POWERGRAMS

14 ABBEVILLE ABBEVILLE It's understandable if a first-time visitor to Abbeville suddenly thinks they've been here before. Small-town baby boomers probably recall the downtown they knew growing up. Millennials might think more toward Disney World's Main Street. American flags hang from every lamppost as 1950s music blasts from speakers above the street in Abbeville. Located about 10 miles from Lake Eufaula and the Georgia state line, this town of 2,500 residents is easily found in the Rand McNally Road Atlas: it's America's first listing by state and city. The government seat of Henry County, its 55-year-old courthouse is surrounded by a handful of law offices and county agency buildings, but for the most part Abbeville is a modern Mayberry. Small towns across America have suffered as homegrown stores go out of business, buildings deteriorate and the familiar downtown square no longer thrives. "We were almost that story," says Jimmy Rane, founder of Great Southern Wood Preserving, which is headquartered in Abbeville. "If you'd driven through here in about 1998, you'd have locked your doors and driven on. But Abbeville had been a wonderful town, just beautiful." Today, traveling along Washington Street into town, a revived yesteryear quickly comes into view. There's the restored Abbeville railroad depot with an old train engine on the porch; nearby stands a vintage, tall pedestal clock; across from it is the 201-year-old Pelham House log cabin. Around the bend are Great Southern offices disguised as an old Standard Oil service station. Alabama Power's modern office has a vintage, neon sign out front. But it's after the turn onto Kirkland Street where older people might expect to see Walt Disney himself peering out from a storefront window. Beginning at the renovated 1906 Bank of Henry, now home to the Chamber of Commerce, and continuing throughout two city blocks, it's easy to get lost in time on both sides of the tree-lined sidewalks. Rane got Abbeville restoration efforts rolling by buying derelict buildings and repairing them. "Before you knew it, it was catching on," he says. Now on each store along Kirkland Street downtown there are vintage metal reminders of days gone by. Neon signs advertise Rexall Drugs, Case knives, Mother Penn Motor Oil, Ford, Chevrolet, Philco and Buster Brown Shoes, many of which might not ring a bell with Gen X. A lighted red Schwinn Built Bicycles window sign invites passersby to look inside, where 1950s-era bikes are lined up for a sale that's not likely to happen. Alongside real businesses are simulated storefronts filled with furniture, TVs, shoes, hats and toys. A Western Union switchboard awaits the next call … but can a cellphone call go through? It's all vintage yet watched over by surveillance cameras mounted at almost every angle. Security sensors are on doors and windows of most businesses. Still, century-old iron threshold plates naming previous business owners are at stores such as Money's Grill, which has been an Abbeville food fixture since 1981, serving seafood, steaks, fresh fish and the porkchop special on Thursdays. Across the street, Jimmy's Bar-B-Q and Smokehouse & Pizza has a steady stream of customers. Kava offers sandwiches and coffee from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Maggie's Books N' Things has a dog at the door to welcome visitors. Evan D's Beauty Supply stretches across two buildings. At left, aerial view of downtown Abbeville; sign welcomes visitors to town founded in 1823; Huggin' Molly's is a restaurant with an ice cream truck; Kava is a popular coffee shop. Neon signs advertise products of yesteryear. Money's Grill waitress serves the special of the day. PHOTO BY MEG McKINNEY PHOTOS BY MEG McKINNEY

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