Gurley Historical Association

GURLEY, AL “CELEBRATING OUR PAST” FESTIVAL AND MUSIC EVENT
MAY 2010

See the pictures of the 2010 Small Town Parade See the pictures of the 2010 Cemetery Stroll with Costumed Characters

Videos of the events:
Video of the Gurley Small Town Parade
Video of the Mayor Stan Simpson Festival Unveiling Historical Marker
Video of the Gurley Cemetery Stroll 2010 with Costumed Characters
(Mayor Stan Simpson, Senator Lowell Baron, Representative Butch Taylor, Gurley City Council)
For a copy of the original format pictures or videos contact the Gurley Historical Association

Legacy Advertisements and Information

FREE EVENT
The admission, music, and general events are free to the public; food and crafts and more will be available for purchase.

DIRECTIONS
The event is at Charles Stone Park on Walker Street in Gurley, which is about 16 miles NE of Huntsville. Walker Street runs parallel to Highway 72 East, so you turn off the highway on Gurley Pike or First Street which will intersect with Walker Street. The park is behind the Piggly Wiggly located on the highway, and close to the Library and City Hall on Walker Street.

SCHEDULE
At the festival, check at the Gurley Historical Association/Town of Gurley Booth for information on all activities – details listed below for your info.
Contact 776-3313, x10, Gurley Town Hall, or visit http://gurleyalabama.contactez.net for more info.

Who: Town of Gurley
What: "Celebrating Our Past" Festival and Music When: May 7 and 8, 2010 Friday, 5/7 Gates open at 5:00 p.m. to 10P.M.
Saturday, 5/8 Gates open at 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Charles Stone Park Gurley, AL
Why: Celebrating "2010: The Year of Alabama Small Towns/Downtowns"

Admission, music, and general events are free to attendees.
Food, crafts, souvenir items, etc., available for purchase.

Event Logo Helium Balloons, Tee Shirts, and Railroad Depot Prints Available for Purchase

Live Music Entertainment includes:
Friday, 5/7
Microwave Dave 6-8 p.m.
Time Machine 8-10 p.m.

Saturday, 5/8
Bethel University Renaissance Bluegrass Group 4-6 p.m.
Natchez Trace 6-8 p.m.
Rollin' in the Hay 8-10 p.m.

Festival Activities Friday, 5/7

Food Vendors 5-10 p.m.
Live Music Entertainment 6-10 p.m.
Microwave Dave; Time Machine

Saturday, 5/8

Parade 10:00 a.m. Historic District
Historical Marker Unveiling 11:30 a.m. Joplin Street/Railroad Crossing
Girl Scout Teddy Bear Tea Party 12:00 noon
***Cemetery Stroll with Costumed Characters 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Cemetery Street See more info below
Cloggers 3:00
Multi-Aircraft Flyover 4:00 p.m.
Live Music Entertainment 4:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Renaissance Bluegrass Band; Natchez Trace; Rollin' in the Hay
Car Show 5:00 p.m. Hardees

Saturday, 5/8 All Day Festival activities
Carnival Rides, Games and Prizes, Inflatables Food Vendors/Treasures by the Tracks Specialty Crafts and Vendors, etc. Electric Locomotive/Amusement Train Shuttle/Ride Self-Guided Walking Tour of Historic Gurley Self-Guided "Cemetery Trees of Gurley" Walk

***Cemetery Stroll
Who: Gurley Historical Association
What: Parade and Cemetery Stroll
Admission is Free; Donations will be accepted
When: Saturday, May 8th

Parade 10:00 a.m.
Cemetery Stroll 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Where: National Historic District Gurley, AL (off Highway 72 East)
Why: In conjunction with “The Great Alabama Homecoming”
“2010: The Year of Alabama Small Towns/Downtowns”
Gurley’s “Celebrating Our Past” Festival and Music

It’s “The Great Alabama Homecoming” and even the “spirits” are coming back to Gurley, AL to celebrate “2010: The Year of Alabama Small Towns/Downtowns”.

The Gurley Cemetery is a large urban cemetery which “sits on a knoll overlooking a spot of ancient charm that once was the location of the Gurley Baseball Field”. It was established in 1880, and contains more than 1000 markers, including Veterans of all U.S. Wars and 52 Confederate Soldiers.

Special dedication markers pay tribute to three generations of the Gurley Family Veterans:
Grandfather Jeremiah Gurley, three separate tours of duty in the Revolutionary War
Father John Gurley, War of 1812
Son Captain Frank B. Gurley, Confederate Guerilla Warfare Veteran, and Confidential Assistant to General Nathan Bedford Forrest

Come see and hear these costumed characters and many more of Gurley’s storied citizens including The Circuit Rider Preacher, The Cat Lady, and The Professional Baseball Player, come back to life. Also enjoy a self-guided tour of over 20 species of mature trees scattered throughout the cemetery while listening to the auto-harp/bass music of by-gone days.

Who: Cumberland Presbyterian Denomination
Gurley Historical Association
City of Gurley
What: Parade/Bethel University Blue Grass Band
When: Saturday, May 8, 2010

Where: 10:00 a.m. Gurley Historic District
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Charles Stone Park

Why: Year of Alabama Small Towns/Downtowns Festival

The Cumberland Presbyterians are celebrating the 200th Birthday of their Denomination this year, along with their contributions to educational and religious development in the Gurley and North Alabama area.

Private, preparatory Robert Donnell High School and two-year college, located in Gurley in 1894, was named after the prominent CP itinerate minister. In 1908 it was donated to the state of Alabama by the CP’s, to become Madison County High School - the first public high school in Madison County ; and it is still in operation today.

Robert Donnell also established a school in Athens, AL, and was instrumental in founding Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN. His home in Athens, The Donnell House, was spared destruction during Union occupation and has undergone restoration.

Members of the Robert Donnell Presbytery will participate in the Gurley “Celebrating Our Past” Parade on Saturday, May 8, as part of the “2010: Year of Alabama Small Towns/Downtowns” Festival and Music event. Robert Donnell, in costume, will be circuit riding on his horse as “camp meeting” singers join him enroute to a service.

The CP Bethel University Bluegrass Band from McKenzie , TN , will be performing in the parade at 10:00 a.m. in Gurley’s Historic District; again from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Charles Stone Park ; and at the Gurley CP Church on Sunday, May 9, at 9:00 a.m.

Admission is free, and everyone is invited to join the celebration.

More info at http://gurleyalabama.contactez.net or call 256-776-3670 or 256-776-3313