Until about twenty years ago,
U.S. Highway 72 went right through downtown South Pittsburg in Tennessee , just across the Alabama state line. At that time this
well-traveled route between Huntsville and Chattanooga was widened, improved, and bypassed South Pittsburg . In order to draw traffic back into town,
city planners devised a cornbread festival, highlighting the town’s major
employer – Lodge Cast Iron. I had never heard of the festival (or Lodge Cast
Iron) until a friend told me about it the day before the 20th Annual
National Cornbread Festival last weekend.
I like cornbread all right, but that
alone would not have induced me to make the 1 hr 15 min drive from Huntsville . However, when
I read that the festival includes tours of the Lodge foundry plant, guided
historic district tours, and a classic car cruise-in – three of my favorite things – I set my alarm and headed
out early on Saturday morning!
People were parked out on the 72 later in the day. |
The festival’s website has
specific instructions for how to enter the town from the south – follow them!
(Better yet, arrive nice and early.) I
missed the turn and had to wait over 10 minutes just to make a u-turn at the
next light where people were entering from the north. It was packed. When I got back on
track with the directions I had an easy time getting into town and found a
parking space right across the train tracks from the Lodge foundry, so I began
my day with that free tour. It was great!
The process starts with this
pile of metal.
|
One of two induction 9 metric ton steel shell
furnaces melt the mixture at 2750-2800°F and tap out 2500 or 5000 lbs into transfer ladles. |
Transfer ladles - they are moved along above by a crane. |
Apparently, I did seem very interested because one of the workers asked
me if I am a “foundry person.” When I answered “No” he said that surely I was a
cast iron skillet fan then…again “No.” My husband had one which I eventually
gave away because I didn’t like it. I didn’t know anything about such a tool –
like the fact that you can cook stuff in it in the oven and that you should not
wash it with soap and water (yes, that’s what I did and food always stuck to
it so I got rid of it in favor of my cheap Teflon-coated pan). Now, I suddenly
have a desire to cook cornbread in a cast iron skillet!
Meanwhile, the Disamatic produces
400 molds per hour from sand,
|
Sand molds are used for one
pour and then the sand is recycled into new molds. The sand starts out white.
|
After the pour into the molds
the sand is broken away and this is what's left.
|
The castings go through shakers
with metal pellets.
|
VoilĂ !
|
Next, I walked to the nearby
festival grounds ($5 entrance fee) and headed straight to the information booth
to sign up for a historic district tour ($7), given on the hour throughout the
day. I thought it was going to be a walking tour, but it was actually on a
luxury bus and the great great granddaughter of Joseph Lodge was our tour
guide. Afterwards, I walked the route too (to get better photos and for the
opportunity to go inside a couple of the churches). Each year they change what
is covered in the tour so I might be back next year. Here are just a few of the gorgeous homes and buildings in this tiny town of about 3,000 people.
This house was built about
1877. The stone wall was to keep out livestock. It wasn’t until 1926 that the
city passed a law banning free-range livestock in the city.
|
Joseph Lodge’s home (with later additions), built in
1878, now owned by his great great
|
City Hall, originally the First
National Bank, 1887
|
M.M. Allison, the “Father of
the
|
First Methodist Episcopal Church,
1889
|
Beautiful foundation stone
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
church
|
F&AM Masonic Lodge, now a flower shop |
Now it was time to check out
the festival grounds on the closed-off streets in the heart of downtown.
The restored Princess Theater
|
A variety of shops and restaurants
are housed in these gorgeous buildings.
|
No need to use these if you
are port-a-potty averse. There are
regular bathrooms
available at the Lodge plant and in the Princess Theater.
|
Several groups offer free cornbread samples. I tried what
looked like a cornbread pancake. The little girl who was serving them said it
is a “fritter.” It didn’t taste much like cornbread; I could have done with
some maple syrup. It was tasty though. I also got some free water and popcorn
in the children’s area. In Cornbread Alley, you can try nine different types of
cornbread for $4. I wanted to do that but I didn’t make it there until late in
the day, and there was a long line in the hot sun. I don’t do long lines,
especially in the sun! Maybe next year.
Cornbread fritters
|
Fun stuff in the kids’ area
|
The festival also includes several cook-offs,
cooking demonstrations, a carnival, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, and
continuous live music on several stages.
A full-fledged carnival is
here all week
|
The vintage car cruise-in is
located outside the gates of the festival at the Dixie Freeze. I really wanted
to get a chocolate shake here but, again, I wasn’t willing to wait in the long
line. I will definitely stop here for a treat the next time I’m headed
to Chattanooga !
No comments:
Post a Comment