LIFE LIST UPDATE – No. 773: Visit Packer’s Bend

Few would argue that the most isolated part of Monroe County, Alabama is a tiny, out of the way community called Packer’s Bend. Located in the extreme northwest corner of Monroe County, this community is cut off from the rest of the county by the muddy waters of the Alabama River. This community is so isolated that most Monroe Countians live their entire lives without ever visiting Packer’s Bend or even giving the community much thought.

I worked at the newspaper in Monroeville, the county seat of Monroe County, for six years and on the ambulance in Monroeville since 2005, and in all the comings and goings associated with both of those jobs, I never even once come close to having a reason to go to Packer’s Bend. Two years go, I put “Visit Packer’s Bend” on my “life list” because I wanted to see this place for myself, and this past Saturday, I scratched that item off my list after a quick visit to Monroe County’s most isolated community.

If you live east of the Alabama River in Monroe County, there are only two good ways to get to Packer’s Bend. You can take the Davis Ferry over the Alabama River from Haines Island to Packer’s Bend, or you can take U.S. Highway 84 west into Clarke County. Between Gosport and Whatley, take Old Line Road (Clarke County Road 35) north for about 20 miles and then turn right onto County Road One at Lower Peachtree. Follow County Road One for about three miles, then take a left onto County Road 40, which will take you into downtown Packer’s Bend.

If you follow County Road 40 all the way to its end, you’ll find yourself on the west bank of the Alabama River and looking across at the Davis Ferry on Haines Island. This route will actually take you from Monroe County, into Clarke and Wilcox counties before putting you back into Monroe County at Packer’s Bend. From the intersection of U.S. Highway 84 and State Highway 21 at Ollie, it’s 52 miles to the west bank of the Alabama River at Packer’s Bend. If you plan on riding the ferry, go on a weekday, because it doesn’t run on Saturdays and Sundays.

From what I gather, not much is known about the history of Packer’s Bend. A sign leading into the community says it was founded in 1800, which makes it one of the oldest communities in the region. The community appears to have been named after members of the Packer family, who populated the area in the early 1800s.

Today, when you drive through Packer’s Bend, you won’t see many residents, but you will see a number of important buildings. Major buildings along County Road 40 include the Monroe Intermediate School, the Independent Baptist Church, the Faye Carstarphen Packer’s Bend Little League & Softball Park, a medical clinic, and the Mr. Ben O. Bumpers Jr. Packer’s Bend Volunteer Fire Department.

In the end, how many of you have ever been to Packer’s Bend? Do you know anything about the community’s history? Who’s Packer’s Bends’ most famous native? Let us know in the comments section below.