A Tour of Brewton, Alabama

By Jere Hough Meteorologist / Feature Reporter

At one point in its history, Brewton claimed to be the richest small town in America. Seeing the spectacular homes that the "Timber Barons" built around 1900 certainly supports that claim. But there is much more to the community. A Tour of Brewton, Alabama

Published: Fri, July 27, 2007 - 1:32 pm Last Updated: Wed, June 25, 2008 - 4:19 pm

Jere Hough

Two times Brewton has been voted as one of the best 100 small towns in America...and it's easy to see why. It has a wonderful Municipal Park...complete with a nine hole golf course, big pool, and a complete playgound. There are beautiful homes with park-like lawns, downtown public art...including the facade of the old Ritz Theatre, and...there are two high school football teams...small schools, HUGE rivalry, certainly one of the most intense in the State
Every October Brewton's T.R. Miller and East Brewton's W.S. Neal face off for the Battle of Murder Creek. The two communities are separated only by that stream...and a fierce loyalty. Lots of people have a idea about who will win this year's game.
A man: "T. R. Miller"
A young girl: "W. S. Neal"
A teenager: "T. R. Miller"
The growing of one local crop, blueberries, is celebrated each June at Burnt Corn Creek Park. And no matter which side of Murder Creek they live on...residents like their community.
One man says, "Great place to raise a family."
A woman points out Brewton has a "nice environment for all ages."
Another woman smiles and says, "I love the little, small country town of Brewton."
Brewton, like most rural areas in South Alabama, grew up arount the timber business and the railroads. The trains still regularly run through downtown.
In an earlier time some called Brewton the richest little town in the South. You could prove it by the homes built by the Lumber Barons about a hundred years ago. They still stand on Belleville Avenue. Some still occupied by the descendants of the men who built them.
That, of course, was in the days before high school football and that October game. More opinions.
A man: "T.R. Miller wins ninety percent of the time and will win again this year."
A woman: "Neal...the Eagles!"
A teenager: "T.R. Miller Tigers!"
A man: "W.S. Neal Blue Eagles!"
A teenager: "T.R. Miller!"
A teenager: "Neal!"
A woman: "W.S. Miller."
Meteorologist Jere Hough stands next to a stream and says, "This is an area with a long, interesting past. But today everybody seems to be focused on the future." He looks at the water and continues, "like who's going to win the battle of Murder Creek. On County Road 5 between the Communities of Brewton and East Brewton, I'm Jere Hough, News 5."
Incidentally, Murder Creek got its name sometime around 1800, when a small trading party, heading for Pensacola, was ambushed and killed on the banks of the creek.