Highest point in all of Wilcox County, Alabama is located at Fatama

Old firetower at Fatama, Alabama

Last Friday marked the official start of summer and despite the hot weather, I got the itch to get out and ride around. Eventually, I found myself on State Highway 265, in the old community of Fatama. Fatama was once a bustling settlement, but little remains today from its 19^th century heyday.

According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, no one is sure when or how the community got its name. “Although its origin is unknown, the designation may be a variant of Fatima, the name of a village with a religious shrine in Portugal,” Foscue wrote.

Fatama was once large enough to support its own post office. In fact, it actually had post offices at two different times in its history. One was open from 1855 through 1866 and another was in operation from 1870 to 1914.

Old, historical maps indicate that “downtown” Fatama was located just south of where County Road 51 runs into State Highway 265. If you go a little south of that intersection today, the most prominent landmark you’ll see is an old firetower that sits on the west side of Highway 265.

On Friday, I pulled off the side of the road and examined the tower through binoculars. As best that I could tell, although the tower still stands, the steps have been removed to keep people from climbing to the top. While standing there under the hot sun, I was reminded that this is the highest point in Wilcox County, with an official elevation of 547 feet above sea level.

Back in my truck, I continued south on 265 and stopped a short distance down the road at the Enon Baptist Church Cemetery, which is about four miles north of the Monroe County line. I explored the cemetery for a good half hour, and the oldest marked grave that I could find belonged to Confederate soldier Frank Anton Lambrecht, who died in 1862. According to his grave marker, Lambrecht was born in 1844 and was a private in Co. C of the 5^th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

Eventually, I left the cemetery behind with an eye toward taking a closer look at the church across the highway. I stopped there at the edge of the road to let a pair of log trucks go by before crossing the highway under the blazing sun. The façade of this old church is remarkable for its double doors and the four white columns supporting the porch over the front steps.

I scouted around for a few minutes looking for a cornerstone that might indicate when the church was built, but despite my best efforts I didn’t find one. While looking for a cornerstone, I did see a large green lizard, who seemed perturbed that I’d disturbed his otherwise peaceful afternoon. Around this same time, my ears were met with a strange noise that I at first mistook for a running air-conditioner.

Instead, my eyes were drawn to the sight of hundreds of bees swarming near the top of the church’s southernmost porch column. No doubt these bees have established a hive inside the column, and this time of year the hive is probably full of honey. Those of you who pay attention to the almanac will remember that the first full moon of the summer was called the Mead Moon by old-timers, a nickname that harkens back to when honey was fermented to make mead.

Prayer garden at Enon Baptist Church.

Next, I crossed the church yard and visited the small prayer garden on the south side of the church grounds. Featuring a large Celtic cross and a black metal bench, I could tell that someone has taken great care to make this is peaceful spot to sit, pray and reflect on the Good Lord’s blessings. A small sign off to the side said that the prayer garden was established in memory of Ida and Will Mason.

On the way back to my truck, I noted that the sign in front of the church read “Father: Give Me Wisdom & Love For Others.” While standing there, waiting for another log truck to rumble by, I thought about all the folks who have filed into and out of this church in Fatama over the years. I imagined all the homecomings, all the young brides and grooms who were married there and all the funerals that have taken place. No doubt many of these people were proud to call Fatama home and after a long look around on Friday, I’d say they had good reason.

In the end, I’d be interested to hear from anyone with more information about the Fatama community, especially when it comes to the history of the old firetower and Enon Baptist Church. Also, if anyone has any more information about how the community got its name or how Pvt. Lambrecht died, let me here from you. Also, if anyone knows any spooky tales or local legends from the Fatama community, contact me so that I can pass those along to readers as well.