POWERGRAMS

27 TALLADEGA and handing their credit card to employees behind old-fashioned barred cashier windows. There are still horse hitching posts in back of the building. A monument on the courthouse lawn recognizes "The Tremblin' T," another unique aspect of the town, dedicated to the USS Talladega that earned seven battle stars in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. The ship is noted for transporting Marines to Iwo Jima, where they raised the flag for perhaps the most famous WWII photograph. The ship was featured in the classic war movie "Battle Cry." A block south of the square stands the 1906 L&N Railroad Station that was restored to house the Chamber of Commerce. Visitors traverse the floors of tile imported from Italy, along 8-inch-tall white marble baseboards, lighted by brass fixtures converted from gas to electricity. Beneath the original red tile roof, guests are often alerted to "April in Talladega," the 45th annual pilgrimage – April 12-13 this year – showing off antebellum homes, churches and Oak Hill Cemetery. The tour changes each year but frequently features Boxwood (1854) and the Plowman-Heacock Home, generally regarded as the town's most beautiful tall- columned home. Not far east of the square is Heritage Hall, built in 1906 by Andrew Carnegie on land given by Louisa Jemison for the local library, which in 1979 moved to a bigger building behind the original. Designed by Frank Lockwood, as are many of Talladega's most admired homes and structures, the old library with 18-foot-tall ceilings is now the city's art center. Director Valarie White hosts about 10 exhibits annually, with the state bicentennial celebration of quilts set for April 11- May 31. Just behind the square next to city hall is the Talladega Walk of Fame and Davey Allison Memorial Park, a full city block with more than 50 bronze plaques describing and dedicated to the greatest NASCAR drivers. Across the street in front of Piggly Wiggly is the Talladega Battle Monument built in 1968 over the town's still-bubbling spring. Beneath the four-winged concrete dome are bronze maps and plaques commemorating the players in the 1813 fight led by future President Andrew Jackson, Davy Crockett and U.S. military forces against the local Creek Indians, who were vastly outnumbered and quickly defeated. Talladega's Veterans Park – the city's biggest of nine recreational areas – has a long walking track with bridges that twice traverse a creek. The park has bathrooms, benches, playgrounds, two pavilions with picnic tables, a Little Free Library and WWII tank for visitors to admire. Not far away is the city's nine-hole public golf course, which is near the Talladega Bowling Center, where children and adults are entertained at night and on weekends. Spring Street Community Center has a 25-meter indoor heated pool and swimming programs for all ages. Today, Talladega natives often head to Tina's Home Cookin' Richard Petty is one of many drivers honored on the Walk of Fame. Boswell's Wings is on the left corner of restored downtown block. The Ritz Theatre marquee shines at night; Stampede Steakhouse meals are a local favorite.

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