By By Lowell McGill
This week we take a look back at some events in 1967 and 1973.
In 1973, ALAGA Whitfield Foods began accepting applications for fall cucumber planting. Over a thousand acres were contracted by local growers to produce cucumbers for processing at the local plant near the old Frisco depot.
Susan Tennant became the Escambia County Maid of Cotton. She was crowned queen at festivities held at Jefferson Davis Community College. Paula Kaye Halford of Brewton was selected first runner-up.
Paul and Cereal Daniels, local school students, won top honors showing the Grand Champion Pig at the state 4-H Junior Show in Greenville. The prize animal, which sold for .60 cents a pound, was purchased by the First National Bank of Greenville.
In July of that year, Medicare initiated a limited plan to pay for chiropractor services.
Mrs. S.L. Hammonds, Mrs. T. P. Whitten and Mrs. Addie Singleton retired after successful careers with the Escambia County teaching system.
Plans were announced to build the Carney Masonic lodge on 8th Avenue.
Floyd Holk, local State Farm Agent, was named top property sales agent in South Alabama. His brother, Arthur Holk of Foley, was named the top State Farm Agent for beach property sales.
In 1967, Atmore celebrated a bicentennial event and local historian Floyd Currie wrote an interesting account of Atmore’s 200-year history. The informative brochure was circulated countywide and was praised by many leading citizens of the area.
Dan A. Currie wrote the internet mini biography for Paul Birch, the famous Atmore actor who visited his home here that year.
According to Currie, Birch, who passed away in 1969 in St. George Grenada, was born here in 1912. He was a “veteran of 39 movies, 50 stage dramas and untold number of television shows. He was the star in a 1958 syndicated TV series “Cannonball,” according to Currie. He was initially married to Margaret Farish but was divorced and later married Betsy Ross, said Currie. He reportedly, had three children.
Another local man who made a name for himself, Art “Tarzan” White, made a visit to his Atmore home that year.
White, who was an All-American football player at the University of Alabama in the 1930s, later became a professional wrestler and at one time was the champion wrestler in the state of Georgia., White, who died in 1996, also played professional football for the New York Giants and the Chicago Cardinals.
Locally, the Pipkin Brothers, Marvin, Zelma and James, sold their Pepsi Cola Bottling Company to Hooper Matthews and Ralph Durrett. The Pipkins had operated the successful business here for many years. The new owners changed the name of the firm to Gulf Bottling Company.
Well-known managers and coaches continued to lead our Babe Ruth baseball teams. Weldon Vickery and John Bachelor led The Southland Broadcasting (WATM) team; Frank Patrick and Mickey Cannon oversaw The Patrick Plumbing Company team; Earl Miller and T. R. Kirby managed The Atmore Recap Shop team and Johnny Coker and Billy McDonald steered the Standard Oil team. All these men devoted countless hours of their spare time so that many young boys received the opportunity to play baseball.
Jim Elkins retired as ECHS band director that year after having served since 1956. He always presented a spirited and well balanced marching band.
Many housewives (and husbands, too) were elated by the introduction of the microwave oven, which made its debut in 1967.
Will Adams, a 117-year-old Atmore resident, was feted by his family and friends with a grand birthday celebration.
Brook’s Memorial Church announced plans for a new and spacious church and Leonard Peavy located a Veteran Service Office here. Dr H. Q. Wilson was named Chief Of Staff at Greenlawn Hospital in 1967.
That was also the year that Englebert Humperdinck became a popular crooner in this country with his big hit “Release Me.” Frank Sinatra and daughter Nancy scored a hit with the song “Something Stupid.”
Rue Mason of Huxford passed away that year after celebrating his 100th birthday. Many of you saw his sparkling 1929 automobile on display at Staff Chevrolet for so many years.
Again, to all of those many former residents living across the country, I want to sincerely thank you for your emails and kind remarks regarding our column. Not only those former residents but local folks have also been just great.
Lowell McGill is a historical columnist for The Atmore Advance. He can be reached at exam@frontiernet.net