Campers used the Old Country Store at Tannehill Ironworks State Park to register and pay. Children used it to buy candy. Adults used it for snacks, soft drinks and picnic supplies. It was the park's headquarters.
A fire early Wednesday morning destroyed the Old Country Store at Tannehill Park near McCalla in Jefferson County. The store manager reports that the store is a total loss.
Green Pond Fire chief Joseph Hall said firefighters responded to the park around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday after a camper leaving for work spotted the blaze and called 911. When firefighters arrived, the store was well involved in flames. McCalla Fire District also responded. Crews extinguished the fire and made sure the surrounding areas were safe.
Citizens living near the park reported on Facebook that they had heard an explosion about that time.
The next scheduled event at Tannehill which could be affected by the loss of the store is Trade Days on March 16-17. For updates on Tannehill activities, go here.
Tannehill Park is situated in three Alabama counties, Jefferson, Bibb and Tuscaloosa. It occupies 1,500 acres.
No one was present in or around the store at the time of the blaze, and no one was injured.
The Tannehill area is the setting for some of Alabama’s famous ghost stories. Will the general store fire, with no one present, be blamed on the ghosts?
Jim Zeigler is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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