Community celebrates highway dedications

A highway dedication ceremony June 9 honored two people who are critical figures in Franklin County History and brought together dozens of community members two celebrate those honorees.

The stretch of Highway 24 from the Mississippi state line to Belgreen was formally commemorated as the Tammy Wynette Highway, and the stretch of Highway 24 from Belgreen to Russellville will now be known as the David Morrow Highway. Friday’s dedication took place at Belgreen United Methodist Church at the intersection of Highway 187 and Highway 24 at 2 p.m.

The Tammy Wynette Highway was first dedicated in 1989 by then-Gov. Guy Hunt, and new signs are being erected on the new four lane Highway 24. Red Bay Museum director Scotty Kennedy recalled the occasion when Hunt called Wynette up on stage at one of her Red Bay benefit concerts and gave her the news of the dedication.

“She throws back her head, laughs and says, ‘I have two tickets on that road,’” Kennedy chuckled. “She said, ‘I’m glad it’s my highway now.’”

Wynette had four daughters, Gwen, Jackie, Tina and Georgette, who were all in attendance at Friday’s dedication, which was held the same weekend as the Tammy Wynette fan event The Gathering, held this year in Red Bay.

“We have so many good memories of being here, and it just reminds all of us of home,” Georgette said. “We didn’t grow up right here, but we felt like we did because this is where Mom wanted to come when she wanted to feel like she was home.”

Morrow was married to Lucille Vinson, and they had three children, Marvalene Morrow Stanphill, Julia Ann Morrow Weber and Horace Morrow, who were in attendance with their families at the dedication.

“This area got stagnant, and now it is coming to life,” Horace Morrow said. “Beautiful highway – beautiful people. Why not? … Northwest Alabama is the greatest area I’ve ever lived in, and I’ve lived in lots of places.”

Weber said she can remember the Highway 24 of old and how difficult it was to traverse, prior to being four-laned. She said it was a “great, great thing” to see her dad honored for his efforts in his community. “My dad worked very hard for his community, but he would not have wanted any of the glory,” she said. “He was a very deserving person.”

The dedication was also attended by local elected officials as well as Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow and U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt.