It was a banner day for the Cherokee County Historical Museum on Thursday as they celebrated on two counts – with the Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony for the Museum Mural featuring the Cherokee III Steamboat and a special announcement in regard to the recent inclusion of the building itself on the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage.

Museum Director Kathy Marko:

Marko said the next step will be to seek national registry and she added that being on the Alabama registry will immediately help with obtaining additional grants for preservation of the building.

We asked how the idea for that mural came about, and what the process of bringing such a huge project to fruition entailed:

Marko said that the Museum eventually commissioned the artist known as Joco through the recommendation of board member Gary McCurdy, who is also on the board of a museum in Piedmont, where Joco had been contracted to do some work in the past.

A piece of history lives on in the Cherokee County home of Hank and Shelia Richardson as a wheelhouse key from one of the steamboats that sailed the Coosa remains on display there, handed down from Hank’s great-great-great grandfather, who was a steamboat captain.

Guest speakers during Thursday’s event at the Museum included Cherokee County Probate Judge Kirk Day and local author Mike Ragland, along with a special guest appearance by the most popular sailor of all time – Popeye.  And yes, he brought along a can of Spinach.  Google it, kids.