I’m Seeing Peanuts Everywhere, Have I Gone Nuts?

By: Janet Kynard, It Happens in Alabama 

When I arrived in Dothan, Alabama, I began to notice peanuts everywhere; peanuts around town, in stores, in bushes and even in unusual places. I said to myself, “What’s going on here? Has Dothan been taken over by a bunch of nuts?” Those of you that know me know I was about to get right in the middle of this.

I made a stop at the Dothan Area Convention & Visitors Bureau to get information. That’s where I met Bob Hendricks. He gave me so much information and my official "Peanuts Around Town" map. That’s when it all began to make great sense.  

You see, Dothan is known as the “Peanut Capital of the World.” More than half of all the peanuts in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of this town. The average 1.5 million tons produced each year is often more than the production of peas and beans combined.
Dothan is the host to the National Peanut Festival, each year in November. It is a two week event that honors local peanut farmers and celebrates the harvest. So, I guess you can say peanuts are king in Dothan. This only makes it fitting to have a peanut statue of The King. That’s right! Peanut Elvis Presley is located right in the lobby of the visitor’s center.

The public art project “Peanuts around Town” started out as a fundraiser for the revival of downtown to provide funding for the addition of two new murals. In this project, local businesses, civic organizations and individuals purchased and decorate their peanut according to their own concept.

Currently there are an estimated 40 peanuts around Dothan with each sculpture being unique and having its own story. One story I really enjoyed was the one of Mr. Trawick. Byron “Cotton” Trawick was known in Dothan as “The Peanut Man.” For over 25 years, he sold peanuts at the busiest intersection to locals and travelers. A peanut statue has been placed in his memory on this very spot. I find it precious that he often told his patrons, “Have a good day and let the Lord ride with ya.” HIs parting remarks are printed on the barrel next to his statue.

After a long afternoon, on my scavenger hunt, I headed back to my hotel to check out the pictures I had taken and plan my attack for the next day. While doing research on the internet, I found out about a peanut that was NOT on my official map. It immediately became my favorite peanut of ALLl! It was one honoring “Dancin” Dave Whatley.


If peanuts are the king of Dothan, “Dancin” Dave was the King of the Wiregrass. Everyone knew Dave and he didn’t need music to dance his way into your heart. He could be seen all over town; at all festivals and events or just walking the streets. Dave was endearing and was loved by all who met him. He lived to bring a smile to everyone.

The peanut in his honor, located on the square in Headland, Alabama, was made in his image, wearing his signature white suit, parade gloves and sailor hat with “DAVE” in black letters. From all I have learned about Dave, this is extremely fitting.

If you love a great scavenger hunt, Peanuts around Town is the one is for you! It was a blast darting all over town with great excitement and anticipation to see the next design. It will take you all day, if not two to complete your hunt. You’ll visit some very interesting locations along the route.

I will share only a few photographs of my peanuts around town, so no one overdoses on too many legumes.

 To see a bunch of nuts, visit out article on It Happens in Alabama

Check out our article 

“For I heard Them Say ‘Let Us Go to Dothan’” (Genesis 37:17)….. So I Did! about the Murals of Dothan, another exciting thing to do in Dothan and learn more about “Dancin” Dave. Join us on Facebook and Twitter for a surprise follow up to this story.

“For I heard Them Say ‘Let Us Go to Dothan’” (Genesis 37:17)….. So I Did!

by: Janet Kynard, It Happens in Alabama

Having the opportunity to spend several days in Dothan while on a business trip, I decided to take my free time and learn more about this town that I have passed through, on the way to the beach, for the better part of my life.

Dothan, Alabama was originally named Poplar Head. Since there was already a town in Alabama named Poplar Springs, the postal authorities assigned the name “Dothan” to the community to prevent misdirected mail. Early Maps and documents showed two spellings for the town: Dothan or Dothen. When the town was incorporated in 1885, the spelling was chosen to coincide with the Bible.

Dothan has long been known as the “Peanut Capital of the World.” Now it is also known as ”Alabama’s Mural City”. Having heard a little about the Murals of the Wiregrass, I decided to check them out and am glad I did. With the completion of the newest Mural, Wildlife of the Wiregrass, there are now 23 murals on the walls of businesses across the city.

The exterior walls of many of the most historic building, in downtown, are professionally painted with beautiful scenes. The scenes depict the rich history and noteworthy citizens of the Wiregrass Area. While driving down St. Andrews Street, my head was on a swivel trying not to miss any of the beautiful murals on both sides of the street and down alleyways. I finally had to park and walk. This is really the best way to see and appreciate them. To one side of each mural, there was a sign that explained its significance.

The next mural will be located across from the G W Carver Interpretative Museum on N. Foster Street, according to Murals of the Wiregrass. The mural that is already in the works and is slated to be reviled during this year’s Peanut Festival the first of November, 2016.

This new mural will be dedicated in honor not only a legend but someone most people in the Wiregrass either knew personally or at least heard about. It is common for each of us to have a person we call our hero or we consider to be a legend. “Dancin” Dave Whatley was a hero for the entire community. Dave could be seen walking local highways or showing up at festivals, parades and events, for decades. He was always dressed in a white sailor suit and for a little change or a smile, Dave would dance for passersby. As one niece said, at his funeral, “All he wanted to do was dance and make people happy. He lit up a lot of lives.” I am really looking for to this one being completed.

A free map of the locations of the Murals of the Wiregrass can be picked up at the Dothan Visitor Center, 3311 Ross Clark Circle, and at the Wiregrass Museum of Art, 126 Museum Avenue. The murals are a top tourist attraction that will both educate you and show you great scenes from this city’s history. There are plenty of shops and places to eat along the route, so relax, enjoy and take your time.

I Hope you'll sit back and enjoy some of the Murals of the Wiregrass:

Cotton and Railroad Eras

Dream

Logging Era

Salute to the Peanut Indusrty

Steamboat Era

Tribute to Sherman Rose and the Tuskegee Airmen

Wiregrass Contemporary Music

Wiregrass Country Music

Women of the Wiregrass

You won't want to miss the Mural City Artwalk. It is an arts festival that transforms Dothan’s downtown area into an arts district, featuring the work of more than 50 visual artists, live musicians, food and drink vendors, and children’s activities. It takes place each year in March. When snapping and sharing your pictures to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, be sure to add #VisitDothan. The Dothan Area Convention & Visitors Bureau loves to see how you are enjoying their city.

To enjoy more of our articles, check out the blog on our website.

Win Tickets to World Deer Expo

Attention Deer Hunters: IT'S CONTEST TIME! It Happens in Alabama is giving away 4 pair of tickets to the 31st Annual World Deer Expo. This is the LARGEST 3 Day Hunting Consumer Show in the COUNTRY and will be held at the BJCC in Birmingham July 18-20th. This is a MUST attend event and is fun for the whole family.

The expo will include:
- Alabama Whitetail Records Big Buck Competition - Get Your Buck Scored!
- Bowhunters of Alabama (BHA) Archery Tournament - Enter to WIN!
-... Shoot Like A Girl - SLG2, INc Shooting Simulation Trailer
- Live Predators of North America
- Lawton's Trout Pond
- Country Artist Concerts
- C Factor Singing Contest
- Monster Spider Jump
- PODS with Huntin' is Good
- Huntin' Is Good Kids' Coloring Area

Celebrity Guests include:
- Swamp People's RJ & Jay Paul Molinere
- Bone Collector's Travis "T-BONE" Turner
- Lizard Lick's Bobby Brantley
- Dexter Roberts
- Fear No Evil's Chris Brackett
- A&E Shipping Wars' Jennifer Brennan
- Discovery Channel Moonshiners' Tyler Wood
- Realtree's Tyler Jordan
- The Outdoor Option's Dan, Danny & Shannon Reaser
- Josh "Son of the South" Carney
- Bloodline's Alex Rutledge
- Vine Sensation Alabama Boss

To enter, upload your favorite Alabama deer picture to this post on Facebook: . Winners will be chosen at random and all pictures will appear on www.ItHappensinAlabama.com.

The deadline to enter is July 10th at 5:00 pm (cst) Winners will be notified July 10th and will be announced to the public on July 11, 2014.

Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka Alabama is more than Gaming!

Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka Alabama is more than Gaming!

Wind Creek Casino and Hotel ~ Wetumpka, AL

By: Janet Kynard, It HappensinAlabama, janet@ithappensinalabama.com

I visited the New Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka Alabama and spent the night. Oh my, my! Whoever thought you could find a luxury Vacation and Entertainment Spot in the Heart of Alabama like this! I really want everyone to know that Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka Alabama is more than gaming. There is something here for everyone. Everything is absolutely beautiful and they really roll out the red carpet! Starting at the front desk, you are greeted and made to feel appreciated. They even give you your choice of soaps and toiletries that smell so wonderful!


My contemporary designed room was beautiful and the perfect combination of comfort and service. I would really classify it as a Junior Suite because of the size and amenities. The luxurious bedding with the pillow-top mattress sure made it hard to get up the next morning. The amenities also include complimentary wireless Internet, flat-screen televisions with cable programming, work desk perfect for the business traveler, refrigerator, coffee service area and more. The Bathroom was huge and the shower had two shower heads! Ladies, you are going to love getting dolled up here!

 

The views from the hotel of the Coosa River are breathtaking. Whether from your room, balconies, restaurants, lounges or pool area this is the place to sit back with a beverage and take in the sunset.

 

I got a special tour from Harry Joachim, Executive Casino Host and host Danny Thomas of the penthouse. I’m ready to move in! The penthouse is 2 stories tall with a balcony and a half, 2 bedrooms, fireplaces, weight room with sauna, billiard table on the second story landing with a full 2 story view of the river, media room, full kitchen with a 6 burner gas stove, large dining room,  several seating areas and oh yea, your own bar. This is a great place for events and will hold 300 people. This makes it great for a weddings (get married on the deck area, receptions – everywhere), charity events, mixers, corporate hospitality suites, business meetings and more. Make sure you tell your event planners to contact Harry or Danny and them know this is where you want your next event.     

Media Room

Kitchen

Master Suite

Billiards

First Level Entertainment area

The hotel tower is just steps away from the gaming floor, restaurants and shopping. Yes, I said shopping. You can not come to Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka without visiting Camille Dauchez and Lynn Cox at Essentials! If you like window shopping, you will be in heaven here, but I am going to tell you, you will not be able to go home without something! The store is full of unique and one of a kind items that you’ll not see anywhere else. Guys, it’s not only for women. There are great items for you, too.

The food is out of this world! You have a lot of choices on where and what to eat. Fire Steakhouse is said to have the best steaks in Alabama. For quick grab and goes you can get deserts and sweets at the Bean coffee shop and tasty burgers, fries and even egg rolls from the Grill to go, both are located right in the casino at the gaming floor for gamers convenience. I ordered the prime rib dinner from the Grill to take back to my room. It was so tender, juicy and seasoned to perfection! I am looking forward to my next visit when I will have the seafood buffet!


Due to rules I was not able to get you pictures of the gaming floor, but I did make the trip back on Saturday for the reveal of the Shark Tank. The 16000 gallon aquarium goes to the ceiling, in the middle of the casino gaming floor, above the Casino’s round bar.   Wayde King and Brett Raymer—co-owners of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) and the stars of Animal Planet’s new reality TV show Tanked built this masterpiece. The tank is absolutely beautiful. There are sharks, sting rays, blow fish and so many more kinds of fish. This is a great place to relax!

Wind Creek Casino and Hotel has already become a favorite travel destination with our neighbors to the east. Last Saturday there were 17 bus loads that came in from Georgia! I met so many people from all over Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi who had come in for the day or overnight.
Wind Creek has a huge pool and the Oasis Pool Bar that overlooks the Coosa River. This is going to be THE place to be for summer! When you are looking for things to do in Alabama or Places to see, Wind Creek Casino and Hotel in Wetumpka needs to be on your list!


As you are enjoying the festivals in Alabama, make sure you look for the Wind Creek Casino food truck. This is a great opportunity for you to sample their many wonderful dishes! Also, make sure you go to their tents where you can win swag and free play chips.


The Poarch Creek Indians are very charitable to our state, not just by donating large amounts of money to our schools, but they also help our communities and charities. When you are in Wetumpka, stop by the fire department and take a look at the new, state of the art fire truck PCI Gaming bought the city. We are so lucky to have them in our community.


I'll be stopping by, Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka Alabama, pretty regularly and hope to see you there. Please come say hello.

Tanked TV Show reveals Wind Creek Casino Shark Tank

Tanked TV Show reveals Wind Creek Casino Shark Tank

Wetumpka, Alabama, Wind Creek Casino ~ Wayde King and Brett Raymer—co-owners of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) and the stars of Animal Planet’s new reality TV show Tanked were in Wetumpka to film and reveal the new 16,000 shark aquarium at Wind Creek Casino. The tank is absolutely beautiful. There are sharks, sting rays, blow fish and so many more kinds of fish. This is a great place to relax! Make sure you add this to your Things to see in Alabama and Things to do in Alabama lists. You won't be disappointed!

Wetumpka CraterFest 2014

Wetumpka CraterFest 2014

Wetumpka, Alabama ~ Wetumpka Craterfest ~ I didn’t think it could happen but The Wetumpka Craterfest was even better this year. It was so nice to see so many of you there. The food was amazing and I really enjoyed visiting with the vendors!  Some of the big draws were the games and swag from Wind Creek Casino, the inflatables and Jubilee Farms Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, from Opelika, Alabama. They had a huge assortment of baby animals for the children to pet and feed. I believe the parents loved the photo opportunities as much as the children loved spending time with the animals. The bands were Kelly Archer, Mayday Malone, Local favorite Bradley Roberson, Caitlyn Smith, Old Dominion, Drake White and the Big Fire and Chris Stapleton. We also ran into friends Don Day and Curt Gantt of Venture Outdoors TV Show for a few pictures to wish Jessica Meuse, Slapout, AL good luck this week on American Idol. I am already looking forward to next year’s festival! Make sure you add the Wetumpka Craterfest to your 2015 things to do in Alabama calendar. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll make sure you don’t forget.


  

Alabama the Bass Fishing Capital of the World?

Alabama the Bass Fishing Capital of the World?

By Janet Kynard, It Happens in Alabama
Is Alabama the Bass Capital of the World? Locations in Alabama have long carried nicknames that relate to the abundance and quality of fish in the area:

• Crappie Capital of the World ~ Cedar Bluff
• Catfish Capital of the World ~ Demopolis
• Bass Capital of the World ~ Eufaula
• #1 Bass Fishing Lakes in North America ~ Ray Scott’s Bass Retreat, Pintlala

But in the last year or so, Bass fishing has gone worldwide in popularity and Alabama is the place to be! With the announcement of the Alabama Bass Trail with its 11 premier bass fishing lakes throughout Alabama, the multitude of Bass Tournaments held for every possible reason all over the state, B.A.S.S. Bassmaster coming back home to Birmingham, the Bass Hall of Fame being built in Cullman and, we can’t forget the big one, The BassMaster Classic and Expo, held in Birmingham this last weekend, which Fans of the sport refer to as the “Super Bowl” of bass fishing, the title fits.
This was the eighth time Birmingham been the host and had 50 percent more attendance than four or five years ago, when it was held in Birmingham. Bass fishing is growing in popularity and Alabama is making its mark. With a central location and an abundance of natural resources, the state is a prime spot for anglers.
The bass Hall of fame site is expected to be almost on the shoreline of Smith Lake, not far from Lake Guntersville, which is where the Bassmaster Classic was held this past week.

Janet Kynard and Ray Scott

I can’t leave this article without mentioning my friend, Ray Scott. Ray, known to many as the GodFather of Bass Fishing, had a vision in 1967 of building the sport of bass fishing into a first ranked American sports.  His vision has led directly to the creation of a new industry that generates sales in the billions of dollars each year, and provides employment for millions people, directly and indirectly. That’s not bad for a guy who got his start selling peanuts at  Crampton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama in the early 1940′s.
Ray has been so instrumental in the evolution of bass fishing from a pastime to an industry. It was his vision and rule of catch and release that transformed boats, adding live wells. By mandating the wearing of life jackets, countless lives have been saved. The list goes on and on. If you haven’t read his book ”Bass Boss: The Inspiring Story Of Ray Scott And The Sportfishing Industry He Created” you really need too.
Many are saying, Alabama is really the center of the universe for Bass fishing. What are your thoughts?