Exploring Abbeville, Alabama
A serendipitous Southern adventure
Story by Magi Thomley Williams Photos by Jackson Williams
One of the perks of being self-employed is a fluid schedule. And one of the advantages of a fluid schedule is the ability to take a road trip any day of the week. Recently my husband and I decided to take a spur-of-the-moment day trip as a little distraction. The charming town of Abbeville, Alabama had recently popped up in my husband’s social feed, so we decided — why not?
A three-hour drive through bucolic views found us in a quaint downtown nestled in southeast Alabama, near Dothan and Eufaula, home to only about 2,360 residents. You probably won’t find it by accident.
The town’s name is derived from the Muscogee for Abbey Creek, “Yatta Abba,” meaning dogwood tree grove. Abbeville’s nostalgic downtown is host to a refurbished Standard Oil gas station and an entire main street lined with vintage neon signs for Ford Motor Co., Rexall Drugs, Buster Brown Shoes and many others. Storefront windows are filled with retro vignettes circa 1950s and ’60s styles.
Welcoming locals at the chamber of commerce and library were happy to chat with us and share the town’s history. We took time to browse through a few specialty and gift shops before settling in for lunch. Huggin’ Molly’s restaurant and soda fountain is THE place for lunch in Abbeville. And we learned that the diner is linked to a bit of colorful folklore too.
Residents tell me that Jimmy Rane, founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving and town benefactor, established the Huggin’ Molly’s restaurant as an homage to a local legend.
Here’s the intriguing story: A tall woman wearing a hat comes to visit children downtown at night. She doesn’t harm the kids. She gives them a firm hug and then screams in their ears. You can be sure we didn’t see any little ones wandering the streets after dark.
At Huggin’ Molly’s, with Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra peering down on us from original movie posters, I ordered the Molly’s Fingers chicken fingers lunch. After all, the dish was added to the list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama. If you are not familiar with Alabama white sauce, Huggin’ Molly’s is the place to get your first taste; their recipe is worth the miles. My husband chose to build his own burger, and the huge portion was mouthwatering. As we shared a creamy, thick bespoke milk shake for dessert, we reminisced to the accompaniment of retro music and décor.
There are a couple of other interesting stops in Abbeville for the history buff. The Bethune-Kennedy House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is used by the Abbeville Chamber of Commerce for events. A historical marker denotes the former home of Rosa Parks, located at Alabama Highway 10 near Abbeville. The civil rights pioneer lived in Abbeville briefly with her family long before she became a civil rights icon.
You don’t have to hop on a plane or make elaborate, expensive travel plans. Take a day trip. Create lasting memories. Explore something new close to home.
