Frolicking lion cubs, dried herbs, faces in stones, scrap metal musicians and mustard slaw that’ll pucker your lips. Probably not the most common list of tourism brags, but an afternoon of Florence, Alabama revealed a handful of delightful discoveries.
Don’t worry, the county seat of Lauderdale County sparkles with many charming facets of traditional tourism appeal. Shopping, arts and entertainment, parks and outdoor recreational opportunities abound here.
But like the deep-reaching strategies 100 pro anglers will employ during the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, looking beyond the obvious often leads you to something special.
Here’s a sampling of what this engaging city has to offer.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Those little lions reside on the University of Northern Alabama lawn, not far from the famous Harrison Fountain. Titled “Laughing Lions,” the three figures perched on a stone disc were donated by the family of Gordon F. Howard and Margaret E. Howard in memory of their inspiring commitment to family, nature and education.
Another cool sight — the Dr. George William Huckaba Sundial, located in Alumni Garden. Gifted by his wife Ann Jackson Huckaba, the hemispherical metal form honors the dentist/educator/philanthropist who collected clocks, chronometers and time measurement instruments.
B.A.S.S. Chairman Chase Anderson, who’s in town for the Elite tournament, noted that the relationship between UNA and downtown Florence has helped foster tremendous growth in the retail and dining sectors.
HISTORY
The dried herbs hung in Pope’s Tavern Museum, a former stagecoach stop, tavern and inn that served as a Civil War hospital for Confederate and Union forces. Located in downtown Florence, it’s one of the area’s oldest buildings and offers daily tours of inside displays, along with outdoor exhibits including an antique wagon made by Florence Wagon Works.
The museum’s interior rooms capture the essence of Civil War era life, with antique furniture, food preparation methods and various military elements. Notable was an explanation of the Minié ball — a hollow-based bullet designed in 1849 by Claude-Etienne Minié, who invented the French Minié rifle.
And all these years, I’ve been calling it the “mini ball” — mini, as in “small.”
Boy, do I feel dumb.
MUSIC
Outside the W.C. Handy Birthplace/Museum stands a quartet of metal musicians. And by “metal,” we mean the material, not heavy metal. Doubtful there’s much confusion here, given the fact that William Christopher Handy, born 1873 in Florence, is revered as the Father of the Blues.
The modest cabin of his youth now displays an impressive collection of Handy’s personal papers, memorabilia and artifacts. If you close your eyes and open your mind, you might hear that ragamuffin quartet playing some of Handy’s great works like Beale Street Blues or Memphis Blues.
CULTURE
Now, if you like stones — with or without faces — make the 20-minute drive from downtown Florence to the Wachahpi Commemorative Stone Wall, aka “Tom’s Wall” for its builder, Tom Hendrix. Constructed over a 33-year period, the extensive structure, which includes benches and a prayer circle, honors Hendrix’ great-great grandmother, Te-lah-nay, a Yuchi Indian forced to leave her north Alabama home as a teenager and walk the Trail of Tears path to Oklahoma.
Native American lore told of a woman that lived in the Tennessee River and sang to local inhabitants, thereby deriving the nickname, “The Singing River.” As the story goes, Te-lah-nay was so grieved that she heard no singing in Oklahoma waters, she made a 5-year solo journey back to her homeland.
Containing 8.5 million pounds of mostly sandstone and limestone, the mile-long wall winds around Hendrix’ property in rural Lauderdale County, near the Natchez Trace Parkway. A lot of the pieces are locally-hewn, but visitors have donated various stones from over 120 countries.
A particularly intriguing section holds a grouping of stones with indentions and erosion holes resembling eyes and mouths. Some have remarkably strong features and I’m pretty sure one of them kept staring at me.
Recognized as the nation’s largest un-mortared rock wall, Hendrix’ creation is also the largest memorial to a Native American woman. Diverse in size and shape, each stone represents one step in Te-lah-nay’s journey. Further, the wall’s shape, height and width fluctuate to symbolize the many obstacles she had to overcome.
Given the backstory, this may be the most emotionally moving monument I’ve ever encountered. Well, well worth a visit.
CUISINE
At lunchtime, I found my way to Bunyan’s Bar-B-Q, a no-frills operation kicking out quality meats and sides that had a line of locals crowding the service counter. Ordering a pulled pork sandwich with well-seasoned baked beans, that tangy mustard slaw and a sweet tea, I was out the door for under $10. (You don’t have to ask for slaw on the sandwich — it’s the standard dressing.)
Among Florence’s diverse array of quality eateries, Anderson enjoys the family-friendly atmosphere and upscale cuisine of Odette and Ricatoni’s, along with the traditional southern standards at Homeside.
PERSONAL CONNECTION
Now making his home in Birmingham, Anderson grew up in Knoxville, Tenn. but traces his deep appreciation for Florence to his childhood. With both of his parents from The Shoals — a metropolitan statistical area comprising Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Sheffield, and the counties of Lauderdale and Colbert — he spent much of his summers here and visited whenever possible.
“Growing up, some of my most formative memories were there,” Anderson said. “Enjoying the beautiful natural environment there was an important part of my childhood. From bird hunting and deer hunting, to fishing for bream and catfish on Wilson Lake with my grandfather, I loved the outdoors around there.
“I just always loved the people and the atmosphere. The environment there is just such a great area.”
A particularly meaningful memory was visiting his family’s first business — Anderson’s Bookland. The store founded in 1917 is no longer there, but Anderson cherishes his connection to the foundation of his family’s business, Anderson Media Corporation, of which he is Director and Strategy Officer.
“As a kid, I loved going there to visit my great grandmother who worked in the store,” he said.
Other memories include attending Handy Music Festivals at the W.C. Handy Museum, spending afternoons at Tuscumbia’s Spring Park and visiting Ivy Green (Helen Keller’s Tuscumbia birthplace) and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Rosenbaum House. The latter is one of only 26 pre-World War II Usonian houses ever built.
“Florence is my family’s hometown, but even though I didn’t grow up there, it was always kind of a second home to me,” Anderson said. “To this day, that’s where I feel most at home.”
From music to culture, arts to history, you can easily fill a day, or more, with Florence sightseeing. Stroll at your own pace, or check out these themed tour options. https://www.visitflorenceal.com/things-to-do/tours-itineraries/
For more on the The Shoals, visit https://www.visitflorenceal.com/