Stories of the South - Tom Bevill Lock and Dam

Growing up no trip to Columbus was complete without a trip to the lock and dam.  It was fun to see the water running, what fish were being caught, maybe catch a boat going through the lock, and enjoy being outside.  

Moving to Noxubee County gave me the opportunity to be not very far from Pickensville, AL and the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam which is on the same waterway, the Tennessee-Tombigbee, as the Columbus Lock and Dam. 

What is the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway?  Named for the two rivers it connects the Ten-Tom, as called by the locals, connects the Tennessee River at Pickwick Lake to the Tombigbee River.  It is the largest water resource project ever built in the United States.  It is also the largest earth moving project in the world.  It moved 310 million cubic yards of soil and in comparison the Suez Canal moved 105, and the Panama canal moved 210 million cubic yards.  It is 234 miles long and connects the nation's midsection to the Gulf of Mexico.  It runs from north Mississippi down through west Alabama and ends at Demopolis , AL where it joins the Black Warrior River.  

It has been criticized in the past as government overspending.  I mean it only cost 2 billion dollars and was almost removed from the budget by newly elected President Jimmy Carter.  In later years it has finally received recognition as an example of government investment in infrastructure and long term economic benefit.  You can read more at Tenntom.org.  

Back to the Pickensville Lock....

Construction started March 1974 and was completed December 1979.  The dam impounds the 8300 acre Alliceville Lake and cost 45 million to build.   It is named in honor of Tom Bevill who chaired the congressional committee that approved the funding for construction.  Also located here is one of the waterway's most impressive and recognized signs, the Tenn-Tom visitor's center.  It is a replica of an antebellum plantation home and also dry docked there is the circa 1929 M.V. Montgomery a retired river paddle boat.  Both the home and ship are open to the public.  I didn't take pictures of them this day because they are on the other side of the lock from where I was! Another side trip for another day!

The hubby and a couple of his friends see what was biting that day

Happy Thursday my lovelies!  I hope you're having a great week and I have a wonderful chicken recipe to share with you tomorrow, see you then!