It hadn’t changed much since 1958. Six bar stools. A small counter to eat. One barbecue pit became two. An antique sign near the door for Sunbeam Bread. A clump of oak tree outside. A spring nearby. A red slab and cinder block.
Now, Mary’s Pit Barbeque will have to change dramatically, if it continues at all.
A fire Thursday desecrated Mary’s.
The old-fashioned Southern-style pit barbeque was located in Maysville, a community in east Madison County inside the Huntsville city limits. It was once rural, but the growing Huntsville area changed that.
The owning Toney family posted on Facebook Friday:
Our family is heartbroken by the fire that occurred at Mary’s in the early morning hours. The building is a total loss, but we are incredibly grateful that no one was injured. Early indications suggest the fire may have started due to a space heater or an electrical issue in one of the front rooms, though we are awaiting the results of the investigation.
The Pit, built by my grandfather, Clinton Toney and Mr. George “Friday” Woodard, in 1958, has been at the heart of our family and community for 67 years. To wake up today and find it gone is beyond words. This small red building was more than just a place—it was where we made countless memories together as a family, serving our beloved community the best barbecue we could offer. These memories will stay with us forever.
Please keep us in your prayers as we navigate this overwhelming loss in the days ahead.
With gratitude,
The Toneys
One of the original founders, Mary Toney, lived until August 2014 (age 98). She is the namesake for which the business is named. Mary Toney had retired from the U.S. Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal. She and her husband, Clinton Toney, had the building built in 1957-1958.
Mary’s Pit Barbecue was admitted to the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.
There has been no announcement as to any plans for rebuilding.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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