It's May in Selma, Alabama, and here is part of downtown during early afternoon. This view on Broad Street looks toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Alabama River from the corner of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.
In the middle center (tallest building just behind the Rexall sign) is the former Teppers Department Store, which was recently purchased by the Freedom Foundation and is being renovated for civic use. The old metal facade has been removed, exposing the original architecture. At the extreme lower right is the El Ranchero Mexican restaurant featured in the May 1 Theme Day.
7 comments:
I like this shot - wide streets flowers and trees. The bridge I am sure is a historic landmark.
Thanks, Lewis, for your comment. This picture really looks better in an enlarged view, because it just has so much stuff in it. I posted it anyhow, because it really gives a good view of downtown. The flowerbeds are planted by clients of a Cahaba Mental Health day program. They also have a greenhouse where they grow and sell plants.
Interesting looking bridge! And it somehow fits with the older buildings' architecture.
Do you think the former Teppers will house a movie theatre? I hate to think you have to drive for over an hour to see a film ;-)
I really loved the library bilding of yesterday's post - very southern, very gentile...
Your historical town just feels like America with those storefronts.
Good morning.
The bridge was completed in 1940, and there were big festivities that included the Craig Army Air Field (Craig Air Force Base) cadets. Many storefronts were later "modernized" with metal facades. Many of those were removed during a Main Street project in the 1980s, and businesses returned to original colors and architecture. There are still some contemporary facades, and now the push is to attract more businesses to fill vacancies and to improve Water Avenue, the first street north of the bridge.
Isabella, Selma had a movie theater until a few years ago, but it closed. I have not heard of any plans to put one in the Teppers building, but it will have an ice cream parlor, among other things. The city does offer older free movies occasionally at the Performing Arts Center. Most of the movies we see are after they are on DVD! I suppose we can't have everything!
wow --an old Rexall! cool shot, I always want to see Selma in person when I visit your blog...road trip!
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