Miscellaneous Americana VIII
Just looking around today, one may see many things that reflect America's culture and history - like old cars, and old barns, and old buildings that we take for granted. And let's not forget American literature as well.
Back in the 1850's, a railroad was built from Columbia, Tennessee to Decatur, Alabama. Building that rail line included construction of the stone tunnel shown here. This one lane tunnel is still part of a public road, Petty Branch Road, and open to traffic in Giles County, Tennessee.
The American Bald Eagle, once endangered in the lower 48 states, is becoming common in many areas. North Alabama is home to dozens of Bald Eagles.
Driving into the small community of Bethel, Tennessee is like driving back in time100 years. The Bethel United Methodist Church was built in the year 1900.
Not too far from Bethel Tennessee is the small community of Prospect - and a little east of Prospect one can find the small town of Taft. Near Taft lies Coldwater Creek and the Coldwater United Methodist Church.
Driving down some country backroads in Lincoln County, Tennessee, one might get the feeling that they are wandering in the land of Oz.
And speaking of Oz.....
Here are three classics in American literature: To Kill A Mockingbird, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Each is/was a prize winning novel
To Kill A Mockingbird, published in 1960, is a powerful story of a dark side of history in the American Southeast. In 1961 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
The Old Man And The Sea won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. It is a simple yet moving story that reflects the many aspects of Mother Nature and at the same time the many aspects of human aging.
The novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900. It won numerous awards for children's literature.
Each of these three books is a literary classic and each was made into a classic movie as well.
Many of us remember Animal Crackers.
The history and culture of America are still visible in 2026 for those who will take notice as they move around our country. One just needs to take time to look and think about what they are seeing.
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The pictures were so good, I felt like I was there.
Great pictures Rocky!
That was fun, each picture a classic. I’m thinking I want to sit in the pews of those churches on a Sunday morning, and wouldn’t those Barnum and Bailey tins be a cool Christmas present.
Always enjoy your posts! Great pictures, especially of the eagles.