By By Adam Prestridge
One of the biggest birthday bashes Atmore has ever experienced is currently being planned.
The City of Atmore will turn 100 years old on May 23 and the Atmore Centennial Committee met last Friday morning at the Atmore Area YMCA and Community Center to brainstorm ideas for the big event.
"We want to do something that lets people who are passing through know that this is our centennial," Atmore mayor Howard Shell, who is a member of the committee, said. "We only get to do this every 100 years."
One way the committee agreed would be a great way to display the 100-year anniversary is to purchase several banners to drape from the light poles throughout downtown Atmore. The committee agreed that the city's date of establishment, May 23, 1907 and the present, marking 100 years should be featured on the banners.
The committee also discussed several activities to include in the event, which has been tentatively scheduled for May 19, including encouraging citizens and guests to dress in 1907 attire, a fireworks display, a parade through downtown, bands, historians giving tours of Atmore riding horse-drawn buggies, a baking contest, an ice cream social and vintage photos. There were also discussions regarding having the United States Postal Service issue a cancellation stamp commemorating the milestone. If adopted by the USPS, all mail processed on May 23 would feature a postmark stamp featuring the centennial logo.
The Atmore Area Chamber Chamber of Commerce also received its shipment of membership decals Tuesday, which feature the city's centennial logo.
The Atmore Centennial Celebration Committee will meet again on Feb. 13 at 7 a.m. at the Atmore Area YMCA &Community Center.