Do You Remember…April 27, 2011?

As your writer of Family Trails, I have the honor of delving into old pictures of days gone by and trying to solve mysteries that were left behind in Grandfather Weaver's scrapbook. Digging around in Alabama's past is an adventure for me….except this week. 

This is a part of our recent history that we all wish had never happened. 

April 27, 2011.

In memory of those Alabamians and all others who lost their lives 4 years ago today, I will just end this week's post with photographs I took in Tuscaloosa and in Pratt City after the devastating tornadoes that tore across Alabama.  

The USS Sawfish and a Scrapbook Find

USS Sawfish

  Good Morning, Family Trails readers. I thought it would be nice to once again delve into some of the articles that our Grandfather Weaver glued into his scrapbook. 

Note: If you think you have seen this picture before in our family blog, you are right! I used it by mistake in the post, USS Talladega. I have now posted the correct photograph of the Talladega on that post. 

This article is about Lieutenant Commander E. T. Sands, of the USS Sawfish during WWII.  Sands mentions the Weaver family in his letter to the Talladega paper. 

Grandfather Weaver's scrapbook is a capsule full of historic events like this article. His newspaper clippings bring the history books and the movies to life. Even the parts of the articles that were cut off look interesting! I would love to have read the next article in this clipping, "Will Send Cows to Europe." That is definitely an aspect of war I have never considered! 

USS Talladega

USS Talladega

Dear Family Trails readers, 

This week marks the 70th anniversary of the infamous flag raising on Iwo Jima by the US Marines.
The photograph and the memorial of the flag being raised on the fifth day of the battle of Iwo Jima is very inspiring to Americans. This event also has a very special significance to our family's "hometown," Talladega.

The USS Talladega was one of the US ships that sailed into Japanese waters during World War II to help put an end to the war in the Pacific. Of the men that landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima, four of the five men photographed in the flag-raising had been aboard the USS Talladega.

To commemorate the ship and its crew, the city of Talladega, Alabama erected a monument on its courthouse square in 2009. The surviving crew members were invited to attend the unveiling of this monument. Our cousin, Robert Weaver, designed the monument and oversaw its completion. The monument has a relief design of the ship and of the famous photograph, its seven battle stars, a description of its service in three of America's wars, and a list of the men from the Talladega in the photograph.

A tree was also planted to the left of the memorial in honor of the crew of the USS Talladega. It was given the nickname of the ship, The "Tremblin' T."

This is a beautiful monument to the heroes who gave their all to our country. If you are traveling between Birmingham and Atlanta, this will be worth a stop to see in the city of Talladega. You will be so proud to see the work and the research that went into the monument, but most of all, you will be filled with pride and gratitude for our country's armed servicemen and women .

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

A Stroll Through Talladega

Let's take a stroll around town in  Talladega, Alabama.  Talladega has been our Weaver family's "hometown" for many generations, and for those of us who did not grow up in Talladega, it was our home away from home. 

The site of the Weaver-Ragsdale Store

Heritage Hall Museum
Built in 1909 as the Jemison-Carnegie Public Library

I thought this was an interesting view from the back of the town square. 

The architecture around town is worth a closer look.

It is nice to know that the community has these commemorative signs to help others know who helped establish the businesses on the square.

One of the entrances to Weaver-Ragsdale

The cafe next door to Wood-Weaver Shoe Store

Another view of the cafe  and  Wood-Weaver Shoe Store next door (red awning)

Below, enjoy a stroll around the town square...

The Train Station

The train stain is now the Chamber of Commerce.

The ticket window at Talladega Stadium

The old site of Talladega High School, now serving as a middle school

Graham School

Isn't this nice to see … these signs are all around the areas where our Weaver home places are located.

I hope you enjoyed this stroll through Talladega. We will revisit some of these sites on our Family Trails. Of course there are many other sites in Talladega, but this stroll was a nice beginning.