Etowah County

Etowah County Volume II traces the history of everyday citizens in this Alabama community. Largely derived from the collections of local photographers Bob Scarboro and Hugh Hall, the images in this volume depict the county's championship sports teams, the drive-in theaters and restaurants of the post-World War II era, and the mansions that once lined Forrest Avenue. Also included are two rare and seldom-seen photographs-the old dummy engine of the streetcar line that ran from Gadsden to Attalla, and the wooden dance pavilion located beneath Noccalula Falls at the turn of the century. Readers will discover the lasting contributions made to Etowah County by such notable early settlers as Col. R.B. Kyle, Capt. James M. Elliott Jr., Gen. Daniel Turrentine, and Judge John H. Disque. Many of the area’s schools, businesses, and churches can be attributed to the efforts of these enterprising individuals. Etowah County Volume II also celebrates the contributions made by the hard-working, everyday people who have made this Alabama community a memorable place to live.

Etowah County, nestled in the beautiful northeast Alabama hills, has a colorful and vibrant history. Drawing from, among other sources, the collection of famed photographer Adolph Lebourg, a French immigrant who traveled to Alabama with a circus, this book combines impressive images with insightful text to provide a unique look at the county's heritage. Included are such points of interest as the Kyle Home, which once stood on the present site of the Etowah County Courthouse, the home of Alabama Power Company founder W.P. Lay, and several early movie theaters. Many local businesses and industries are highlighted in the early years of their existence.

Situated along the Coosa River, Etowah County's history is intertwined with the twists and turns of this flowing water. And though the currents of the Coosa shift every day, some fixtures of the river cannot help but remain. It is said that famed riverboat captain James M. Elliott Jr. haunts the Coosa's banks, still blasting the whistle from the Magnolia, his steam engine more than a century old. But the river isn't the only part of Etowah County that remains populated by spirits past. Join local author and ghost tour guide Mike Goodson on a chilling journey through Gadsden, Attalla and the rest of Etowah County as he recounts the haunted history of the region. This eerie collection offers the definitive guide to ghostly activity in Etowah County.