Giving Dreams Flight
When I called Rusty Bliss to ask him if he’d be willing to have me interview him for all of Fayette County to read about, he chuckled then said, “I’m not that interesting. I just cut the grass and stuff.” If you know Rusty, nothing could be further from the truth.
Cotton Fest- Fayette County History in the Making
Cotton Fest. If you’re from Fayette County those words may drum up images of fields slowly turning white as the season changes from the hot and humid summer to warm days with cooler evenings. It might bring back memories of music on the town square, of cotton candy from a vendor, or hearty hellos from neighbors you haven’t seen all summer. And if you’re not from here, Cotton Fest brings with it an air of intrigue.
The Sweetest Creations
As you drive south on Highway 76 out of Somerville, take a left on La Grange Rd. Follow the road as it twists and turns through the countryside. Just when you think you have completely left civilization the narrow road pops up into what appears to be Mayberry.
Wolf River Cafe
Small town grit is a real thing. No matter who says it can’t be done, if the task is given to someone from a small town you can bet your bottom dollar, it’s going to get done. That’s just the attitude that catapulted Betty Knox Morrison Salmon’s restaurant to its infamous status it has today.
Farmers: Far More Than Hardware
Farmers Hardware has stood proudly on the north side of the town square for over 179 years watching history march past. The original building has been a hardware store since its inception but the additional buildings that have subsequently become part of the business have housed things such as funeral parlors, switchboards and a dance studio. Farmers came into the lineage of Allen & Audrey Sanders when they formed a partnership with Mr. Buck Hamner and Mr. Farley in 1947.
Living in a Small Town: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown
Try that in a small town…that’s how the song goes. It makes the heart swell and the chest puff out just a little more when those words flow out of the radio. But what is it about the small town that has those in the big city so enamored? Why do those that live there abhor it, yet shun even the slightest mention of change?
Kindred Spirit
“Kindred Spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” Patti Yancey took those words, from Anne of Green Gables, to heart in 2010 to launch not just a business but a mission and a movement.
Just Like Home
Food is often the thread that brings a community together. Gathered around tables conversations occur that are missed in passing on the street. It takes a special location to foster those conversations and by all appearances Steve & Sue Seamon and their daughter Rachel Bing have that location. Located on North Main St. in Somerville, it’s hard to miss the Main St. Eatery sign hanging at an angle, inviting you to come inside. As you step in, a woodsy scent mixed with coffee and something homey (might be biscuits!) fills your senses. The tables are scattered throughout the restaurant in such a way as to dispel an air of pretense. A hearty hello is hollered from somewhere within the restaurant by more than one waitress. On a good day you might even get a hello from the sweetest hostesses you can find, Hazel and Shoshanna Bing, daughters of Rachel & Zach. Pull up a seat at any table and you’ll find you aren’t in a regular restaurant, no, you’re almost home.
The Newspaper Keeping Fayette County in the Know
It seems odd to be writing about the very paper that is publishing the article I’m writing, but what better way to celebrate a business that’s been in operation for 187 years?
Much More than Herbs
That’s not normal.” Said the uncouth woman from north of the Mason-Dixon line. As brusque as the words were, they became the catalyst for a new life for Emily Giles and her family. Several years down the road that new life became “A New Life Herbs” which opened on Cotton Festival weekend in 2019.