Look Back ... to the fiery loss of Oxford's saddle company, 1949

July 15, 1949, in The Star: For nearly a decade cowboys in Texas have complimented the style and utility of a particular brand of saddle made right here in Oxford, at a plant on McPherson Street. But today the equipment and buildings of the Russell Saddle Company lie in scorched ruins. During the course of a four-hour blaze that broke out early this morning, exploding drums of oil severely hampered firefighting operations by more than 100 volunteers of the Oxford Fire Department and a fire company from Anniston. Yet J. Ralph “Doc” Russell, founder and owner of the saddle firm, says he’ll rebuild and resume production as quickly as he can. Russell’s home adjoined the factory, which employed about 30, and its contents were ruined, too. Some of Russell’s special-order saddles cost as much as $2,500. Also this date: Vernon Crossley, member of the Beavers YMCA campers’ group for which Joby Walker is counselor, was chosen as Honor Camper from more than four dozen other campers in the session which closed at Fort McClellan this morning. The award was made by the camp directors, Carlton Barnes and Homer Sparks, in a meeting of campers last night.

July 15, 1999, in The Star: The Alabama Department of Transportation wants to build a bypass around the town of Munford, but unlike folks in some other towns who clamor for bypasses, those in Munford are saying “Hang on, wait a minute there.” Today there’ll be a discussion of the plans among residents and transportation department officials about how ALDOT wants to build a road that skirts Munford and bypasses the section of Alabama 21 that runs through there. Talladega County Commissioner Duane Stephens said he would rather the state build a four-lane road through the middle of town. “If this [bypass] goes through, it’s going to kill Munford proper,” Stephens said.