Trivia

Wally Amos, aka Famous Amos purchased his signature Panama hat at Ye Ole General Store in Florence Al. He was involved in the recording industry before his success in the cookie business and he purchased the hat while on a business trip visiting the Shoals studios. Ye Ole General Store is still in business and they still sell hats. They are located at 219 N. Seminary St., Florence. Amos donated the hat to the Smithsonian for their archives.

Alex Haley's paternal grandmother Queen was born on the Forks of Cypress Plantation just outside Florence. Haley followed his famed Roots novel with one titled Queen which chronicled her life. His great grandmother's grave is still located in the family cemetery. The plantation burned to the ground in 1966 leaving only the original pillars. The property has been split and the family cemetery is now on an adjacent piece of land. The property is private, but you can take photographs from the road and there are annual tours offered by the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Department. The AmSouth Bank on Seminary Street in Florence is designed as a replica of the original mansion.

Photo courtesy of Sally Moore Brace

The commemorative stone wall at Wichahpi was built by author Tom Hendrix to commemorate the life and challenges faced by his great-great-grandmother. She was an Euchee Indian who was moved to Oklahoma during a sad chapter in our history known as the Trail of Tears. Her name was Te-lah-nay and her incredible journey brings her back to the Tuscumbia area and the "Singing River" she loved. Tom's book If the Legends Fade tells her story. The wall is the largest monument built honoring a woman in the United States.

Photo taken by Miche

Notorious Civil War outlaw Tom Clark is actually buried under Tennessee street. The historical marker in the photo marks the location.