Walking through history

CULLMAN, Ala. – Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, marked the 15th anniversary of the Cullman Oktoberfest Candlelight Walking Tour.

This year’s tour focused on the 1940s, before and after World War II, and saw tour guides Michael Sullins and Julie Burks took on the personas of famous Cullman natives Annie Lola Price and Finis “Saint” St. John Jr.

The tour began with each participant receiving a choice of a candle or glowstick to light the walking path. Everyone gathered inside the historic Cullman Train Depot building to learn some county history and get a preview of the tour.

The tour started at the Depot, then traveled through the entertainment district and ended at the Cullman County Museum.

Along the way, guests heard tell of the massive winter storm that welcomed in the decade, Cullman’s soldiers and sailors in the war, the fire that resulted in the loss of a city school and the growth in Cullman after World War II ended.

The tour also highlighted three of Cullman’s most prominent residents during the decade:

• “Big” Jim Folsom: Governor of Alabama from 1947-1951 and 1955-1959, the first Alabama governor who resided in Cullman
• Finis St. John, Jr., often referred to as “Saint”: Attorney and Alabama state senator from 1939-1947. The St. John family holds the distinction of having four consecutive generations serving in statewide offices in Alabama.
• Annie Lola Price: Court reporter for the Eighth Judicial Circuit (1935-1947), the first woman to serve as a legal advisor to an Alabama Governor (1947-1951) and the first woman to serve on an Alabama appellate court (1951-1972)

Those interested in learning more about Cullman’s history can visit the Cullman County Museum at 211 Second Ave. NE. The museum is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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