NOVEMBER HAS SEVERE WEATHER

Alabama is about to enter its secondary severe weather season, which typically begins in November and lasts into December.

November is one of the busiest months for tornadoes in Alabama.Tornadoes have been recorded in every calendar month in Alabama. But historically, November has proven to be a busy month, according to data from the National Weather Service. 

This is a reminder that our crazy weather season is right around the corne For those that need a place to go, when a tornado watch or warning is posted for the county, the Elkmont Storm Shelter will be available. 

Now, the important part, how do you get in?  The Elkmont Fire Department is the keeper of the keys.  Here is the procedure for when and how the shelter will be used.

OPENING OF THE SAFE ROOM IN BAD WEATHER

                                                                                                    

The safe room will be opened immediately when a Tornado Watch is issued for Limestone County.

*We will establish communications with EMA upon activation.

*We will keep occupants updated with current weather information

*Occupants shall adhere to Safe Room Rules which will be posted in Safe Room

*If the Safe Room is in the vicinity or path of a tornado the doors will be locked ( should residents attempt to enter the Safe Room they will be

allowed and the doors locked back.)        

*The Safe Room will be opened by someone in the Elkmont Volunteer Fire Department. This person will be there until the threat of bad weather is gone or is released by another member of the Fire Dept.

Location: 
19667 Sandlin Rd, behind the new fire station

Additional  Location:*Elkmont United Methodist Church Basement

ELKMONT'S NEWEST PARK

Elkmont's newest park had been a dream since April 2013. Plans for the Bassham-Phillips Park began with the purchase of the Mr. Will Ed Phillips property on McWilliams Street. Until construction of the water tank/pump station project located west on McWilliams Street, work on the park was delayed. Once that was completed, construction started in earnest until finished in the fall of 2017. 

 

The Bassham-Phillips Park dedication was held on November 6th. This is a welcome addition to the community of Elkmont. The park was named in honor of Mr. Robert Bassham who served on the Elkmont Town Council - Place 3 for 35 consecutive years - May 21, 1979 until his resignation due to health reasons on May 21, 2014. Mr. Bassham passed away on January 2016.  

The park was also named in honor of Mr. Will Ed Phillips. A long time resident of the town of Elkmont, his extended tenure as a member of the Board of Zoning Adjustment is just one of his  contributions to the Elkmont community.  Mr. Phillips passed away on November 2014.  

Mr. Willie Lawrence Moore attended council meetings on a regular basis after his retirement, and was appointed to fill the vacancy in the office of Elkmont Town Council – Place 3 on June 26, 2014 due to the resignation of Mr. Bassham earlier in the year. He was very involved in the planning and development of the park and served faithfully until his death in February 2015.
 

Bassham,  Phillips or Moore didn't live long enough to see the lovely park they helped to  create. However as their families and the community of Elkmont enjoy the legacy that remains, these men will be remembered.

​


*Mayor, Tracy Compton, and members of the City of Elkmont Town Council 

*members of the Bassham, Phillips and Moore families

LOW COST RABIES SHOTS - JUNE 10 @ 8 AM

Raccoons have it.  Bats have it. Even sly little foxes have it. These three creatures along with cats, dogs and coyotes are known to carry rabies.

For only $12, Elkmont residents can keep their dog, cat or ferret from getting the deadly disease by getting them vaccinated on June 10 at the Elkmont Rural Village Office.

Wild animals (such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes and bats) can transmit the disease to domesticated cats, dogs, cattle, ferrets and horses that is the reason vaccinations are so important. It is also the law.  Alabama law requires that every dog and cat (3-months old and over) be vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian annually with a one-year vaccine or every three years with a three-year vaccine.

DOWN WITH SPEED

WITH THE START OF THE NEW YEAR 2015 THE SPEED LIMITS WILL CHANGE ON UPPER FT HAMPTON ROAD:

*HWY 127 TO TAYLOR ROAD THE SPEED WILL REMAIN 40 MPH
TAYLOR STREET (BIG POND) TO 

*CEDAR STREET (TOP OF HILL) CHANGES TO 35 MPH

*CEDAR STREET THROUGH ELKMONT WILL REMAIN 25 MPH. 

THIS DROP OF SPEED WILL ALLOW DRIVERS TO START SLOWING AS THEY START TO ENTER THE DOWN TOWN AREA.

DON'T FORGET ELKMONT CHRISTMAS PARADE THIS SATURDAY

The town of Elkmont will come alive this holiday season with some kid favorites during the Elkmont Lions Club annual Christmas parade. The parade themed “A Disney Christmas” is 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

Members of the Elkmont Lions Club and the community chose the Disney theme. “Kids love Disney,” said Lions Club member Susan Pylant.  The Elkmont Christmas parade was started more than a decade ago and the Lions Club has sponsored the event for about six years.
 
“We usually have 40 to 50 entries,” Pylant said. This year’s grand marshal is Elkmont entrepreneur Tasia Malakasis, owner of Belle Chevre.  Each year, we try to pick someone in the Elkmont community that has attributed to the growth of Elkmont." For those who haven’t attended an Elkmont parade in the past, you will be surprised by our small town of Elkmont parade.

 
The parade route will start on Redus Street and turn right onto Highland Avenue before making a left onto Upper Fort Hampton Road. The parade will take a left on Alabama 127 and end at the Piggly Wiggly parking lot.

Parade entry forms are available at Elkmont Town Hall and Citizens Bank & Trust, by visiting: www.elkmontlionsclub.com or from Elkmont Lions Club members: 
Dickey Hobbs at 256-732-4300
Bill Bryant at 256-732-3206 
Larry Pylant at 256-732-4493
Charles Christenson at 256-732-2266.
 

The entry fee is $20. Horse and fire truck entries are free. The floats will be judged with the grand prize float winner receiving $225. The first-place float winner is awarded $175, $150 goes to second place and $100 for third place. The best antique car entry winners are awarded $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third place. Best antique tractors are $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third place, as well.

ELKMONT IN THE NEWS

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.
 

Elkmont's history

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.
 

Famous Elkmont natives include pro football player Michael Boley and Rabon and Alton Delmore, who formed The Delmore Brothers, a famous country music duo of the 1930s. 

Sources: al.com; news courier

HAS ELKMONT CHANGED?

What did Elkmont look like in 1936? 1958? 1974? and now? This is a really neat map website. 
Link to Elkmont

Comparing then and now, the farms of yesteryear turned into the thoroughfares of today, can command a special attention, and on July 1 the U.S. Geological Survey sought to capture that attention by launching a massive online tool which allows users to layer more than 100 years of maps across the entire United States of America.  Users can layer a single historical map on top of the modern map, or they can layer multiple historical maps.

WHAT ABOUT OUR STORM SHELTER?

As you first read in this blog in 2011, Elkmont is getting a community safe room or storm shelter.  This is to be built on Sandlin Road across from Sandlin Road.You may have wondered what its status is.  The Hill Spirit has the latest update.

Here are the latest photos of the storm shelter progress.  There is still lots of welding to do this week.  Construction will start on roof very soon after.  It is looking like we may be ready for that fall tornado season.

Earlier Pictures:

Walls are going up

 

 Pouring Concrete

From the beginning of this Spring

WHAT ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY STORM SHELTER?

As you first read in this blog in 2011, Elkmont is getting a community safe room or storm shelter.  This is to be built on Sandlin Road across from Sandlin Road.You may have wondered what its status is.

Elkmont's shelter was applied for in 2009 but the process for federal grants is very slow.  It was finally approved in 2013 and dirt work began a few months ago but due to weather it got bogged down.  

However, it has picked up steam in the last few weeks.  Hopefully, it will be done for the fall severe weather season. 

Pictures by Robby Newport

TIRED OF THE SAME HORSE RIDING TRAILS?

TRY THE SULPHUR CREEK TRAILS

The Elkmont Rural Village is selling permits for all trail riders.
Each permit will be an annual fee of $50.
Children under 12 will ride free.
Permits will be sold through the Elkmont Rural Village Office
or Jerry Adams and will be good until September 2012.

The Grand Opening Trail Ride will be Labor Day Weekend.
Please call if you have any questions:

Office:            256-732-4500

Jerry Adams:  256-278-0265

STORYTIME IN ELKMONT

Every Wednesday at 10:-11:00 AM 
Storytime at Elkmont Library (Depot). 
Different themes each week. 
Contact 256-732-3703.

REUNION CEMETERY AND NEW GARDEN CEMETERY DECORATION DAY SCHEDULED

Reunion Cemetery

Reunion Cemetery Decoration Day with a chicken and goat stew fundraiser is Saturday. Bring own food containers. Send donations payable to Reunion Cemetery Fund, 25172 Alabama 127, Elkmont, AL 35620.


New Garden Cemetery


New Garden Cemetery Decoration Day will be Sunday, June 5. If unable to attend, send donations for the upkeep of the cemetery. For more information, contact Harold Robinson at 232-1962 or Harold Atkinson 732-4548.

DOWNTOWN TODAY

The Elkmont Lions Club Smokin’ Railroad Street Barbecue Cook-Off setup begins at noon and competition gets under way Saturday. Music at 7 p.m. today. Vendors open at 7 a.m. Saturday. People’s Choice tickets are $5 and go on sale at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Tasting at 11 a.m.

Smoking Railroad Street

Barbeque Cook-off

The Red Caboose will be putting on a special show following a full day of fun downtown Elkmont (Lions Club 2nd Annual BBQ Cookoff).  The show will feature songwriters Steven Dale Jones, Terri Jo Box, and Austin Cunningham.  Tickets are $20 at the door.  Call or email Gary Compton for reservations at 256-306-6201  doors open at 6 pm - showtime at 7 pm

Who Knew?

The Elkmont Center is a happenin' place for those 60 years and older.  Check out all the things that are there.  Click on the "Town Information" tab.  You will be surprised what is available fo  our "seasoned" folk.