Settlers came to Central Alabama in the early 1800s with big dreams. Miners panned the streams and combed the hillsides of the state's Gold Belt, hoping to strike it rich. Arbacooche and Goldville were forged by the rush on land and gold, along with Cahaba, the first state capital. Demand for the abundant cotton led to the establishment of factories like Pepperell Mills, Russell Manufacturing Company, Tallassee Mills, Avondale Mills and Daniel Pratt Cotton Gin. Owners built mill villages for their workers, setting the standard for other companies as well. But when booms go bust, they leave ghost towns in their wake. Author Peggy Jackson Walls walks the empty streets of these once lively towns, reviving the stories of the people who built and abandoned them.

Peggy Walls is a member of several historical, lineage and writing societies: Tohopeka Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Alabama Historical Association, Tallapoosee Historical Society, Alabama Writers' Forum, National League of American Penwomen, Alabama's Writers Conclave and Alabama State Poetry Association. She earned an undergraduate degree in secondary education from AUM and a Master of Arts degree and postgraduate Professional Educators Certification from Auburn University. Her interests are history and lineage research, poetry and art. She is the author of Alabama Gold, a History of the South's Last Mother Lode (2016). She has written articles for journals, the Alabama Review and Alabama Heritage, as well as multiple news articles.

Purchase HERE

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices