I’ll forgive you if you’ve never heard of Eufaula, I imagine most people haven’t. It’s the kind of place that gets a lot of traffic, but everyone seems in a big rush to get through it and on to wherever their destination may be. Logging trucks blast through downtown at dangerous speeds as if their cargo were perishable. Cars do their best to weave in between the trucks at equally high speeds, playing a ridiculous game of chicken - the results of which carry some pretty severe consequences. All of that seems such a shame to me. If people would just slow down a little bit, they might find themselves inclined to stop and have a closer look. If people stopped to have a closer look, they may find they’re really in no rush to leave and can’t remember what they were in such a hurry for in the first place. It’s that kind of town.
Eufaula is, in many ways, a typical Southern town with columned mansions, beautiful churches and lovely old trees shading it all. It’s also a clean and quiet town with wonderful walking trails and some great little shops and restaurants. The history of Eufaula stretches back centuries and was once the home of the Creek Indians. After the Treaty of Washington in 1826, settlers began to enter the area, and this high bluff overlooking the Chattahoochee River was the perfect place for a settlement. Originally called “Irwintown” after an early store owner in town, it was renamed Eufaula in the mid 19th Century. Today, the economy is based on a diverse mix of agriculture (including peanuts and cotton), industry, manufacturing and tourism. The latter, of course, is what interests me, and what brought me to town in the first place. I’m sure glad I came. It’s a wonderful little town to walk around and soak up the atmosphere and everyone I met there was kind and welcoming. If you ever find yourself cruising up the east side of Alabama or crossing over on your way from south Georgia to Montgomery or vice versa, make some time to stop a while, go for a walk and smell the flowers. You’ll be glad you did! I hope you enjoy these photos from lovely Eufaula, Alabama.