[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1098-E1099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE TOWN OF MILLRY, ALABAMA, ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 100TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2005

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Town of Millry, 
Alabama, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding.
  Millry was founded on June 2, 1905, incorporated in 1921, and the 
community's first election was held in 1922. Millry derived its name 
from ``Mill Creek,'' which ran almost directly through the center of 
the town and was a resource which contributed heavily to the 
community's development. Millry also took its name from the two grist 
mills and the saw mill located on the creek's fast-flowing waters. 
Settlers who came to the Millry area were attracted to the fishing at 
the state lake, the beautiful scenery of the stands of tall pine trees, 
and the green pastures.
  The first schools were run in local homes or in available buildings. 
In the early 1900s, a small school served by three teachers was 
constructed. Later, a two-story school building was constructed in 
1920, with the first graduating class marching in 1929. Additionally, 
in those early days, there was only a single church of the Methodist 
denomination which was built in 1910.

[[Page E1099]]

  The Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern (AT&N) Railroad was initially 
supposed to run near the town of Healing Springs, a thriving resort 
area near Millry. However, Mr. Pettus, the owner of the resort, refused 
to grant a right-of-way through his property for the railroad. As a 
result, in 1912 the route was moved one-and-a-half-miles east through 
the town of Millry. The location of the railroad station, being the 
nearest station to Healing Springs, was responsible for much of 
Millry's growth.
  It is not known when the town became more commonly referred to as 
Millry. However, postal records indicate that the first post office was 
established in Millry on May 21, 1859. Mr. James C. Warrick was the 
first postmaster. The first post office was located in Healing Springs 
from 1894 until the present post office in Millry was opened in 1905. 
Therefore, it is possible that Millry was a town or community as far 
back as 1859, but maps only show Millry in 1905. Regardless, Millry was 
by 1918 a booming community. The town's early businesses consisted of 
three stores, a two-story hotel, a blacksmith shop, a cotton gin and 
grist mill, a barber, a dentist and a doctor.
  The Citizen's Bank was established in the early 1920s but closed 
during the depression in 1930. By 1922, the Millry Baptist Church was 
organized in the school building with Reverend H.M. Mason as its pastor 
and with a congregation of 29 members. By 1960, a brick structure was 
constructed on the same site to replace the earlier structure.
  The current city hall was built during Mayor Carpenter's 
administration, and a water system and fire department were completed 
during Mayor Lamberth's administration.
  Mr. Speaker, the Town of Millry has experienced many changes over the 
past 100 years. Despite these sometimes difficult challenges, Millry 
remains one of the most attractive communities in the Washington County 
area. The nearly 800 residents of Millry, Alabama, are firmly rooted in 
their proud past, and continue to display an optimistic outlook on the 
future of their community. The hard work and devotion the leaders of 
the community have exhibited for the past 100 years has yielded a 
stable community that will be a continuing success.
  It is my hope the Town of Millry enjoys all the best of continued 
prosperity for the next one hundred years, and it is my distinct 
pleasure to represent this fine community in the United States House of 
Representatives.

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