The birthplace of former Gov. "Big Jim" Folsom was moved to Elba in Dec. 2003. Vandals were destroying it out in the country. The house was deeded to the city to use as a museum. Work on restoring it has been slow. So far all that has done is a new chimney has replaced the one that had to be torn down during the move.
A front yard flower garden was planted in 2005 while waiting to restore the old country home. I got the high school welding class to design and make the wrought iron fence from iron donated by Dorsey's. High School Key Club members laid the brick walkway from old bricks.
I have planted many antique plants and bulbs (over 50 years old). Climbing roses are growing on the iron fence. Pictured here is a pale pink climbing rose that dates back to Savannah, GA about 200 years ago. There is a Cherokee rose on one fence, some antique red roses, and a chinquapen rose in a corner of the yard. The white sand yard is kept free of weeds and grass and swept as they did in 1900, using yard brooms made from gallberry bushes. In the fall the yard is filled with lavendar daisy mums from long ago.
Many years ago Gov Folsom bought and placed a granite marker near the old house and that marker was moved to Elba when the house was moved. In Sept. 2007, representatives from the Ala. Historical Commission and Lt. Gov Jim Folsom's office are coming to Elba to offer advice on how to restore the old wooden frame house and perhaps use it as a museum for school children to visit to see how people lived in early 1900's. The house was located on city property next to the old jail.
This is a special project that I enjoy working on. I placed an old bench under the big pecan tree in the yard and when I'm working in the flower garden, I sit on the bench and drink cold lemonade. Sometimes people stop by to visit or wave as they drive by.
