Ashville centennial

As city celebrates 200 years, a look back a century ago

Story by Robert Debter
Submitted Photos

On the heels of observing the bicentennial of Ashville, memories and remembrances of the centennial celebration, April 26, 1923, emerge.

The event was conceived as a tribute to the soldiers of St. Clair County, both living and deceased, who had fought in the War Between the States, also known as the American Civil War. The event was spearheaded by Ashville Chapter 1488 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and great care was given over to the preparation of the event, which would culminate in the unveiling of a marvelous marble statue, procured from the McNeel Company in Georgia at the cost of almost $2,500.

In the Feb. 23 edition of the Southern Aegis, owner B.B. Cather, vowed “… to do all it can to help the U.D.C. women pay for their monument and at once wishes to state that any subscriber who loves this paper and wants to help these women can settle with them court week. One half of every dollar paid to them on subscription, new or old for the Southern Aegis, in the next 30 days will be given to this organization or the Monument fund.”

The March 29th edition printed the following notice:

Unveiling Confederate Monument

to St. Clair County Heroes

celebrating Ashville Centennial, April 26th

Public Cordially Invited

On the historic spot in Ashville where 62 years ago, the flower of St. Clair’s young manhood, marched forth to defend their homes and the sacred causes of the Confederacy, the Daughters of the Confederacy have erected a memorial to their loyalty, courage, and devotion.

They have selected April 26th, (Memorial Day), for the day of unveiling.

Ashville St. Clair Courthouse

Few towns can boast of 100 years of existence, such is Ashville’s Birthday. The Daughters have been asked by prominent and former citizens of Ashville to include a centennial program in the day’s celebration, which they are glad to help plan.

A parade headed by a Brass Band, composed of school children, Daughters, Veterans, and floats representing each business in town will take place in the morning, following this will be a Centennial program at which time, Hon. James A. Embry, a lifelong Ashvillian will preside.

The principal address will be delivered by Hon. O.R. Hood of Gadsden, a former son of Ashville.

The unveiling program will be held in the afternoon, at which time, Mrs. W.A. Beason, President of the Ashville Chapter U.D.C. and General Chairman of the day’s festivities will preside.

Principal address of the unveiling will be delivered by Mrs. E.L. Huey of Bessemer, State President U.D.C., gifted and beloved Alabamian.

The big event

Alongside the unveiling and celebrations, a grand homecoming was planned. Chairman Lillie (Phillips) Beason, wife of Dr W.A. Beason, and her publicity committee set to work and issued more than 500 invitations to reach veterans and their families, originally from Ashville, who had since relocated to other parts of Alabama and the country.

John Washington Inzer

On March 5, the Aegis reported, “The Monument Committee who has charge of the day’s program are to be congratulated upon securing Col. Oliver R. Hood of Gadsden, a former son of Ashville, of whom we are justly proud to deliver the Centennial address. Hon. James A. Embry, one of Ashville’s most brilliant and prominent attorneys, whose life has been spent in this peaceful city, has accepted the committee’s invitation to preside.”

As the day approached everyone was encouraged to “… greet every visitor with a smile and a welcome – leave that frown off your face for Ten days and be what God intended you to be, a booster for the Home Comers.”

Undoubtedly on that April morning the old veterans, such as Judge John W. Inzer of Ashville and John Washington Laster Jr., of Springville, recalled their days of service and those whom they marched and fought alongside, saw torn by war and perish from cannon, rifle and saber, and those they suffered with in prisoner of war camps in Illinois and Ohio.

To a crowd of over 2,000, the monument was unveiled by Misses Mattie Lou Teague and Sally V. Inzer. It was reported that the proceedings “… will be long remembered by every person who attended. Ashville was beautifully bedecked with flags and bunting.”

As for the veterans, they “… were treated royally and they seem to have appreciated to the fullest extent all that was done in honor of their dead comrades.”

Remembering the words of General Douglas MacArthur in his farewell address to the cadets as West Point in 1962, “… [T]he soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.”

Moody cuts ribbon on commerce park

When Joe Lee first arrived in the city he now serves as mayor, population stood at a mere 4,000. That was 30 years ago, and Moody’s ascension to the largest municipality in St. Clair County has been soaring at a dizzying speed.

Kelly Creek Commerce Park in Moody entrance

Little more than ‘crossroaads’ three decades ago, today’s Moody is hardly recognizable to those who remember vehicle traffic stopping to allow cows to cross the thoroughfare.

And to those gathered on 170-plus acres on a breezy afternoon in February to cut the ribbon on Kelly Creek Commerce Park, a cattle crossing isn’t even imaginable. What is conceivable is what is planned there – 1.5 million square feet of distribution facility space, a $125 million investment in well paying jobs and the “huge impact on our community from bobs created in this community,” Lee said.

Moody didn’t arrive at this pivotal crossroad alone, Lee said, crediting partnerships with the St. Clair County Commission and St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “It’s a good example of how economic development works in St. Clair County – everyone working together.”

“Elected officials, mayor, you and your team make it easy,” said EDC Executive Director Don Smith. Through partnerships, they “lead by example.”

Smith talked of Mike Graham of Graham and Co., a leading commercial and industrial broker, as a key partner in helping facilitate the vision for the property, “exceeding expectations.” He talked of Horizon, Metro Bank and Alabama Power Co. as major partners as well, predicting, “The best is yet to come.”

Aerial view shows off the expansive park property

The vision is being fulfilled because Moody is “a great community to support new investment, workforce readiness and has a reasonable tax structure. We’re excited about what lies ahead.”

Alabama’s Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield agreed that Moody’s future looks bright. He should know after overseeing $61 billion of new investment during his tenure, including Airbus, Honda, Google and Amazon.

He pointed to the strides in growth Alabama is experiencing in textile, automobile and aerospace industries, which Moody should benefit from in coming years. “This is a great day for Moody,” he said, looking forward to attracting high paying careers in the community. “The site is spectacular.”

From Alabama’s vantage point, the future is focused on international power. The state ships products to 193 countries around the globe, Canfield said. “Alabama has a future as long as we continue to do things like we’re doing today.”

The St. Clair and The Tavern at the St. Clair

Sizzling success stories

Story by Paul South
Submitted Photos

Since January, Pell City’s hottest new restaurant and bar – The St. Clair and The Tavern at The St. Clair, have sizzled and sauteed, shaken and stirred their way to a mouth-watering recipe for success.

Weekends are packed with patrons dressed to the nines in The St. Clair, and in jeans and boots at the Tavern. The décor is white tablecloth elegant, yet welcoming, with decor celebrating the rich history of the area.

The restaurant and tavern are the brainchild of Rebecca and Carson Robinson, business partners for nearly two decades. The Pell City venture is their third venture together.

White-tablecloth dining comes to Pell City

Rebecca Robinson moved to Pell City 11 years ago, loving it so much she never left. The St. Clair and the Tavern blossomed from the growth and change she saw in the community. As more and more people from Birmingham, Atlanta and other areas discovered Pell City, culinary expectations climbed. 

“I, myself, being from Birmingham, it’s really nice and convenient when you have a place close by where you can go get a nice glass of wine, a great steak, where you have good seafood choices,” she says. “And we really didn’t have here in Pell City – while we have a lot of good locally-owned restaurants – we did not have really any that hit that higher-end mark.”

The COVID-19 pandemic also brought a steady stream of more full-time residents to Pell City and Logan Martin Lake, migration sparked by a now-remote workforce.

“It was just the right time to open up a fine dining restaurant with an attached tavern, Robinson says. “It was just the right time for the market.”

The menu, crafted by Robinson, Executive Chef J.R. Dell and his team is a mix of steaks, seafood, game, chicken, lamb and pork and a variety of appetizers and salad.

Offerings are upscale, but not pretentious.

“That was our goal for Pell City, to offer a higher end option, but still be casual enough to meld into the Pell City way of life. A lot of people live here because they like the more relaxed lifestyle,” Robinson says. “That was our vision for the restaurant: to provide the great food, the quality food, the great service, but not to overdo it.

“In other words, you can come in in jeans and eat Ahi tuna or a wagyu steak,” Robinson says. “That was our goal.”

Mixing drinks on the Tavern side

Dell leads a team of five chefs. He’s a magna cum laude graduate of the prestigious Johnson and Wales University culinary school. He trained in the United States and in Europe under Peter Jackson, founder of the Welsh Culinary Olympics team. The menu has a mix of Europe, the Florida Keys and local influence.

Along with top-flight food and service, the restaurant and companion tavern pay homage to a history of St. Clair County and its namesake, Gen. Arthur St. Clair, who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolution. St. Clair’s portrait adorns the restaurant/tavern’s website, and the walls are filled with photos, like the black and white image of Logan Martin Dam, which transformed the area in the early 1960s, and other prominent St. Clair historic figures and places.

“We wanted people to know we were local,” Robinson says of the photos featuring prominent locals.

“We felt like the St. Clair was a good venue to bring back and to remember some of the great history of the county,” Robinson says.

Since opening earlier this year, The St. Clair and the Tavern at St. Clair have created a stir, drawing diners from west Georgia and across central Alabama, as well as locals.

“I have to say, we’re humbled by the reception that we’ve received, not just locally, but from miles and miles away.”

But the strong showing of the restaurant and tavern’s early days were not unexpected.

“We felt like there were a lot of people just like us in these communities that wanted and were asking for a restaurant of this quality and food of this caliber,” Robinson says. “So no, we weren’t really surprised by the buzz. We’re glad that people appreciate what we’ve been working towards.”

Robinson credits her team for the success of The St. Clair and the Tavern. Many restaurants across the country have thrown in the napkin so to speak, closing because of the inability to secure and keep staff. Many have worked with the Robinsons in past ventures.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have such strong staff join us throughout this process … One of the things we like to do is we like to develop long-term relationships with the people that work with us. They’re not people who work for us. They work with us. We’re a team.”

Robinson adds,” We look at business as long term, 20-plus years. And we take care of the people that helped us make that happen.”

While Robinson and Dell created the current menu. The future menu will be created by the entire kitchen staff. Likewise, the bar staff will create the cocktail menu. On March 5, the restaurant launched a weekend brunch. For the staff, it’s not only about a paycheck, but the ability to create, Robinson says.

“I see the smiles on their faces when the customers love what they’ve done.”

The new menu, set to be rolled out in April, is like a state secret. Asked for a sneak peek, Robinson says, “I will not divulge.”

Robinson is a self-described “foodie of sorts,” and the initial menu reflects many of her likes. It took a year to develop the wine list.

“I love good Ahi tuna. I love good Wagyu beef, American Wagyu beef,” Robinson says. And while it’s hard to pick her absolute favorite on the menu, she has a standout.

“My standout is the Ahi tuna,” she says. “I absolutely adore it. We sell Triple A Saku. It is the best you can get. We serve it with Ponzu sauce, an Asian dipping sauce that’s a mix of salty and sweet.”

Wine tastings and pairing dinners and holiday events will come down the road, Robison says.

“We’re so busy, I’m not sure what day we would do it on right now.”

Reservations on the restaurant side are recommended through Resy.com, especially on the weekends. Walk-ins are welcome in the Tavern at the St. Clair. For more information, visit thestclairpellcity.com. The restaurant and tavern are located at 2413 Dr. John Haynes Drive in Pell City.

“Pell City is growing, and Pell City is changing,” Robinson says. “Don’t be afraid to come try us. Don’t be afraid to come try something new. Don’t think that you can’t come in in your blue jeans and have a nice dinner with a great glass of wine or a fabulous cocktail. Don’t be afraid to try us.”

The space between

Life is overwhelmingly beautiful. And terrible.  And wonderful. And messy. And short. … But rarely is it predictable. Most people don’t get to the end of their lives and think to themselves, “Well, that went exactly as planned” just before they pass on.

That’s the thing about life….  Some things just happens to us. We aren’t always prepared. Things don’t always go according to plan. Because life often has an itinerary all its own. We can cultivate adaptability and learn to embrace changes in life… or get pulled along begrudgingly.  Either way, change is an unconquerable reality. 

Sometimes we get to choose it and welcome change eagerly.  Sometimes we are painfully unprepared and resist. And sometimes we can get caught in the space between. 

The space between ready and not. The space between changing direction and staying the course … between the problem and solution … between the known and unknown … between holding on and letting go.

It’s here, on the cusp of change, that life lends us rest and clarity is keenest if we lean in and allow it. It’s here, in that blank space between the chapters of our lives, that we can pause, take a deep breath and ready ourselves for the next thing.  So if you should ever find yourself caught here, in the space between…anxiously waiting… don’t lose heart.  These pauses aren’t empty voids … they are life’s way of holding space for our head and our heart to align and embrace. … sometimes we might find the space between can be our saving grace. 

– Mackenzie Free –

Wife, mother, photographer & current resident of the unassumingly magical town of Steele, Alabama

Just Ride!

Cycling through St. Clair backroads well worth the trek

Story by Roxann Edsall
Submitted Photos

“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride.”

— Eddy Merckx, Belgian cyclist and five-time Tour de France winner

The popularity of biking, both traditional and E-biking, skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic as the need for social distancing peaked. Outdoor gear companies like Gadsden Outfitters report a leveling off of sales this year to a modest increase, more typical of pre-pandemic growth.

The newest trend gaining speed is gravel cycling. Sales of these gravel cycling bikes rose 109% from 2019 to 2021, according to New York Times. This sport is a bit of a mashup of both road biking and mountain biking. Despite its name, gravel cycling really encompasses riding on any surface that is not a paved road.

Cycling for all ages

The bikes for gravel cycling feature the low gearing of mountain bikes with the lightweight frames of road bikes. The tires of a gravel bike are also narrower than those of a mountain bike.

The sport is popular with beginners because it is less technical than mountain biking and because gravel bikes are so versatile, they can be ridden almost anywhere.

“We’ve been looking at how to include the gravel rider in our events,” says Lloyd Maisonville, president of the Birmingham Bicycle Club. “It’s really up and coming as its own style of cycling. Many of our members have to travel a distance to do gravel events.”

Cyclists, whether their preference is gravel cycling, mountain biking or street riding, often list the adrenaline rush and beauty of the outdoors as motivators in their sport. And that ride often takes them on countryside treks through north St. Clair County to places like Ashville, Horse Pens 40, Chandler Mountain and St. Clair Springs.

Whatever the motivation, though, there is no doubt that cycling is a great low-impact aerobic activity. It’s also perfect both for those who want to be alone with nature and those who want to participate in cycling events with groups.

Nathan and Alex Tucker recently spent the day cycling at Oak Mountain State Park. The father/son duo list the trails there as some of their favorite in the state for biking.

“Oak Mountain has so many different trails. You’re always trying to do your best and get better and faster,” says Nathan. Alex agrees, adding that the variety of trails is good for all skill levels and different styles of riding.

There are many other options for cycling enthusiasts that include the Chief Ladiga Trail, Coldwater Mountain and Fort McClellan Multi-Use Trail, all in Anniston. In the Gadsden area, cyclists may want to visit the trails at Noccalula Falls Park. Other options include Red Mountain Park and Tannehill State Park.

No shortage of support along the way

This month, there are several events. The Eagle Rock Easter Classic is April 8 in Rainbow City and benefits Eagle Rock Boys’ Ranch. There is an event April 16 at Chief Ladiga Trail in Anniston. Bo Bikes Bama is April 22 in Auburn and benefits the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund.

Get in touch with your local bike club for local rides. One such club is the Birmingham Bicycle Club (Bhambikeclub.org).

“We love hosting rides in St. Clair County,” says the BBC’s president. “The roads and scenery are safe and beautiful, and the drivers are very courteous. We can ride freely and safely, more so than on an inner-city type ride.”

The club’s century ride, the BBC 100, is one of the longest running bicycle events in the state. The ride is Sept. 9 and starts at Ashville High School. There are four routes, ranging from 25 miles to 100 miles, designed to appeal to the variety of riders and skill levels.

In its 50th year of existence, the BBC has recovered from a pandemic membership dip, up to nearly 300 members and growing. Part of their revenue from ride fees goes to helping local communities and into educational efforts to promote cycling.

Editor’s Note: For more information on the club, go to: bhambikeclub.org

Life in Pictures

Larry Krantz reflects on storied career as photographer, video editor, teacher

Story by Paul South
Photos by Graham Hadley
Submitted Photos

Captivating photography – the elegant art of light and shadow – is also about timing. The same could be said of Lawrence Krantz’s fourscore plus one years on earth.

The Logan Martin Lake resident’s life may be the most compelling you’ve never heard of, taking him from his Atlanta hometown to Hollywood and into the eye of the righteous hurricane of the Civil Rights movement. It took him to the lightning-fast advancement of technology at Apple and making photos and films with phones.

Harry Belafonte in a concert for the SCLC

He rubbed shoulders with icons – the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and legendary filmmaker Roger Corman. He snapped photos in the golden age of magazines for Life and Playboy, trained at Life and National Geographic and worked as a photojournalist for news agencies like the Associated Press and Black Star.

He chronicled national grief, photographing King’s 1968 funeral and influenced pop culture behind the scenes, as a film editor for a then-unknown chef, Alton Brown, on the upstart Food Network show, Good Eats.

Krantz, now 81, crossed paths with Henry Fonda on the MGM lot, came to know Richard Roundtree and worked on films like Sharky’s Machine and Blood of The Dragon.

When it comes to capturing light and shadow, Krantz, it seems, has seen it all.

“I’m just a guy who’s had some good opportunities,” he says. “And you know, I made something with it.”

Indeed, he did.

It all started with a box camera, a 13th birthday gift from an uncle and a chance encounter with a filmmaker at Isadore Krantz’s hardware store. As a kid, young Lawrence kept his ear tuned to the police radio. When a nearby house fire or other newsworthy event broke, the teen raced to the scene, snapping photos for The Atlanta Journal. Soon, with the Journal’s help, the teen was doing “ride alongs” with Atlanta police. He also shot local dances with his best friend.

“I was doing everything I could to make dollars so I could buy equipment,” he says. “My roots were photography, but I graduated to movies and television,” Krantz says.

Coretta Scott King, with Ralph D. Abernathy, at press conference, Atlanta, April 7, 1968

While working in his dad’s hardware store in the early 1960s, he met the photo and magazine journalist and novelist William Diehl, eventually becoming his apprentice. The two worked together for the next two decades.

Diehl authored nine novels, including Sharky’s Machine and Primal Fear, both made into films. Krantz worked with Diehl and Burt Reynolds, the star and director of Sharky’s Machine. In fact, Krantz inspired a character called “Nosh” – Yiddish for “Eat” –  in Sharky’s Machine. “Anybody that knows me knows I like to eat,” Krantz said.

“I worked on independent movies and became an editor for Bill,” Krantz recalled. “I loved it.”

But while he shared the MGM lot with Elvis and Fonda, craning his neck to look for Fonda’s Woody station wagon in its parking space, it was not glitz and glamor.

“We were there to work,” Krantz recalls. “At lunchtime, there were people who would stop by to see Bill and meet him. He garnered the notoriety.”

Still, for Krantz, it was a heady time. The pair often ate in the MGM commissary, rubbing shoulders with veteran actor James Hong, known today to a new generation of viewers for his roles in Seinfeld and The Big Bang Theory, as well as the director Roger Corman, who influenced noted directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, the late Peter Bogdanovich, Quentin Tarantino and Ron Howard.

Of Corman, Krantz says, “We knew Roger. He had this knack for making low-budget movies that made a lot of money. He was about making money.”

 We would buy footage from events like speedboat races but hire different actors for close-up scenes. With the help of James Hong, Diehl bought a martial arts film from Hong Kong, looking to cash in the on martial arts madness of the 1970s.

“That’s what Bill wanted to do,” Krantz recalls. “He wanted to ride on the coattails of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon.”

The result was a Diehl film called, Return of the Dragon, an overdubbed film without Bruce Lee, but with a low budget and big box office. Call the film a mix of Shane meets martial arts.

“Bill made a lot of money on that,” Krantz says.

Diehl and Krantz first worked together in Atlanta, in the early days of Atlanta magazine, where they collaborated with the late Southern novelist and Auburn alumna, Anne Rivers Siddons.

“They were great times,” Krantz says.

 The pair’s pre-Hollywood work in the 1960s took a different path. Krantz accompanied his mentor to south Georgia for the United States Information Agency, where they photographed young civil rights workers being trained to face the crackle and spark, verbal and physical abuse they would face in the segregated South.

“It changed my life,” Krantz says.

“Bill and Dr. King took a liking to each other, and Bill volunteered our services to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. That included all of us.”

Krantz dined twice at the King home in Atlanta. And he would walk with the famous and the everyday to King’s earthly resting place.

It was a small slice of Krantz’s remarkable career. But it was nonetheless important. The memories of “Whites Only” water fountains are burned in his memory.

“Growing up in Atlanta, it was very segregated like Birmingham. (The work) changed me.”

He remembers one meal, when he asked King why he tried so hard to achieve racial equality, when eventually it was going to happen.

“He said, ‘Larry, I would like to see it in my time and not in my grandchildren’s time.’ That I remember.”

Larry and Mary Esther Krantz

Krantz has lived to see King’s dream move toward reality. “I feel very fortunate to have seen that,” he says.

Krantz and Diehl took different paths for a period, but the two would reunite in Atlanta for independent film work. He made award winning commercials at Jayan Productions with nationally known director Jimmy Collins. Later, Krantz would work for the Food Network, Turner Classic Movies and other television shows. After a four-year PBS show, Krantz joined Apple for more than a decade in the early days of digital photography and filmmaking. He still feels the excitement.

Now, even in retirement with his wife, Mary Esther, Krantz is at work, doing film editing for Dovetail Landing, a veteran residential community dedicated to transitioning veterans in Alabama located in Lincoln and for the new Museum of Pell City.

“I feel like I’ve been reawakened from my slumber. It’s exciting.” For Museum of Pell City, Krantz is helping edit interviews for its Living History program. He not only wants to celebrate the town’s past, but the present and future, training schoolchildren to become filmmakers with their seemingly ever-present Smartphone. For Krantz, there’s always another story to tell.

 And of his life in light, shadow and time, “We were learning as we were going. I didn’t learn from school. I learned being in the trenches, on the job. And everything we did had to work. I was excited by that. I’ve had a great career,” he said.

“Life gives you opportunities, and when you get them, you have to go with them.”