For a town with a tiny two-block "business district" and fewer than 500 residents, Elkmont is booming. Mayor Tracy Compton says the town has been building a reserve to help growth and its time is now. "We'd been saving our money for years and years and the opportunity finally came for us to put our money where it would do the most good."Tourists are being drawn here in larger-then-ever numbers to visit the town's attractions, including the Richard Martin Recreation Trail, which follows a Civil War-era railroad bed as part of the Rails-to-Trails system, a goat cheese creamery and tasting room open for tours and events, cute stores and a new outpost for U.G. White Mercantile that will offer outdoor gear and bike rentals. Fort Hampton Outfitters Kayak Rental is also located in U.G White.
U.G. White, which opened in 1917 as a hardware and general merchandise store in downtown Athens, opened its store last week in Elkmont's tiny main strip of stores on Upper Fort Hampton Road. It currently includes Belle Chevre Cheese Shop and Tasting Room - the creamery is out back in a converted historic warehouse, Hilltop Portraits, The Paper Trail Antiques, Artisan South with U.G. White's outpost on the end. Across from the downtown Church of Christ is Devilicious, they have the best cupcakes in town. Other yummy places to eat are the Gin House BBQ and Elkmont Pizza and Subs on the corner of Hwy 127.
On Railroad Street across from Elkmont's historic depot are a few other shops, including Hinge and Aardvark Printing as well as The Red Caboose, a venue offering live music.
The fire department is hard at work saving enough money from its fundraisers to build a new free-standing building close to the community storm shelter on Sandlin Road. Mayor Compton says that the Senior Center will move over to the current fire hall when the new fire department is built (no date has been set). This will open up the depot for possible use as a restaurant or another business that would like to take advantage of the historic atmosphere of the depot.
The Limestone County town of Elkmont was already a small railroad community before its incorporation in 1873. The Tennessee & Alabama Central Railway arrived in 1859, and would be renamed the Nashville & Decatur Railroad after the Civil War. The preserved historic depot was built in 1887 when the route was owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
The railway was abandoned in 1986 and was eventually re-purposed as a trail for walking, biking and horseback riding. It is maintained by the Limestone County Parks and Recreation Department.
In 1864, a local rail bridge known as Sulphur Creek Trestle, sometimes spelled "Sulfur Creek," was the site of one of Alabama's bloodiest Civil War battles. Designated a historic site, the battle location is along the Richard Martin Trail and is part of the Athens-Limestone County Civil War Trail.
Sources: al.com; news courier
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