The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-18

modest. It has never aspired to metro politan success but has been satisfied to be-Athens. beautiful, comfortable and contented.
 In Limestone County.
 It is the seat of government for Lime stone county one of the richest in soil wealth in the state The county was or ganized in ISIS and named for the creek of the name that runs through the county.
 In the good old ante-bellum days the county was the scene of a number of those fine old country homes that made the south famous. On these farms were reared some of the leading men of the state in all walks of life.
 This county produced three of the gov ernors of the state: George s. Houston. Thomas Bibb and Joshua l.. Martin. Por- ter Bibb, prominent citizen of the coun- ty and a descendant of Governor Bibb. now lives in the old Bibb mansion at Belle Nina, in this county. This old ante bellum home is one of the landmarks of the state. It was built entirely by slaves on the place and Is beautiful and elabor- ate in workmanship. The brick In the building was made by the slaves and the timber was cut by them.
 Prominent Sons.
 Other men of note furnished the state and country by Limestone county were Robert Brickel chief justice of the Ala bama supreme court; Thomas N. McClel- Ian. also chief justice; United States Sen ator Luke Pryor; Senator E. w. Pettus, Dr. John B. McTerrin. Methodist divine of national fame; Hector Lane, commits sIoner of agriculture; Daniel Coleman, who was a judge at the age of 19. and continued in the Judiciary until near his death; Dr. c. c. Thach, president of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn, and Thomas c. McC1ellen, present asso- ciate justice of the Alabama supreme court.
 These are only a few of the men of statewide importance who were born and reared in this county.
 The old homes of many of these nota- bles of the past are still standing and are pointed to with pride by every cit izen of the town
 These grand old homes, built after the prevailing style of those good. olden days, give an air of hospitality and re- finement that seems to rebukc the modern spirit of thoughtless cornmercialism that is creeping in and around them
 Beautiful Streets.
 The streets of Athens are broad and beautifully shaded. The many modern homes that have been erected in recent years are well built and expensive The business houses are substantial. Indeed this is one of the mosr substantial agri- cultural towns in the state. It has en- loved steady prosperity for years and hardly felt the recent panic that affected the entire industrial interests of the coun- try. The farmers of Limestone county are thrifty and industrious and their un- broken fortune has sustained the town as no manufacturing interest could have done.
 The building of 60 miles of pike roans out of Athens in every direction during the past year has wrought wonders in the development of the country. and Tn the fertilization of the towns business. Property values, both in the town and country, have been enhanced to mar yelous degree by virtue of these improve ments Twelve main roads leading out of the town have been macadamized for a distance of five miles, and all have been graded for an additional seven miles The money for the building of this road sys- | tenn was secured in bond issue of $l35,0Ot | The work was done under the supervision of pike commission made up of five l of the representative citizens of the coun- | ty. c. D. Glaze. chairman of the com | mission, man of practical sense and