On the Walls at Charlie's Place

The decor at Charlie's Place is as good as the food!

Housed in The Harmony Club on Water Avenue, the exposed interior brick

 displays old signs form current and former businesses, historic photos

 and documents plus a splash of colorful art by local artist Julian Helms. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Waiting to Play

Riverfront Park has a new playground, but it wasn't quite ready

 to open when I took my grandson there a couple weeks ago.

 Next time he's in Selma, I promised we will go!

Posting to Our World Tuesday 

Downtown Daylilies

Recent construction at Church Street and Water Avenue 

kept these downtown daylilies hidden.

 But once the barriers came down,

 there they were! 

Linking to Monday Mellow Yellows

Signs, Signs, Listen & Learn

So who knew that the governor of French Louisiana came to Selma

 before Selma was Selma? 

These Listen & Learn signs are a great way to explore the town's history. 

The Bienville Monument has resided in tiny Bienville Park on Water Avenue

 for a long, long time, but it went largely unnoticed

 until this sign was installed. 

Linking to Signs, Signs

Fencing at the River

When walking through Selma, particularly by the river,

 stop and notice the ornate fencing. 

This one at Bienville Park on Water Avenue is the newest addition

 to our beautifully designed "old and new" fence collections! 

Linking to Good Fences

House by the Hotel

 As the sun sets in the west, the little yellow Bridgetender's HOUSE,

 nestled next to the St. James HOTEL, is the HIGHLIGHT of Lafayette Park.

It's ABC Wednesday where we are featuring the letter H!

 

March Theme Day (WHERE DO I BELONG?)

 

WHERE DO I BELONG?

(This Theme Day, City Daily Photo Bloggers capture why they are 

or want to be in the city where they photoblog.)

I belong on the “high-throne” bluffs above the Alabama River

 where Selma was born 200 years ago, where Black Belt prairies grow
 cattle and catfish to our west and timber stretches to the sky to our north.

 I love our bold, sometimes volatile history in a culture so diverse
 that to a great degree, Selma was built by Jewish immigrants 
and became a beacon of both women's and minority voting rights. 
 This little town built ships, cannons and munitions
 for the Confederacy and later, it built pilots for the Air Force. 

I love our beautiful old homes, museums, art galleries and festivals.
 There is a cemetery where Spanish Moss whisks me away
 to elaborate monuments with inscriptions that honor the lives
 of those who lived here before.
 

I love the new riverfront park with its walkway, amphitheatre

 and views of the Pettus Bridge, the tiny yellow bridgetender's house 

and the big, bright-red Old Depot. 

I like the big yards, wide streets and church towers and the chimes

 that play hymns to soothe our souls and remind us of God's grace.

 

And despite what you may have read or heard, the majority of our citizens

work together to overcome our challenges and make me proud

to belong to "The Little Town that Could."   

 

 

  

The Downtown Ginkgo Tree

The ginkgo tree by the library showed its full splendor last week.

 But after last night's big freeze, those golden leaves are likely dropping. 

To the left is the clock tower of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. 

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and Monday's Mellow Yellows

Vintage Rexall

The vintage Rexall sign at Pilcher-McBryde Drugs downtown is one

 of at least three just alike in Alabama. The others are at Rockford and Eastaboga.

 These orange and navy neon signs were manufactured in the 1940s and 50s.

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and Signs, Signs

(Signs, Signs) Finish Line

Participants in the recent Integrity Worldwide Run for Kenya

 gave victory signs as they crossed the finish line in downtown Selma.

 This runner's time was 36 minutes, 21 seconds in the 5K event. 

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and Signs, Signs 

Odd, Old and Other-Worldly

OH my!

Beware of a few ODD, OLD and OTHER-worldly characters

 ON the sidewalk in front of the G.A.W. Trading Post!

  At first glance, they just might appear overbearing. 

The ONE ON the left is definitely OUTDATED,

 and the ONE in the middle is just OUTRAGEOUS,

 while that Wizard of OZ Witch-Wannabe looks

 like she needs some OXYGEN!

Well, Halloween season will soon be OVER,

 and at least they will return from wherever they came!

So, I guess you can tell it's O Week OVER  at ABC Wednesday!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs and ABC Wednesday

Running for Meto, Kenya

Integrity Worldwide's Run for Kenya 2015 took runners 

through historic downtown Selma this morning.

 Here, a pair sprint past the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum

 on their way to helping fund a medical complex in Meto, Kenya.

 The Selma-based organization last year raised more than $60,000 

to finish a major water project in Leboo, a village in southern Kenya.

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

Closer to Completion

Selma's Riverfront Park Amphitheater is closer to completion

 with the first big event , a music and arts festival. scheduled on Labor Day. 

The stage is still under construction, and the red building

 in back is a former warehouse.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Good Fences, By the River

The fence at Lafayette Park is perfect to hold on to

 and get a good look at the Alabama River.

Linking to Good Fences

and City Daily Photo Blogs

April Theme Day (My Camera-Shy Self Portrait)

It's April Theme Day for the City Daily Photo Blogs,

 and we are posting "My Camera-Shy Self Portrait."

So here I am. Yes, I am there reflected in the window of Pringle Petals 

where you see the flower arrangement and the chandelier,

 but across the street is Alley-oup. 

And for the record, this selfie was taken quite by accident! 

I really dislike selfies!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

Our World, Pringle Petals

Easter is coming to our world!

That is really evident over at Pringle Petals Flower Studio

 on Broad Street where the bunnies are all dressed up. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

and City Daily Photo Blogs

Blue Monday, The Awning with Blue Stripes

It's "Blue Monday" meme day, and not much could be a prettier

 shade of blue than the awning at Butler Truax Jewelers. 

The history of this store dates back to 1845, and during the Civil War,

 its owner, S.F. Hobbs, a native of Maine, went off to fight for the South.

 The story of how his bride saved the store's silver and jewelry

 during the Battle of Selma in 1865 is told here.

The business changed locations through the decades, and in 2002,

 Butler Truax renovated and moved into the former Kress building

 on Broad Street.  It's a real beauty!

Linking to Blue Monday

and City Daily Photo Blogs

Signs, Signs (Ecor Bienville)

  A century before Selma became a town, the site that sits high on a soapstone bluff  was called Ecor Bienville.  In 1714,  Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville,  Governor of the Province,made a friendly visit to the Alibamo Indians here.   The monument to commemorate his visit was erected in 1932 by National Society  of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Alabama.    This monument recently was moved closer to Water Avenue due to sewer repair  on Lauderdale Street. The background fence was added and the riverbank  cleaned of vines and shrubs, creating a better view  of the Alabama River and Edmund Pettus Bridge.     Linking to Signs, Signs and City Daily Photo Blogs

The Lions Have It

Bienville Park's new fence features a pair of lions that appear

 to be protecting their territory!

Linking to Good Fences

and City Daily Photo Blogs

 

New View from Bienville Park

Not very long ago, this view of the bridge was obscured by trees,

 vines and brush. But "thanks" to a sewer collapse that caused

 the bank to sink, repairs were made, and Bienville Park has a new fence

 and a new view of the Alabama River and Pettus Bridge.

Note the winter sky with wisps of white.

 It looks cold, but we enjoyed a spring-like day

 with the temp near 70 degrees F.

Linking to  Skywatch Friday, Good Fences

and City Daily Photo Blogs