Sweetwater Cleanup Saturday

 

Tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. will mark the second in a series of cleanups at the Gov. Robert Patton Home, aka John Weeden Home, aka Sweetwater. Wear work clothes and be prepared to sign a waiver.

The home is located at 1050 Sweetwater Avenue just off Florence Boulevard:

*****

Several have mentioned trying to propagate the buxus in the above photo. While they're certainly not ready yet, if you have any cuttings or full-grown shrubs that you would like to donate, the restoration group would be deeply appreciative farther down the road.

The hardworking core committee, local history lovers, Shoalanda, and Sweet Wolf thank you!

The Fate of the Weeden Home (Sweetwater)? - Part I

 

Recently we've seen several ask where or what is Sweetwater Mansion. Why don't they know? For years, everyone referred to the old manse as the Weeden Home. Did calling it a real mansion help save it? It would seem that it has not.

First a little about the edifice from Ripples:

Part I - Genesis

Where does the history of Sweetwater Mansion begin? Certainly the land on which the venerable home sits has a much longer history, but for the purposes of this account we'll begin with the foundations of the building itself. John Brahan, who served as a major general in the War of 1812, owned the land the Indians had called Sweetwater and began construction of the two story, eight room house in 1828. When Brahan died of pneumonia six years later, the house had risen only to the sills of the first floor windows.

Despite a historical marker adjacent to Florence Boulevard, and despite what publicists for the current owner Susan Leigh Smithson have reported, John Brahan never lived in the home before his death. Brahan willed the property to his son Maj. Robert Brahan. The younger Brahan chose not to reside on the plantation and traded the estate to his sister's husband, Robert Miller Patton. Robert and Jane Patton finished the home in 1835 and became the first family to reside there.


Part II - The Pattons & Weedens

Gov. Robert Miller Patton and his wife Jane Locke Brahan Patton lived in the plantation house at Sweetwater for many years. After their deaths, the mansion passed to their daughter Martha Hayes Patton and her husband Col. John David Weeden.

John David Weeden and Martha Patton Weeden resided in the home until their demise, at which time their son John Dowling Weeden and his wife Jessie Ora Earthman Weeden took possession of the mansion, now almost universally known as the Weeden Home. John, who died in 1960, and Jessie, who followed in 1972, had one child. Their daughter Elizabeth married James Minton and chose not to live on the family plantation.

Now the home that had sheltered the Patton-Weeden families for 138 years became part of what was known as the John D. Weeden Estate. In 1976, the Patton-Weeden home was added to the National Register of Historic Places, a distinctly different designation than that of a Federal Landmark.


In today's world, the eight room home with no kitchen and only the smallest of bathrooms is hardly a mansion. That hasn't stopped many from calling the Weeden Home such a grandiose structure.

In 2009, several interests collided. The caretaker had died, the Florence Historical Board was looking into ways of saving the home, and several rushed in to provide their brand of salvation to an owner who was mainly interested in money. The asking price had risen to nine million dollars.

A board was formed, with several of the members being high school students. In fact one of these former students is reclining in a jail cell as you read this. Others on the board soon saw how little was being accomplished and left. Only one attempted to inform the public.

The entire circus devolved into art lessons for children with a convicted rapist assisting. That rapist is currently doing his third stretch in the state prison system. Does anyone see a trend here? The engine that pushed the renovations was quickly running out of fuel and produced only sputters.

Then the sputtering stopped. Nothing was happening. In 2019, there was a new realtor and new ghost hunters. The Ghost Girls from Cullman briefly entered the picture, but to no avail:

With no buyer on the horizon, things remained quiet for several more years until last Spring. By then, magician Robert Simone was calling himself the caretaker, but what did the old home look like after four more years of decay? Snaps from April 2023:

Then the property sold.

To be continued...

Sweetwater (Weeden Home) Sold

 

The Weeden Home, aka Sweetwater Mansion, has a long and checkered local history. From a blog seeking a buyer:

John Brahan, who served as a major general in the War of 1812, owned the land the Indians had called Sweetwater and began construction of the two story, eight room house in 1828. When Brahan died of pneumonia six years later, the house had risen only to the sills of the first floor windows.

Despite a historical marker adjacent to Florence Boulevard, and despite what publicists for the current owner Susan Leigh Smithson have reported, John Brahan never lived in the home before his death. Brahan willed the property to his son Maj. Robert Brahan. The younger Brahan chose not to reside on the plantation and traded the estate to his sister's husband, Robert Miller Patton. Robert and Jane Patton finished the home in 1835 and became the first family to reside there.

Gov. Robert Miller Patton and his wife Jane Locke Brahan Patton lived in the plantation house at Sweetwater for many years. After their deaths, the mansion passed to their daughter Martha Hayes Patton and her husband Col. John David Weeden.

John David Weeden and Martha Patton Weeden resided in the home until their demise, at which time their son John Dowling Weeden and his wife Jessie Ora Earthman Weeden took possession of the mansion, now almost universally known as the Weeden Home. John, who died in 1960, and Jessie, who followed in 1972, had one child. Their daughter Elizabeth married James Minton and chose not to live on the family plantation.

By the autumn of 2009, the building had been abandoned for some time. There were ghost stories and tours. There were reports of an asking price of six to eight million and an onsite werewolf (that was not said in jest).

Is Sweetwater a Crime?

Approximately three weeks ago, rumors began to circulate on Facebook that the old home had sold. One such post was from a real estate agent; however, we were unable to ascertain any other facts.

At this point, we do have confirmation that a sale has taken place. Unconfirmed reports indicate the buyer was an out of town company. If we are able to verify any additional aspects, we will publish them here.

Sweetwater Repeats Itself?

 

In the past we've used our Aunt Jane powers to make comparisons of various social phenomena from today's world and the past. Let's go back ten or so years to the debacle that was "Sweetwater Mansion."

1. Two women with separate agendas find each other (you know from the start that this won't end well).

2. The two women see a chance to combine to do something for the public good or fame or both.

3. The women recruit some solid citizens, and some not so solid, to help advance their agenda.

4. Seeing the need and opportunity, the group then recruits some eager young people who believe they can be saviors of their community.

5. The group meets opposition and supporters become disillusioned. 

6. The group gradually fades away as the two women bicker with each other over control. 

Does this sound like anything happening today?

We Don't Want to See You Half-Naked!!!

And Now a Word about the Uppity Sweetwater Plantation Owner

Almost anyone can have almost anything in life if they’re willing to give up enough…you know, things like integrity, friends, family. Need money? File false insurance claims. Or use others’ names for lines of credit. Or simply don’t pay bills to those who don’t have the resources to take you to court. Easy, isn’t it?

Want to feel better about yourself? There’s no need to actually accomplish anything worthwhile in life. You can just put others down so that you’re automatically lifted higher by comparison—sort of like shopping at Walmart when you’re feeling ugly and dowdy.

People who behave this way are called sociopaths. We’ve certainly written enough here about such people, usually “bad boys.” We’ve also written about two such women. One is currently in the court system in four Alabama counties and claiming mental illness for all her problems in life. She may be correct in that claim, but she has hurt countless individuals and essentially stolen thousands of dollars from the taxpayers of Alabama.

The second woman is a former Shoals resident who has been involved in dubious business deals her entire life in order to live a lavish lifestyle. Now it seems many of her airborne castles are crumbling.

*****

*****

After listing the Weeden Home and the surrounding Sweetwater Plantation for nine million dollars several years ago, owner Susan Leigh Smithson has been uncharacteristically quiet in recent times. Now she’s listed the historical…and valuable…estate for only four million. Why? A reader sent us this:

If you want to read into something interesting go look up the civil RICO case Smithson is fighting in Atlanta that mandated the sale of this property.

King & Spalding is the firm that brought the case against Smithson on behalf of a seamstress who's identity Smithson hijacked to open lines of credit for her "business" that changes names more often than a normal person changes underwear. Her counsel, Donald Cook, has recently been sanctioned and fined a hefty sum for his involvement in covering up her illegal activity.

She's an awful human being who has ruined the lives of countless people including her own family and despite countless attempts to bring her to justice she has successfully eluded all of them. Why the federal government hasn't stepped in at this point to cart her off to jail is beyond me.

Susan’s business in the fashionable Atlanta suburb of Buckhead isn’t doing so well either:

Smithson says someone stole her identity when they published the above FB message. We’re guessing Smithson found out that it was a civil matter (several individuals in the Shoals found out the same when some of Smithson’s cronies used their names on blogs to sully their character), so she added a criminal element of assault.

No matter Smithson’s racial beliefs or interest/non-interest in historical preservation, if a court is making Smithson sell property in order to pay debts, she will sell Sweetwater plantation. The land is designated commercial, and whatever business, or church, purchases the land, the old home will be razed.

At one time there was a group of local citizens attempting to raise money to purchase the plantation, but they haven’t been active in some time. Can the Weeden Home be saved? Don’t bet the rent.

Belle Foods: Competition for Publix?

Many Shoals residents can't wait for Publix to open its doors to the promised land of fresh and exotic groceries, but newcomer Belle Foods is determined to make a dent in their market. Between Halloween and Thanksgiving, three local markets will be rebranded Belle Foods. Belle purchased the parent company of Bruno's, Southern Market, Food World, and Piggly Wiggly (select franchises).

Expect to see Florence and Muscle Shoals Food Worlds not only turn purple and green, Belle's trademark colors, but to completely overhaul the limited selections the chain had come to be known for the past few years. Some Belle stores even furnish a staffed nursery where mothers can drop their little ones while they shop; no word yet on the availability of that option in the Shoals. We hope Belle Foods lives up to its press--certainly many of us don't look forward to a weekly trek onto the parkway and its ubiquitous traffic signals just to purchase groceries.

*****

Two sets of rumors, but no one seems to know even who's on first. There are apparently no plans for Halloween festivities at the Weeden Home this year. We will revert to calling Sweetwater Plantation, or what's left of it, by its common name since owner Susan Leigh Smithson has completely disbanded the committee that had been in charge of these events for the past two years. Readers have asked if there are pending lawsuits. While there may be, we have found no record of any filed in Lauderdale County. If any readers have updates, please send them our way.

A second set of questions concerns the shooting of Jesse Rainey at Crooked Oak. We're sure rumors abound for many reasons; it seems no two news sources are reporting the same facts in the case. Even the number of youths present (8 or 9) at the unsupervised house party is in question. We have a contact in the Colbert County Sheriff's office and will post an update as soon as we can verify some of the information we've received.

*****

Shoalanda

Volunteers: Sweetwater v. Chopping Cotton?

 Designer Natalie Chainin

"Chopping cotton" is not a term frequently heard today. Thanks to modern herbicides, farmers no longer have to chop down the weeds in cotton fields, saving time and labor. Yet herbicides are a two-edged sword--they often destroy much more than the intended weeds and cause other environmental problems. That's where organic farming comes in.

Currently there's an organic cotton field in north Alabama, and local designers Natalin Chanin and Billy Reid have requested help in weeding this cotton field. That request resulted in some questions from our readers. Just how did we feel about this? Isn't that similar to the once frequent requests for local volunteers to restore Sweetwater Manison, aka the Weeden Home?

It's not even close. Those who volunteer to help chop cotton for these two designers will be given an exclusive tee-shirt designed by Chanin and an invitation to a season-end party thrown by the two local clothing czars. We consider that pretty good pay for helping with this project, plus we understand several who have already participated have lost weight in the process. 

Those who requested help at Sweetwater were doing so in order to restore a privately owned home, a home that had deteriorated due to neglect from this same owner. There were always questions about those who organized this project and just where the money went. It's our understanding that the committee has now disbanded at the request of the owner, who failed to take in the tremendous sums promised by the committee chairwoman. She also reportedly had concerns over the property being used for private parties. Earlier this year the committee threw a going away party for one of its members; that seems to have been the last straw for owner Susan Leigh Smithson.

On the committee's side, a former member has told us those who paid for needed items out of their own pocket were never reimbursed. That hardly comes as any surprise.

What do we predict for the Weeden Home? Unless Smithson can find a buyer, we see a bleak future for the ante-bellum house that will surely fall into even more disrepair.

*****

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WATCH PARTY

Thursday, September 6, 2012

8 p.m.

Shoals Democratic Headquarters

1529 Broadway, Sheffield

(between McDonald's and the Kia Dealership)

Join us in watching President Obama's Acceptance Speech.

Finger foods will be served. The public is invited.

Valuable information and handouts will be available.

Shoalanda

Local News: A Lost Cause Says Rheta Johnson

Do you love to read Rheta Grimsley Johnson? We do. No, we don't always agree with her ultra liberal politics, but we deeply appreciate her down home writing. After all, she hangs her hat in Iuka, so she has to be someone worth reading. Her column this week concerned the loss of printed news four days a week in Mobile, Birmingham, and Huntsville. Like Ms. Johnson, we lament the actions of the Newhouse group that owns these former bastions of print.

What we didn't agree with was her take on lost local news. She compared news gathering via Twitter to sending a cocker spaniel to purchase groceries. We say: Thank God for blogs and local Internet magazines. Let's look at some local stories the TimesDaily either failed to cover or dropped the ball on.

* Most recently, our local rag failed to mention the UNA candidate in the Miss Alabama contest. How does something like that happen? Wait...we know. The one-size-fits-all article was written in Decatur where they apparently think the Shoals is some mythical parallel universe.

* Local Colbert County Commission candidate Troy Woodis was recently profiled in The Connection concerning his wage garnishments. After the online magazine leaked the story, the TD did something of a follow-up and referred to the original source as "social media" while leading readers to believe the garnishment was totally for unpaid business purchases. Didn't they think it was important that Woodis also owed thousands in back child support?

* Former Lexington resident Keith McGuire lost his teaching license last year after the Alabama Board of Education declared him guilty of rape, among other things, and morally unfit to teach. You would have thought since his rape trial had been held in Lauderdale County that the TD would have covered this. Nope.

* The death of acclaimed local writer Margaret Phillips? No, nothing on that from the TD.

* The death of former TD editor Fred Dillon? We believe you're smart enough to have guessed no TD coverage on that one either.

The above are just some examples of the TD's failure to report. There are many more of the TotallyDecatur's production of some highly sanitized versions of important news stories. In other words, if you think cheerleading is only present in athletic venues, think again.

*****

We've added Brave Mable to our sidebar today. Mable is the artistic offspring of Amy Collins. If you missed Amy's blog on Walmart, be sure to check it out: Link

We've also added a Flickr link to some very telling photographs of the Sweetwater ruins taken 14 months ago.



Shoalanda

Alabama Senate Bill 5/Justin Joins a Select Club

It's amazing that the Alabama Senate has chosen to decree when life begins. We doubt many of our senators could state the date summer will officially arrive; however, that's not the theme of today's blog. We're going to play along with our illustrious state lawmakers and stipulate that life does begin at fertilization.

Our state senate says they in no way wish to outlaw in vitro fertilization, but that illustrious body must realize not all fertilized eggs are implanted into the would-be mother. So...what happens to these mini-lives?

1. The parents could choose to donate their fertilized eggs to another childless couple, but we doubt this happens often since most people don't wish for others to raise their biological children.

2. A lab worker/owner decides to discard the embryos.

3. A long-term power outage destroys the embryos.

4. The world ends in some manner. (We predict the second coming of Christ at some point, but if you prefer, it could be caused by a collision with a rogue comet named Bubba Ho-Tep. Scientists are after all entitled to a sense of humor.)

Let's go with option number two--a medical enterprise has gone bankrupt and no longer has the means to store the frozen embryos. Will you and I as taxpayers have to pay for a new home for these microscopic cells? Think about it. Someone has to...

*****

Note: If you don't give a flip about the latest antics of the Sourwater Gang, feel free to skip to the next item.

First it was E.T., then Trader. More recently it was D.K. Now it seems our regular commenter Justin has been included in one of Sweetwater's staple replies. No, gentle readers, Justin doesn't exist. He's just a figment of someone's imagination--just someone who was created with the intent to defame the wonder workers who have done so much to restore Florence's long-neglected ante bellum mansion. Yes, several associated with one of the weirdest blogs known to man have pronounced Justin a little man who isn't there.

A quote from the blog where he is misidentified as "Jason:" Obviously, I have another admirer disguised as a hater calling themselves ‘Jason’.  While I am relatively certain ‘Jason’ is not their real name and whoever it is probably is not even a man but yet another woman...

We don't know if Justin is our friend's real name or not. That does not make him any less real. While Justin doesn't always agree with us, he has always been a gentleman and provided interesting food for thought--all in all a worthy debate opponent. We're thinking of requesting these four men offer a reply to their detractors. When is Sweeps Week for blogs anyway?

*****

Yesterday, we reported that J. J. Common was among the first 126 arrested in Franklin County during a widespread drug sting. While Common was among those arrested, he was in the Franklin County jail having been returned from the Limestone Correctional Facility for a hearing on his December 2011 kidnapping charges. We're happy to make that correction for our Franklin County contacts, and happier still that he was not back on the streets.



Shoalanda

Doers Actually Get Something Accomplished...Eventually

Rear of Weeden Home

You've probably heard the old joke: There are two kinds of people in the world--those who divide the world into two kinds of people and those who don't. Today, we're going to divide the local population into four types:

1. Those who couldn't care less about the area's problems. Those who fall into this group ask what the area can do for them, not vice versa.

2. Those who really don't want to do any work, but want to take credit for any work that is done. If someone else does it and they get no credit for it, then it's wrong.

3. Those who have tried to help this area, but have become discouraged by those in Group 2.

4. Those who have (usually) had many false starts, but keep on trying until they actually accomplish something.

In yesterday's blog we honored local writer and filmmaker Thomas Beane as a local hero. We're sure Thomas has had many projects that didn't work out as intended or are still in the editing stage due to unanticipated problems. That's life. To his credit, Thomas Beane has many completed projects that have greatly benefited the Shoals and will continue to do so for years to come.

One of Thomas' most noteworthy projects is his video on Sweetwater Mansion, aka the Weeden Home. Thomas made the video while a student at the University of North Alabama, long before owner Susan Leigh Smithson allowed Cynthia Johnson to act as "Director," but now a certain group who has recently taken to Shoals cyber space has denigrated Thomas' work, calling him a trespasser at best. Let's look at some recent dialogue:

Click to Enlarge

"Carmen" asks if "you people" ever tell the truth. We're not exactly sure to whom she's referring, but we can see that Thomas has been accused of trespassing. How did Thomas reply to such a statement?

"I could care less about the issues surrounding Sweetwater or the community division between the various groups. I also have no interest in attacking people in public or private. However, I do have an interest in defending myself. My name is Thomas Beane. I did do a film project with a production crew at Sweetwater for a class that I had at the University . I did not trespass onto the property. I would not even agree to any subject within the film until I had permission and cooperation. I had permission from Charlotte Dean at Cypress Realty, who was under contract and had the listing for the property at the time. I contacted her to receive permission, which was granted. She also provided a CD copy of interior pictures for our use, which I picked up at her office. On the day that we filmed, Florence Police Department responded to a call at the property, someone had seen us at the gate. An officer came out. I talked to him about why we there and told him about the project. I provided the name of the realtor and the officer called her office. After talking with her, he left. All of this was recorded on both the radio transmission log and documented at the police department in the shift log. I discussed all of this with Cynthia Johnson and we agreed that there was no foul committed. We resolved the issue for all parties involved. I did not talk to Smithson because I did not have to do so. The property was under contract with a realtor, as I mentioned. Mrs. Dean did not give me permission the first day that I called. She called me back. As to whether she talked to anyone about it, I would refer that question to her. I have no reason to believe that Mrs. Dean did not have the right to provide such permission. The project was never intended to be a commercial project nor has it been marketed as such. It was an educational project. Anyone who claims that anything other than this happened does so without knowing the facts of the matter. I met Glass while doing this project. I have maintained the same professional relationship that I do with anyone that I have worked, which are many. I do not know who writes the different blogs nor am really interested in participating in such. If someone has proof that I did this project illegally or if Mrs. Smithson has questions about my one-time interaction with the property, I encourage them to contact me directly. I will be glad to provide contradictory evidence. 

"For the record, I have never been inside of Sweetwater. I asked Charlotte Dean about the interior. She stated that it was unsafe, so she provided the disk with the interior pictures.

"I want to add that I offered the use of rights to the video to Cynthia Johnson to sell with all profits benefiting the Sweetwater restoration project. She stated that she would like to do that if they could figure out the best way to incorporate it into the fund drive. She also offered me a position working with the restoration project. These offers were made approx. one and a half to two years ago. I had to decline her offer because I am the primary caregiver for my disabled mother, which requires priority in my time. I have not heard back from her on the video matter. As far as I am aware in relation to the three phone conversations that I have had with Cynthia Johnson, there exists no conflict between myself and anyone official associated with Sweetwater or the restoration drive. So I find the above comments involving me surprising and false."

Once again, thank you, Thomas, for all you do for the Shoals area.

Shoalanda

Tommy Arthur in His Own Words (You Tube)

This 1988 interview with Geraldo Rivera has just recently been posted to You Tube. At approximately 38 minutes into the program, twice convicted murderer Tommy Arthur makes an appearance. Tommy does what he seems to do best--attempts to manipulate the truth. During his interview with Geraldo, he claims the killing of the sister of his girlfriend/common-law wife was actually manslaughter. Just for the record, shooting someone in the right eye at close range is not usually manslaughter.

Why does Arthur have so many supporters? We're guessing those who defend him have not investigated either his past or the circumstances of his crime. In his latest attempt at manipulation, he again stresses that another man confessed to killing Troy Wicker. Could it be true?

Obviously anything could be true, but not too many 15 year-old boys frequent bars, strike up romances with women in their 30s, and agree to kill their husbands. We find it sad that so many convicted murderers in Alabama who have rededicated their lives to God are executed, while Tommy Arthur serves a more sinister master and continues to live.

*****

We haven't had a local hero in quite some time. Today we wish to confer that title on Thomas Beane. We recently featured Beane's excellent blog, but Thomas is also well-known as a filmmaker. Thomas has used his abilities to aid in preservation of local landmarks, most notably with a video produced at Sweetwater Plantation under the auspices of the University of North Alabama. Thank you, Thomas, for all you do for the Shoals area.

Related post: The King of Castle Rock



Shoalanda

Tricks & Treats 2011

First some tricks. We've certainly had them the past few days concerning Sweetwater. In today's TimesDaily, our infamous local ghost hunter Robert Simone was quoted as saying he has encountered a ghost named Silverman who purchased the property in 1914:

The Simones said they have recorded voices in the house, including one that answered “Silverman” when asked for a name. They later checked the house’s land deeds and discovered someone whose last name is Silverman was deeded the property about 1914.

“So the people who loved this place, they’re still here,” Robert Simone said.

Since it's common knowledge that the Patton/Weeden families owned the property until Mrs. Jessie Weeden's passing c. 1973, we're curious as to how a person named Silverman purchased the property in 1914. Considering Simone is a former stage magician, perhaps he sees his current job/hobby as another form or entertaining the public where he may say whatever pops into his mind?

*****

Another trick comes from "Sweetwater Mansion" itself:


So, Sweetwater doesn't want street corner preachers on their property, but will send them to disrupt a local ghost tour?

*****

Now, for some treats. If you or your child hasn't read our Halloween ghost story, we invite you to do so. This is the third year that we have presented it, and at least one reader tells us it has become a tradition in their family.

Beans & Judge Horton

*****

A Little Dracula for Ya

*****

Local Halloween Nostalgia

Shoalanda Says Boo!

Readers' Questions on Sweetwater Mansion

The following are questions sent to us by readers. We have attempted to answer each one to the best of our ability...

Q. Isn't Sweetwater tax exempt, or won't it be?
A. It is not and cannot be as long as it is in private hands with no real board of directors. If the owner did use the building as a museum, it could be made tax-exempt under the educational heading. It would not qualify if converted into a bed & breakfast.

Q. How many are/were on the Sweetwater Committee?
A. Besides the director, there were 14 original members of the committee. All but the director and two members have resigned.

Q. Isn't Sweetwater run by some civic club?
A. No. Realtor Martin Dean originally stated local civic and volunteer groups would be involved, but aside from a Jaycee booth during the Sweetwater Ghost Walk tours, no civic group has ever been involved.

Q. How did the current director come into that position?
A. According to a source close to the realtor, the owner was looking for someone to clean and maintain the home at a minimal level. The realtor put owner Susan Leigh Smithson in touch with Cynthia Johnson, who then volunteered to oversee the restoration at no cost using volunteers.

Q. Is the home now secure from further damage?
A. According to several who have been in the house, no. The upstairs and the basement have ongoing water damage and problems with mold.

Q. Is the family cemetery being restored?
A. A former Sweetwater committee member has just registered the family burial ground. She and other volunteers wish to work to restore the cemetery, but it remains to be seen if an arrangement can be worked out with the owner and the director.

Q. Have the director or current/past committee members been harassed or threatened for any reason?
A. If they have, there have been no police reports filed. There have been intruders on the property, most looking for copper wiring or other items which could be easily sold.

Q. Does all money from tours/events go toward restoration?
A. No, our sources say much goes toward the utilities (alarm systems), taxes, and other continuing expenses not involved in restoration.

Q. Is the property still for sale?
A. The property is not now officially on the market, but it obviously could be sold at any time.

Q. Does anyone actually think there's a werewolf at Sweetwater or is that all for show?
A. Sadly, we've been told the director does believe in such creatures and does maintain that one lives at Sweetwater.

There, you have it--everything you've always wanted to know about Sweetwater Mansion; however, with fall fast approaching, we're sure new revelations will surface.

*****

For additional history of Sweetwater: Ripples from Sweetwater Mansion



Shoalanda

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part IV

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part IV

A Guest Commentary By

Sarah Savant

Things actually went very well for the living history event, and some of us decided to spend the night at Sweetwater. There were only volunteers present, and we were having fun playing with some of the ghost hunting equipment. At least it was fun until two of the committee members got into an argument that turned nasty very quickly.

One of the two involved was my friend who had helped me with Sweetwater's history. She resigned the next morning and most of us were extremely upset. We thought that Cynthia Johnson as director should do something about it. Instead, Cynthia acted as if nothing odd or out of the way had happened. I then decided to distance myself from the project, only dropping by if someone I knew well was going to be there.

Some time later I received a phone call from this friend who had been "thrown under the bus." She had heard that someone was taking up money for Sweetwater at First Fridays and asked that I go with her to the next event and see what we could find out. Before we could go, I heard that Cynthia was accusing me and still another former committee member of being the ones who were collecting the funds. I decided to call Cynthia to ask why she was accusing us. She told me she had received a description of the pair and they sounded much like my male friend and me.

I still love Sweetwater and want it to be restored. I don't know what it will take, but I honestly and sincerely believe that Cynthia Johnson is holding the project back. Volunteers don't stay long and no real work is ever done. If exposing what is really going on at Sweetwater will help, I feel that I have finally accomplished something.

*****

This concludes "Sarah's" account of her experiences volunteering for Sweetwater. We want to commend her for her attempts to help the once great mansion and her coming forward to reveal the truth about the supposed restoration.

Tomorrow we'll have some questions, answers, and other comments about the events that have taken place over the past two years at Sweetwater. Please feel free to send us any questions you may have.



Shoalanda

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part III

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part III

A Guest Commentary By

Sarah Savant

I looked up the number for Miz Scarletts in Atlanta, called, and asked to speak to Susan. I was told Susan was at fashion week in Paris. This was early in January, and I knew the only shows in Paris at that time were haute couture and men's fashion. What prom dress store owner would be invited to something like that? I started laughing, but I did manage to say I worked at Sweetwater and gave them a false name.

Apparently I still gave store personnel too much information because it was only about five minutes later that Cynthia Johnson called me. It seems Susan had called her and was livid. How had I found her "private number?" She related that Susan didn't take calls because she got death threats, was involved in lawsuits, and the list just went on an on. I don't know what any of Susan's personal problems had to do with me, but if I had problems with Cynthia before, I really had them now.

She began telling other volunteers that I was out to get her and wanted her "job." At first I just shook it off, but then something happened that I couldn't just overlook. Cynthia was always relating things using her self-proclaimed psychic abilities, but now she began to tell others that she had a vision of me in the future and in this vision I was being raped.

When I heard this I was angry beyond words; I was sick to my stomach. When I confronted Cynthia she told me she was only concerned for my well being. Apparently she wasn't concerned enough to come to me privately and tell me this. What should I do? I didn't want to be around Cynthia any more, but I really loved Sweetwater, so I decided to stay at least until the Living History Days in April.

I wanted to be sure the stories told during the program were accurate, but Cynthia had her own version of things leading up to the actual event. If anyone ever asked about Susan, Cynthia told them that Smithson was in London working on Kate Middleton's dress for the royal wedding. I wish I could say she was joking, but she was completely serious. If this didn't kill any interest I had in the project, what happened next did.

*****

Well, we can hardly wait for the final installment. Designing Waity Katie's wedding dress? You'd think that would be up there with Jeff Dowdy behind enemy lines in Afghanistan or Hank Klibanoff winning a Pulitzer Prize. Oh, we get it. The TimesDaily just didn't report on it because Susan Leigh Smithson is a woman. Yeah, that must be it.



Shoalanda

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part II

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part II

A Guest Commentary By

Sarah Savant

Sweetwater's director Cynthia Johnson liked to paint a perfect picture of the supposedly wealthy owner. She never spoke of Susan Smithson without mentioning her great wealth, but by October of 2010, we began considering the source. We soon saw that Susan didn't pay for anything related to the house. Her mother Edith Smithson paid the bills, and we also soon learned that the money earned from any events was paid directly to Susan's mother.

At first I thought this looked shady, but Cynthia said Mrs. Smithson paid the utilities and taxes for Susan. When I asked Cynthia why the plantation hadn't received tax exempt status, she told me she had sent the paperwork to Susan's mother who had lost it. I didn't ask after that.

I did talk with two other volunteers who had similar stories about the finances at the mansion, but there was never a great deal of money involved. I would guesstimate less than four thousand was taken in each year the mansion was open to the public. Still, we thought this money should have gone to restoration rather than to pay Susan's electric or tax bill. We began to think the mansion would never be restored with Cynthia as director.

As the tours took shape, Cynthia told us stories of the original land owner, Gen. John Brahan, practicing voodoo in the basement and other ghost tales which she seemed to relish. About this time I became friends with another local historian who worked there. She shared her knowledge of Mr. McDonald's history of Sweetwater and also many things she had discovered through her own research. She was in possession of some writings of Jane Patton and other first hand material from that era. The two stories were so different, and Cynthia's was so unbelievable.

I began to use the story told to me by my friend when I led the tours, rather than the more lurid voodoo story that Cynthia had told me to relate. Cynthia then began to follow me around during the tours and "correct" me. I was becoming more and more disenchanted, but Cynthia told me in late October that massive restoration work was set to begin in early December.

I knew that Cynthia had promised this before, but I hoped this time it was true. When I returned to the home after Christmas break, again absolutely nothing had been done. It was then that I decided to call owner Susan Leigh Smithson...

*****

We had quite a response to yesterday's account of the Sweetwater director's vision of a werewolf in a volunteer's photos. According to local author Debra Glass:

That woman told me a story for my first book that I plan to remove on my next printing - and that won't be soon enough! She said there was a werewolf that lived in her house. I put her tale in the book but regret it. That was my Uncle Lee Stutts' house and I feel the story sullied the memory of what a fascinating man he was.

...and meter readers contend they're afraid of dogs.



Shoalanda

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part I

The Sweetwater Mansion Debacle - Part I

A Guest Commentary By

Sarah Savant

All my life I've been surrounded by people who volunteer to improve the community. I've always worked with various well-established school clubs and when I volunteered to work with Sweetwater Mansion, I expected it to be the same. I couldn't have been more wrong.

My first day as a volunteer was in the middle of August, and the director immediately handed me a camera and told me to take photos inside the house and on the grounds. Cynthia Johnson told me she was specifically looking for orbs that would suggest a ghostly presence. I do believe in ghosts, but I had volunteered to help restore the mansion, not take snapshots of what Ms. Johnson wanted to prove was on the property.

Nevertheless, I followed her instructions, and several of us volunteers took photos for Cynthia. After we finished up, Cynthia told one young man he had captured the image of a werewolf in his photos. She then proceeded to show off what she called her psychic powers by offering predictions to our group. My friends and I thought the whole set up was odd, but we believed that the director really cared about the house so her behavior didn't bother us that much at the time.

When we returned in October to begin the tours, we found that absolutely nothing had been done to restore the old home. These things take time and money, so we told ourselves "Rome wasn't built in a day." Cynthia told us that restoration would begin in earnest in early December, and we still had no real reason to doubt her.

As Cynthia began to tell us about the history of the house, she mentioned she had been William McDonald's personal assistant at one time. We found this impressive, but then she continued to tell us about Susan Leigh Smithson, the property's owner. According to Cynthia, Ms. Smithson had been a high fashion model in her younger days and was now a fashion designer. I consider myself pretty fashion savvy and had never heard of Ms. Smithson, so I decided to Google her when I returned home. I found that Susan owned a shop in Atlanta that specialized in prom dresses and she had some odd comments and reviews attached to her name.

Things definitely weren't adding up. I was left to wonder just what other statements we needed to take with a grain of salt...

Tomorrow: Part II (Things begin to deteriorate rapidly.)

*****

Yes, it only gets odder, folks. Many thanks to "Sarah" for sharing her experiences. Stay tuned...



Shoalanda

Who Is Behind Sweetwater Mansion? (A Re-Blog from O.B.)

Yesterday O.B.'s Corner blogged concerning some personal attacks the writer received from Sweetwater Mansion's Social Media Adviser Dot Bowers, aka D. J. Bowers. Since we are about to begin a multi-part expose' written by a former volunteer at Sweetwater, we are publishing slightly edited parts of O.B.'s comments as an introduction:

I just wanted to share a couple of the things I had gotten in messages and let you judge for yourself. I cannot make your minds up for you but it is my belief that the house is not in good hands. That has been my whole purpose in trying to let people know about what is going on. Apparently some people either do not care or are just so wrapped up in the history, they are blind or brainwashed.

With that said…here are a few snippets and my personal response to them. You can click on the snippets to enlarge them.

I took this as a personal threat from Sweetwater. Real classy.

First of all, I don’t blog on Ripples. Although I have commented on it. And in this case, the promise is nothing more than a threat wrapped in toilet paper. And me taking the fall? That and back off are two more threats as far as I’m concerned. But Dorkus Jane is correct, I don’t know her. Nor do I want to.

I have never posted her mother's name on my blog. Matter of fact I didn’t even know it. This is the only blog I do. People need to get their facts straight before running off at the mouth. Oh, and Ms. Drama? I have a life and a job. Thanks anyway for your concern.

So you see? This is what is leading the Sweetwater/Weeden mansion. This is the kind of people that are overseeing the goings on at the historical home that continues to lie in shambles. Would you want your child or yourself for that matter to be associated with this kind of temperament? Only you can answer that for yourself. I’ve been accused of trespassing there and even knocking on one of the volunteer's door. Amazing.

And yet again…I get accused of something. I have never mentioned SW having a Twitter account. This is just more of the same garbage these people spew. A hate group? That’s laughable.

I wasn’t going to even blog this today. I was going to delete the whole thing and just let it go. But I think the public needs to know what the leadership at Sweetwater is doing.


You may click on any image to enlarge.

*****

What is the leadership at Sweetwater doing? Apparently very little according to the reports that have reached us. It was and still is our belief the old house and property will be sold if the owner receives what she considers the right offer. We will assume Susan Leigh Smithson would consider much less than the nine million asking price of record.

Most of the volunteers at the ostensible renovation/restoration of Sweetwater are college and high school students. Tomorrow we'll publish Part I of one such volunteer's experiences working with the current Sweetwater Committee.



Shoalanda

Ya Gets What Ya Pays Fer

We hope the reader who sent this item to us will forgive us using his line as our title today. It seems to fit both his news item and ours. From the regular reader:

A Birmingham based security company was recently in the Shoals area recruiting applicants for a security job at a local defense contractor. The positions require that the security officers placed must be able to possess a TOP SECRET security clearance. That's totally understandable, especially considering the nature of what is being made at the site. What ISN'T understandable is the rate of pay for these TOP SECRET security clearance positions: $8.35/Hr.

*****

Now we'll venture to Sweetwater Mansion, whose Facebook page had a busy weekend. Dorcas Bowers, the Sweetwater media committee member, is now warning attendees at First Fridays not to donate to those taking up money for the mansion's renovation--according to her, they aren't connected to anyone at Sweetwater.

Since one must have a permit to set up at First Fridays, it should be easy to narrow it down as to who is "illegally" collecting funds, if anyone. Our sources tell us that July was at least the second or third month at which collections jars/buckets were set up. It's nice to know that some of the Sweetwater committee wishes to know where this money is going, but they do not reveal how the money they collect is being used. We have had some interesting reports on this and will offer a blog in the near future. Those who have contacted us are concerned that the renovation is almost non-existent. Yes, Ya gets what ya pays fer.

*****

It's no secret that we here at Shoalanda are good friends with several local bloggers not connected with our own political blog. One of our favorite blogs is O.B.'s Corner. We have him linked and doubt that we have missed any of his offerings so far. So it comes as a shock to learn that the Sweetwater media czar, Dorcas Jane Bowers, has accused our friend of mentioning her 89 year-old mother in one of his columns. It also came as a shock to O.B. who knows nothing of Ms. Bowers' mother and states he has never referred to her in any manner.

Again, as much as we would like to see Sweetwater restored and in the right hands, we can't ethically promote the current committee who oversees the work, including fund raising. Ya gets what ya pays fer...and apparently that's not much. Apologies from Ms. Bowers are in order.



Shoalanda

Brahan-Patton Cemetery

If there is one thing everyone should agree on it's the necessity for preserving the past, especially cemeteries. Obviously many family cemeteries have been lost over the years, and many more have not been maintained. One cemetery to fall into the latter category is the burial ground located on the Sweetwater plantation east of Florence.

Until recently, the cemetery had gone to scrub. No matter what one may think of the methods being used to restore the plantation house or the cemetery, there has been some good to come from these efforts. As of July 1st, the Brahan/Patton/Weeden family cemetery has been declared the Brahan-Patton Cemetery by the Alabama Historical Commission. Surprisingly, the cemetery was submitted to the commission by an anonymous individual not connected to owner Susan Leigh Smithson or the current Sweetwater committee.

Will this make the property harder to sell to a business developer? My source believes that it will. Let's hope this is another step in finding an owner who will commit to the property's restoration. Collection jars at First Fridays don't go very far when millions are required...

*****

Looking at the official list of historic cemeteries in Alabama, it's surprising to note how few are from Lauderdale, Colbert, and Franklin. If you know of a cemetery that needs to be preserved or just listed, please visit this site:

Alabama Historical Commission - Cemeteries

Shoalanda