By Angela anders
Visitors to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park in McCalla, Alabama, are greeted by a lush, winding road leading to the park’s entrance. Once past the guard shack, campers and tents begin to stand out between the trees. An old country store stands waiting for those who remember any last minute item or need an ice-cold drink. A creek gently bubbles in the background, and bike tires grinding against gravel can be heard from every direction as kids rush to the Sweet Shoppe.
“I like the set up,” said Big John Richardson. He has been coming to Tannehill for almost 30 years. “It’s a family-oriented place.”
Richardson has memories of playing in the creek with his now adult son. But he has since traded his wading boots in for a spot at Tannehill’s Trade Day. An Elvis tribute artist and Tuskegee resident, Richardson developed a love of wood carving at an early age. He recalled that his mother would break off the tips of kitchen knives so that he could practice on the furniture. He turned his hobby into a source of income, and Richardson, along with hundreds of other vendors and tradesmen, gathers every third weekend at Tannehill with his wares and treasures.
Amber Marcrum, Tannehill’s events and activities manager, said the April 2016 Trade Day weekend attracted over 10,000 visitors. The first Trade Day was held at the entrance to the park, but for the past 43 years, she said, vendors have contended for a spot in the main area of the Trade Day grounds. The park has had to extend the Trade Day area to accommodate the growing number of vendors and visitors several times.
The state park offers a variety of activities ranging from primitive camping to touring the Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama. The park is the original sight of an ironworks operation that supplied Confederate troops with iron materials. The remains of a large furnace that was constructed can still be toured at leisure and the museum features detailed exhibits that depict life near Tannehill at the height of this industry.
The Pioneer Farm that rests near Mill Creek inside Tannehill features 19th-and 20th-century farm buildings, one of which is a working blacksmith shop. The coals are kept hot as visitors flow in for Trade Days. Craft cabins featuring artisans’ handiwork, such as pottery and quilting, are available for tours, and demonstrations are held from March through November, according to the park’s website. Other historical cabins in the park give visitors an opportunity to sleep overnight if camping is not their forte.
The Old Country Church, built in 1905, sits atop the park and provides a simple, bygone backdrop to weddings in every season. Services are held at the church every Sunday.
“We have weddings almost every weekend,” Marcrum said.
Marcrum said Tannehill had 540,000 visitors last year. People can come relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life to peruse some of Alabama’s most talented craftsmen’s creations. But Tannehill is more than just a weekend getaway. Visitors can immerse themselves in the rich, industrial narration that Tannehill tells each visitor and the contribution to a rich “Roots in Bama” history.
“I like the set up,” said Big John Richardson. He has been coming to Tannehill for almost 30 years. “It’s a family-oriented place.”
Richardson has memories of playing in the creek with his now adult son. But he has since traded his wading boots in for a spot at Tannehill’s Trade Day. An Elvis tribute artist and Tuskegee resident, Richardson developed a love of wood carving at an early age. He recalled that his mother would break off the tips of kitchen knives so that he could practice on the furniture. He turned his hobby into a source of income, and Richardson, along with hundreds of other vendors and tradesmen, gathers every third weekend at Tannehill with his wares and treasures.
Amber Marcrum, Tannehill’s events and activities manager, said the April 2016 Trade Day weekend attracted over 10,000 visitors. The first Trade Day was held at the entrance to the park, but for the past 43 years, she said, vendors have contended for a spot in the main area of the Trade Day grounds. The park has had to extend the Trade Day area to accommodate the growing number of vendors and visitors several times.
The state park offers a variety of activities ranging from primitive camping to touring the Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama. The park is the original sight of an ironworks operation that supplied Confederate troops with iron materials. The remains of a large furnace that was constructed can still be toured at leisure and the museum features detailed exhibits that depict life near Tannehill at the height of this industry.
The Pioneer Farm that rests near Mill Creek inside Tannehill features 19th-and 20th-century farm buildings, one of which is a working blacksmith shop. The coals are kept hot as visitors flow in for Trade Days. Craft cabins featuring artisans’ handiwork, such as pottery and quilting, are available for tours, and demonstrations are held from March through November, according to the park’s website. Other historical cabins in the park give visitors an opportunity to sleep overnight if camping is not their forte.
The Old Country Church, built in 1905, sits atop the park and provides a simple, bygone backdrop to weddings in every season. Services are held at the church every Sunday.
“We have weddings almost every weekend,” Marcrum said.
Marcrum said Tannehill had 540,000 visitors last year. People can come relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life to peruse some of Alabama’s most talented craftsmen’s creations. But Tannehill is more than just a weekend getaway. Visitors can immerse themselves in the rich, industrial narration that Tannehill tells each visitor and the contribution to a rich “Roots in Bama” history.