The Last Picture Show

My journey can best be described as circuitous. I choose some random place and hope for the best. It's not chaotic but it could best be described as...well...random. I started in Calhoun County and worked my way south on Hwy 431. I started my ascent up the north side of Mount Cheaha (the highest point in Alabama at 2411') but it then levels out more or less to the gentle rolling hills of eastern Alabama. Not a lot to see really. Mostly countryside with the occasional house. But there's always a little bit of wheat in that chaffe if you pay attention. This was a good find as things of this nature go. A tiny little gas station in a hollow. Just a quite ordinary block structure with nothing that one could call adornments. But it had these two lovely gas pumps. They seemed quite well preserved considering how old they are. I suspect someone chose to preserve this as it was because they were in a bit pristine, if that's the appropriate word, condition. The elements, being the never ending masters of anything outdoors, were doing their best and I was happy to capture this tiny little monument to our transportation history. Further down the road was another example of an oasis in an agrarian wilderness.

The structure was more dilapidated than the Gulf station was. Mostly because it was made of wood. But this one had something special. Something I have not seen since I was a child. Back in the day few rural service stations had hydraulic lifts. You know what I'm talking about. The wide elevators for your car. The ones where some guy named "Charlie" or "Jack" or any other of a hundred names emblazoned on a patch on his uniform would walk under it and go "Hmmm" while you fretted how much this was going to cost. But back in the day there was a much cheaper alternative to the hydraulic lift. It was a steel structure standing about four feet tall with ramps and you drove up on it. It served the purpose but I can only imagine how many mechanics went home every night with an aching back. It was a neat find and I was happy to see one still existed.

As the day was drawing to a close I was, well, I don't want to say lost because guys don't get lost. We just drive till we find something that looks familiar. So I'll say unsure of my exact location. The road widened a bit and rolled into a little bit of civilization. But, being the impatient sort that I am, I saw the older part of town to my right. As good a place as any to venture to. As I made my way down the street I waved to the gentleman in overalls because he waved first. No clue who he was but suffice it to say he was from Alabama. We don't need a reason. Perhaps welcoming me to the little town of Roanoke. The downtown was small and most of the shops had since changed owners and specialties. Variety stores or a lawyer's office. A lot were abandoned. The highway had bypassed the town and as is usually the case the downtown had suffered. To their credit they had tried to spruce things up with some new sidewalks and streetlamps. I was going to pass on through until I saw it as I went by it. "Theatre". Yep. Theatre.

I asked a passing gentleman if it had a name and he just said they called it the "theatre". Alrighty then. Eventually I found out from the junk store two doors down that it was called the "Old Star Theatre". Don't hold me to that as that was what they remembered. But as you can see from the pictures I can understand why nobody remembered. Seems it burned in 1981 and now nothing but a hollow reminder of going to the movies in a grand scale movie house.

I don't know how old it originally was. From the looks of the brick on the inside it seemed quite old. There were the remnants of a massive balcony between me and the sky. I walked a ways into the shell of its former glory. This was one huge place. From the front of the building to the back wall had to be close to three hundred feet. I wondered what was showing the night it became a smoldering memory. So hence today's title "The Last Picture Show" as my images were the last.

I always feel a little melancholy when I see some of the majestic things we built and are no longer around. And I know time will not be kind to any of them. Especially the crumbling remains of what used to be. I love what I'm doing and grateful I can capture them while there's still time. Thank you for giving me a few moments of your time. I appreciate it more than you know. As always comments and suggestions of things I need to check out are always welcome.