<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3G4696_0vlOEz8y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3G4696_0vlOEz8y00" width="1000" height="533" ><figcaption>Yoholo Micco Walking Trail. Photo by Peter Pauley Photography.</figcaption></figure><h2>HUNTING, FISHING AND MORE</h2>Each February, bird dog enthusiasts from around the country come to Union Springs to participate in the National Amateur Free-for-All and the National Open Shooting Dog Championship, a highlight among bird dog field trial competitions. In Eufaula, “Big Bass Capital of the World,” visit Manny, the 12-foot-tall statue of a largemouth bass, named in honor of the late fishing legend Tom Mann. Then toss a line on Lake Eufaula or at Pike County Lake in Troy. Both have fishing facilities and more. Don’t miss Lakepoint State Park, with its hiking, swimming, fishing and more.<h2>TAKE A HIKE</h2>Just over three miles of abandoned rail bed has been converted into the Yoholo Micco Walking Trail. The trail starts in downtown Eufaula, crosses over Lake Eufaula and ends at Old Creek Town, a waterfront recreational area. Barbour, Bullock and Pike are among the 10 counties that make up the Wiregrass Birding Trail. Or visit the Wehle Nature Center with hiking, camping, fishing and horseback trails.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=46wyMR_0vlOEz8y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=46wyMR_0vlOEz8y00" width="1000" height="466" ><figcaption>The MacMonnie’s Fountain on Barbour Street in Eufaula. Photo by Peter Pauley Photography.</figcaption></figure><h2>HOMES WITH HISTORY</h2>Eufaula’s Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District is the second largest historic district in the state and contains more than 700 antebellum homes and landmarks. Each April, the Eufaula Heritage Foundation hosts the Eufaula Pilgrimage. It’s the state’s oldest tour of homes and showcases the area’s historic churches and gardens as well. In December, visitors can enjoy the houses decked out in their holiday finest during the Christmas Tour of Homes.Historic home buffs make sure to see:<ul><li>Fendall Hall is one of the state’s first and finest examples of Italianate architecture. Its exterior has remained mostly unchanged since it was completed in 1860, while the interior has been turned into a museum that reflects the 1880-1916 time period.</li><li>Shorter Mansion, built between 1901 and 1906 by Eli Sims Shorter II and his wife, Wileyna Lamar Shorter, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is included in the Historic American Building Survey.</li><li>Octagon House, formally the Petty-Roberts-Beatty House in Clayton, is the only surviving (of two) antebellum octagonal house in Alabama.</li><li>Pauly Jail in Union Springs, built in 1897 and restored in 2000, is one of the oldest surviving jailhouses in the state. The three-story Victorian Gothic building is a popular destination for ghost hunters.</li></ul>You can also soak up local history by visiting:- Sponsor -<ul><li>The Pioneer Museum of Alabama, with displays from Native American history to pioneer quilting. Grounds include wetlands, trails, cabins and a one-room schoolhouse, plus the Conecuh River Depot Military Museum.</li><li>Barbour County Governors Trail, covering 36 miles and recognizing eight men from Barbour County who became governors of Alabama.</li><li>The James S. Clark Interpretive Center operated as a freight depot for nearly a century and is now renovated to house the Eufaula Welcome Center and the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.</li></ul><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3nLIDf_0vlOEz8y00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3nLIDf_0vlOEz8y00" width="1000" height="858" ><figcaption>Hank Williams Sr. is the subject of this mural, painted by Wes Hardin, in Union Springs.</figcaption></figure><h2>ARTS ABOUND</h2>Johnson Center for the Arts, in an old post office in Troy, features seven galleries of arts. On the Troy University campus, Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park includes an amphitheater, walking trails, a lagoon and several prominent art installations, including 200 permanently exhibited Terracotta Warriors. It is also home to the university’s International Arts Center, which houses the Fred “Nall” Hollis Museum and Gallery, The Huo Bao Zhu Gallery and a Foyer Gallery that features regional artists. North Prairie Street, in Union Springs’ historic downtown, is home to Murals on Main, a series of five murals that celebrate the citizens, traditions and history of Bullock County.We Piddle Around Theatre is run by the Brundidge Historical Society and known for annual events like Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival and the Peanut Butter Festival. Don’t forget to stop by the Johnston Mill Peanut Butter Museum. Or, in Union Springs, visit Red Door Theatre for specialty shows on regional history and culture.Butter and Egg Adventures in Troy is a 48-acre retreat center and aerial adventure park that offers ziplining, laser tag, a climbing wall, axe throwing, an escape room, waterfront recreation and more. Dream Field Farms specializes in custom weddings and events. Thousands of people gather annually to celebrate regional artists and enjoy food and live entertainment at events like TroyFest, the Chunnenuggee Fair and EufaulaFest.This article appears in the September 2024 issue of Business Alabama.</div></body>

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Spotlight on Pike, Barbour & Bullock : Culture & Recreation

Each February, bird dog enthusiasts from around the country come to Union Springs to participate in the National Amateur Free-for-All and the National Open Shooting Dog Championship, a highlight among bird dog field trial competitions. In Eufaula, “Big Bass Capital of the World,” visit Manny, the 12-foot-tall statue of a largemouth bass, named in honor of the late fishing legend Tom Mann. Then toss a line on Lake Eufaula or at Pike County Lake in Troy. Both have fishing facilities and more. Don’t miss Lakepoint State Park, with its hiking, swimming, fishing and more.