POWERGRAMS

15 Tangles beauty salon makes many masked customers more lovely. The Abbeville Herald, with a circulation that matches the local population, has picture windows lined with some of the cameras that reporters have used since the paper began publishing local news in 1915. None of the stores, though, has the notoriety of Huggin' Molly's, which opened in 2006 as a rip-roaring recreation of America 70 years ago: It outdoes even Disney in some respects. Named after the legendary local scary lady who hugged children after dark, the restaurant carries the Kirkland Street theme to the extreme. With 11 red, revolving stools lined up along a long marble soda fountain bar, patrons looking to the right will find a re-creation of the drug store from "It's a Wonderful Life." The staff serves Molly Fingers, which are among "Alabama's 100 Dishes to Eat Before You Die," but waitresses will tell you more customers consider the 8-ounce burger a "to die for" menu item. Downtown has three traffic lights, which may be unnecessary for a place where drivers seldom seem to reach the speed limit. Even though most of the original business district burned down in 1906, there is still genuine history along these streets, such as at First Baptist Church, a congregation founded in 1834 that opened its current building in 1903. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1896 and retains most of its original features, such as the bell and steeple, parquet ceilings and hand-finished beams. The brick building was named the No. 1 historical structure in Henry County by the historical society. People in Abbeville have been customers for decades of downtown businesses like Mike's Discount Pharmacy, Trawick Ace Hardware and Billy Lawrence Buick/GMC. The past 17 years, lots of hungry folks have made their way to a green and white house a few blocks beyond downtown, where Fried Fish Friday and homemade peach cobbler have fostered a legend of their own at Ruby's restaurant. Rooms of the little house are divided into a kitchen, buffet area and dining section where hot sauce and paper towels are staples on each table. It's almost like coming home for lunch. "You are home! Welcome home!" shouts Ruby Lawrence, who operates the restaurant with her family. "That's the feeling I want you to have right here." Abbeville is the oldest remaining colonial settlement in east Alabama running from Florida to Tennessee, the town growing from a trading post established in 1819 just below what was known as Indian Territory. Its name is derived from the Creek Indian expression "Abba," meaning the reflection of dogwood trees on water. It was changed by settlers to "Abbie" and then to Abbeville. The Native Americans had controlled the area for at least 300 years before succumbing to local rule by Spanish, French, British and American settlers. The annual Yatta Abba Festival in April salutes the town's dogwood roots, and the city seal includes dogwood leaves. Ruby Lawrence serves family-style meals in her restaurant. Kids flock to the old-fashioned soda bar at Huggin' Molly's. PHOTOS BY MEG McKINNEY

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