A series of serendipities brought us to Camden, AL. We’d barely set up camp in the Fort Pickens campground, near Pensacola Beach, Florida, when the camp host advised us that the campground was to be evacuated the next morning.

An advancing storm with high winds was threatening to flood the narrow barrier island’s only road. In the interest of safety, we’d all have to leave.

A quick scramble to find an available campground for a few days led us to Isaac Creek, a Corps of Engineers campground a few hours north on the Alabama River. We would still be in the path of the storm, but not stranded.

Isaac Creek, like many of the COE sites, is a bit off the beaten track. We had a great site with scenic views of the Alabama River. It’s a good place to kick back and relax, but other than short hikes, it was kind of quiet, activity-wise.

Kathy Jones, the lovely camphost, suggested that we might enjoy a day trip to Camden, less than an hour away. Okay. Why not? The next morning, with the Camden, Alabama, tourist flyer in hand, we started out.

This part of Alabama has a lot of agriculture. Our rural drive took us past spring-green pastures with cattle and calves enjoying the sun’s warmth. Freshly plowed fields were ready for planting.

This wide swath of land that crosses Alabama is referred to as The Black Belt. Nothing to do with karate, the name refers to the richness of the soil. At one time, the ocean came this far north, bringing minerals that enriched the soil. With rich soil and river transportation, it’s no wonder that this was a prime area for plantations.

Long stretches of farmland and roads dotted with churches brought us to Camden, the crossroads of Wilcox county. We parked across from the hardware store, which anchors the town center.

The Matthews Hardware Store is a one-stop-shop for the county that’s a small town success story. This family operation sells everything from tools to toys. On this early spring day, the front benches were filled with plant starts shivering in the breeze.

A few blocks down the main street, we visited The Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center. Housed in a former car dealership, the center showcases artworks and products from more than 400 local artisans. We even saw some works by Kathy Jones, our camp host.

Traveling in a tiny home on wheels means I usually do more window shopping than purchasing, but I still managed to find some beautiful handmade cards and a little gift to tuck away.

The Center also offers classes and, in fostering community, plays a big role in Camden. Black Belt Treasures Cultural Center

The staff in the store was so friendly! Vera Spinks, the Gallery Manager, personally welcomed us and told us about the Center. As we chatted, she also encouraged us to head over to the Camden Shoe Shop and Quilt Museum. Although it wasn’t officially open this day, the owner Betty Anderson was giving a tour for two other visitors. Vera was certain that we’d be welcome to tag along.

We walked the two blocks to the Shoe Shop and Quilt Museum. The front part of the building was Joe Anderson’s shoe shop. The door was open and we peeked in.

For 40 years, Betty’s father owned and ran this shop – a rarity in segregated times. We caught up with Betty and the other two ladies in the Quilt Museum, which is in the back part of the building.

The museum is filled with historic quilts and artifacts, all artfully displayed. The most amazing part of the tour is Betty herself. She brings history to life in the stories she shares about her family, Gee’s Bend, life in Camden and New York, religion, the history of slavery, and the civil rights movement.

Betty’s family was very active in the movement. In 1965, as a 15 year old girl, Betty participated in the Selma to Montgomery March. The shoes she wore that day are on display, as are other significant items from the civil rights movement. Betty shared so many stories about her family’s history.

One story was about her father Joe Anderson. As mentioned earlier, he ran the shoe shop in town for 40 years. He knew everyone – and their shoes.

The Ku Klux Klan was active during this time. Local neighbors by day became hooded, torch-wielding terrorists by night.

One morning a young man brought muddy boots to be cleaned and polished. Even though Klan members wore hoods and robes, Joe recognized this young man as one of the evening Klansmen – from his boots. Their conversation led to a revelation and an apology.

Currently, the side room of the museum is hosting a Black History Month photo exhibit of Wilcox county sharecroppers in the 1900s. The photos of life at the Rosemary Plantation are excellent and the exhibit is well-done. A time in history, really not so very long ago. Black History Month Photo Exhibit

The stories about the quilts were memorable, too. Some date from the early 1900s. Who were the women who created these quilts, how did the patterns evolve, where did the materials come from, how did quilts play a part of the Underground Railroad? These quilts have stories to tell. And Betty helps tell them. The afternoon flew by in a whirl of stories and history. We are so grateful to Betty for her warmth and enthusiasm.

Camden Shoe Shop and Quilt Museum

We’ve now travelled nearly 160,000 miles in our van life. That’s a lot of Americana. Visiting towns and meeting people like Kathy, Vera, and Betty educates and inspires us.

Early on, we came to understand that the history we learned in school was just the outline for the bigger story. The context and meaning – the real American history – comes into focus as you travel, see the places, meet the people, and hear their stories.

So, on we go. Hoping to embrace more such serendipities and continue to learn. If you’re ever near this area, a visit to Camden, Alabama, should be high on your bucket list.

Note: For our blog posts, we usually use our own images. For this Camden blog, we’ve borrowed a number of images from the internet.