Etowah Heritage Museum

Closed until further notice due to Covid-19 Feb 11, 2021

JULY 12, 1929

GOODYEAR MILL CELEBRATION IS GREAT SUCCESS
More than 15,000 Estimated to Have Visited Rubber Plant

In his talk at the plant Thursday afternoon Mr. Litchfield said that three years ago his company came South and bought a cotton mill at Cedartown, Ga. It was apparent that the people of this section he said were unusually friendly and that fact had much to do with its coming to Gadsden.

Mayor Wier in his talk praised President Cole of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad and also his assistants and engineers for the assistance given Gadsden in landing the plant. He also lauded the Alabama Power Company for its aid. Governor Graves spoke highly of the power company and his welcome to Goodyear.

Major W. L. Sibert, builder of the Gatun locks and dam of the Panama Canal, builder of Alabama's great docks at Mobile and commander of the first American army to land in France for the World War, is home to attend the celebration Thursday incident of the dedication of the tire mill of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Another distinguished citizen to come home for the event is Congressman M. C. Allgood.

The celebration from start to finish went off smoothly and without a single hitch. Superintendent Frank A. Steel of the rubber plant and the Chamber of Commerce committees carried out the program with perfection and so did Mayor W. F. Wier and the county authorities.

The celebration in connection with the dedication of the giant tire mill of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company came to an end Thursday night with a dance at the Country Club in honor of the officials of the company. It was proceeded by a program broadcast over WJBY of Gadsden, WSB of Atlanta and WAPI of Birmingham, which followed a dinner to the distinguished guest at the club.

Source: July 12, 1929 and July 11, 1929 Editions of the Gadsden Times from the Etowah Historical Society Newspaper Collection

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https://etowahhistory.org

Etowah Historical Society, home of the Etowah Heritage Museum and the Jerry B. Jones Historical Research Library

July 11, 1929

GOODYEAR TIRE PLANT DEDICATED

BUTTON PUSHED IN WASHINGTON STARTS EVENTS

With bunting flying, bands playing, oratory flowing and vast throngs milling about the city, the rubber industry was welcomed to the South at Gadsden Thursday under the most spectacular and impressive circumstances.

Promptly at noon on Thursday President Herbert Hoover pushed the electronic button that was the signal for hoisting of the American flag over the plant of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and for the opening of the exercises dedicating the first major tire mill ever to be built in the South.

Source: July 11, 1929 Edition of the Gadsden Times from the Etowah Historical Society Newspaper Collection

https://etowahhistory.org

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Sycamore Moon Tree

This tree was grown from a seed that was one of many that Major Stuart Roosa
took to space aboard the Apollo 14 Space Craft in February of 1971.

A former U.S. Forrest Service smoke jumper Roosa's effort to honor the Forrest Service
stands today as a living tribute.

Come visit us at the Etowah Histoical Society and see the Heritage Trees 24/7 at the
back of Elliott Community Center This is just a few and there is more to see.

The Trail of Tears Memorial is a great place to relax between rain showers.

Tools, Bells, and Bellows...among a ton of other items. The museum has received an assortment of pioneer wares from the Williamson Plantation blacksmith cabin. Please stop by, and help us identify as much of the collection as possible.