Pike County Chamber of Commerce President Kathy Sauer has shoes that are made for walking.
Sauer participated in Troy’s April Walking Tour Saturday morning. Then, she traveled eight miles down the road to participate in the April Walking Tour in Brundidge Saturday afternoon.
Sauer laugingly said “stroll” would better describe the tours of the College Street historic district in Troy and the downtown business district in Brundidge.
The April Walking Tours are a statewide promotion program of the Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel. The participating cities are hosting walking tours each Saturday in April. More that 30 cities and towns are participating.
Troy is an official participate in the April Walking Tour. The Troy tours are alternating between the commercial and historic neighborhood districts. The walking tour in Brundidge was planned as a one-time event and was hosted by studio 116 and the Brundidge Historical Society.
“It’s exciting that Brundidge is participating in the 2014 Alabama Walking Tours,” Sauer said. “The tours are fun ways to learn about the history of your community and John Phillip Johnston did an excellent job in leading the tour. We all gathered inside studio 116 where he presented a very interesting history of Brundidge and its founders. Then, we walked the streets to learn about the different businesses that once occupied the stores in the downtown area.”
Johnston entertained the 28 participants with stories about a shoot-out on Main Street, bathtubs in the barbershop and threats to “whup” the principal if he showed his face in town.
Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage, who is a native of Brundidge, said Johnston is a walking history of Brundidge.
“He brought old Brundidge back to life for those of us who grew up here and for those who are fairly new to our community,” Ramage said. “It was good to see such a mix of citizens participating and we all had a good time and learned a lot.”
Following the tour, everyone was invited back to the studio for refreshments and a time of fellowship.
“We enjoyed roasted peanuts and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that relate to Brundidge’s history in the peanut butter industry,” Sauer said. “Everyone had a story to share about Brundidge. Saturday was a great day for learning more about our Brundidge and Troy communities.”
Sauer said Troy will continue its tours at 10 a.m. Saturday with a tour of the downtown commercial area and conclude the April Walking Tours on the April 26 with tour of the historic neighborhoods.