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This is a place where grandmothers hold babies on their laps under the stars and whisper in their ears that the lights in the sky are holes in the floor of heaven. -Rick Bragg, author and native of Possum Trot
Calhoun County was originally known as Benton County.
Benton County, named for Thomas Hart Benton was established in December of 1832. At that time the county seat was in Jacksonville. Benton and John C. Calhoun were partners in politics and were both slaveholders. With time their political interests diverged as Calhoun used secession to broaden slavery and Benton was coming to the conclusion that slavery was wrong. However, Alabama supporters of slavery did not agree with Benton and changed the county name to Calhoun in January of 1858. After years of controversy and a State Supreme Court ruling in June of 1900 Anniston was named the county seat and remains such today.
The major agricultural products of the area are hay, cattle, poultry, and cotton.
Cities and towns:
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Alexandria
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Blue Mountain
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Bynum
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Choccolocco
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Eastaboga
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Glencoe (part in Etowah)
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Hobson City
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Pleasant Valley
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Possum Trot (Community)
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Minden
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Ohatchee
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Oxford (Part in Talladega)
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Piedmont (Part in Cherokee)
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Saks
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Weaver
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Webster’s Chapel
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Wellington
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West-End Cobb Town
Anniston, the county seat and nicknamed “The Model City” was founded and developed by the Tyler and Noble families to establish the iron industry of the area. Later on steel and clay pipe also grew to be large industries of the area. The town is conveniently nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains halfway between Atlanta and Birmingham. Anniston is home of the Anniston Army Depot, “the tank rebuild center of the world”. Noble Street, named after the town founder is a common shopping area for the town as well as the Quintard Mall and Oxford Exchange both located in the sister city of Oxford.
Jacksonville known as “the Gem of the Hills” due to its location at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, was once the county seat (Benton County) and has been home to educational institutes since 1834. In that year the town set aside a one acre parcel of land to build a schoolhouse on. Two years later the Jacksonville Academy was incorporated and in the next year, 1837, there was an establishment of the Jacksonville Female Academy. In 1883 the academy was reorganized into a State Normal School and then throughout time changed to Jacksonville State Teacher’s College. In 1966 it gained full university status and changed the name to Jacksonville State University as it remains today.
Places and things to see:
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Alabama Scenic River Trail, “The nation’s longest one state river trail” runs throughout the entire state with portions of the trail in Calhoun County.
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Cane Creek Golf Course, a PGA and GCSAA course.
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Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame, to honor Calhoun County citizens who have impacted sports within the area.
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Chief Ladiga Trail (A Rails-to-Trails Project), a bicycle trail beginning at the Georgia/Alabama line and ending in Anniston, Al.
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Janney Furnace Memorial Park and Museum, originally built to produce pig iron during civil war times, now is a public park and museum.
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Knox Concert Series, a series of musicals, symphonies, big bands, ballets, operas, and other popular artists’ performances held at the Anniston Performing Arts Center.
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Music at McClellan, scheduled concert performances.
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Silver Lakes Golf Course, a Robert Trent Jones golf trail.
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The Victoria Inn & Suites, situated on the highest hill of Quintard Avenue, once home to three different prominent families of the are, The Victoria now maintains an on-site restaurant and hotel with a high-class yet antique theme.
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Wright’s Dairy, “the only Alabama dairy family that milks, bottles, and sells their product right on the farm.”
Alabama U-Pick Farms:
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Bennett’s Blueberry Farm (June 22-Aug 6)
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535 Ellie’s Lane, Anniston (256) 236-6410
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Jerry Gilbert- Blueberries (June 10-Aug 1, Call for appointment and availability)
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1281 Dogwood Lane, Jacksonville (256) 435-4247
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7 Springs Farm- Apples, blueberries, sweet corn, purple hull peas, squash, heirloom tomatoes, fordhook lima beans (June-Blueberries, July- Apples and vegetables 7 days a week, 7 am-8 pm)
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588 Seven Springs Rd, Wellington (256) 473-9191
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Bill and Faye Graham- Blueberries and daylillies (June 20-Aug 10, 7 days a week, daylight to dark)
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3015 Al Hwy 204, Jacksonville (256) 435-1125
Dishes and Places to Eat according to “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die”
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Dish #17 Purple Cow and Strawberried Alive Ice Cream from Wright’s Dairy, Alexandria.
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Dish #18 Shrimp and Grits at Classic on Noble, Anniston.
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Dish #30 Barbeque from the Goal Post, Anniston
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Dish #52 Cajun Penne Pasta at The Victoria, Anniston
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Dish #148 Ribs at Cooter Brown’s, Jacksonville
Notable people:
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Michael Biehn, actor
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Larry Bowie, NFL player
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Anne Braden, Civil Rights Activist
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June Burn, Author
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Robert “Red” Byron, NASCAR driver and first NASCAR points champion.
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Quinton Caver-NFL Player
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Asa Earl Carter, Segregationist and Author
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John Craton, Classical composer
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Michael Curry, NBA player
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Cow Cow Davenport, Boogie Woogie Pianist
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Eric Davis, NFL player
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William Levi Dawson, composer of Negro Folk Symphony
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Bobby Edwards, country singer
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Andra Franklin, NFL player
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Delvin Hughley, AFL and NFL player
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Perry Lentz, author
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Douglas Leigh, innovative lighting designer of Times Square and the Empire State Building
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Lucky Millinder, swing band leader and singer
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Senator John L. Pennington, newspaper publisher
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Will Owsley, singer and songwriter
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Patrick J. Que Smith, songwriter
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Shannon Spruill, pro wrestler
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Vaughn Stewart, NFL player
Haunted Places as noted by the Shadowlands:
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Anniston: Anniston High School Girl’s Locker Room, Blockbuster, Parker Memorial, Stringfellow Memorial Hospital, The Victoria.
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Jacksonville: Dump Road, Jacksonville State University-Weatherly Hall (destroyed)
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White Plains: Camp Cottaquilla
Other useful websites:
Special thanks to Grant Allen and Justin Hill for information on this county.
Information for this post was also gathered from Wikipedia, Calhoun Chamber of Commerce, TheSpiritofAnniston.com, the Jacksonville City website, and the Anniston Army Depot website.
Thank you to all who contributed!
Underneath the Dixie Sky 
