Boarding houses helped build area
July 18, 2019
Courtesy Photo
Biggs Boarding House newspaper ad from March 12, 1959. Biggs was an iconic boarding house in Atmore for several decades
Housing was scarce in the early days of our area as the virgin pine forests awoke from their primordial slumber and the last shots of the War Between the States faded into memory.
Sawmills began to dot the landscape and workers, who often arrived in the area with not much more than the clothing on their backs, needed living arrangements. Boarding houses filled this need and soon each community had several.
A boarding house typically provided meals to the occupants and common areas were shared. Bathrooms, bathtubs and living areas were usually expected to be used by all boarders.
In Canoe,...
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