Boarding houses helped build area

Housing was scarce in the early days of our area as the virgin pine forests awoke from their primordial slumber and the last shots of the War Between the States faded into memory.

Sawmills began to dot the landscape and workers, who often arrived in the area with not much more than the clothing on their backs, needed living arrangements. Boarding houses filled this need and soon each community had several.

A boarding house typically provided meals to the occupants and common areas were shared. Bathrooms, bathtubs and living areas were usually expected to be used by all boarders.

In Canoe, a boarding house is said to have existed near Hill Street. In Atmore, the Magnolia Hotel, which has been said to have existed across the street from the present day US Post Office was also an early example.

The boom in construction of boarding houses exploded in the early 1900s in Brewton. The Pine Belt News from April 12, 1906 refers to H.A. Potter's building on the demolished site of the old Davison Gin. The building was to cost $1200, have a full compliment of 14 rooms, and be a two-story structure.

Mr. Burrell Bell, also of Brewton, announced the opening of his boarding house on the same date. "I have opened a boarding house next door to Park's Furniture store. Plenty to eat and clean beds, with good service. When you come to town let us take care of you."

In Atmore, Mrs. W.H. Hancock announced the opening of her boarding house, "The Willows," on April 2, 1931. She noted it to be of the bungalow type. It contained seven rooms and a lobby.

The City Boarding House was also located in Atmore during the 1920s and into the 1930s. The facility was originally located on South Main but later moved to Nashville Avenue during the 1930s.

During World War II, boarders at these accommodations were required to surrender their war rations books to their landlords. This was presumably because the landlords were responsible for feeding the boarders and, in that everything was rationed to support the war effort, it must have been presumed to be of more efficiency to have the landlords responsible for the purchase of groceries for their boarders than to have the boarders hoarding items in their rooms.

One of the most legendary features of boarding houses in our area was the food. Many boarding houses, such as the Biggs Boarding House and Aunt Hattie Grubb's Boarding House in Atmore had long tables, spread with food of every kind at meal time. Customers from off the streets often ate at the houses and the food is remembered as being exceptional. Aunt Hattie Grubbs went on to establish a local eating house in South Flomaton in the late 1920s.

It has been said that travelers from Pensacola would take the train to Flomaton on Sunday mornings for the sole purpose of eating at the Hart Hotel for lunch. The Hart Hotel served as a boarding house as well as a hotel.

The boarding houses of yesterday have given way to the efficiency apartments of today. Yet even though apartments have more creature comforts for their occupants, one could be forgiven for missing the communal nature of the old two story boarding house with its hustle and bustle of traveling salesmen, sawmill workers and new arrivals to our area.

The book Shadows and Dust III: Legacies is now available for purchase. The hidden history of our area is documented through ten years of All Things Southern articles. Shadows and Dust III is available online at Lulu publishing.com or by sending $35 (this includes shipping-the book cost without shipping is $30) to Kevin McKinley at PO Box 579 Atmore, AL 36054. Also available: Shadows and Dust I and II and Canoe: History of A Southern Town. Shadows and Dust I and II and the Canoe book are available for $20 each.