Conecuh County included in Mary J. Wilson's new book, '100 Things To Do In Alabama Before You Die'

Early last week, I got my hands on a copy of Mary Johns Wilson’s new book, “100 Things To Do In Alabama Before You Die,” and, not surprisingly, Conecuh County gets a big mention in the book.

In the pages of this neat, 176-page book, which came out on Oct. 15, Wilson attempts to document the “100 must-see attractions and sites” in Alabama.

“From beaches and mountains to big cities and charming small towns, there is so much to discover in Alabama, whether you’ve lived here your entire life or are just driving through,” Wilson said. “With the state’s bicentennial almost here, I hope this book will encourage folks to celebrate the big anniversary by creating their own adventures to places they didn’t know about before.”

When it comes to defining the 100 must-see attractions and sites in Alabama, Wilson lists two of them from Conecuh County. The Conecuh County locations in the book include the Conecuh Sausage Gift Shop in Evergreen and the Conecuh Sausage Festival, which is held every October.

“Your nose knows when you’ve reached Conecuh County,” Wilson said. “Growing up in Kentucky, I didn’t know about Conecuh Sausage, but it quickly became my preferred breakfast meat, especially when it’s served on a biscuit with just a little bit of honey.”

The information above is just a taste of what you’ll find in Wilson’s book, which also includes numerous other “must see” sites that are a short drive from Conecuh County. Wilson notes that if you were to visit every place or attend every event listed in her book, you would end up visiting 52 of Alabama’s 67 counties, nearly the entire state.

Wilson, a native of Kentucky, has lived in Alabama since 2009 and was uniquely situated to write this book. Working for the Alabama Farmers Federation, she has traveled extensively around the state. She is also the co-host of “Simply Southern TV,” a 30-minute rural television show that airs on Sunday mornings around the state.

“My work with the TV show and with the Alabama Farmers Federation has given me the chance to meet the wonderful people of Alabama while exploring every corner of this great state,” she said. “I hate to pass a historic marker without reading it. Hopefully, all those little tidbits of information I’ve gathered over my decade living here will help readers enjoy their travels through the Heart of Dixie.”

In the end, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Wilson’s new book. Not only does it include information about Conecuh County, but it also features a wide variety of other places and events that you’ll want to check out. For more information about the book, visit www.100thingsalabama.com.