The guest speaker at the January 13 meeting of the Hoover Historical Society was Becky Roberson of North Shelby County.
Roberson spoke on growing up in the Patton Chapel community, which is today part of the city of Hoover. Naturally, she has seen a lot of changes. The meeting was held at the Hoover Public Library.
Debbie Burtnett is president of the Hoover Historical Society.
A Hoover native, Roberson grew up in the 1950s in the rural Patton Chapel community. She told the audience that the wooded areas around the community was a destination for hunters and a safe haven for bootleggers.
The daughter of Bonnie and Howard Golden, they all lived on her grandparents, Verda and Mildred Chambliss’ 40-acre farm in the stone and wood home he built in 1937. Needlessly to say, the farm was self-sufficient including a vegetable garden, fruit trees and livestock.
Roberson stated, “My childhood was idyllic because of growing up with so many family members and the freedom to enjoy myself.”
Among her wonderful memories are the many large family dinners held on Sunday after church. “My grandmother and mother were good cooks,” stated Roberson.
Another exciting memory was the day the telephone was installed.
Her greatest joy was having a Christ-centered family.
A talented painter, Roberson, a 1970 graduate of Berry High School, later taught math at Hoover and Berry High Schools. She retired in 2006.
It was unfortunate that there were no teenagers at the meeting.
The next general meeting of the Historical Society will be held on March 17 at the Hoover Public Library.
Ann and Jim Langley
Larry Parks and Pam Thompson
