Coming Down

These walls are all that remained of the old Safelite building a few days ago.

 Its roof and a wall collapsed during a  thunderstorm in early April,

 and now the Water Avenue building is in the final stages of demolition.

  Well, at least there will be yet another great view of the river here!

I just HAD to get those pretty primroses in the photo.

Signs, Signs, Listen & Learn

So who knew that the governor of French Louisiana came to Selma

 before Selma was Selma? 

These Listen & Learn signs are a great way to explore the town's history. 

The Bienville Monument has resided in tiny Bienville Park on Water Avenue

 for a long, long time, but it went largely unnoticed

 until this sign was installed. 

Linking to Signs, Signs

Signs, Signs, Lighting the Way

A gas street lamp stands at the Water Avenue entrance to Riverfront Park,

 thanks to Alagasco. Referring to the Civil Rights Movement,

 "Lighting the Way" honors the City of Selma "and the men and women

 who marched into history in 1965 to bridge the divide

 from the past to a better future."

Linking to Signs, Signs

and City Daily Photo Blogs

J is for JUMP

The Dixie Flips gymnastics team JUMPED upon the balance beam 

as part of their routine at last weekend's Alabama River Chili Cookoff.

 The Water Avenue event featured all the chili you could eat

 plus plenty of local entertainment. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday where the Letter of the Week is "J"

and City Daily Photo Blogs

Signs, Signs, The Vineyard is OPEN

If the umbrella is open, then so is The Vineyard restaurant on Water Avenue.

Linking to SIGNS, SIGNS and City Daily Photo Blogs

Side Porch Sandwiches (Signs, Signs)

Diners will have a much easier time finding Side Porch Sandwiches 

 now that this new sign is in place.

The Water Avenue restaurant is located in one of the old riverbank buildings

 along Water Avenue and next to Lafayette Park. 

Linking to Signs, Signs and City Daily Photo Blogs

Water Avenue Facing West

Here is OUR WORLD along Water Avenue facing west

 from the Washington Street intersection.

To the right is the National Park Service Interpretive Center, and ahead

 at the end of the street is Carneal Arts Revive. Turn left at the 

Broad Street intersection to drive across the Pettus Bridge,

 and turn right to head through downtown. Better yet, park

 and take a walk to see the sights and get a bite to eat!

Linking to Our World Tuesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

What's in a Name?

The sign on this window attracted my attention yesterday, so I just moseyed 

on over to take a picture for today's Signs, Signs blog meme.

This building at 1201 Water Ave. has been undergoing some sprucing 

up for awhile, and now they are working on the interior.  I'm told

 it's expected to open with an art gallery this fall, and according

 to the website, it is quite a project. Check it out at our literal speed.   

Linking to Signs, Signs and City Daily Photo Blogs

The Four Horses

The four horses of the fountain by the St. James Hotel

 seem to be riding into and away from the sunset.

Linking to Weekly top Shot and City Daily Photo Blog

February Theme Day, Umbrellas

"Umbrellas" is the theme for February over at City Daily Photo Blogs, 

and while I could have snapped open umbrellas in torrential rain

 this past week, I chose an umbrella that shields the sun.

The bright yellow umbrella is from Selma's Plantation Patterns

 and is located in Phoenix Park on Water Avenue. The photo was taken

 in 2011 during the park's grand opening. 

Linking to February Theme Day (CDPB) and Shadow Shot Sunday

The End of Water Avenue

The Old Depot Museum anchors the east end of Water Avenue,

and through its front windows, you can see Selma Hardware on the corner.

Linking to Weekend Reflections and City Daily Photo Blogs

O is for Open-Air Market

We're photographing the letter "O" at ABC Wednesday, and the annual

 open-air market known as Riverfront Market Day brings arts, crafts, food,

 music and children's activities to Water Avenue.It's a fun day

 in usually great weather! Market Day was held Oct. 13. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday

M is for Market Day

We're posting the letter "M" this week, just in time for Market Day!

The annual Riverfront Market Day festival is Saturday on Water Avenue.

 There will be food, arts, crafts, music, a scavenger hunt and children's activities.

Linking to ABC Wednesday

Police Presence

Selma Police recently beefed up their downtown presence with a new substation 

at 2 Lawrence St. The station gives Water Avenue and Riverfront Park

 the benefit of increased safety.

Skywatch (May Sky over Selma)

It's a May day in Selma with blue skies and cotton clouds. 

This photo was taken from the balcony of The Harmony Club on Water Avenue. In the background you can see the arch of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Posted at Skywatch Friday.

A Home for Arts Revive

Cleanup began last week on the former Carneal Auto Service property, which is soon to become the home of Arts Revive.

Located at the foot of Water Avenue by the Alabama River, the renovation will provide space for offices, art workshops, shows and other events.

Check out the plans at the Arts Revive website.

To Market, To Market

Hundreds of people came to Riverfront Market Day Saturday in the biggest turnout in years.

I'm sure that cool weather helped along with a number of new vendors and variety of crafts. The music was superb, and yes folks, I did buy a funnel cake...can't say I ate the whole thing by myself though!

One of my favorite parts of the day is meeting and greeting folks that I haven't seen in awhile. Like the women above, I "ran into" several old friends who had been out of sight but not out of mind...like former longtime neighbors who moved but returned for the weekend. It was a wonderful day!

Art, Ornaments and Frames

These Christmas sun catchers are attractively displayed on a window frame in a Water Avenue frame shop. The shop makes room for all kinds of artistic work from the area's creative talents and sells it on consignment.

The St James at Christmas

The St. James Hotel is decked out in Christmas wreaths, and the fountain out front is filled with poinsettias. The hotel on Water Avenue has recently undergone renovation, and its restaurant is expected to reopen just before Christmas. The hotel, originally built in the 1800s, was gutted and rebuilt and reopened in 1997. For a view last May, link here.

The Restaurant on Grumbles Alley

If you want a flavorful, healthy meal in Selma and don't mind waiting longer than fast-food service, The Restaurant on Grumbles Alley may be the place to dine. Located on Water Avenue and Grumbles Alley right by the river, you get homemade food in an historic building.

The meals in this 1800's structure vary from soups and sandwiches to full-course entrees. Try the famous marinated grilled chicken breast sandwich for lunch and cheesecake for dessert. Fried foods such as chicken fingers, crab claws, shrimp and catfish are coated with a light batter and served with vegetables and salads rather than cole slaw and French fries. Red beans and rice is now a staple, and soups are rotated to include anything from chili to clam chowder.

The restaurant was revived in 2005 by the daughter of former Selma Mayor Joe T. Smitherman, who returned to her hometown after a legal career, so naturally the decor features Selma art, photographs and tributes to her father.

Located near an old steamboat landing, the building was once an auction center back in the days when cotton was king.