History of the Museum
History has long been an important commitment of the Red Bay Civitan Club, starting with the Red Bay History Book, 100 Years of Memories by former Congressman Carl Elliott. At the time the history book was being put together, the club recognized that many items from Red Bay’s past were still around and needed to be preserved. It was decided that those owning the items should hold on to them and additional items would be sought until a place was found to display them. In 2004, a building was obtained to start the museum. The museum opened in 2016, and a few years later an annex was added to house the growing exhibits. Also included in the annex is a thrift shore, The Civitan Depot.
The displays are recreations of landmarks from Red Bay’s past. When you enter the museum, you are greeted with a replica of the hotel lobby with the actual furnishings of the old Hotel Red Bay. From there you will discover what the soda fountain from the drug store looked like, the Bay Theater, the original bank teller windows from Red Bay’s first bank, the medical clinic, recreation of church interiors, and many items from the Red Bay Depot. In addition to these are displays depicting what home life was like - from the living areas to the working areas, including the kitchens of old homes. The military display is very popular with uniforms from World War I through Desert Storm.
Although two school buildings have burned in Red Bay, there are still many items from the schools that shows the education aspect of Red Bay and surrounding rural schools. Included in the service aspects of Red Bay businesses is a jewelry and watch repair display, beautician items, barber shop, restaurants and café, appliance stores, television and radio repair items as well as service station and automobile displays.
The tour ends with the largest exhibit, at this time, on country music icon Tammy Wynette, born, raised and schooled just across the state line in Mississippi. Tammy called Red Bay her hometown because it was the closest town she lived to where she would go to shop, to the doctor, visit relatives, go to the movies… Tammy also did a total of five benefit concerts for Red Bay through the years, as well as serving as Grand Marshall for the Red Bay Christmas parade. Items have been loaned or donated by friends, fans and family members of Tammy’s. These items include gowns she wore on stage, her personal makeup train case, seats from her personal airplane, awards, items that her one time husband, George Jones, wore as well as their daughter Georgette, and much more.
The mission statement for the museum includes “preserving a way of life that is no longer here, so that young people can be made aware of what life was like many years ago here in Red Bay and to remind those older of the life they lived”. Those who visit the museum include those who remember using or seeing many items in the displays during their lives, and the younger ones who are discovering what life was like before their time. Some of the items they marvel at are typewriters and rotary phones. They will never know what it’s like to type on paper and try not to make a mistake, and several have no idea what a rotary phone is or how they are used. Another unique item to them are “counter checks”, checks located at the register of businesses for years. You could just pick up and write a check from whichever bank you had an account with.
Red Bay is so fortunate that people through the years saw the importance of keeping these artifacts that now occupy the museum. They have been so instrumental in educating thousands of people of what life in Red Bay, AL was like. During the recent Smithsonian exhibit held in Red Bay, where over 6000 people attended, the museum was the highlight of all the venues associated with the exhibit. Many of the visitors to the museum are owners of Allegro Motor Homes who stay at the campground while having their motorhomes worked on. These visitors, from every state in the union, as well as some from other countries, have marveled at the quality and content of the museum in such a small rural town. Many say it is the best small town museum they have ever visited in their travels.
The museum is also instrumental in adding to the town’s economy by bringing people here who in turn spend money by shopping, as well as on gas and food. Important visitors have included two of Alabama’s first ladies, Patsy Riley and Diane Bentley, Lee Sentell, Chairman of Alabama Tourism’s office, and many other state officials, as well as other state and national business leaders visiting our town.
The museum continues to grow with new items and displays are changed to keep the tour fresh and different for those returning. If you know of or have anything related to Red Bay or Tammy Wynette, please contact the museum about either loaning or donating your items. As a nonprofit organization there is not much extra money available for purchasing items.
The museum is open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30 PM until 4:00 PM. Admission into the museum is $5.00. The museum is also open on Friday's and can be entered through the Civitan Thrift Store from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Groups can make appointments at other times by contacting Scotty Kennedy at 256-356-8758 or [email protected].
The displays are recreations of landmarks from Red Bay’s past. When you enter the museum, you are greeted with a replica of the hotel lobby with the actual furnishings of the old Hotel Red Bay. From there you will discover what the soda fountain from the drug store looked like, the Bay Theater, the original bank teller windows from Red Bay’s first bank, the medical clinic, recreation of church interiors, and many items from the Red Bay Depot. In addition to these are displays depicting what home life was like - from the living areas to the working areas, including the kitchens of old homes. The military display is very popular with uniforms from World War I through Desert Storm.
Although two school buildings have burned in Red Bay, there are still many items from the schools that shows the education aspect of Red Bay and surrounding rural schools. Included in the service aspects of Red Bay businesses is a jewelry and watch repair display, beautician items, barber shop, restaurants and café, appliance stores, television and radio repair items as well as service station and automobile displays.
The tour ends with the largest exhibit, at this time, on country music icon Tammy Wynette, born, raised and schooled just across the state line in Mississippi. Tammy called Red Bay her hometown because it was the closest town she lived to where she would go to shop, to the doctor, visit relatives, go to the movies… Tammy also did a total of five benefit concerts for Red Bay through the years, as well as serving as Grand Marshall for the Red Bay Christmas parade. Items have been loaned or donated by friends, fans and family members of Tammy’s. These items include gowns she wore on stage, her personal makeup train case, seats from her personal airplane, awards, items that her one time husband, George Jones, wore as well as their daughter Georgette, and much more.
The mission statement for the museum includes “preserving a way of life that is no longer here, so that young people can be made aware of what life was like many years ago here in Red Bay and to remind those older of the life they lived”. Those who visit the museum include those who remember using or seeing many items in the displays during their lives, and the younger ones who are discovering what life was like before their time. Some of the items they marvel at are typewriters and rotary phones. They will never know what it’s like to type on paper and try not to make a mistake, and several have no idea what a rotary phone is or how they are used. Another unique item to them are “counter checks”, checks located at the register of businesses for years. You could just pick up and write a check from whichever bank you had an account with.
Red Bay is so fortunate that people through the years saw the importance of keeping these artifacts that now occupy the museum. They have been so instrumental in educating thousands of people of what life in Red Bay, AL was like. During the recent Smithsonian exhibit held in Red Bay, where over 6000 people attended, the museum was the highlight of all the venues associated with the exhibit. Many of the visitors to the museum are owners of Allegro Motor Homes who stay at the campground while having their motorhomes worked on. These visitors, from every state in the union, as well as some from other countries, have marveled at the quality and content of the museum in such a small rural town. Many say it is the best small town museum they have ever visited in their travels.
The museum is also instrumental in adding to the town’s economy by bringing people here who in turn spend money by shopping, as well as on gas and food. Important visitors have included two of Alabama’s first ladies, Patsy Riley and Diane Bentley, Lee Sentell, Chairman of Alabama Tourism’s office, and many other state officials, as well as other state and national business leaders visiting our town.
The museum continues to grow with new items and displays are changed to keep the tour fresh and different for those returning. If you know of or have anything related to Red Bay or Tammy Wynette, please contact the museum about either loaning or donating your items. As a nonprofit organization there is not much extra money available for purchasing items.
The museum is open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30 PM until 4:00 PM. Admission into the museum is $5.00. The museum is also open on Friday's and can be entered through the Civitan Thrift Store from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Groups can make appointments at other times by contacting Scotty Kennedy at 256-356-8758 or [email protected].
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