Close by you will see an historical marker about the town of
Gurley. Please take a minute to read and see what once stood at
this location. You will also read about John Gurley, one of the
early settlers to this area.
The "heyday" years for Gurley appear to be from 1890 to about
1940. Three new churches were built in 1891 Methodist, Missionary
Baptist, and Cumberland Presbyterian. These played an integral role
in the educational development of the community. They, along with
the Robert Donnell Presbytery, established the Robert Donnell
Academy in 1893 which was a high school and a two year college in
Gurley.
You could also stay in the Hall House which was owned by T.R.
Hall and was considered one of the best hotels in the South.
Located only one block from the Memphis Charleston Railroad. The
rates were $2.00 a day and travelers acknowledged it to be “The
best kept house between Huntsville and Chattanooga.” The town had a
General Store and numerous manufacturing establishments including a
cedar bucket factory, a stave and hoop factory, and an Eagle Pencil
Mill. In 1890 you could buy a pair of shoes at the General Store
located on Joplin Street for $1.50. A house and lot in Gurleyville
for $500 and a young bull for $5. There were also 2 newspapers
located in this thriving town.
This paragraph sums up life in Gurley during the early days.
"Things were pretty simple in those days. There was much more
interaction between citizens mainly because most of their business
was conducted among themselves. There were no tourists and visitors
were infrequent. Transactions between citizens were straightforward
and conducted with trust and a handshake. Retail stores were plain
and simple and carried those items considered to be everyday
staples and necessities. Many new products were introduced and
offered through the Sears and Robuck catalog which when obtained,
would circulate around town like wildfire. The thin pages of old
catalogs had their use too and eventually found their way into
outhouses around town. All in all, Gurley was a pleasant place to
grow up and live. The early citizens were hardy and resourceful
souls, and given that time and place, they were folks we would all
be proud to live among."
You can find many interesting stories along with awesome old
photographs, journals, ledgers and letters documenting the history
of this small Southern town. maintained by the Gurley Lion's Club.
http://www.contactez.net/gurleyalabama/