where we will be
staying for a couple of nights. I’m always excited to bed down in anything
rustic that teems with history.
Bear Creek Cabins is a complex of pioneer cabins that have been relo-
cated and painstakingly reconstructed on a 196-acre working cattle farm
adjacent to Little River Canyon National Preserve. (Part of the land was
once divided into lots for construction of a golf-course development as
part of the now-defunct Canyon Land amusement park. Canyon Land
offered carnival rides, chairlifts into the canyon and a zoo with exotic
animals and was a popular music venue before it closed in the 1980s).
We are assigned Cabin V, a two-bedroom, one bath, hand-hewn struc-
ture that wows us the minute we open the door. My wife, Olivia, and I, as
well as our daughter, Ansley, 15, and son, Caden, 12, are happy to see it
offers a perfect blend of rustic and modern conveniences – gas-log fire-
place, cable TV, washer/dryer and a hot tub on the back porch.
OK, quick reference for first-timers: Cabin V is the first cabin you come
to on the entrance road. The cabins are numbered not by order, but rather
by when they were reassembled on the property, explain Randy and San-
dy Galloway, owners of Bear Creek Cabins. Cabin I, the first cabin they
reconstructed, is actually the fourth cabin and the fifth structure in se-
quence as there also is a lodge – a remodeled farmhouse that is perfect for
larger families or groups. As the couple added more cabins, they decided
not to change the numbering or name the cabins since that would con-
fuse repeat customers – an important part of Bear Creek Cabins’ success.
Perhaps it should be noted that Bear Creek Cabins didn’t start out as a
rental-cabin venture. It evolved from Randy’s passion to find, save and re-
construct an authentic, hand-hewn cabin on his farm. His love of pioneer
A R T I S T S P O T L I G H T | p.10 M O U N TA I N M E L O D I E S | p.14 K I D S ’ V I E W | p.26
Inn for the Night
Bear Creek Cabins
W H AT ’ S C O O K I N ’ | p.20 S H O P A R O U N D | p.24
Bear Creek Cabins offers
authentic, hand-hewn
vacation cabins nestled on a
picturesque working farm.
Pioneers Rest
by RANDY GRIDER
photos by Olivia and Randy Grider and courtesy Bear Creek Cabins
FIVE REBUILT CABINS
feature original details and modern
conveniences and are situated on 196
acres atop Lookout Mountain.

cabins began with a childhood friend, Barry Borders, whose parents,
Buck and Martha Borders, owned an 1830s-era cabin on their property
on the western bluff of Lookout Mountain. When he spent the night
with the Borders, he and Barry often would sleep in the cabin beside
the main house.
But hand-hewn cabins aren’t the easiest things to come by. Few are
left, and most are in poor shape and hidden inside newer exterior
and interior walls – keeping their secrets from the unsuspecting eye.
Randy spent years trying to find one he could purchase, take apart
and reconstruct. After giving up, and with “Building and Restoring
the Hewn Log House” by Charles McCraven as his guide, he started
building a new, hand-hewn cabin in 1998. Six logs into the project,
fate intervened when a neighbor stopped by to see what was causing
so much noise.
“Daryl Norman came over and asked, ‘What in the world are you
beating the woods down for, Randy?’” Sandy says laughing. Randy told
him he was building a cabin because he couldn’t find one to restore.
“[Norman] says, ‘Here’s the deal. I bought an old cabin that I don’t
have time to do anything with,’” Randy says. “He offered to sell it to me,
and that day I bought it.”
As I tour the grounds of Bear Creek Cabins with Randy and Sandy,
they proudly point out little reminders of the hard work that went into
rebuilding Cabin I. As with all the cabins, the logs were numbered
when they were dissembled. And in the case of this cabin, the rocks of
the chimney were also carefully cataloged for reconstruction.
Cabin I is the only cabin whose original front façade doesn’t face
the road. It’s aligned instead for a view of Bear Creek, which cuts a
deep gorge before it intersects Little River Canyon. (Several miles of
scenic Canyon Rim Drive – Highway 176 – including the part boasting
Grace’s High Falls, Alabama’s tallest waterfall, follow Bear Creek Can-
yon. You can witness the convergence of both waterways and canyons
at Crow’s Point Overlook.)
It took the Galloways three years to complete the first cabin, which
was originally built in Lebanon, Ala., by Isham B. Roberts, an early
settler and member of the Alabama militia who was involved in the
Indian conflicts of the 1830s.
Sandy says it was a dream come true to finally restore an authentic
cabin, but renting it was not the intent. That idea came from family
and friends who were impressed with the completed project. “This was
2001, and there were cabins in the Mentone area, but not like it is now,”
Sandy says. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘Who in the world would
come out here to stay in the middle of nowhere?’ Little did I know.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A view of Cabin V’s living room from its loft
bedroom; Cabin II sports a wrap-around porch; Kids love to rove the boulder field
that is home to six to 12 goats; A cozy array of comfortable and antique furnishings
fills the cabins; Guests are welcome to roam the farm, which includes this barn, cattle
pastures and a fishing pond; Bear Creek Cabins owners Randy and Sandy Galloway
took apart each cabin and carefully rebuilt it on their property.
Now the Galloways have five restored cabins and the lodge, and they
stay booked almost constantly year round.
Each cabin is amazing in both detail and décor. Our cabin’s living
room walls feature antique tools, a spinning wheel, a mounted deer
head over the fireplace and a bear skin. Other cabins offer similar fea-
tures as well as small, stained-glass windows.
Though it’s relatively chilly during our visit, we each find exploring
the grounds a lot of fun. The Galloways invite guests to make them-
selves at home and enjoy the farm at their leisure. (Just please close any
gate you enter as to avoid letting out the cows or goats).
Olivia, Ansley and Caden hike to Bear Creek while I prepare dinner.
They also ramble along the rocks with the goats – a very popular aspect
of Bear Creek Cabins, especially with kids.
“We bought the farm in 1995 and inherited goats,” Sandy says. “It’s
perfect: the goats climb on the rocks and keep the place manicured, and
they are neat to watch. Kids love them. We usually keep between six and
12. We also give them away. You won’t believe the number of guests who
have taken baby goats home with them.”
The first night, we eat chicken and sausage prepared in a slow cooker
and play cards before enjoying the hot tub. The next day is comprised of
more exploring, and Caden and I go down to the pond to fish before the
chilly winds of an approaching cold front drive us back to the warmth
of the cabin. Still, it was very enjoyable – a pictoral setting for lofting
away a sunny, winter afternoon.
Caden and I watch a movie the second night, but I find myself spend-
ing more time contemplating the cabin and the area than paying atten-
tion to what is on the screen. I enjoy sitting on the couch and gazing
around in wonder at the hard work and craftsmanship that went into
building this cabin.
I learn from the Galloways it was originally on a piece of land about five
miles away near Johnny’s Creek and is at least 150 years old. This cabin, like
the others on the property, is a testament to the determined grit of this area’s
earlysettlers,wholiterallycarvedtheirhomesfromwhatthelandpresented.
This is part of why the Galloways are willing to go the extra mile
to preserve them for future generations. “I always wanted an old log
home,” Randy says. “I knew what it took for the pioneers to build them.
They were carved out of the wilderness, right where they stood. Each
one is unique, and there’s not another one like it.”
I drift to sleep peacefully and without stressful thoughts. It’s hard not
sleep well when you realize the walls surrounding you were built with
such dedication and passion – twice.
If You Go
}
GETTINGTHERE: Bear Creek Cabins is located at 923 County Road
252, Fort Payne, AL 35967. Directions and additional information
about each cabin can be found at bearcreeklogcabins.com or by
calling 256-845-2584.
}
OTHER AREA ATTRACTIONS: Outdoor activities are plentiful and
include: hiking on the farm and within Little River Canyon National
Preserve (see page 26); a scenic drive around the canyon rim via
Highway 176 (nps.gov/liri/planyourvisit/scenic-drive.htm); and
educational programs at Little River Canyon Center (jsu.edu/epic/
canyoncenter). If you feel the need to be creative, consider Orbix Hot
Glass (orbixhotglass.com), where you can create your own glass art.
Secluded
Home
W i t h B r e at h ta k i n g V i e W
• Located on eastern brow of
scenic Lookout Mountain over-
looking beautiful Weiss Lake
• Just a couple of minutes from
outdoor nature park
• 428-foot bluff width amid 13
wooded acres
• 850-square-foot deck wrap-
ping around three sections of
house
• House more than 4,000-square
feet with stacked stone and
split-shaker vinyl shingle
facade
• Travertine foyer, kitchen and
master bath
• Porcelain, tongue-and -grove
hickory flooring
• Granite counter tops
• Hammered copper sinks
• Whirlpool tub with 64 air-jets
• Top-of-the-line fixtures and
appliances
• Large two-vehicle garage
easily accommodates crew-cab
trucks
• All heavy-duty wiring and
electrical
• Underground utilities
• Minutes from
Cherokee Rock Village
$489,000
Call for appointment
334-332-7711
lookoutalabama.com/house
(see more photos/video)
$489,000
Call for appointment
334-332-7711
lookoutalabama.com/house
(see more photos/video)

T
ERRAMAE APPALACHIAN BISTRO IS ONE OF THE
most popular restaurants in Chattanooga, Tenn., because the staff
does things a bit differently. The foods seem familiar, but an em-
phasis on farm-to-table principles and international influences
takes this establishment out of the usual territory.
In an era dominated by chain restaurants where you will consistently find
the same tastes regardless of locale, TerraMae builds its menu on a founda-
tion of fresh, carefully sourced ingredients.
Owner Mark Oldham co-founded the bistro on the first level of his Stone-
Fort Inn, a 16-room hotel built in 1909 that sits in the heart of downtown.
The restaurant’s basic concept involves serving food harvested at the peak of
flavor as dishes steeped in tradition. The well-executed idea landed the busi-
ness honors as “one of Chattanooga’s buzziest new restaurants” in Travel +
Leisure magazine.
TerraMae defies easy classification as a “steakhouse” or “seafood place”
and also changes its menu more frequently than most restaurants, basing the
dishes served on which seasonal ingredients are most readily available and
canbuildthekindofcomfortfoodspeoplelivinginAppalachiahaveenjoyed
for hundreds of years.
Somepopularitemsincludebacon-wrappedscallops,rosemaryandrabbit
biscuits and tasty combinations of oysters, shrimp, lobster, crab, bass, trout,
beef, pork, eggs, cheeses and various vegetables, herbs and sauces.
“Person after person walked out saying something about how good their
foodanddrinkswere,sowewereexcitedtohavedinner,”remarksJaneErrico
of Ooltewah, Tenn. “And it was worth every minute we waited at the bar for
a table since we hadn’t made reservations. Our meals were perfect, and we
savored every bite.”
Drawing on life experience and a passion for food and creativity, Terra-
Mae’schefsstartwithlocalingredientsandreferencetheAppalachianregion’s
conventionaldisheswhileaddingbitsofflavorandcomponentcombinations
influenced by cultures around the world.
The restaurant is a favorite of Chattanooga foodies who enjoy experi-
menting with new tastes. Chefs incorporate new dishes gradually, realizing
the importance of informed servers who can educate customers and make
recommendations. “I don’t expect everyone to completely revamp the menu
overnight,” says executive chef Shelley Cooper. “A lot of times when we get
very creative with the ingredients or the cooking, there’s a lot of explanation
that goes into it and conversation that needs to happen first.”
Oldham and David Mitchell developed the model for TerraMae, bringing
it to reality in December 2012. Oldham’s interest in restaurants began with
his first job, working at Miss Daisy’s Tea Room in Franklin, Tenn., when he
was 14. “Miss Daisy King” is now a much-celebrated Southern chef who has
published numerous cookbooks. Oldham purchased the StoneFort Inn as a
sideline business while running a publishing company he eventually sold.
“The genesis for TerraMae was the result of a kindred-spirit connection
with David Mitchell, who originally came to Chattanooga to prepare to walk
the Appalachian Trail before the realities of life kept creeping in – aka having
to make a living,” Oldham says. “David and I concentrated on the words ‘Ap-
palachian’ and ‘Mother Earth’ and, combined with the historical structure of
the StoneFort Inn, TerraMae was born, with the help of many people along
the way. Today, we are consistently ranked in the Top 10 restaurants in Trip
Advisor, and this is a testament to our upscale Appalachian focus with a ca-
sualatmosphereandgreatteamservice,ledbyBrentTateasgeneralmanager.
To helm the kitchen, they hired Cooper, who was professionally trained
A R T I S T S P O T L I G H T | p.10 I N N F O R T H E N I G H T | p.16 S H O P A R O U N D | p.24 K I D S ’ V I E W | p.26
M O U N TA I N M E L O D I E S | p.14 What’s Cookin’
TerraMae Appalachian
Bistro
Farm-to-Table with a Twist
TerraMae Appalachian Bistro builds its seasonal dishes with locally produced
ingredients, starting with traditional recipes and infusing them with global character.
story and photos by STEVEN STIEFEL
TERRAMAE’SMENUS
are filled with items such as this
duck leg that put a new spin on
regional recipes. OPPOSITE:
Beets and bleu cheese; A couple
enjoy the food and ambiance of
the restaurant, located inside an
early 20th century building that
also houses the StoneFort Inn.

at culinary institutes in Charleston, S.C., and San Francisco before honing
her craft at top restaurants in Hilton Head, S.C., New Zealand, Los Angeles,
AlaskaandHawaii.ComingtoChattanoogawasareturntorootsforCooper.
The Memphis native grew up among family members who treasure fresh,
seasonal, made-from-scratch foods and hail from the Mississippi Delta and
Blue Ridge Mountains. New sous chef Hardin Cowan, a Chattanooga native,
mostrecentlyworkedforMerchantsrestaurantinNashville,Tenn.,andstud-
ied French culinary art in New York.
Much of the restaurant’s produce is supplied by Oldham’s farm near
Nashville. “I’ve always had a garden,” says Oldham’s wife, Sharon.
“When Mark opened TerraMae, he told me to expand.”
The Oldhams routinely grow several acres worth of heirloom tomatoes,
kale, lettuce, spinach, beans, sprouts, squash, watermelon, peppers, cucum-
bers,herbsandmore.TheTerraMaeGardenSaladincludesaplethoraofsea-
sonal vegetables often sourced from the farm.
FoodisonlyhalftheTerraMaestory.MasterbartenderJustinStamperuses
hisalchemicalwizardrytopreparecocktailsandwinesthatexpertlypairwith
thefoods.Ifyoustopbythebar,he’llmakeyousomefamiliarfavoritetheway
its creator intended it to be mixed or offer up one of his own drinks infused
with bitters, fresh fruits and ginger beers inspired by classic speakeasy drinks
or literary references. You can kick back while listening to big-band music
over the sound system. The vibe of this place welcomes you and promises
something special with an ambiance that delivers relaxed sophistication.
TerraMae is an essential part of a stay at the StoneFort Inn. Many couples
whocometoChattanoogaforaromanticweekendenjoyFridaynightdinner
as well as the Sunday brunch, ready in time for checkout.
Both the hotel and restaurant occupy the same restored brick-and-lime-
stone structure that was beautifully decorated by Cris Angsten to provide the
perfect backdrop for weddings, business dinners, bridal showers and other
socialgatherings.Locatedon10thStreetnearWarehouseRowandtheBessie
Smith Museum, StoneFort and TerraMae are conveniently near many other
attractions in the Scenic City. The free electric shuttle, accessible from a stop
a block away, whisks travelers from the cool Southside district to the popu-
lar riverfront areas housing the Tennessee Aquarium and trendy Northshore
shops and galleries.
It’s difficult to imagine a more romantic getaway than dining on scrump-
tious food amidst TerraMae’s intimate lighting and elegant decor before re-
tiring upstairs to enjoy a hot soak in a claw-foot tub or a view of the urban
skyline from a balcony.
If You Go
}
GETTING THERE: TerraMae Appalachian Bistro is at 122 East 10th
Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402.
}
DINNER HOURS: Monday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday,
5-10 p.m.
}
BRUNCH HOURS: Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
}
RESERVATIONS: 423-710-2925 or terramaechattanooga.com
}
CONSIDER A STAY AT STONEFORT INN: TerraMae resides on the
first floor of the StoneFort Inn, which was built in 1909 on the
grounds of Chattanooga’s old Stone Fort. The 16-bed, urban bed
and breakfast offers a blend of rustic comfort and contemporary
elegance and is surrounded by tourist attractions and a lively
music scene. More information at stonefortinn.com
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Executive chef Shelley Cooper prepares Braised Rabbit Rosemary Biscuits, a favorite of repeat diners; Artisan Mac Cheese; Crab Corn Rainbow
Trout, with pea succotash, soft grit cake and smoked tomato sauce. Produce is sourced from owner Mark Oldham’s farm near Nashville and from Chattanooga-area farms.
Celebrating the
unique culture,
history and
natural beauty
of the Lookout
Mountain
region
Follow us on FB and Twitter
Celebrating the lookout Mountain region’s Culture, history and natural beauty
spring 2014
And more! Rock City brings out the kid in everyone, Lookout
Mountain’s ‘Castle in the Clouds,’ potter fuses art with function,
wedding bliss at a rustic hunting lodge, relaxing at an 1830s bed
and breakfast, chatting with ‘Hunger Games’ actress Sandra Lafferty,
niche displays at small museums, the perfect pub for pizza and
good times, Pickett’s Charge gives bluegrass a makeover
outdoor
adventure
Awaits
Reach New Heights
at World-Renowned
Hang-Gliding School
Visit DeSoto State
Park’s Scenic Wonders
Drive-In Theaters
Recapture Cinema’s
Golden Era
Subscribe to the print
and/or online version
of the magazine at
lookoutalabama.com.
Enroll in the
Lookout Alabama
Club and save
money on your
next visit.
Club Member
Alabama
LookoutAlabama.com/Club
valid thru December 2015 photo by John Dersham

METAL
SCULPTURE BY
CHRIS BECK
Dress, $980; Flower, $200
Commissions accepted
chrisbeckart.com
706-463-8187
W H AT ’ S C O O K I N ’ | p.20 K I D S ’ V I E W | p.26 N AT U R E ’ S P AT H | p.36 G O O D W O R K S | p.52
Shop Around
Local Treasures
HA N D M A D E F I N D S
The Lookout Mountain region is the home or inspiration of countless artists
and craftspeople. Here’s a small sampling of their work.
JEWELRY AND
PURSE BY
ANGELA JEFFERY
GRIZZARD
Coral and Silver Cross
Necklace and Earrings, $32;
Native-print Purse, $50
AJ Trading Post in
Mentone, Ala.
aljefferynm@yahoo.com
828-508-0576
WOODEN INK PENS BY
CHARLES ABERCROMBIE
The Bullet, $40
706-398-0194
BIRD
PAINTING
AND
DECORATIVE
GOURD BY
VICKI S. DODD
Bird painting, $65;
Gourd, $25
vickiqdodd@aol.com
256-593-5398
LOTION CANDLES
BY TERRY URBINE
Melted soy wax and essential
oils moisturize skin.
small, $10; medium, $15;
large, $20
squareup.com/market/
the-mad-scientist;
facebook.com/TMSLC;
madscientistlotion
candles@gmail.com
256-632-9297
MOUNTAIN DULCIMER
BY JOHNNY PLEDGER
$325
OldTyme Mountain Dulcimers
johnny.pledger@gmail.com
706-331-2382
S P E C I A L O C C A S I O N S | p.46
PATCHWORK POTTERY
PLATTER AND OWL BY
TINA PENDLEY
Platter, $45; Owl, $18
Sweet Tea Pottery
Pendleytina4@gmail.com
256-494-9278

26 LOOKOUT ALABAMA Spring 2015
A R T I S T S P O T L I G H T | p.10 M O U N TA I N M E L O D I E S | p.14 I N N F O R T H E N I G H T | p.16 S H O P A R O U N D | p.24
W H AT ’ S C O O K I N ’ | p.20 Kids’ View
Little River Canyon
Hiking
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
My friend Dylan Wisener climbs the
Bear Creek Canyon Trail; Me, at the first
overlook on the Highway 176 scenic
drive.You can see Little River Falls,
where Little River Canyon begins, in the
background; A map at the beginning
of Beaver Pond Trail shows the two
routes you can take; A view of Little
River, which created the canyon and
is unusual because it forms and flows
almost its entire length atop a mountain
F
irst of all, I would like to express the pure beauty of Little River
Canyon. It is like jumping into a piece of art – but jump carefully
and watch where you land. The canyon walls are steep. When
most people see the canyon, they can’t take their eyes off it. I tend
to ask myself, “Is this real?” every time I see it. “Can a place be this beauti-
ful?” And then, “Where can I hike around here?”
Eberhart Point
To really know the magnificence of Little River Canyon, you have to climb
down into it. And what better place to do that than Eberhart Point, one
of the deepest parts of the canyon? The view from the overlook prompts
my three questions above. The steep rock cliffs and river below are simply
astonishing. A wide, gravel-covered path leads to the river below.
As I descend about 600 feet into the canyon, I can’t believe how tall the
cliffs are. And the water! It is clear up close and a fascinating aqua color
fromadistance.Theviewfromthebottomofthecanyonmakesmewantto
stay and set up camp. (But that’s not a good idea. The National Park Service
doesn’t allow camping in the canyon because of the risk for flash floods.)
Little River Canyon National Preserve offers adventure and amazing scenery.
Hiking in and Around
Little River Canyon
by CADEN GRIDER, AGE 12 | photos by OLIVIA GRIDER and JOHN DERSHAM

Near the river, I also see the ruins of a chair-
lift that once was part of Canyon Land Park, an
amusement park on Lookout Mountain in the
1970s and early 1980s. It had carnival rides and
even a zoo.
I go to the water’s edge and watch it rushing
over rocks and large boulders. Two kayakers row
up to the shore after a trip downstream. The trail
continues along the river, but I save that adven-
ture for another day. I love this trail and it’s al-
luring qualities. Don’t bring small children on
this one, though, because the climb back up is
a doozy.
Beaver Pond Trail
Right across from the gorgeous Lynn Overlook
is the Beaver Pond Trail. It is a winding trail that
goes through a hardwood and pine forest. Three
bridges cross a burbling stream. Most of the trees
are short, and sunlight streams through them.
You can take the short way (1/3 mile) or the long
way (3/4 mile). Either way, at the end you arrive
at Beaver Pond. It’s a small pond created by a
beaver’s dam in the stream. You can walk out on
a short pier to get a better look.
We take the long way around and venture off
the path a little after the second bridge. We see a
clearing that turns out to be a glade. The ground
is covered with gray rock and thick, green moss.
This would be a great place for a picnic.
Bear Creek Canyon Trail
This trail gives you a little bit of everything and
more! A stroll through a cow pasture, a walk
through the woods, a climb down into Bear
Creek Canyon (which joins Little River Canyon)
and a relaxing setting by the creek. If you stay at
Bear Creek Cabins (see story page 16), you can
enjoy this trail.
My friend Dylan Wisener accompanies me
on this trail. We walk through the expansive cow
pasture that’s part of the Bear Creek Cabins prop-
erty, through the forest, a short way along a road
and onto the canyon trail. (The owners of Bear
Creek Cabins are happy to tell guests the way.)
This is where our climbing journey starts. The
narrow trail is fairly flat at first, then gets very
steep. Ropes tied to trees help us along the most
challenging areas.
It isn’t difficult for Dylan and me. We go down
quickly (my mom might not have fared as well).
At the bottom of the first roped section, we begin
to see a waterfall crashing into the creek below.
After we knock out the second rope (which is
easier), we arrive at a bend in the creek.
I can’t get over the beauty of the place. It’s simi-
lar to the bottom of Little River Canyon, but the
river is narrower and the canyon isn’t as deep. An
almost vertical rock wall rises on the other side
of the creek.
This is definitely my favorite trail of all. This
trail does have steep climbs and drop-offs just
beyond its edges, so small children should not
go on this trail.
If you counted the number of times I said
beautiful or a synonym of beautiful in this story,
it would be nowhere near enough. Little River
Canyon and the area around it is more than
beautiful. It’s almost heavenly. But don’t take my
word for it – go see for yourself!
If You Go
}
GETTINGTHERE: Little River Canyon
National Preserve is at 4322 Little River Trail
NE, Fort Payne, AL 35967.
To reach Beaver Pond Trail: Turn off
Alabama Highway 35 onto Highway 176
(scenic drive) just west of Little River Falls.
The trail entrance and a parking area are
right past Lynn Overlook.
To reach Eberhart Point: This is the last
improved overlook along the Highway 176
scenic drive.
}
ALSO CHECK OUT:
Martha’s FallsTrail, a moderate hike that leads
to the upper portion of the canyon and a small
waterfall. A parking lot is east of Little River
Falls on Highway 35.
Little River Canyon Center, where you can
watch a short film about the canyon and
attend nature and arts and crafts programs.
The many canyon overlooks along Highway
176, which follows the canyon’s western rim.
}
MORE INFO: www.nps.gov/liri;
jsu.edu/epic/canyoncenter; 256-845-9605;
256-845-3548
CLOCKWISEFROMTOPLEFT:Little River Canyon is a 12-mile-long, 600-foot-deep gorge surrounded by14,000 acres that make up Little River Canyon National Preserve; Me, at the
bottom of the Eberhart PointTrail;The water in Little River is an incredible aqua color; I stand in a glade off Beaver PondTrail; A path leads to an overlook then the trail into the canyon at
Eberhart Point; Beaver PondTrail is known for the variety of animals and plants that live in the area’s wetland habitat; BELOW: A section of Beaver PondTrail winds through a pine forest.
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F
FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
native Teddy Wayne Gentry has been bassist, singer and songwriter for
the legendary band Alabama, the most awarded group in the history of
country music.
But when I interview him, he is more the proud father of his first-
born, Sally Gentry Lutz – or “Sally G” as Nashville is coming to
know her.
For two hours, I observe an almost symbiotic dance of words, glances
and laughs between father and daughter as they talk about songwriting,
family, fame, cattle – and memories of the road that brought them to
where they are today.
They are both a little antsy. There’s a big announcement coming, and
I didn’t know it.
I knew Sally had written and released a demo called “Half of Who
You Are,” a tribute to her father, and I was anxious to hear his reaction.
Sally fairly bounces with joy, long brunette locks framing an angelic
face, as she sits next to her dad, beaming and hanging on his every word.
“Sally will be writing for our publishing company, Kid South Music,”
Teddy says without fanfare. Sally is effervescent, her eyes glistening.
I offer congratulations and wait for the follow-up.
“Me, Randy and Jeff have had a publishing company since 1973,”
Teddy continues. “Sally is going to be writing. We’ll be publishing her
material for her.”
A simple announcement, but one that carries huge potential. Sally
says she only learned of the decision a few days earlier.
“Three different labels have wanted me,” she adds, barely able to con-
tain her excitement.
Music publishing companies make deals with songwriters to protect
and promote their songs. “If someone wants to record a song,” Teddy
explains, “we collect the license fee and make sure Sally gets her cut and
writer’s royalties. Every writer has to have a publisher.”
Sally says the process involves cataloguing the material and cutting a
rough demo. Her current demo partner is Mark Narmore, a longtime
friend who takes Sally’s lyrics and puts them to music.
“I send Mark everything I write,” Sally says. “He just puts it together
and puts the melody to it. He doesn’t change any of my words.”
Singers on Sally’s demos include Scott Ward of Gadsden, Ala. (“Half
of Who You Are” and “Come Back Before You’re Gone”), and Rachel
Wammack of Muscle Shoals (“Washin’ Over Me”). Sally’s demos can be
heard at reverbnation.com/sallygentry.
It is clear Teddy is not just Sally’s dad; he’s her hero. She spent three
years penning 450 songs before she anxiously unveiled one to him.
“I just want to make Daddy proud,” she says. “My goal, honest to God,
is just to make him proud.”
“Half of Who You Are” contains the refrain: “Half of who you are,
hope I get there some day / I look up to you, like those stars ‘cross the
Milky Way. / The times we weren’t together, oh the love spoke louder. /
And all I’m shooting for, is to be half of who are you are.”
“I am told I am a lot like my daddy … down-to-earth,” says Sally, 36.
“I knew a long time ago I wanted to do something with music – just
didn’t know what it was. I held back from telling Daddy until very
recently, because I wanted to own it. When you are given a gift and
that is your heart and soul, it’s like putting your newborn child out
there for everybody to judge. It’s a piece of you that you are sharing
with the world.
“And I wanted to make Daddy proud, by hearing him say, ‘She’s a
good song writer.’ I look up to him more than anyone I know.”
Teddy assures her. “There’s no measuring,” he says. “I couldn’t love
you any more. Baby, I’m proud of you. And being a momma and raising
kids is the most difficult thing in the world.”
Sally’s home with her husband John Lutz and their five children is
a stone’s throw away from Teddy’s place atop Lookout Mountain, on
a country road where family privacy is guarded, and Teddy’s 140-acre
cattle ranch, “Bent Tree Farms,” stretches to the horizon. On the ranch
is Teddy’s childhood home place – that of his late, beloved Grandpaw
Burt Eller.
It is here that Grandpaw Eller raised Teddy, on what was then a 60-
acre cotton farm. “I come from a background of nothing,” Teddy relates.
“When me and my grandpaw would go to the cotton gin in the fall, if we
had the money to pay the bank off, we would stop at the Frosty Freeze
and have hamburgers and coca colas – the only time of year I remember
eating a hamburger. That was a big deal. We didn’t have TV. I bought
books with my lunch money, and I’d come home and read and live in
my fantasy world.”
Sally finds her songwriting inspiration in this rural setting, with her
family history surrounding her.
Alabama band member Teddy Gentry and daughter Sally talk about fame, family,
songwriting and Lookout Mountain roots as Sally makes her debut as a professional lyricist.
by LARUE HARDINGER
Family Affair
F E AT U R E
TEDDY GENTRY AND SALLY
Gentry at the Alabama Fan Club
in Fort Payne, Ala. Sally recently
signed on as a songwriter with
Kid South Publishing, owned by
Teddy and the other founding
members of the band Alabama.
Photo by Steven Stiefel

for letting me do what I do – a very emotional song, writing it for those
people. Two or three days of putting my being into every line.”
He also mentions “Never Be One,” the song he wrote to Sally on her
second birthday. “You think it would not be a favorite?” he asks.
He adds “Give Me One More Shot.” “It was to the good Lord for giv-
ing me another day to wake up and do what I do.”
Teddy picks up the acoustic guitar at his feet and strums his latest
song for Linda Gentry, his wife of 42 years. He sings, “I’d go back down
every road we’ve been, just to do it all again.” The song is set to be in-
cluded on Alabama’s newest album, to be released in May.
Teddy relates how “Never Be One” was recorded in a South Carolina
studio, and he walked across the street to where his family was staying
to ask a favor of Sally. “I asked her if she would go in the studio with me
and say ‘Goodnight, Daddy’ at the end of the song.”
“He woke me up in my footie pajamas,” Sally laughs, “and I remember
going with him to the studio and saying ‘Goodnight, Daddy.’ I was too
young to ‘get it’ at the time. I always knew that was me on that song. I
just didn’t know it was a big deal.”
“Everything I do is by emotion and feel,” Teddy adds, “and it just was
the icing on the cake for her to say ‘Good Night Daddy.’ That was the
‘movie ending.’”
Teddy’s voice cracks as he explains the depth of his love for his two
children, Sally and her little brother, Josh. “You gotta understand,” he
begins, “you’ve been wanting a baby so bad, and it was five or six years
before we got pregnant with Sally, and we were on pins and needles the
whole time. I don’t think anybody was ever loved any more.”
Teddy holds his hands out, as if receiving a newborn into his arms.
“They brought her out, and she was just beautiful and perfect in every
way,” he says. “I thought, ‘This is just as close as I’ll ever come to seeing
a miracle.’ That feeling has never left. She’s still my miracle.”
I ask Teddy what his reaction was when he first heard “Half of Who
You Are.”
“When I played the demo,” he says, then pauses, “I was very flat-
tered to have her write something for me, about me. Very flattering,
very emotional.”
Both Teddy and Sally refer to songwriting ability as “almost a curse”
because it runs on the demands of emotion that can’t wait to be ex-
pressed. “I get a melody in my head, and I can’t get it off,” explains Ted-
dy. “I get in the shower first thing in the morning, and it’s playing in my
head. Your antenna is always up – you’re always looking for the next
line or hook.
“I’m totally consumed. Sometimes I drive the guys in the band crazy
because I’m a perfectionist.”
Teddy is speaking of his two original Alabama band partners, Ran-
dy Owen and Jeff Cook. All three cousins have maintained homes on
Lookout Mountain and their roots in the area’s heritage, despite the
band’s spectacular rise to fame.
Sally nods. “What we mean by curse is you have to drop what
you’re doing and get it out,” she says. “Literally, you can’t focus on
anything until you do. I am blessed to have that gift, but you really
have no control.”
Teddy says he will be working with Sally on song structuring to fur-
ther her success. “There’s a big difference between a lyric and a three-
minute composite – to write a great song so that in three minutes every-
body interprets that song in the same way you did,” he says. “Every line
has to lead you into the next one, and if you lose your train of thought
anywhere in that song, you have lost your audience.”
Teddy’s passion for songwriting is apparent, yet he says, “It’s no big
deal.” He believes songs are personal and can’t be measured in the same
way as success over a long, lifetime career. “The career Alabama is a big
deal,” he says.
“Being a songwriter is something you do because you love it,” he con-
tinues. “Writing songs is emotion. It’s satisfying. It’s satisfying myself. It’s
something I have to get out. And when I get it out, it’s better than sex.
“You’ve created something that is good and decent and said it in a
cool way – and you’ve spent years and years and years learning how to
do it. If you write something that changes somebody’s life, you’ve left
something that will be around after you’re gone. A part of you.”
Teddy says even after Alabama retired and came off the road some
four years until reuniting in 2011, he never stopped songwriting.
He wrote his first song around age 10 and called it “Two Roads.” “It
was about life in general, from a young kid being raised in a Holiness
church,” he recalls. “Probably my first influence on my musical life was
gospel music.”
Teddy says of the thousands of songs he has written or co-written, he
couldn’t name his favorite.
“You don’t have a favorite,” he says. “They’re like kids. You have fa-
vorites for different occasions. “‘The Fans’ I like because it’s a thank-you
CLOCKWISEFROMLEFT:SallyGentryrecentlywroteandreleasedademotitled“HalfofWhoYouAre”thatisatributetoherfather,TeddyGentry; Teddysingsasong
writtenforhiswife,LindaGentry,andsettobeincludedonanalbumAlabamawillreleaseinMay.photosbyStevenStiefel; Aspartofa40thanniversarytourin2013,Ala-
bamaplaysatTheBoweryinMyrtleBeach,S.C.,wherethebandgaveitsfirstpublicperformance.photocourtesyTeddyGentry;TeddyperformswithCharlieDaniels,whom
hecreditswithimpressinghimmorethananyothercelebrityhe’smet.photobyLisaPayShephard

Staying Busy
Alabama is touring again, but Teddy stays busy with an array of other activities as well, including:
}
RUNNING BENT TREE FARMS. On his ranch, Teddy raises a special breed of heat-tolerant cattle he developed called South Poll.
}
BOOK PUBLISHING. Teddy’s new book,“Before You Have a Cow,”co-written with Allen Williams, has just been published and is available for
purchase at the Alabama Fan Club in Fort Payne.
}
OPEN MIC NIGHT. Teddy sponsors this regular event, where local kids can jam with musicians and songwriters and experience singing on
stage with a live band for free at the Alabama Fan Club.
}
CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER FUNDRAISERS. Teddy raises money for the DeKalb County, Alabama, Children’s Advocacy Center
through events such as his annual birthday bash (Jan. 22) at 3rd and Lindsley, a family supper club in Nashville, Tenn. Teddy’s songwriter and
musician friends come by, and his Rockit City Band plays. He describes Rockit City Band as“songwriters and friends around Music Town (Nash-
ville) who get together and have fun, play, just jam. Ninety percent of what we do is for charity work.”
}
HIS NORTHEAST ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNUAL SPRING EVENT. Kids from area schools participate in this musical competition.
“We have always had a lot of love in our fam-
ily. The downside to the success is the times
you didn’t get to be there.”
Sally’s first demo echoes that sentiment:
“The heart of you was here with me, don’t
think I didn’t know. / I’d fall asleep most ev-
ery night, with your songs on my radio. / Like
a beacon in the darkness, your smile always
shines through./ I hope I’ve made you proud
of me; I hope you know I’m proud of you.”
Sally says her father not only taught her the
basics of fishing and basketball, but how to un-
derstand fans and how to handle fame.
“I’m a little girl, going out to eat with our
family, and all these people would come up
to us,” she recalls. “I turned to Daddy one day
and said, ‘Do you not ever get tired? They al-
ways stop you!’ He said, ‘They are the ones
who made us who we are.’ He accomplished
his dream. Who am I to be selfish? I share my
daddy with everybody.”
FansofAlabamamightseeTeddyasalaid-back,
quiet, unassuming, bass player who harmonizes.
But don’t be fooled by his mild manner.
The man is intense: totally committed to his
family, his songwriting, his programs to help
children and his cattle business. Yet he doesn’t
mix the four.
“I never brought my music home,” Teddy
says. “When my son Josh was in first or second
grade, he was asked what his dad did for a liv-
ing, and he said I was a farmer. That made me
so proud!”
Teddy admits he’s totally consumed by
whatever he’s doing at the moment – and of-
ten works himself to exhaustion, focusing on
nothing else. And though this is puzzling to
some, Sally says she understands because she’s
the same. “Daddy don’t sit still,” she says.
That dynamic, all-consuming work ethic –
borne of his agricultural upbringing – is the ve-
hicle that helped bring him fame and fortune.
“My advice to my kids and my grandkids
and now my great-grandkids is that you don’t
live life without passion,” he says. “I mean, be
passionate about something! And ever what it
is, you don’t have to get my approval on it. If
you love it, I will love it, and I will support you
in it, because you love it. Dedicate yourself to
something you love every day.”
Learn more about Teddy Gentry and the band
Alabama at the Alabama Fan Club in Fort
Payne, Ala.
FROM LEFT: Teddy Gentry plays at a concert
during Alabama’s annual Fan Appreciation Week-
end in 2014. photo by Randy Grider; Alabama
performs at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville,
Tenn. photo courtesy Teddy Gentry
Serving the area since 1992
www.SouthernPropertiesAgency.com

G
GROWING UP IN A HOME DAYCARE IS A CURIOUS
experience. It’s like having four to six siblings who disappear at night
and on weekends. Life in our relatively small house was never boring, to
be sure, and the summer field trips were some of the best perks.
Determined to keep her brood entertained, my mother – who at 60 is
still accused of having more energy than most children – scheduled a trip
for almost every day of the week. There was Library Day, Movie Day, Pool
Day and my favorite, Park Day. The park was often Noccalula Falls – not
a short drive from our Birmingham, Ala., suburb, but reasonable given
cheap 1980s gas prices and, everyone agreed, well worth the time spent
double-buckled* in the Monte Carlo’s massive back seat or, later, making
faces at fellow interstate travellers from the third row of the Aerostar van
(where we were relatively safe from my mother’s watchful eye).
I’m not sure I fully appreciated the breadth of the somewhat odd
combination of activities the park offered. You could roam through
rock passageways, interact with wildlife, ride a miniature train, dash
around a playground, explore a real pioneer village, play mini-golf and
go on an adrenaline-pumping adventure to the bottom of the gorge and
the area behind the waterfall. To top it off, the place had at its core a
mysterious legend filled with romance and tragedy.
Plus there were two things at Noccalula Falls Park we couldn’t find
anywhere else: grape ice cream and a human hamster wheel. When
you’re 8 years old, a summer outing doesn’t get any better than that.
Upon arrival at the park, we tumbled out of the vehicle steps away
from a bridge crossing Black Creek just before it plunges 90 feet to the
damp, cavernous ravine below. The first order of business was to take
stock of the water flow, which could range from a trickle to a ferocious
gush that caused a spectacular mist to rise from the pool beneath and
made us raise our voices to be heard even a few feet away.
Next, we unpacked and ate our picnic lunch at a covered pavilion in
the wooded area bordering the parking lot and the north side of the
falls. Then we crossed the bridge, stopping to feed extra bread to the
ducks and geese gathered there, and headed for the rest of the park.
Taking the path that hugged the stone cliff, we came to the statue of the
Indian maiden Noccalula, forever frozen in the last step before her des-
perate leap to the depths below. Even though I knew the story, I always
took time to pause here, where the view of the falls is best, reread the
plaque and ponder whether Noccalula actually jumped from the statue’s
position (in which case she would have landed in the forested ravine) or
closer to the falls, where she might have landed in water.
The legend goes that Noccalula was the beautiful daughter of a great
Indian chief who wanted her to marry the leader of a powerful neigh-
boring tribe. Though Noccalula pleaded that her heart already be-
longed to a young brave of her own tribe, the chief, desiring a union
with the other group, banished the young warrior and forged a mar-
riage agreement with the neighboring chief. Noccalula allowed herself
BLACK CREEK GORGE, below
Noccalula Falls. photocourtesy
GreaterGadsdenTourism
OPPOSITE: A statue and plaque
tell the story of a Cherokee
maiden who supposedly jumped
to her death because she could
not marry the person she loved.
photobyOliviaGrider
Gadsden’s picturesque park offers mystery, historical
perspectives and a wide array of outdoor activities
to complement views of its fascinating focal point.
the Falls
LEGEND OF
*This is what you did when there weren’t enough seatbelts to go
around and public-safety education hadn’t progressed enough to
teach you any better.
by OLIVIA GRIDER
N AT U R E ’ S P AT H

to be dressed in festive wedding robes, then slipped to the brink of the
rushing waterfall, where she ended her sorrow. Her remorseful father
renamed Black Creek Falls in her honor.
I took it for granted the legend was true. Standing as close to the
rim of the chasm as the iron fence would allow, I tried to imagine the
inner turmoil that would inspire one to jump – and what such a flight
would feel like.
Tearing myself from my reverie, I joined the other kids romping
among giant boulders in a field to the left of the path before we em-
barked on the highlight of our journey – the Historic Gorge Trail. The
sign warning hikers that they “assume all risks” only added to the thrill
of the challenge before us: navigating an ancient-looking, unbelievably
steep, brown-metal staircase into the humid jungle at the base of the
falls. The 77 steps were increasingly short and narrow as one descended,
becoming more like a ladder than a staircase at the end. We felt like we
were going on an Indiana Jones expedition.
At the bottom, a trail wound in a semi-circle along the sheer rock
façade on our right and into the deep cavern behind the waterfall. The
area was scattered with slick, black-tinted rocks of all sizes, and I cringe
now to think how I recklessly bounded from one to the next, heedless
of my mother’s cautions. In the shade beneath the falls, the stone facings
and raw earth radiated cool relief from the blazing sun beating down on
the world above. And if a lot of water were flowing over the falls, our
skin was soon coated with a refreshing layer of mist.
I remember thinking if I were a Native American, I would spend all
summer in the gorge. There was evidence people had been visiting for a
long time. The trail itself was well worn, and old carvings mingled with
modern scrawls on the rock walls.
After climbing the stairs out of the canyon, it was on to the pioneer
village, complete with homesteads, a general store/post office, black-
smith’s shop, loom house and school/church. All the log structures were
authentic, and had been moved to the park from sites near Lawrence-
burg, Tenn. We gazed through iron-barred doorways at the scenes por-
trayed inside and tried to imagine living in those times. The buildings
brought to life Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” books I had read.
Amidst the village was a large fenced area that was home to deer
and sometimes turkey. The deer were fairly easily drawn to the fence
for petting. We made a loop here and began heading back toward our
starting point on a parallel path. A train ride – the only activity besides
mini-golf that required a fee – was up next, and the conductor, always
an elderly gentleman in striped overalls and a matching hat, gave an
informative and entertaining tour of the park grounds.
At last we arrived at the playground, which was typical of the time –
merry-go-round, swings, slides and metal jungle gyms – except tucked
into a back corner, inside a structure painted to look like a small house,
was a human-sized hamster wheel big enough to accommodate four or
five children. Words can’t describe the joy. Partly because, in hindsight, I’m
not sure what was so appealing about a circular treadmill. Maybe it was
because I had a pet hamster and spent a lot of time watching him run in
his wheel, but I wasn’t alone in my fascination. Small crowds of kids would
gather to wait their turn, even though the park itself was never crowded.
As the afternoon wound down, we sometimes played a round of
mini-golf at the small course next to playground before ending our ex-
ploits with ice cream at the Jack’s restaurant that adjoins the park.
TODAY NOCCALULA FALLS PARK, WHICH HAS BEEN OWNED
by the city of Gadsden, Ala., since 1949, retains many of the aspects I
remember, but incorporates changes and additions as well.
The most obvious is a new main entrance, marked by a large park-
ing lot and attractive wood-and-stone building that houses a gift shop,
admission booth and restrooms and is steps from a new train platform.
While the viewing area around the top of the falls and the playground
are still free, the other parts of the park I knew as a child have been
fenced in, and visitors access them through the new entrance, where
admission fees of $2-$6 are charged and include unlimited train rides.
The miniature golf course has been rebuilt on a much larger and im-
pressive scale on land outside and to the left of the new entrance. Taste-
ful landscaping has been added throughout the park, and the grounds
are generally more manicured than I recall. The metal stairway leading
to the Gorge Trail is closed, replaced by an earthen ramp visitors and
emergency vehicles can use, and a new trail system has opened many
more acres of the park to hikers and mountain bikers.
Many of the updates were made about 10 years ago, says Janet Tar-
rance, park supervisor. “Interest [in the park] was growing and grow-
ing,” she says. “The city just wanted to do some revamping and make
improvements.”
Noccalula Falls Park now consistently ranks among Alabama’s top
three attractions in terms of attendance, along with the U.S. Space and
Rocket Center in Huntsville and the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial
Park in Mobile, says Hugh Stump, executive director of Greater Gads-
den Area Tourism.
Between 300,00 and 400,000 people visit Noccalula Falls Park annu-
ally, Tarrance says, and Stump estimates 70 percent of them are from
outside the Gadsden area.
Noccalula Falls is the dramatic starting point (or ending point, de-
pending on perspective) of Lookout Mountain, which stretches north
to Chattanooga, Tenn. It’s unusual to have such a grand natural fea-
ture within city limits, Stump says. “It’s our prime, No. 1 image for
Gadsden,” he says. “When we do image advertising, we always use a
picture of the falls.”
The train ride and a new petting zoo are the most popular things in
the traditional park space, Tarrance says. The train is a replica of the
C.P. Huntington, a locomotive first used by the Central Pacific Railroad
in 1864. Train conductors still point out attractions and tell about the
area’s history. The boarding point next to the new entrance, by the pio-
neer village, adds convenience. “To get on a train and ride is fun, but it
also gives a little direction for someone who’s never been here before,”
Tarrance says.
The animal habitat and petting zoo – additions to the deer park,
which is still there – were started in 2000 and now include indoor and
outdoor areas for goats, sheep, donkeys, emus, an alligator, fish, birds,
rabbits, foxes, an African lion and more. “Kids and people in general
love animals,” Tarrance says. “We just started little by little to have dif-
ferent things.”
In 2006, a wedding chapel opened on the north side of the falls, by
the bridge crossing Black Creek and the area where we used to picnic.
The chapel holds 60 people, and wedding styles range from country
to elegant.
“Noccalula Falls has always been popular for people wanting to get
RIGHT:Aweddingchapelstaysbookedmostoftheyear;Thepioneervillage
includesabout20authenticstructuresmovedtotheparkfromTennessee. photos
byOliviaGrider OPPOSITE[TOPTOBOTTOM]:An18-holemini-golfcourseisa
popularattraction;Adeerparkandpettingzooarepartofthegrounds;Atrainride
isagoodwaytogetacquaintedwiththepark.photoscourtesyGreaterGadsdenTourism
Events at the Falls
Several annual events and festivals draw large crowds to Noccalula Falls
and have given the park more visibility in recent years, says Hugh Stump,
executive director of Greater Gadsden AreaTourism.They are:
}
SMOKE ONTHE FALLS BARBECUE FESTIVAL, APRIL 11, 2015 –
Pros and backyard barbeque teams compete in this event sanctioned
through the Kansas City Barbeque Society and Alabama BarbecueTrails.
Live music, food vendors and a children’s play area are part of the fun.
}WHEELS ONTHE HILLS CAR SHOW, JUNE 12-14, 2015 –Thousands
will gather to trade, buy and sell cars at this reconfiguration of the 30-year-
old“Gadsden Street Rod Run”series of car shows.
}THE BARBARIAN CHALLENGE, JUNE 20, 2015 – Part race, part ob-
stacle course, the Barbarian Challenge utilizes the Black CreekTrail System
and involves creek crossings, tunnels, walls and ropes. Stump brought the
event’s organizer to Gadsden after witnessing the Challenge in Georgia,
and it will be held at Noccalula Falls for the fifth year in a row in 2015.
}CHRISTMAS ATTHE FALLS, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 2015 –The
park is decorated with more than 1 million lights, Santa and the Grinch
make appearances and children can decorate cookies and write and mail
letters to Santa at the pioneer Post Office.

married,” Tarrance says. Before the chapel was built, people got mar-
ried in the park’s botanical gardens or by the covered bridge, built
in 1899. “We just decided we might as well have a wedding chapel,”
Tarrance says.
Now couples use the gardens and covered bridge as photo backdrops.
“It’s a gorgeous place for wedding pictures,” Tarrance says.
Also on the north side of the falls, Noccalula Falls Campground,
which offered RV and tent camping when I was a kid, now boasts two
cabins that accommodate up to six people each. Tarrance compares
them to vacation cabins in the Smoky Mountains and says wedding
parties often use them. RV camping sites with full hookups or water/
electric hookups are available, and tent sites offer water and electricity.
Both Tarrance and Stump tell me about the biggest change at the park
in the past several years – the development of the Black Creek Trail
System. This trail system is on the north side of the falls (as opposed to
the Gorge Trail, which begins on the south side) and can be accessed
for free. The 1.7-mile main trail starts behind the wedding chapel and
gradually descends into the gorge along a gentle slope, ending amid the
city streets of Gadsden.
Stump says the trail had existed for hundreds of years, but when he
came to Gadsden in 2009, it was a rutted, eroded, natural trail filled
with rocks and roots. “You could tell it was a trail that had been used for
a long time, but it was difficult to maneuver,” he says.
The city of Gadsden widened the trail to about 8 feet and paved it with
gravel in 2011, using part of a federal transportation grant, Stump says.
The goal was two-fold: make the park easier to access from the main part
of the city and open areas of the park few had accessed before.
Only a small portion of the park’s 250 acres is occupied by what people
have traditionally called Noccalula Falls Park, Stump says. Hundreds of
other acres could be used for hiking and biking. “It wasn’t something
that was known about because it wasn’t accessible,” Stump says. “People
just saw the waterfall.” Now the elderly and people with disabilities can
see the gorge.
Dozens of additional trails, made by people, deer and other animals,
intersect the Black Creek Trail, and the city began improving those
trails for hiking and mountain biking about a year and a half ago, Stump
says. Now 5 miles of these dirt trails are easily accessible from the Black
Creek Trail.
“The cool thing about Noccalula Falls is you can go exploring and not
get lost,” Stump says. “You’re going to come out on a road eventually.”
UPON HEARING ABOUT THESE ENHANCEMENTS TO ONE OF
my favorite places, I have to see for myself. On an unseasonably warm
January weekend, my 12-year-old son and I set out for Noccalula Falls.
I park the car in the parking lot we used when I was a kid, since this
is closest to the Black Creek Trail. People are feeding the ducks and
geese by the bridge, just like I remember. Only there are machines that
dispense feed so you don’t have to bring food for them.
We walk behind the wedding chapel and see a sign marking the
beginning of Black Creek Trail. With the gorge on our left, we pass
the campground on the right and go by the cabins before the trail
begins to descend. We find it much as described, with overlooks and
a bridge offering pretty views along the way. Our elevation eventu-
ally matches that of the burbling creek, and we walk alongside it.
Where the narrower, dirt hiking and biking trails intersect the main
trail, colorful signs with maps show their routes. As we inspect one of
these signs, an older man with a hiking stick explains the trail it shows
offers an alternate route to the campground. He also tells us about an
upcoming trail that follows the creek more closely. “This is just wonder-
ful,” he says of the whole trail system.
After reaching the end of the main trail and making our way back – tak-
ing the trail the man suggested for a time – we decide to have ice cream
and visit the playground as a tribute to my memories. Alas, the ice cream
at Jack’s has been replaced by standard Blue Bell fare, and there is no grape
flavor. I try strawberry and find it a passable substitute. My son orders a
chocolate-peanut-butter milkshake, and we walk to the playground.
All the equipment is new, and the area swarms with children enjoy-
ing the sunshine. There’s no replacement for the giant wooden hamster
wheel (how could there be?), but the kids don’t seem to mind. They
zoom down slides, hold tight to a metal, zipline-like apparatus and
climb over the two large play structures.
We stop to look at the waterfall as we leave. A little boy approaches
the fence near the statue, points at the rainbow the mist makes at the
base of the falls and urgently calls his dad over to look. Everything isn’t
the same as I remember, but I’m glad the beauty, history and adventure
of this place are enchanting even more people today.
Noccalula Falls Park is on Noccalula Road in Gadsden, AL 35904.Hours:
(Gated portion of park) March 1-June 1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; June 2-Aug.
10, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Aug. 11-Oct. 30, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. More information:
cityofgadsden.com/index.aspx?NID=134; 256-549-4663
It seems safe to say no one knows
more about the history of the
Noccalula Falls area than Danny
Crownover, president of the Etowah
Historical Society and director of
the Etowah Heritage Museum. After
returning to Etowah County with a
degree from the University of Ala-
bama, Crownover spent a lot of time
in Black Creek Gorge, curious about
theunexplainedthingshesawthere–
old carvings and markings, piles of
rubble, nails and pipes sticking out
of the rock on both sides of the falls.
“I was fascinated,”he says.“There
was all kinds of historical evidence.”
He began researching the area’s past
as a hobby and eventually wrote a
book,“Black Creek – Southern Look-
out Mountain,”published in 1983.
Crownover says he found much to
indicate people regularly visited the
falls long before it became a park. It
was a landmark for various Native
American tribes, as it was near a route
they used for thousands of years that
eventually became known as the
HighTown Pass. It stretched from
present-day Charleston, S.C. to Mem-
phis,Tenn., and the Chickasaw used it
as a trading route with the British.
A story goes that during the
Civil War Gen. Joseph Wheeler
took his men for a night of danc-
ing at a pavilion in the gorge.“They
were down there with the country
women,”according to one account,
Crownover says,“and must have
had a good time judging from all
the peanut shells on the dancing
floor.”Crownover has found photos
confirming dancing pavilions existed
at the top and bottom of the falls.
An 1859 map shows a cave
entrance directly below where the
Indian maiden statue now stands.
The cave was rumored to go all the
way to Chattanooga, but Crownover
thinks it more likely ends in the
Keener community, about 10 miles
northeast of Gadsden, since it was
sometimes called the Keener Cave.
The cave entrance was dynamited in
1870, possibly be-
cause a saloon op-
erated inside. The
historical society
and the University
of Alabama Geol-
ogy Department
are holding an
interest meeting
soon to investigate
the cave.
One of the first
houses in the area
was near the falls
and was owned
by a white man,
John Riley, and
his Native American
wife, Crownover
says. The log cabin has been moved
to another area on the High Town
Pass. Etowah County’s first factory,
which made hats and was called The
Hattery, was built in 1858 where the
park is now.
Beginning around 1870, steam
boats from Rome, Ga., came to
Gadsden with the purpose of taking
people to Noccalula Falls. A narrow-
gauge passenger railroad was built
around 1895.“It was a little tiny train
that brought tourists from Gadsden
to Noccalula Falls,”Crownover says.
The area was known as tourist
camp for a long time. From 1838
until the city of Gadsden purchased
the property in 1949, the land was
privately owned, but its own-
ers allowed the public to use it,
Crownover says.
“There were many reasons why
people went up to Noccalula Falls,”
he continues.“For
health reasons, people
went to drink from the
spring. People went to
get away from life, to
enjoy themselves and
to go hunting. Many
stayed overnight.” You
can see where their
camp fires blackened
the rock in the gorge.
Of course, the main
thing people want to
know is whether the
legend of Noccalula is
true. Similar stories are
attached to other water-
falls and told as far north
as Niagra Falls.
Crownover says written records,
including newspaper articles and
journals written by travellers on
the High Town Pass in 1815, 1818
and 1821, indicate a Native Ameri-
can maiden jumped from the falls
between 1789 and 1795, although
the story is a little different from the
popular legend based on an 1857
poem by Mathilde Bilbro.
The maiden was the daughter of
Chief Little Turkey, who came to Tur-
key Town (a large area that stretched
from Gadsden to Centre, Ala., with
its main village located five miles
northeast of Gadsden) in 1789 and
later became principal chief of the
Cherokee Nation. Her name was not
Noccalula, which means“waterfall”
in the Cherokee language, but Elohi-
bela or Elofabela.
The brave she was in love with
was Chief Pathkiller, who also be-
came principal chief of the Cherokee
Nation and died in 1827 in present-
day Centre.
A stick-ball game was involved in
the incident, Crownover says. Chief
Turkey promised his daughter to
Creek Chief Micco if the Cherokees
lost, which they did.
While he’s not comfortable say-
ing the legend is definitely true,
Crownover says he tends to believe
it is, largely because it was docu-
mented in writing not long after
it happened by people who were
living during the time. Some people
even claimed to have witnessed
the stick-ball game. And since Little
Turkey was principal chief of the
entire Cherokee Nation, the story
would have spread, he says.“I lean
toward thinking the legend of the
Indian princess started right here
at Noccalula Falls,”he says.“But
the fun of it is it’s a legend. It has a
romantic story to it. It’s romantic that
someone loved someone and they
were willing to jump over a waterfall
because they couldn’t marry who
they wanted to marry. That used to
wow the early pioneers. That’s why I
think they wrote about it.”
A group in Black Creek Gorge,
about 1910/ photo courtesy
Danny Crownover
A HISTORY OF ATTRACTION
Escape to
Cabins | RV Park | Restaurant | Show Barn | Weddings/Events
mountaincoveresort.com
Resort: (706) 539-COVE (2683) | mountaincoveresort@yahoo.com | Restaurant: (706) 539-FARM (3276)
994 Dougherty Gap Rd | Chickamauga, GA 30707
Enjoy the breathtaking views, outdoor activities, wildlife and relaxation during your
stay in historic McLemore Cove – listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Enjoy the breathtaking views, outdoor activities, wildlife and relaxation during your
stay in historic McLemore Cove – listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lookout Alabama magazine - Spring 2015

Lookout Alabama magazine - Spring 2015

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