A journey through the history of East Blount and West Etowah Counties.
My journey with Altoona history began over a decade ago. In high school my friends and I would hike on the mountain around Altoona. It was not uncommon to find mine car tracks sticking out of the ground, or other peculiar terrain, remnants of the years of coal mining. Of course, like generations of students we took our questions to Coach Clifton, who was always happy to provide answers.
Enamored from a young age by Indiana Jones and tales of what Altoona once was, I had a desire to know more. Unfortunately, finding answers was few and far between. My grandmother had a copy of a red book with the title Altoona and a picture of a Choctaw head on the front. I found that this was a publication from 1989, and at the time was the best written source for Altoona history. Unfortunately, the book did not answer the questions I had in mind. Questions such as: Who was W.T. Underwood? What was here before Altoona? Where and what the heck is Pana? With those and other thoughts in mind I began tracking down answers.
By 2008, I was fortunate to be a part of the heritage committee that was formed as a part of the 100 Year Celebration, the inaugural Altoona Day. This committee gathered information, maps, and photographs, all of which became the basis of my collection. Listening to the older committee members, I took meticulous notes. The culmination was the museum that was setup in thee doctors office building. I was present all day as people filed in and out of the building. I listened intently to stories and tales that were told. At the end of the day, there were more than 900 signatures in the guestbook. Seeing the work of the committee and the enthusiasm of the guests sealed my fate. I was hooked on the history of Altoona.
After Altoona Day, my research ramped up. I tracked down leads, conducted interviews, wrote letters, and visited archives. I started compiling all of the information in notebooks and binders. In late-2009, I made a decision to share what I had compiled. I struggled on how to pass the information along to others. Facebook was still in its infancy and recording videos to YouTube were out of the question. I kept returning to the old red covered reunion book that my grandmother had. That’s what made my decision to write. I set out on the daunting task, one which I will detail in a future post. However, the book, 100 Years of Altoona, From Coal to Cotton debuted at the 2011 Altoona Day. The book had its shortcomings, but it served its purpose, which was to tell a more complete overview of the history of Altoona.
After the publication of 100 Years, I felt as there was still more information to share. I struggled to figure out what route to take. Inspiration finally came during a Sunday morning church service. The pastor made a statement about the dates on a headstone. One records birth, the other records death, and they are separated by a dash. A dash represents an individuals life. That statement sent my mind wild. What about the individuals who built Altoona? What was their life, their story? With that premise in mind, I set on another book, a compilation of biographies. This resulted in the 2013’s Tales From Altoona’s Cemeteries, Volume 1.
In the years since the publication of Tales, I have continued researching and gathering information related to the history of the Altoona area. While my historical journey has led me to other endeavors and places, I always return home. As the years have passed, I’ve gained technical knowledge, and that has allowed me to brainstorm about new ways to tell the Altoona story. That is the intent of this blog. I’m not longer bound by the paper pages and binding of a book. Information can now be conveyed through digital maps, interactive sites, and YouTube documentaries. This blog represents the compilation of these ventures. I want to show Altoona history like its never been shown before.
Welcome to Altoona Adventures.
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