Articles by Rufus Ward
Rufus Ward: The Origin of the Columbus Fair
The Columbus Fair begins this Tuesday and I have been asked when was the first fair in Columbus? Carolyn Burns has researched the origins of the fair in Lowndes County and has found some interesting history.
Ask Rufus: Rommel’s Afrika Korps was just down the road
Aliceville, Ala., was the site of one of the largest prisoner of war camps in the United States during World War II. Construction of Camp Aliceville began in August 1942 and the first prisoner of war arrived in June 1943.
Rufus Ward: A first-hand account of Grierson’s Cavalry Raid of 1863
One of the most famous calvary exploits of the Civil War was the Union calvary raid through Mississippi by Col. B.H.Grierson in 1863. The raid has been the subject of several books and even a John Wayne movie, “The Horse Soldiers.”
Rufus Ward: A first-hand account of Grierson’s Cavalry Raid of 1863
One of the most famous calvary exploits of the Civil War was the Union calvary raid through Mississippi by Col. B.H.Grierson in 1863. The raid has been the subject of several books and even a John Wayne movie, “The Horse Soldiers.”
Ask Rufus: The Columbus Opera House
Several people have asked me if Columbus ever had an opera house. It not only did but many will remember it as the old Varsity Theatre which burned in the 1970s.
Ask Rufus: Rube Burrows: ‘King of the Outlaws,’ the most feared train robber
Rube Burrows was called by some publications, “The King of the Outlaws.” Though his exploits were limited to Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas, his fame or notoriety was nationwide. He became the most feared train robber of the late 1880s.
Ask Rufus: Follow the Drinking Gourd
Recently there have been several television programs on the Underground Railroad. That was the network established in antebellum times to help escaping slaves make their way to freedom.
Rufus Ward: Nicola Marschall’s Columbus portraits
Nicola Marschall was a Prussian born portrait painter whose works included portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Otto Von Bismarck and many other notable figures of the mid to late 1800s.
Ask Rufus: Connecting art and local history
It is amazing how people and places are so interconnected. Recently I was discussing Salvator Rosa, a father of the romantic and picturesque art movement, with a friend. A few days later the subject of early French exploration of the Tombigbee River Valley arose.
Ask Rufus: Food for the Fourth
Picnics and food have long been associated with the celebration of the Fourth of July. What food is popular, though, has changed with the times. A 1902 suggestion for foods to be served on a summer picnic included “cold pigeon pie” and “jellied veal.”
Ask Rufus: Tom Locke’s Zoo
Many people still remember the small zoo that was in Propst Park but few recall the large private zoo that was once in Columbus.
Ask Rufus: Columbus, Alabama
I recently presented a program to the Macon Rotary Club. Afterward I was asked if it was true that Columbus had once been in Alabama. My response was that it never had been located in Alabama, but the people of Columbus did once think that they were.
Rufus Ward: Choctaw or Chickasaw?
Frequently, someone will show me an arrowhead they have found and ask if it is from the Choctaw or Chickasaw Indians. When I say neither and it’s also not an arrowhead, I get real funny looks. To make matters worse, I usually add that the Indians around here did not live in tepees either.
Rufus Ward: Columbus and D-Day
Today marks the 66th anniversary of D-Day and it brings to mind the role that people from our area played in World War II. Though World War II seems like old history now, I grew up surrounded by relatives to whom it was very real.
Ask Rufus: Pirates, pigs and 470 years of barbecue
People in the Black Prairie have always taken pride in their history and their Barbecue. Very few, though, realize how close history and barbecue are tied.
Ask Rufus: Memorial Day
Memorial Day will soon be celebrated across the United States. Here in Columbus, we take pride in celebrating Friendship Cemetery as the place of origin of Memorial Day.
Ask Rufus: Before Columbus Air Force Base, there was Payne Field
This weekend is the spectacular air show at Columbus Air Force Base. Several people have asked about how long an air base has been here. The answer surprised most people, as Columbus Air Force Base was not the first pilot training base in the area.
Ask Rufus: Before Columbus Air Force Base, there was Payne Field
This weekend is the spectacular air show at Columbus Air Force Base. Several people have asked about how long an air base has been here. The answer surprised most people, as Columbus Air Force Base was not the first pilot training base in the area.
