Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In the November 28, 1972 edition of the Troy Messenger was this story about the town of Banks.

Banks, Alabama, was incorporated in the year 1896.  J. K. Harris was the first Mayor.  A permanent code was established in the year 1909.

Corporate limits were listed as the depot of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company being the center of the Corporate limits to extend in every direction one-half of a mile from the said depot, and all areas within a half of a mile of the said depot are in the corporate limits of the town.

Some of the laws and penalties contained in the code include:

The Mayor is to be paid an annual salary of $50 and councilmen $1.00 for each regular meeting attended.  The marshal, night watchman, and policemen may summon any male citizen over 21 and under 50 years of age or as many as necessary to aid in making arrests.

Grocery store licenses with an average stock of five to ten thousand dollars pay a license fee of twenty dollars.

It shall be unlawful, without permission, to repair or build any wooden building within the fire limits.

Locomotive cars or trains inside the corporate limits must be at a full stop before crossing any street or avenue.

Eight miles an hour going forward inside city limits, 6 miles going backward in a vehicle.

All male persons residing within the corporate limits between the ages of 18 and 45 shall be required to work on any street, avenue, or alley not more than 10 days per year.

Fine for keeping bawdy houses, or houses for prostitution, or houses of ill to be fined; any person who rides or walks through or along any street or sidewalk or other public place with any prostitute or woman of ill fame to be fined; any person who appears in public in state of nudity or any man or woman living together in adultery or fornication also to be fined.

It is against the law to sell, barter, exchange, or give to any minor cigarettes, tobacco, or cigarette paper.

It will be again the law to engage in any sport, game, public exercise, or exhibition on Sunday.

These articles can be found in previous editions of The Troy Messenger.  Stay tuned for more.  Dianne Smith is the President of the Pike County Historical, Genealogical, and Preservation Society.