Historic iron fence returns to courthouse

By Sonny Turner
sonny@athensnews-courier.com

August 11, 2007 09:57 pm

— Doug McCurry loves to talk about his dad, a man he says built many of the bridges in Limestone County.
“Many of the bridges we cross today, he had a hand in them,” McCurry said. “He built bridges in every district. He built so many, I can’t recall them all.”
McCurry, a Baptist minister for the past 44 years who can be heard on Sunday mornings at 6:45 on WVNN Radio, also has played a part in Limestone County history. He donated a piece of the old wrought-iron fence that surrounded the Limestone County Courthouse when it burned to the ground in 1916.
A section of the fence was erected at the courthouse recently in honor of McCurry’s father, the late John H. McCurry.
“The plaque says it all,” McCurry said this week while admiring the fence and plaque that tells the history behind the fence. “I was glad to help. It is a part of Limestone County history.”
The old fence was moved from the courthouse to the old county “poor house” farm off upper Elkton Road a few years later. It has been there ever since.
McCurry, who now owns and lives in the 200-year-old home just north of Elm Street, said the poor house was a home for the poor who had no family and no way to support themselves. It was operated by the state around 1935 and the property was sold in 1942. The old fence nearly surrounded the place.
McCurry has lived in the old home since he was a child. He said his father bought the home in 1955 and lived there until his death in 1974. McCurry said he never left the family home because of its history.
“Dad was a foreman for the county and he had a crew that worked for him and they built bridges,” said McCurry. “Before that he worked for Brooks and Mixon in Decatur.”
McCurry recalled when his dad worked on U.S. 31 before Interstate 65 was built.
“He built all the concrete on 31 from Morgan County to Tennessee line.” He said.
As for himself, McCurry said he’s been in the ministry all his life.
His brother, William, is also a minister in Georgia. His other brother, Thomas, of Athens, is retired from the Air Force.