This Town only has 1 Traffic Light! 🚦🚜 - Geraldine, Alabama.

Read to hear what it's like living in Geraldine from the Mayor himself!

In partnership with

Today’s location honors the past and embraces the future! Take a look ⬇️

Today, we’ll set the scene with a little story from the Mayor of Geraldine himself, Chuck Ables, who was kind enough to take some time to talk with us.

“In January of 2023 a local man by the name of Hody Childress passed away at the age of 80. It was revealed at his funeral that in 2019 he asked our local Pharmacist, Brooke Walker, if she ever had anyone that could not pay for their medicine, and she said it happens a lot. He gave her $100 and told her to use that to help people that needed help but just say “it is a gift from God”. It was also revealed he continued to bring her $100 at the first of each month for four years. When it made the news people from all over the United States and beyond sent money for the Hody Childress Fund. Brooke began telling people to start something like that in their community. That is just a sample of the fine people here in Geraldine. “

Many of the towns we feature often go above and beyond with their commercial and tourism infrastructure, but Geraldine has never been about that. And it’s towns like Geraldine all across the United States where the unheard stories often take place.

We have yet to speak with someone as passionate about their hometown as Mayor Chuck Ables is, who is humbly serving his third term as Mayor of Geraldine. He tells us, “If I lived somewhere else, I'd be trying to move here.”

Geraldine is home to 910 people, but the community extends far beyond that, with about 1,140 high school students who commute to Geraldine and their parents, of course. One of Mayor Ables’ ways of living to the town motto, “honoring the past, embracing the future,” is by helping at their Halloween event called “Trunk-A-Treat,” where he cooks and hands out hotdogs. Other businesses set up, too, and give out candy and other goodies. Mayor Ables says the highlight of this year’s Trunk-A-Treat, for him, was giving the football team the gift of his extra 60 hotdogs, just the right amount for their post-practice snack.

As a 3rd generation Geraldinian himself, Mayor Ables was able to give us some insight into Gerladine’s history.

“In 1916 Mr. Charlie Nichols (my Great-grandfather) organized a Picnic and one block of ice was used for lemonade and in 1924 four tons of ice was used. In July, 1923 the newspaper estimated the crowd to be nearly 8,000. They brought barrels of red snapper in by train and had a fish fry, games, music, and speeches. The picnic continued until 1941. Speakers included several Governors, US Senator’s, and Supreme court Judge Hugo Black.”

Picturing that almost makes you jealous of the comradery that they once had, but this comradery is still alive in Geraldine!

“We are making plans for our annual Picnic in the Park on June 15. There will be a car show beginning at 10:00 AM and singing beginning in early afternoon. Our featured group is “Worth the Wait”. One of the members of that trio is Mia Matthews, who made the Top 10 in American Idol recently. We also have Quintavious Johnson from American Idol, Ryan Watkins, and others. It is a Free Event at 203 Kermit Machen Street in Geraldine. We have over forty vendors, a kiddie train, splash Pad, and much, much more.”

Geraldine is proof that you don’t need so much around you to live a happy life. It seems that Mayor Ables and the rest of the community get satisfaction by leaving their mark on their town and the lives of those around them. Whether it’s planting trees in the park or upgrading the local medical clinic, Geraldine is on it, simply because the people care enough to do something about it. There are so many examples, but the persistent theme is that Geraldine is really structured around the people, not the buildings.

Where are some nearby places Geraldinians can visit?

Lake Guntersville State Park

Location: Guntersville State Park is located approximately 14 miles west of Geraldine.

  • Enjoy hiking, fishing, boating, ziplining, and swimming in the park's scenic surroundings.

  • Guntersville Lake is part of the Tennessee River system and is renowned for its excellent bass fishing.

  • Explore the trails that wind through forests and along the shores of Lake Guntersville.

  • Take in views of the lake and surrounding mountains from overlooks within the park.

  • Guntersville State Park is home to an 18-hole championship golf course.

  • The park is home to many nesting bald eagles and helps raise awareness of the endangered species.

Bucks Pocket State Park

Location: Bucks Pocket State Park is situated around 10.5 miles northwest of Geraldine.

  • Hiking, birdwatching, and picnicking in the park.

  • Explore the deep canyon formed by the waters of South Sauty Creek.

  • Camp under the stars at the park's campground, complete with modern amenities.

  • Bucks Pocket State Park is known for its rugged terrain and scenic overlooks, providing visitors with unparalleled views of the surrounding landscape and also rock climbers with some pretty good climbing surfaces.

Desoto State Park

Location: Desoto State Park is approximately 25 miles northeast of Geraldine.

  • Hiking, mountain biking, and waterfall exploration.

  • Visit Desoto Falls, one of Alabama's most beautiful waterfalls, accessible via a short hike.

  • The park hosts many free events, many of which allow you to get even more immersed in the wildlife of the park. Few events cost money but rarely exceed $5.

  • Desoto State Park is named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who is believed to have passed through the area during his exploration of the southeastern United States in the 16th century.

Little River Canyon National Preserve

Location: Little River Canyon National Preserve is situated around 25 miles northeast of Geraldine.

  • Little River Canyon National Preserve is home to one of the deepest canyons east of the Mississippi River, offering stunning geological formations and natural beauty.

  • Hiking, rock climbing, and scenic drives along the rim.

  • Take a dip in the refreshing waters of Little River, which flows through the heart of the preserve.

High Falls State Park

Location: High Falls Park is located just 5 miles or so northwest of Geraldine.

  • High Falls is a picturesque waterfall over 35 feet high and is definitely worth a visit.

  • High Falls Park is a popular spot for outdoor weddings and special events due to its stunning natural beauty and serene atmosphere.

With state parks devoted to conservation and nature appreciation on all fronts of Geraldine, it’s a real great place to be. As Mayor Ables says, “If you are fortunate enough to live in Geraldine, you are fortunate enough,” and it seems like the community agrees with him. Lots of our own hometowns could stand to learn something from Ables’ and Geraldine’s spirit! So, if you get a chance, swing through Geraldine and get a feeling for the southern small town!

See you in Geraldine, AL!

Guntersville Lake, near Geraldine, AL

Learn AI in 5 minutes a day.

The Rundown is the world’s largest AI newsletter, read by over 600,000 professionals from companies like Apple, OpenAI, NASA, Tesla, and more.

Their expert research team spends all day learning what’s new in AI and gives you ‘the rundown’ of the most important developments in one free email every morning.

The result? Readers not only keep up with the insane pace of AI but also learn why it actually matters.

How was today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Where to next?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

…And a huge thanks to Mayor Chuck Ables for speaking with us.

Reply

or to participate.