Instagram - AdamTheWooATW Getting into the groove and loving this trip so far . Just curious but is this the type of content worth subtly mentioning Patreon for or should I just keep it hush hush as I have for some time now ? i don’t like mentioning it in the videos really but for those who find it , it’s there .
Love this series. I think that a lot of people are very interested in the old backroads and forgotten towns. I think this would be great filler content in between your main theme park, Halloween, and roadside attraction vids. A neat way to get your sanity back in check.. lol lol. Thanks for gracing South Alabama once again with your presence.
Wow.. Cant believe that you came through my hometown. BREWTON, ALABAMA. Awesome !! If I knew you were coming through town, I would have taken you over to the local newspaper. They would have loved to have done a story on you, your videos, and this series !! You would have been a "celebrity" passing through town !!
@@CarportCarl You are exactly right. Years ago these were thriving little towns and communities, and the main source of income was farm products and timber products, but over the years, technology took over, and the big corporations moved in, and basically the smaller businesses just couldn't compete with their lower prices. A lot of families gave up farming, sold their land or the banks foreclosed on their land, and they moved away. A really sad situation. A lot of the old remnants still remain of the buildings and farms, like you see in this video.
@@schopen-hauer My town, Brewton.. is still going strong and a lot of the older buildings still remain. A lot of the older buildings have been remodeled and updated, and small businesses are in them. We had some very smart Mayors that brought in Industry and offered jobs, so our town could keep going, but a lot of smaller towns and communities around here, no longer remain.
im not American, but when i was a kid i would watch lots of American movies like goonies, or et, you know the classics like big with Tom Hanks, and they lived in these small towns like yours, and i loved it, whole thing, that to me was america, seeing this breaks me heart, its like it was a dream or something, hope America comes back stronger. In europe we have whole parts of countries abandoned, absolutely nobody living there, towns that are 1000 years old, houses selling for 1 euro.
@@bamamoondog9039 can i ask you something if someone lives there in town, where does he shop? everything was closed. its even possible to live there without a car?
It really is a beautiful state with decaying old towns and great nature scenes. I used to live in the Florida panhandle and would often drive up there and explore around.
It’s not nearly as dead here as he’s making it out! Cottonwood still has many locally owned shops and some large corporately owned stores but he only shows the death. It’s a sad but inaccurate picture.
I love this. I'm from Dublin, Ireland and something about sleepy, backwater American towns always fascinated/comforted me. To think of all the lives and families that grew there, all the memories people must have had. And to see it so desolate and eerie in modern times, which in itself lends its own strange beauty.
But it’s not really desolate and eerie. He’s just only showing the decay… cottonwood has many local businesses, some corporate chain businesses, a high school and elementary school, SEVERAL churches… it’s not really like he shows of
It’s funny you say this because I have a friend who is from/lives the UK, never been to America, and he’s said the same thing to me. He thinks the vastness and little towns of the US are interesting and wants to come visit sometime. I’m from the east coast of the US, and we have towns like this in the more northern parts (like up in NH and Maine). Unchanged by time & still relatively small populations of people. The fly over states (middle America) have more towns like this one. Especially in the mid west/the rust belt. A lot of these towns experienced economic collapse. I feel like they’ve been forgotten by our government, left to decay - very sad.
@@FarmhouseFelts i think in alot of these small towns,,the original parts of the towns,,that were once the main thoroughfares, will look like these, but now replaced with modern thorough fares that bypass the original dowtown areas..some small towns that have the finances. try to refurbish the original downtown areas with restraunts,and shops to attract visitors that may be just passing by.
Born and raised in Dothan which is 10 minutes away from cottonwood and the others are only a short drive away. Love these old small towns. There filled with mostly elder farmers and family member which drive 10-15 minutes to Dothan to do all there shopping. They survive on farming and livestock. They live great lives. My grandfather lives in Wicksburg farming and it is a very peaceful and quiet life he lives but I love going out to help him. I grew up in this type of small town. Very tight knit folks.
I live up in Washington state, but my mom grew up in Dothan. She got the Dothan newspaper in the mail, every week. I guess she wanted to know who made Eagle Scout?
@Robert Richards,mom,Bella No... Mom and dad have passed away, along with any Dothan relatives as far as I know. I am told my aunt ran the Dothan Eagle paper (That explains mom getting it in the mail!) and she was married to Police chief "Junior" Smith, but he died some 30 years ago. I wish I had gotten to know him, but I was just a kid then. I like the videos where Adam travels these back roads. He is a kind and gentle soul also.
It low key bothers me that he only shows the run down buildings and none of the life still in these places. Ashford (my hometown) is booming! Cottonwood still has quite a few locally owned businesses but he only shows the decay
why??? some of us actually live in or near some of these towns. there's a walmart near by , trust me on that. this guy just doesnt "film" them lol, not impressed.
That graveled type road material is called tar and gravel. Alabama roads used to all be covered in it back 25-30 years ago. You don’t see tar and gravel roads much anymore. This makes me homesick for days gone by. I’m a Georgia girl born and raised but spent some time in Alabama as a new bride and college student and it will always feel like home to me. I’d love to go back to those simpler times. The megaphone is an important thing in this area. It’s a tornado siren. They are everywhere in the south. I’m surprised you didn’t see more of them.
These small town and quiet communities are an inspiration to witness because people developed these towns and raised their families here without the need for all the glitz and glamor of big city life. Much respect to these communities that have helped shape America.
It looks very poor to me. I guess I'm just spoiled living in a wealthy liberal state like Colorado. I wonder how people in these poor southern states could feel like they're somehow better than us or smarter than us. Some of these southern states don't even have a minimum wage. Probably because they're used to free forced labor if you know what I mean.
What do you want to know? In Samson, Al There’s a new business in town every 3 months or so doesn’t last very long compared to the older ones. We have 4 local dining places, the shack, crews bbq, and granny’s dinner and a Mexican restaurant. One dollar general because those things are everywhere. We do all have accents. Tractors pass through town almost every day as well as The vacationers who are headed to the beach. We’re a tight community where everyone knows everyone. My class friends parents graduated together and their parents and it continues. We have no more than 45 in a graduating class. We have a “hangout spot” since there is no movie theater or skating rink or anything like that. We hang out at the “hobo” or the car wash. It’s simple but it’s the best way to live.
@@hannaanderson9062 I have taken this route on the way down to the beach as an alternate route from Montgomery. This video strikes me because I was really captivated by that area. Everything moves so slowly there, it is almost hypnotic. I am sometimes jealous of an area where everyone knows everyone else.
thank you Adam for going back on the road. 4 people in the UK to see parts of the Americana that we wouldn't see normally. Thanks to you we get to see these things please keep it up I know it must be lonely. you're definitely the man
We can only imagine the countless forgotten lives, hopes, aspirations and dreams of the people living in these towns during their hey days. We can only imagine how these towns influenced and shaped generations of their residents. If these towns could talk, I'm sure their stories would evoke a vast variety of emotions from the highest of hope and elation to the deepest of regret and sorrow. Ultimately, it all comes down to a bleak reminder of the relentless passage of time, and the only things that matter are the people that are close to us, and the sometimes very few precious, transient moments we have with them. Live in the moment folks. In terms of conventional time - yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come.
I use to live right across the line in a little place called Muscadine Ala. loved it. Wish I could move back. Had nothing but a Piggly Wiggly and hardees down the road across the Ga line into Tallapoosa Ga, I bought a home with three bedrooms and 5 acres for 50,000. It was beautiful.
The “training union” is like Sunday School but at night usually right before the evening service. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama!
I can tell you from living in Alabama for 15 years, and traveling through most of the south-east, that more and more people are leaving rural areas because there are no opportunities in these places. Many young people don’t want to work in trades and have seen the world due to the internet. It’s hard to stay in a place that’s lost in time when the present (what seems like the future) is in your hands beckoning you to explore.
Yes i see and understand this. Yet we have the self proclaimed intelects. They say they hold all the answers. Theyve been running this world for quite some time. And look where we are from that. I say they didnt do such a wonderful job. Therefore i have to question how inteligent they are and what answers they actually posses. Anyway these people claim our problems are mostly due to overpopulation. Their answer is to eliminate a huge portion of the population. Yeah just go around and kill most of us. Sounds a bit like what they condemed people for in the past. Example Hitler. But its okay for them because they tell us they are really smart. And they have a bunch of worthless money they created out of thin air and cheating the people they now want to eliminate. Well if you look around there is quite a bit of land that is not in use. If you check into this world wide seems that we might not be so overpopulated. And your comment about young people and work. I might be wrong. But seems most of them just dont want to work. Socialists been fooling them into thinking they shouldnt have to. Anyone with common sense knows money has to come from somewhere. Even if it is worthless paper. Then they throw in the AI narrative to reinforce the idea they wont have to work. They can get paid to sit at home playing video games. Ill give Bernie credit for 2 things. He does a pretty good job fooling young people and fooling people to believe socialism and communism arent alike. Not meaning Bernie is behind all of this. There are many doing their part. I feel they want more control to usher in the UN and get their new world order. That wont be good for anyone but those self proclaimed . You can say whatever you like and label me the same. Doesnt matter to me. History shows more than enough evidence that points right in that direction. We are loosing our rights exponentially as well. And we are to believe that the same ones who want to kill off most of us is going to take care of us. Believe they are looking out for our well being. I dont think so. And anyone who buys that has apparently drank too much fluoridated water.
Sarah Karriker I've heard of maps. Weren't they kind of like GPS, except somehow worked on paper? I saw one once in a museum, but I couldn't figure out where the batteries went.
Agreed tis very sad. although in Britain, We don't even have abandoned history left to document like this, most of it is destroyed covered with new homes of immigrants.
@@mindyschocolate No you are very wrong. 1st world old South Africa was developed and ran by whites. The new, improved, inherited South Africa is being destroyed by the Bantu.
What's really wrong with this though? These places are a remnant from another time, when industry was in the US or people did agriculture and shopped locally. That time is gone now, no matter how much a president could do to reverse it. Time has moved on from it. Let these places be retaken by nature and let trees grow there, animals use it for hunting grounds. What's wrong with that? What's negative about that? I don't see anything negative about it either way.
@@LetsGoGetThem There is absolutely nothing wrong in it. My comment was not meant to be negative. Matter of fact, I love towns such as these...life from the past. Its all so beautiful.
@@alvarezjacqueline1266 Actually, there is something bad. Its the writing. I can not enjoy your work. I feel like there is hate in your words. For example, when you say, "That deep brown to mine eyes, I couldn't help but feel that I was looking into your soul." ala about towns In one word, its insipid. Also, if you were my student, I wouldn't have taught you in my class because I would say you weren't ready for this level. This is my opinion and opinion is like that. Some are liberal some are conservative. Some are easy and some are hard. Its not about the word.
grfeld84 .. yeah I noticed the car, General Lee 👍🏻😄😂 ... scrolling through the comments if anyone else had spotted it ... and yes I found you had 👍🏻😄👍🏻😄👍🏻😄
My mom lives in a very small midwest rural farming town. They have all the basics and the town seems to be thriving. You can feel your stress level plummet as soon as you get closer to it. In those towns people look after each other unlike the cities and suburbia.
I'm from the last town in the vid. Atmore. Raised there for the first 20 years. Let me tell you... I live in a Chicago suburb and work downtown in a skyscraper. I would love to be back in Alabama and I'm actively working on making that happen. My life seems to be in fast forward since moving here. I make a lot of money but now I've learned... money ain't everything. City people could never appreciate what country is. Although I didnt have a lot growing up but I never recalled being generally unhappy like I feel in Chicago most of the time.
I unfortunately live in walker county Alabama and drugs have taken over I know drugs are everywhere but its horrible here. You can't leave anything out nothing we literally have to chain our lawnmowers to the house. Locked doors ect. I wish I had never seen this place.
I had to drive to Birmingham last year from South Florida. I stayed on I75 until somewhere over Alabama's southern state line when the total discombobulation of GPS and a lack of a physical atlas landed me on some side road. The next four hours were fascinating- winding hills through mid 50's architecture, a total lack of visible inhabitants and the best wrong turn I've ever made :-)
Awesome to see you in my area. I’m from Dothan Alabama and currently live about 1 mile from Fadette, AL. I drive by the Free Ice/Dr Pepper building every day. Love your videos.
I grew up in Gordon Alabama & went 1st grade to 6th grade at Ashford High School from 1975-1981. In 1981 my parents moved to Mobile Al. Now I'm living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama. I have some GREAT memories of Houston Co Alabama.
Wow, that eerie overcast brings back memories! I partially grew up in Selma, AL. It was a cute, little city back in the day. Unfortunately it now suffers the ills of poverty, bleakness, and growing crime. Sadly, if things keep going the way they're going, Selma will suffer the same fate as the town you toured. You can't beat that Alabama soil though. Pecan trees are king and some of the sweetest peaches are grown there.
In 1967, I was a young Navy recruit. My home was in Massachusetts. I had been assigned to attend a six month Navy communications training school outside of Pensacola, FL which if you look at a map, is basically an extension of Southern Alabama. I decided I wanted to have my car so I headed south from Massachusetts, taking my time as I had allowed 4 days for the approximately 1440 mile drive. Everything was going just fine as I cut west from Georgia into Alabama headed to Montgomery where I checked into a motel to spend the night. I was just getting settled when there was a knock on my door. It was a sheriff's deputy and he did not look like officer friendly. He demanded my ID and questioned me sharply on what I was doing there. He relaxed a bit when I showed him my Navy orders to Pensacola. He then advised that it wouldn't be a particularity good idea for me to leave my car parked in the motel lot overnight, what with my Massachusetts license plates, front and rear. As I said earlier, 1967 and the flames of the Civil Rights confrontations were still burning bright in Alabama and Gov. George Wallace was fanning those flames as best he could. Young, liberal, Northern civil rights workers, "Freedom Riders", voter registration workers et all were most definitely not welcome in the deep south at that time. Several had been recently murdered. My Mass. plates were not going to get me friendly waves. The deputy was a WW2 vet and appreciated I was just on my way to my duty station and not a rabble-rouser and allowed that he didn't want to see me harmed in any way by local folk who took exception to my Northern origins. He told me to follow him to the local police station, leave my car there and he then drove me back to my motel. He told me to be ready to go at 6AM and he was there waiting in the morning. He drove me back to my car, then told me to follow him, which I did, to the county line. There was a deputy from the adjoining county waiting and after a few "How are you's", I commenced following him, all the way to the next county line where again, a deputy awaited. This continued all the way south, through I'm sure, some of the small, quiet towns in this video. Nine counties and nine deputies later, I crossed into Florida, no bullet holes in my Mercury Comet, thanks to a bunch of deputies who made sure I had safe passage. It's hard to appreciate now just how dangerous those quiet little Alabama towns could be back then,
David J. Thank you for sharing your story and for adding another perspective to the narrative that these sleepy little towns were completely welcoming to all.
Not just back then! What do you think they would do to an openly queer person just driving through? I have lived in the south and I can tell you, unless you are a White Born Again Christian Trumpist, you will have it rough.
My boys and I took a trip to Tuscaloosa to see the Tide play this past October. Rained on us the whole time too. Took time to see an antebellum home and such in Greensboro, AL while we were there. You see so much more off the interstate. My boys still talk about Greensboro now and again.
I have an aunt that still lives in Marianna Fl. I just talked to her about 3 weeks ago. I grew up in Gordon Alabama...about 20 miles south of Dothan Alabama & right off of Hwy 84. Now I'm living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama. I've been thru Cottonwood Al, Flomaton Al, Atmore Al, Black Al, Brewton Al. many times.
I was born and still live in Dothan. Went to college at Chipola in Marianna. All these small towns are a stone throw from Dothan and opposite to what he is saying most of these towns have very large farming and livestock cultivation. I have to go to Cottonwood weakly (real estate agent here). Love the small towns.
I was born and raised in what is now called Rehobeth, but back then it was just part of Dothan, AL. Most of family still live in Dothan, Rehobeth, Cottonwood, and Ashford. Uncle used do some down in Marianna. I've passed through more times than I could count.
My dad was a truck driver in the 60's, he would take me with him sometimes when I was a young boy on summer vacation from school, I remember small towns like the ones here, although at those times they were much more populated, thoroughly enjoyed this!
Interesting and kind of sad road trip through the back roads. At certain stops I wonder about the detailed history of the towns, buildings, gas stations and general stores. Loving the quiet serenity of your 9 day trip. Keep up the good work Mr. Woo and thank you
Most of the closed shops were run by previous family many years ago who most likely have passed on and the current family who inherited it had no interest to keep it running.
Haven’t heard that word in years. Grew up not missing a Sunday in church (got my 8 year pin)...and going to Training Union. They don’t do that anymore.
Seeing the deserted towns brings flashbacks to me. I can see our wooden grocery store (wood floors also) with ppl bringing out grocery sacks. We were so close we normally walked when needed a few items. At the gas station, an attendant would pump our gas, wash the windshields, and ck the oil. I grew up around white gold (cotton) but most of us were poor, but we didn't know it. My little town, Boyce, LA, no longer exist, but my best memories are still hanging around there -- just like the old Coke sign.
Something about the back roads and little towns of America I tell you.... if only all those buildings could talk. Makes me want to get out and road trip right now! Stay safe out there.
Nice job, wish we could go back in time, the 40' s and the 50's . A time when you could open a gas station or repair shop and car s we're easy to repair .You didn't need a ton of money, just talent. Would like to see you do a road trip video just on gas stations and repair shops. Thanks for your time and effort .
"this shop closed on Mondays, as stated" this killed me. Ha ha. I live in Alabama and thee small towns definitely remind me my childhood. NAFTA killed small textile towns. Thank you for making this video.
Most of the shops here in my small town in TN close on Mondays, but what they do that I thought was great was open the courthouse on Saturdays until noon for those who work out of town in Nashville or elsewhere. I go back to where I grew up in AL and I don't recognize anything of the small town that I knew (Athens). Now it has exploded and all of the places we went to as a kid, where my dad's relatives lived, are covered over in strip malls and subdivisions. It's so sad to me. There is nothing wrong with a small town. You feel removed from some of the craziness these days.
I've had my fill of Disneyland, Hollywood, etc and can't watch those. This type of video is WONDERFUL...so interesting! Forgotten little places off of the highways, and byways. Love how you attempt conversation with the cows and horses. They hear you...and who knows what goes through their minds when they hear your voice???
I love southern Alabama. I lived there for a couple of years when my then husband was in flight school. I would drive for hours looking around. A very special place for me was Selma.
I can’t believe you came through my town and I missed you!!! What in the world. I live in cottonwood and was like “Hey! That looks familiar.” and then you said that you were there. Ding dang.
Live in Dothan here. Love Cottonwood. I sell and show many houses there along with headland and wicksburg. (Real estate agent here) call me if you ever need any help.
I grew up in Gordon Alabama in the 70s. I went to Ashford High School thru 6th grade. I'm now living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama. I have some GREAT memories of Houston Co Alabama.
Heard tell Red China company is going to pump water from under ground and charge u 50 times what they paying for it . Shameful ur Government took all ur arms from u.
@@hankfacer7098 what do you mean he's right? for gods sake, do you really think aussies need guns to make it rain? and if you take the comments of anyone who prefixes "Red" in front of China and then makes up some absurd rumour just to parade their pathetic xenophobia, you are worse than they are.
I grew up in Geneva, the town between Black and Samson. I don't get back there often, but I did go visit my aunt and cousins over the holidays. That area of Alabama has always been pretty quiet and peaceful. Glad to see you went through there.
All lost. I'm happy that I was born when I was and that I got to see the old south the way it was. Car trips from south Georgia to Maryland on US 301 which used to take 3 days were filled with sights and sounds and smells that are now lost.
I took a similar road trip in 1979, remember Brewton, Flomaton, and Atmore. Witnessed an incredible crash involving a car vs logging truck. Great video! The area has not changed much
@James Tyler dude i live in one an thats it exactly this sleeply little town 5 familys own all the houses that are for rent and all the farms and lands surrounding the town and thats shy every year less and less people live here once the older generation dies off i will be living in a ghost town
Not really. The majority of every state is exactly like this. People just think they have to flock to cities and pay two or three times rent. The town I am from has less than 500 people. I’ve lived in cities as big as San Diego and couldn’t stand it, but the people from San Diego who visited here said it was boring. Sorry I will keep my $400 a month rent and fly when I want to see something else.
@@murphy1011 I agree. I grew up with a rural address, couldn't wait to get to the big cities. I left home at 18 and lived in some of the big cities. In 2015 I left and moved to a small town with less than 7000. Closest walmart is three exits away. I love it and feel like it's one of the smartest choices I've made in life.
Dude. Wow. Than you so much. I’ve always had a fascination on this side of America. The forgotten side. The real America, not what it has become today. And reading through the comments, silence speaks volumes. Ones mind will create their own soundtrack for the scenes that you show.
Please, people from cities, don’t get the idea to move to places like this. We are fine. We don’t need a chipotle. We like our affordable housing. Thanks.
That’s crazy considering the only state where it’s legal to marry your cousin in the south is Alabama and the rest of them are in the north and west :^)
These little towns were probably real nice places in the 1930's to 1960's ,and they're still pretty cool . I really dig that old American ( Amoco ) gas station-store with Dr.Pepper painting on the side ,that is beautiful classic Americana. Yes, we will join you Adam......won't we ? Thanx dude, you rock on man! Bob. G
Yeah my grandfather grew up in a small town like these in the 30s. He said it was hell not having money and having to work the fields while other kids could afford the time to go to school. He said he and his siblings would hide their faces when the bus would pass because they were ashamed they couldn’t be normal kids. Yeah that sounds awesome!
Some people find it devastating how many of these small towns and businesses are now abandoned. I find it interesting to learn about and view. I also take the perspective that things change; we don't just press pause on how we live as humans. It's fascinating to see where we have come from and where we will go from here.
Adam, you are living my dream. I am very happy for you. If I wasn't married and didn't have 4 little ones to tend to; I would be doing exactly what you're doing. Be careful out there bro, and enjoy every second of it.
@Carolus Magnus You are absolutely correct. And on another note I should just look forward to growing old with my wife and after the kids are grown and hopefully successful on their own living in their own places, she and I can travel the country and live the dream together. Thank you for the kick in my butt I needed that!😁
BREWTON, ALABAMA is where Grand Ole Opry Star Hank Locklin lived for many years. Also, William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys is from Brewton originally. Brewton is an awesome town !! Thanks Mr. Woo for going through South Alabama !!
Roy Brooks … Hank lived about 2 miles from me here in Brewton. He used to be the Mayor of McClellan, Florida years ago, before he moved to Brewton. Hank and his family were super nice people. No attitudes at all. I'm glad that you got to play some gigs with Mr. Locklin.
Dwaine Castle … I've never been to Sawmill Days, but I've heard lots of people talk about it. I used to work in Atmore and I knew a lot of people from Stockton. They always tried to get me to drive down and check it out. I think that I'll go this year.
Training Union was like Sunday School class time but it was on Sunday evening before the night worship service. Haven't seen that in many years. Wonderful video!
@@lordvader3538 you may need a history lesson on why Alabama at one time would have been hit hard in wartime in the early part... and a large portion of NASA now days... but I digress..
Great video. A lot of this reminds me of spending childhood summers with my grandmother in northern Louisiana. During the 70's when I was a kid it was a lively, bustling neighborhood but even then you saw derelict traces of the past. These days grandma's old neighborhood is mostly a ghost town with a huge church smack in the middle.
Why not talk to the locals instead of the livestock? It would be interesting to hear how and when the towns were founded as well what local industries currently support the communities.
Adam does such a great job of showing us these small all but forgotten towns. He could say "this town is all but dead" or "what a decrepit place this is", but he is totally non-judgmental. He just shows us what's there and lets us draw our own conclusions. I like that.
Enjoyed the video. Our family did a lot of business in Samson in the 60's and 70's. It was a bustling little town on Saturday mornings. Diminishing returns on agricultural land and NAFTA destroyed little towns like Samson. Also, when cars became more fuel efficient in the 90's, people started driving to bigger towns to shop for lower prices, thereby causing even more depression in their own communities. The result is what we see in the vid.
Im Baptist and 66 years old and i thought that training Union was a Sunday night Sunday school. And wen. Night was just wen. Night service. I maybe wrong.
I have been watching your videos, very good, traveling to back roads , small towns in USA like this (never before ), i just want to add this, then people and town, everything was so simple, simple life, quite, now it is not the same , what happened not only to US , to whole world, maybe mix of nationality, people from all over the world to USA.
The churches are the only thing in good shape. They don’t have to pay taxes, don’t have to compete with Walmart, and get free money from gullible people.
@@john1653 I'm not sure an investor would see the value in rebuilding a small town. They would be more likely to just buy the land and bulldoze everything and build a modern neighborhood.
You mean “gentrify”. What we like about towns like this, is that they are untouched. Living like this is not for everyone, but it has its beauty. No tall buildings, you can still see the land, and sky. Spend a year down here first. Learn what it’s like. If you can get through summer and hurricane season. The Bitter South. Love it.
I love them old businesses. Use to ride with my father in the country or small towns. Any time he needed something. He always took his business to family owned or small businesses first.
Adam, I love your vlogs with the different towns. I enjoy this more than the theme parks. I always want to peek through the windows of these old buildings to see what's in them!
Instagram - AdamTheWooATW
Getting into the groove and loving this trip so far . Just curious but is this the type of content worth subtly mentioning Patreon for or should I just keep it hush hush as I have for some time now ? i don’t like mentioning it in the videos really but for those who find it , it’s there .
Maybe talk about in the comments from time to time instead of the videos
Sure why not! These are my favorite type videos you do. I do a lot of small town travel myself and enjoy seeing these trips when you do them.
Love this series. I think that a lot of people are very interested in the old backroads and forgotten towns. I think this would be great filler content in between your main theme park, Halloween, and roadside attraction vids. A neat way to get your sanity back in check.. lol lol. Thanks for gracing South Alabama once again with your presence.
Of course it's worth mentioning. You can't travel for free yet, can you?
I think the way you did it is fine!
No annoying music, just the wind, scarce and fitting comments, suits the subject . Very well done. Thanks.
bigblockjalopy yea I agree. So satisfiying not having to hear that typical background music...
Lol
love that there is no annoying background music
Yes, this is so rare today!
Maybe mumble rap accapella would improve the video
Agreed. Very relaxing to watch. Zero pressure.
Yah!!!!
No banjos lol!
Wow.. Cant believe that you came through my hometown. BREWTON, ALABAMA. Awesome !! If I knew you were coming through town, I would have taken you over to the local newspaper. They would have loved to have done a story on you, your videos, and this series !! You would have been a "celebrity" passing through town !!
what happen to your town?
@@CarportCarl You are exactly right. Years ago these were thriving little towns and communities, and the main source of income was farm products and timber products, but over the years, technology took over, and the big corporations moved in, and basically the smaller businesses just couldn't compete with their lower prices. A lot of families gave up farming, sold their land or the banks foreclosed on their land, and they moved away. A really sad situation. A lot of the old remnants still remain of the buildings and farms, like you see in this video.
@@schopen-hauer My town, Brewton.. is still going strong and a lot of the older buildings still remain. A lot of the older buildings have been remodeled and updated, and small businesses are in them. We had some very smart Mayors that brought in Industry and offered jobs, so our town could keep going, but a lot of smaller towns and communities around here, no longer remain.
im not American, but when i was a kid i would watch lots of American movies like goonies, or et, you know the classics like big with Tom Hanks, and they lived in these small towns like yours, and i loved it, whole thing, that to me was america, seeing this breaks me heart, its like it was a dream or something, hope America comes back stronger. In europe we have whole parts of countries abandoned, absolutely nobody living there, towns that are 1000 years old, houses selling for 1 euro.
@@bamamoondog9039 can i ask you something if someone lives there in town, where does he shop? everything was closed. its even possible to live there without a car?
I love how you don’t feel like you need to comment over every shot. Sometimes silence says everything.
Exactly sometimes too much talking is simply too much!😂
Tried perfecting it over the years . Thanks for noticing
I agree.
Absolutely
That is a sign of a true video journalist!
This entire series is an urban photographer's dream
It really is a beautiful state with decaying old towns and great nature scenes. I used to live in the Florida panhandle and would often drive up there and explore around.
@Linny And name the park "Trump Land"
It’s not nearly as dead here as he’s making it out! Cottonwood still has many locally owned shops and some large corporately owned stores but he only shows the death. It’s a sad but inaccurate picture.
I love this. I'm from Dublin, Ireland and something about sleepy, backwater American towns always fascinated/comforted me. To think of all the lives and families that grew there, all the memories people must have had. And to see it so desolate and eerie in modern times, which in itself lends its own strange beauty.
But it’s not really desolate and eerie. He’s just only showing the decay… cottonwood has many local businesses, some corporate chain businesses, a high school and elementary school, SEVERAL churches… it’s not really like he shows of
It’s funny you say this because I have a friend who is from/lives the UK, never been to America, and he’s said the same thing to me. He thinks the vastness and little towns of the US are interesting and wants to come visit sometime.
I’m from the east coast of the US, and we have towns like this in the more northern parts (like up in NH and Maine). Unchanged by time & still relatively small populations of people.
The fly over states (middle America) have more towns like this one. Especially in the mid west/the rust belt. A lot of these towns experienced economic collapse. I feel like they’ve been forgotten by our government, left to decay - very sad.
@@FarmhouseFelts i think in alot of these small towns,,the original parts of the towns,,that were once the main thoroughfares, will look like these, but now replaced with modern thorough fares that bypass the original dowtown areas..some small towns that have the finances. try to refurbish the original downtown areas with restraunts,and shops to attract visitors that may be just passing by.
I really enjoy when you do these series. The freedom of the road.
Jeff Behrens I guarantee there are speed traps everywhere.
Thank you for the ride.....I used to visit all these places.... when I was young these were all busy, bustling places
Born and raised in Dothan which is 10 minutes away from cottonwood and the others are only a short drive away. Love these old small towns. There filled with mostly elder farmers and family member which drive 10-15 minutes to Dothan to do all there shopping. They survive on farming and livestock. They live great lives. My grandfather lives in Wicksburg farming and it is a very peaceful and quiet life he lives but I love going out to help him. I grew up in this type of small town. Very tight knit folks.
I live up in Washington state, but my mom grew up in Dothan. She got the Dothan newspaper in the mail, every week. I guess she wanted to know who made Eagle Scout?
@Robert Richards,mom,Bella No... Mom and dad have passed away, along with any Dothan relatives as far as I know. I am told my aunt ran the Dothan Eagle paper (That explains mom getting it in the mail!) and she was married to Police chief "Junior" Smith, but he died some 30 years ago. I wish I had gotten to know him, but I was just a kid then.
I like the videos where Adam travels these back roads. He is a kind and gentle soul also.
It low key bothers me that he only shows the run down buildings and none of the life still in these places. Ashford (my hometown) is booming! Cottonwood still has quite a few locally owned businesses but he only shows the decay
Hey neighbor. Midland City, here.👋
Love these back roads series capturing the quieter side of America. Classic ATW! Safe travels!
Yes! I agree. I was just saying yesterday I miss these videos! I love them!
Garret Vaughn good place to shoot scary movies.
NS R
So cool that he values these tiny forgotten towns
Melissa Foster
Wow what awesome filming locations !!!!!!!!! For independent movies !!!!!!
why??? some of us actually live in or near some of these towns. there's a walmart near by , trust me on that. this guy just doesnt "film" them lol, not impressed.
Your nooks and crannies videos are the best. Absolutely love your back-roads explorations.
When everything was built to last but the people passed away and the kids moved to the big cities
iForce08 then.... it doesn’t last.
@@Alusnovalotus uh yes it does. you're seeing it
The problem is most of those kids arent having kids... and the ones that do, dont want to be the only young people in town with kids
@ the problem is that everyone has that yolo mentality and all about me.
@@be4unvme Yup... throw birth control and consumerism into the mix and watch society collapse
That graveled type road material is called tar and gravel. Alabama roads used to all be covered in it back 25-30 years ago. You don’t see tar and gravel roads much anymore. This makes me homesick for days gone by. I’m a Georgia girl born and raised but spent some time in Alabama as a new bride and college student and it will always feel like home to me. I’d love to go back to those simpler times.
The megaphone is an important thing in this area. It’s a tornado siren. They are everywhere in the south. I’m surprised you didn’t see more of them.
These small town and quiet communities are an inspiration to witness because people developed these towns and raised their families here without the need for all the glitz and glamor of big city life. Much respect to these communities that have helped shape America.
I enjoyed this!!
@@carollawrence6461 nice places for immigrants from Mexico to start a new life and lift up these places to urban levels!
It looks very poor to me. I guess I'm just spoiled living in a wealthy liberal state like Colorado. I wonder how people in these poor southern states could feel like they're somehow better than us or smarter than us. Some of these southern states don't even have a minimum wage. Probably because they're used to free forced labor if you know what I mean.
Safe travels! Those old, once-was-great, storefronts and buildings tell such a story.
When you look at all them old shops that were thriving in the 50's and 60's that was the time America was really great!
Not for all.
Sammy sausage Do you want a little cheese with that whine?😳😆
Exactly what went wrong then?
@@franklotion7716 Exactly
Yeah RACISM IS FUN!!! Best time of the country was when they were hanging black people and having picnics next to the corpses! Wooooohooooo! 🇺🇸
NOT!
The stories that could be told by those old trees, the roads crossed, the gas stations that pumped the gas.
Yep, I imagine they witnessed both the both and worst of humanity in some of these little towns.
I love these types of videos and seeing the backroads of America, have a safe journey Adam and thank you for what you do.
Sad to see towns that have so many closed stores yet they still try to bring cheer by putting up flowers and Christmas decorations.
Sadly he didn't show the rest of the town...lol...
Might be interesting to talk to some of the people who still live there for their perspective on things.
You read my mind, would add some human interest to the clip, would be good to hear the local accents of the townsfolk
What do you want to know? In Samson, Al There’s a new business in town every 3 months or so doesn’t last very long compared to the older ones. We have 4 local dining places, the shack, crews bbq, and granny’s dinner and a Mexican restaurant. One dollar general because those things are everywhere. We do all have accents. Tractors pass through town almost every day as well as The vacationers who are headed to the beach. We’re a tight community where everyone knows everyone. My class friends parents graduated together and their parents and it continues. We have no more than 45 in a graduating class. We have a “hangout spot” since there is no movie theater or skating rink or anything like that. We hang out at the “hobo” or the car wash. It’s simple but it’s the best way to live.
@@hannaanderson9062 small towns have a lot to offer
col stace I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!
@@hannaanderson9062 I have taken this route on the way down to the beach as an alternate route from Montgomery. This video strikes me because I was really captivated by that area. Everything moves so slowly there, it is almost hypnotic. I am sometimes jealous of an area where everyone knows everyone else.
thank you Adam for going back on the road.
4 people in the UK to see parts of the Americana that we wouldn't see normally.
Thanks to you we get to see these things please keep it up I know it must be lonely.
you're definitely the man
We can only imagine the countless forgotten lives, hopes, aspirations and dreams of the people living in these towns during their hey days.
We can only imagine how these towns influenced and shaped generations of their residents. If these towns could talk, I'm sure their stories would evoke a vast variety of emotions from the highest of hope and elation to the deepest of regret and sorrow.
Ultimately, it all comes down to a bleak reminder of the relentless passage of time, and the only things that matter are the people that are close to us, and the sometimes very few precious, transient moments we have with them.
Live in the moment folks. In terms of conventional time - yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come.
Wow, man! I could not have said it better, myself! Alabama, born and bred!!
@@hulkster3002 Also Ala born. These towns are frozen in time. A slice of life frozen forever.
Very profound words!
I live in samsom this video is false
I use to live right across the line in a little place called Muscadine Ala. loved it. Wish I could move back. Had nothing but a Piggly Wiggly and hardees down the road across the Ga line into Tallapoosa Ga, I bought a home with three bedrooms and 5 acres for 50,000. It was beautiful.
Adam these back road tours ARE THE BEST! Our entire family (including teenagers) sit and watch every second! TY for taking us with you! 💪👍
The “training union” is like Sunday School but at night usually right before the evening service. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama!
Thanks for the info . Makes sense
Lorene Harrell Cullman Alabama is me
@@jeremycagle3890 ROLL TIDE!!
Sickone Reyes I’m still not n Tuscaloosa
Jeremy Cagle hi, I’m still in Tuscaloosa
And they say we're over populated. Seems to me maybe we just need to spread out a bit.
Exactly
I can tell you from living in Alabama for 15 years, and traveling through most of the south-east, that more and more people are leaving rural areas because there are no opportunities in these places. Many young people don’t want to work in trades and have seen the world due to the internet. It’s hard to stay in a place that’s lost in time when the present (what seems like the future) is in your hands beckoning you to explore.
Yes i see and understand this. Yet we have the self proclaimed intelects. They say they hold all the answers. Theyve been running this world for quite some time. And look where we are from that. I say they didnt do such a wonderful job. Therefore i have to question how inteligent they are and what answers they actually posses. Anyway these people claim our problems are mostly due to overpopulation. Their answer is to eliminate a huge portion of the population. Yeah just go around and kill most of us. Sounds a bit like what they condemed people for in the past. Example Hitler. But its okay for them because they tell us they are really smart. And they have a bunch of worthless money they created out of thin air and cheating the people they now want to eliminate. Well if you look around there is quite a bit of land that is not in use. If you check into this world wide seems that we might not be so overpopulated.
And your comment about young people and work. I might be wrong. But seems most of them just dont want to work. Socialists been fooling them into thinking they shouldnt have to. Anyone with common sense knows money has to come from somewhere. Even if it is worthless paper. Then they throw in the AI narrative to reinforce the idea they wont have to work. They can get paid to sit at home playing video games. Ill give Bernie credit for 2 things. He does a pretty good job fooling young people and fooling people to believe socialism and communism arent alike. Not meaning Bernie is behind all of this. There are many doing their part. I feel they want more control to usher in the UN and get their new world order. That wont be good for anyone but those self proclaimed . You can say whatever you like and label me the same. Doesnt matter to me. History shows more than enough evidence that points right in that direction. We are loosing our rights exponentially as well. And we are to believe that the same ones who want to kill off most of us is going to take care of us. Believe they are looking out for our well being. I dont think so. And anyone who buys that has apparently drank too much fluoridated water.
Brian Kennedy agreed.
Agreed, with local systems supplying as many necessities as feasible. It would slow a pandemic.
I'm so glad your using a real map...it's the little things
Sarah Karriker I've heard of maps. Weren't they kind of like GPS, except somehow worked on paper? I saw one once in a museum, but I couldn't figure out where the batteries went.
@@wsg4847 For every good thing the internet does it does tens of thousands bad . The ruination of the country .
@Linny Not yet .
I feel so sad watching this. All that abandoned history sitting by the wayside. It's great you are documenting it.
Agreed tis very sad. although in Britain, We don't even have abandoned history left to document like this, most of it is destroyed covered with new homes of immigrants.
@Phill Blacken false narrative! 600000 per year. Why don't u take a hike and go and live in Sub-Saharan Africa with them if you like them so much.
Stephen Rowe well, isn’t South Africa dominated by whites? Seems like we already did. You’ll be okay though. We’re all people.
@@mindyschocolate No you are very wrong. 1st world old South Africa was developed and ran by whites. The new, improved, inherited South Africa is being destroyed by the Bantu.
@@MrStephen777 lol, nice subtle post about the topic, then slide in your political soapbox statement. Newsflash, you don't matter, Steve.
Sweet home Alabama. Roll tide Roll. Where the skies are so blue.
The cry of an abandoned town, the metal banging in the wind.
Poetically said.
And the bums bangin in the alleys
What's really wrong with this though? These places are a remnant from another time, when industry was in the US or people did agriculture and shopped locally. That time is gone now, no matter how much a president could do to reverse it. Time has moved on from it. Let these places be retaken by nature and let trees grow there, animals use it for hunting grounds. What's wrong with that? What's negative about that? I don't see anything negative about it either way.
@@LetsGoGetThem There is absolutely nothing wrong in it. My comment was not meant to be negative. Matter of fact, I love towns such as these...life from the past. Its all so beautiful.
@@alvarezjacqueline1266 Actually, there is something bad. Its the writing. I can not enjoy your work. I feel like there is hate in your words. For example, when you say, "That deep brown to mine eyes, I couldn't help but feel that I was looking into your soul." ala about towns In one word, its insipid. Also, if you were my student, I wouldn't have taught you in my class because I would say you weren't ready for this level. This is my opinion and opinion is like that. Some are liberal some are conservative. Some are easy and some are hard. Its not about the word.
15:51 I liked the General Lee parked out front of the fireworks store! "Looks like the Duke boys are stocking up on their fireworks!"
That’s where you by dynamite for your arrows
Loved that show
grfeld84 .. yeah I noticed the car, General Lee 👍🏻😄😂 ... scrolling through the comments if anyone else had spotted it ... and yes I found you had 👍🏻😄👍🏻😄👍🏻😄
That was in Flomaton, AL. Great little place to visit. I live between there and Atmore.
My mom lives in a very small midwest rural farming town. They have all the basics and the town seems to be thriving. You can feel your stress level plummet as soon as you get closer to it. In those towns people look after each other unlike the cities and suburbia.
I love the old store fronts and advertisements
I'm from the last town in the vid. Atmore. Raised there for the first 20 years. Let me tell you... I live in a Chicago suburb and work downtown in a skyscraper. I would love to be back in Alabama and I'm actively working on making that happen. My life seems to be in fast forward since moving here. I make a lot of money but now I've learned... money ain't everything. City people could never appreciate what country is. Although I didnt have a lot growing up but I never recalled being generally unhappy like I feel in Chicago most of the time.
I unfortunately live in walker county Alabama and drugs have taken over I know drugs are everywhere but its horrible here. You can't leave anything out nothing we literally have to chain our lawnmowers to the house. Locked doors ect. I wish I had never seen this place.
I miss Alabama.. widowed mom with two young boys, struggling. I miss my horse, not having to figure out how to pay for things.
@@SpeedDemon-vm2lp For now I just listen to the song Southern Comfort to get by. LOL
.....The only people who understand that have lived the more sane existence of country life ..
SouthernAviator sounds a lot like Alaska was when we moved there in 1972. But not now...
Lived 9 years in Alabama, and miss the state and it's people. 🎸💙
I had to drive to Birmingham last year from South Florida. I stayed on I75 until somewhere over Alabama's southern state line when the total discombobulation of GPS and a lack of a physical atlas landed me on some side road. The next four hours were fascinating- winding hills through mid 50's architecture, a total lack of visible inhabitants and the best wrong turn I've ever made :-)
I had a similar experience when I took a wrong turn in Maryland and drove for hours through the Black Hills of Blair Witch fame. Really pretty area.
Awesome to see you in my area. I’m from Dothan Alabama and currently live about 1 mile from Fadette, AL. I drive by the Free Ice/Dr Pepper building every day. Love your videos.
I grew up in Gordon Alabama & went 1st grade to 6th grade at Ashford High School from 1975-1981.
In 1981 my parents moved to Mobile Al.
Now I'm living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama.
I have some GREAT memories of Houston Co Alabama.
Wow, that eerie overcast brings back memories! I partially grew up in Selma, AL. It was a cute, little city back in the day. Unfortunately it now suffers the ills of poverty, bleakness, and growing crime. Sadly, if things keep going the way they're going, Selma will suffer the same fate as the town you toured.
You can't beat that Alabama soil though. Pecan trees are king and some of the sweetest peaches are grown there.
Americana strikes gold in my heart and old theaters too. I’m loving this awesome journey. much ahead man
Carolus Magnus way to give a nag and a guilt trip. 👍. 🙄
@Carolus Magnus ur wrong
Oh The Stories the people who still live in these areas could tell. When the town's were thriving and raising families......
and keeping blacks in their place. 🤨
In 1967, I was a young Navy recruit. My home was in Massachusetts. I had been assigned to attend a six month Navy communications training school outside of Pensacola, FL which if you look at a map, is basically an extension of Southern Alabama. I decided I wanted to have my car so I headed south from Massachusetts, taking my time as I had allowed 4 days for the approximately 1440 mile drive. Everything was going just fine as I cut west from Georgia into Alabama headed to Montgomery where I checked into a motel to spend the night.
I was just getting settled when there was a knock on my door. It was a sheriff's deputy and he did not look like officer friendly. He demanded my ID and questioned me sharply on what I was doing there. He relaxed a bit when I showed him my Navy orders to Pensacola. He then advised that it wouldn't be a particularity good idea for me to leave my car parked in the motel lot overnight, what with my Massachusetts license plates, front and rear.
As I said earlier, 1967 and the flames of the Civil Rights confrontations were still burning bright in Alabama and Gov. George Wallace was fanning those flames as best he could. Young, liberal, Northern civil rights workers, "Freedom Riders", voter registration workers et all were most definitely not welcome in the deep south at that time. Several had been recently murdered. My Mass. plates were not going to get me friendly waves.
The deputy was a WW2 vet and appreciated I was just on my way to my duty station and not a rabble-rouser and allowed that he didn't want to see me harmed in any way by local folk who took exception to my Northern origins.
He told me to follow him to the local police station, leave my car there and he then drove me back to my motel. He told me to be ready to go at 6AM and he was there waiting in the morning. He drove me back to my car, then told me to follow him, which I did, to the county line. There was a deputy from the adjoining county waiting and after a few "How are you's", I commenced following him, all the way to the next county line where again, a deputy awaited. This continued all the way south, through I'm sure, some of the small, quiet towns in this video.
Nine counties and nine deputies later, I crossed into Florida, no bullet holes in my Mercury Comet, thanks to a bunch of deputies who made sure I had safe passage.
It's hard to appreciate now just how dangerous those quiet little Alabama towns could be back then,
David J. Thank you for sharing your story and for adding another perspective to the narrative that these sleepy little towns were completely welcoming to all.
Thank you for sharing your story Shipmate (USN 95-03). I’m glad they were there to make sure you weren’t harmed.
Mutual racial and national hatred is activated by the Elite of Society: "Divide and rule"
Not just back then! What do you think they would do to an openly queer person just driving through? I have lived in the south and I can tell you, unless you are a White Born Again Christian Trumpist, you will have it rough.
IF I EVER COME INTO A LOT OF MONEY I'M GONNA LIVE SOMEWHERE LIKE THIS. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
Kenneth Petovic I’ll bet your wife won’t live there. Too far to a shopping mall. I hear what you are saying though.
u dont need a lot of money to live there. places look like if u earn 35K a year youll be at the top of the food chain.
I already did. Actually it cost a lot less
12:40 looks nice like it's halfway alive and recuperable.
@@borzoicoursing2230 If you had the money you could buy that building and make a nice home.
My boys and I took a trip to Tuscaloosa to see the Tide play this past October. Rained on us the whole time too. Took time to see an antebellum home and such in Greensboro, AL while we were there. You see so much more off the interstate. My boys still talk about Greensboro now and again.
Love ridin' those old Alabama Back Roads... Great Video !!
I grew up in Marianna, Fl and back then the closest “big city” was Dothan, Alabama. This really brings me back.
Orla I grew up in Marianna, mom still lives there
I have an aunt that still lives in Marianna Fl. I just talked to her about 3 weeks ago.
I grew up in Gordon Alabama...about 20 miles south of Dothan Alabama & right off of Hwy 84.
Now I'm living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama.
I've been thru Cottonwood Al, Flomaton Al, Atmore Al, Black Al, Brewton Al. many times.
By the pilot truck stop and Walmart area ???
I was born and still live in Dothan. Went to college at Chipola in Marianna. All these small towns are a stone throw from Dothan and opposite to what he is saying most of these towns have very large farming and livestock cultivation. I have to go to Cottonwood weakly (real estate agent here). Love the small towns.
I was born and raised in what is now called Rehobeth, but back then it was just part of Dothan, AL. Most of family still live in Dothan, Rehobeth, Cottonwood, and Ashford. Uncle used do some down in Marianna. I've passed through more times than I could count.
It sure is more interesting, when you get off the interstate!
You are so right, I have been in such small towns driving on the main highways that goes through them.
Even more interesting when you get out of your car altogether
My dad was a truck driver in the 60's, he would take me with him sometimes when I was a young boy on summer vacation from school, I remember small towns like the ones here, although at those times they were much more populated, thoroughly enjoyed this!
Interesting and kind of sad road trip through the back roads. At certain stops I wonder about the detailed history of the towns, buildings, gas stations and general stores. Loving the quiet serenity of your 9 day trip. Keep up the good work Mr. Woo and thank you
Yep, you have to wonder. Every place has a story, most every closed business is a broken dream, and most of those stories will never be told.
Most of the closed shops were run by previous family many years ago who most likely have passed on and the current family who inherited it had no interest to keep it running.
Research the history of Kinston, Alabama. Kinston was once a thriving town. Sadly, fire destroyed most of the town.
Training union was like Sunday School for kids, only in the evening before the night Church Service. Old Baptist tradition.
Some churches call it "Discipleship Training" also.
training session for Evangelism, Discipleship, Theology, and other topics. Each class went for 13 weeks on Sunday night.
Haven’t heard that word in years. Grew up not missing a Sunday in church (got my 8 year pin)...and going to Training Union. They don’t do that anymore.
I'm a good ol' southern boy , I'm a Seventh Day Adventist & proud y'all
I'm not a Baptist, but from what I understand, Training Union is similar to the United Methodist Church's Youth Fellowship.
Seeing the deserted towns brings flashbacks to me. I can see our wooden grocery store (wood floors also) with ppl bringing out grocery sacks. We were so close we normally walked when needed a few items. At the gas station, an attendant would pump our gas, wash the windshields, and ck the oil. I grew up around white gold (cotton) but most of us were poor, but we didn't know it. My little town, Boyce, LA, no longer exist, but my best memories are still hanging around there -- just like the old Coke sign.
Something about the back roads and little towns of America I tell you.... if only all those buildings could talk. Makes me want to get out and road trip right now! Stay safe out there.
Nice job, wish we could go back in time, the 40' s and the 50's . A time when you could open a gas station or repair shop and car s we're easy to repair .You didn't need a ton of money, just talent. Would like to see you do a road trip video just on gas stations and repair shops. Thanks for your time and effort .
Im black and live in the south. Nah......im good
@@ertfgghhhh Exactly. It kills me when white people reminisce about the 40's and 50's as if it was a Norman Rockwell painting.
@@Chris-po8if chiiiiile. No empathy. Care only about onself. Thats why racism still exists- cause people are selfish and care only about self
@@Chris-po8if ok wokester
@@Stevenhufnagel 😜😜😜😜
"this shop closed on Mondays, as stated" this killed me. Ha ha. I live in Alabama and thee small towns definitely remind me my childhood. NAFTA killed small textile towns. Thank you for making this video.
Most of the shops here in my small town in TN close on Mondays, but what they do that I thought was great was open the courthouse on Saturdays until noon for those who work out of town in Nashville or elsewhere. I go back to where I grew up in AL and I don't recognize anything of the small town that I knew (Athens). Now it has exploded and all of the places we went to as a kid, where my dad's relatives lived, are covered over in strip malls and subdivisions. It's so sad to me. There is nothing wrong with a small town. You feel removed from some of the craziness these days.
I've had my fill of Disneyland, Hollywood, etc and can't watch those. This type of video is WONDERFUL...so interesting! Forgotten little places off of the highways, and byways. Love how you attempt conversation with the cows and horses. They hear you...and who knows what goes through their minds when they hear your voice???
I have to be honest, I'm not a huge theme park guy, but really love it when you do the small town America stuff (as a brit) - thanks Adam 👍
I love southern Alabama. I lived there for a couple of years when my then husband was in flight school. I would drive for hours looking around. A very special place for me was Selma.
wondering if you ever stopped to talk to anyone, or try the small local eating places in these travels. very interresting concept for a video.
I'd love to see that.
We’re pretty boring tbh lol
Good job Mr. Woo, this is why I watch, love seeing small town America 👍
This is much more enjoyable. I prefer to listen to the background sounds instead for sound effects, music, and excessive talking. Great video!
Me too that's true beauty no music!
yep all we have is cooperate wake up
I can’t believe you came through my town and I missed you!!! What in the world. I live in cottonwood and was like “Hey! That looks familiar.” and then you said that you were there. Ding dang.
Live in Dothan here. Love Cottonwood. I sell and show many houses there along with headland and wicksburg. (Real estate agent here) call me if you ever need any help.
I grew up in Gordon Alabama in the 70s.
I went to Ashford High School thru 6th grade.
I'm now living in Satsuma Alabama...about 20 miles north of Mobile Alabama.
I have some GREAT memories of Houston Co Alabama.
More great Americana, oh to have that rain here in Australia at the moment. Great video
It will rain don’t worry 😉
Hank Facer Here in North Carolina, we are asking the Lord Almighty to send you guys 🌧...it’s coming!
Heard tell Red China company is going to pump water from under ground and charge u 50 times what they paying for it . Shameful ur Government took all ur arms from u.
@@flowrob6861 You are right Robert, sadly aussies are not prone to protest, just whinge.
@@hankfacer7098 what do you mean he's right? for gods sake, do you really think aussies need guns to make it rain? and if you take the comments of anyone who prefixes "Red" in front of China and then makes up some absurd rumour just to parade their pathetic xenophobia, you are worse than they are.
I grew up in Geneva, the town between Black and Samson. I don't get back there often, but I did go visit my aunt and cousins over the holidays. That area of Alabama has always been pretty quiet and peaceful. Glad to see you went through there.
When we moved a lot I was baptized in that tiny place, Madrid, at a very young age. Crazy to see it pop up on here!
Oh no kidding very cool
All lost. I'm happy that I was born when I was and that I got to see the old south the way it was. Car trips from south Georgia to Maryland on US 301 which used to take 3 days were filled with sights and sounds and smells that are now lost.
I took a similar road trip in 1979, remember Brewton, Flomaton, and Atmore. Witnessed an incredible crash involving a car vs logging truck. Great video! The area has not changed much
Small town America has been truly destroyed by the march of globalisation and online shopping/Walmart.
And the death of the family farm.
@James Tyler dude i live in one an thats it exactly this sleeply little town 5 familys own all the houses that are for rent and all the farms and lands surrounding the town and thats shy every year less and less people live here once the older generation dies off i will be living in a ghost town
and Hollywood constantly insulting these people
Small town america was destroyed by laziness. Feel free to pick up where others have left off...though I doubt anyone will.
Chad Tucker
I think Alabama’s history did it to the state than the movie industry.
So quiet at the beginning of the video. That’s hard to find these days.
Best time to do so is on these trips
TheDailyWoo Thank you for what you do Adam!
Not really. The majority of every state is exactly like this. People just think they have to flock to cities and pay two or three times rent. The town I am from has less than 500 people. I’ve lived in cities as big as San Diego and couldn’t stand it, but the people from San Diego who visited here said it was boring.
Sorry I will keep my $400 a month rent and fly when I want to see something else.
@@murphy1011 I agree. I grew up with a rural address, couldn't wait to get to the big cities. I left home at 18 and lived in some of the big cities. In 2015 I left and moved to a small town with less than 7000. Closest walmart is three exits away. I love it and feel like it's one of the smartest choices I've made in life.
Dude. Wow. Than you so much. I’ve always had a fascination on this side of America. The forgotten side. The real America, not what it has become today. And reading through the comments, silence speaks volumes. Ones mind will create their own soundtrack for the scenes that you show.
Love these...but sad also. Slow decay of more small towns. I'm glad you're documenting this stuff.
Please, people from cities, don’t get the idea to move to places like this. We are fine. We don’t need a chipotle. We like our affordable housing. Thanks.
I don't think you have to worry, we don't have any cousins down there we wanna marry.
That’s crazy considering the only state where it’s legal to marry your cousin in the south is Alabama and the rest of them are in the north and west :^)
@@tonysoprano7193 😂
@@fredgarvin9262 its like zombie land. Actually, the zombies would say "no brains here."
@@tonysoprano7193 You're an ignorant zero.
i came to this country 30 years ago to Dallas TX. It was lot deferent at that time. With your videos I started going back those years. Thank you!
These little towns were probably real nice places in the 1930's to 1960's ,and they're still pretty cool . I really dig that old American ( Amoco ) gas station-store with Dr.Pepper painting on the side ,that is beautiful classic Americana. Yes, we will join you Adam......won't we ? Thanx dude, you rock on man! Bob. G
Not so sure about that. Depression, World War II, racial strife....
Yeah my grandfather grew up in a small town like these in the 30s. He said it was hell not having money and having to work the fields while other kids could afford the time to go to school. He said he and his siblings would hide their faces when the bus would pass because they were ashamed they couldn’t be normal kids. Yeah that sounds awesome!
amoco is old? it was standard oil co before it was american oil co
I love seeing these old buildings still standing.
Some people find it devastating how many of these small towns and businesses are now abandoned. I find it interesting to learn about and view. I also take the perspective that things change; we don't just press pause on how we live as humans. It's fascinating to see where we have come from and where we will go from here.
Adam, you are living my dream. I am very happy for you. If I wasn't married and didn't have 4 little ones to tend to; I would be doing exactly what you're doing.
Be careful out there bro, and enjoy every second of it.
@Carolus Magnus You are absolutely correct. And on another note I should just look forward to growing old with my wife and after the kids are grown and hopefully successful on their own living in their own places, she and I can travel the country and live the dream together. Thank you for the kick in my butt I needed that!😁
@Carolus Magnus lord? lol ...
BREWTON, ALABAMA is where Grand Ole Opry Star Hank Locklin lived for many years. Also, William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys is from Brewton originally. Brewton is an awesome town !! Thanks Mr. Woo for going through South Alabama !!
In 1979 and 1980 I played guitar with a band from Andalusia called Easy Action. We played a few gigs with Hank Locklin.
Roy Brooks … Hank lived about 2 miles from me here in Brewton. He used to be the Mayor of McClellan, Florida years ago, before he moved to Brewton. Hank and his family were super nice people. No attitudes at all. I'm glad that you got to play some gigs with Mr. Locklin.
Dwaine Castle … I've never been to Sawmill Days, but I've heard lots of people talk about it. I used to work in Atmore and I knew a lot of people from Stockton. They always tried to get me to drive down and check it out. I think that I'll go this year.
Training Union was like Sunday School class time but it was on Sunday evening before the night worship service. Haven't seen that in many years. Wonderful video!
Loving this back roads trip .
That “megaphone” was actually a tornado warning siren.
Known as "air raid sirens" in my youth and not meant for tornadoes. They came to be used for tornadoes when I was still young, tho.
I said AIR RAID you freshman! 😎
Revtommy2tone oh dang 🙀
Crow T. Robot I doubt anybody ever wanted to bomb Alabama
@@lordvader3538 you may need a history lesson on why Alabama at one time would have been hit hard in wartime in the early part... and a large portion of NASA now days... but I digress..
Great video. A lot of this reminds me of spending childhood summers with my grandmother in northern Louisiana. During the 70's when I was a kid it was a lively, bustling neighborhood but even then you saw derelict traces of the past. These days grandma's old neighborhood is mostly a ghost town with a huge church smack in the middle.
I wonder how it looked when these towns were thriving with people.
DannybOi Rodriguez Happy, White, golden. So much better than the shithole country we have today
Seems kind of sad that small town America is dying. It won't be long before it's completely gone.
Everyone of those old buildings were new once, and somebody's dream come true. So sad.
Agenda 21
Jeff somersby That was Cottonwood, Alabama, which is a long way from Kentucky.
Its too bad really, Ill bet alot of those folks wish they had stayed...
@Jeff somersby Too bad about your brainwashed state. Perhaps analysis could be beneficial for your TDS..
Theses old towns could tell a many stories....yes sir...and only if the ground cry out
I was stationed at Ft. Rucker in 1975 when hurricane Eloise hit. I went to my first concert in Dothan. Nice trip down memory lane!
I think it’s awesome how Adam stops to talk to animals he sees. 😂
I love it when you talk to the animals. They know!
Me too. It's cute. :)
They like when human"s give a shoutout. Hey neighbor
Why not talk to the locals instead of the livestock? It would be interesting to hear how and when the towns were founded as well what local industries currently support the communities.
@@dashcroft1892 because animals are far more interesting
Adam does such a great job of showing us these small all but forgotten towns. He could say "this town is all but dead" or "what a decrepit place this is", but he is totally non-judgmental. He just shows us what's there and lets us draw our own conclusions. I like that.
always cracks me up when you stop to say hello to the livestock.
I miss this. I'm a widowed mom with two young boys and I take them out to the country all the time when I used to have my horse...
Enjoyed the video. Our family did a lot of business in Samson in the 60's and 70's. It was a bustling little town on Saturday mornings. Diminishing returns on agricultural land and NAFTA destroyed little towns like Samson. Also, when cars became more fuel efficient in the 90's, people started driving to bigger towns to shop for lower prices, thereby causing even more depression in their own communities. The result is what we see in the vid.
the silence in some of the shots is what keeps me coming back, time to just watch and think of what was in these places
Glad you enjoy that . I try to not always be talking and let natural sounds in when possible
"Training Union" was an old term for Wednesday night Bible studies in Southern Baptist churches years ago - some still have them.
David Thrower I haven’t heard that term since I was a kid!
Im Baptist and 66 years old and i thought that training Union was a Sunday night Sunday school. And wen. Night was just wen. Night service. I maybe wrong.
@@helenvancevance1407 it was Sunday night at my church growing up as well
Helen Vance Vance Yes, that’s how I remember it too.
I have been watching your videos, very good, traveling to back roads , small towns in USA like this (never before ), i just want to add this, then people and town, everything was so simple, simple life, quite, now it is not the same , what happened not only to US , to whole world, maybe mix of nationality, people from all over the world to USA.
Adam, you were 8 miles from my house when you came through Horn Hill. Wished I would've known. I'd have bought you lunch in Andalusia!😥😥
@My Name Graffiti isn't a way very many people around here choose to express themselves.
@@TrueLifeAdventures beautifully put.
@@marcushester8179 Thanks!!
That is some of those towns that Wal Mart has put everyone out of business.
That's true. Residents of a few towns saw it coming and fought back successfully.
not true. they do business much better. adapt or perish.
The churches are the only thing in good shape. They don’t have to pay taxes, don’t have to compete with Walmart, and get free money from gullible people.
Well it's clear there is no Home Depot. That's for sure. Lol
Exactly! However' Dollar General is now putting Walmart out of business.
Fantastic vlog.love following along through these old forgotten towns.thank you for doing these Adam.
Anytime I see a town like this I have this desire to restore it. Im not even sure why. No one would just give me a town to restore.
me too
I do too.
They probably would let you do it if you would use your own money, but typically you would want to use other people's money.
@@john1653 I'm not sure an investor would see the value in rebuilding a small town. They would be more likely to just buy the land and bulldoze everything and build a modern neighborhood.
You mean “gentrify”. What we like about towns like this, is that they are untouched. Living like this is not for everyone, but it has its beauty.
No tall buildings, you can still see the land, and sky. Spend a year down here first. Learn what it’s like. If you can get through summer and hurricane season. The Bitter South. Love it.
I love them old businesses. Use to ride with my father in the country or small towns. Any time he needed something. He always took his business to family owned or small businesses first.
Adam, I love your vlogs with the different towns. I enjoy this more than the theme parks. I always want to peek through the windows of these old buildings to see what's in them!