Many years ago, a local business in Jasper printed T-shirts that read:

London

Paris

Rome

Jasper

Beside London was a drawing of Big Ben. Beside Paris was the Eiffel Tower. Beside Rome was the Colosseum. And beside Jasper was our famous obelisk on the downtown square.

I always laugh when I think about those shirts, but then I quickly realize I’d much rather live in Jasper, Alabama, than any of those places combined. Sure, there’s more to see and tour and experience in those majestic, world-renowned cities, but friend, give me Jasper any day of the week and twice on Sunday over London, Paris, or Rome.

Unfortunately, Jasper and Walker County have been the brunt of jokes across the state of Alabama for decades. I suppose it all started—or was at least fueled—with a long-ago declaration on The Phil Donahue Show that Walker County was “the best place in the world to hire a hitman.” Well, I don’t know if that’s true, but whatever the origin, Walker County has been branded with a reputation of being a rough-and-tumble place—no, you don’t mess with Texas but you really don’t mess with people from Walker County.

The Jasper and Walker County I have witnessed as a 30-year resident is a much different place than advertised across the Yellowhammer State and beyond. I have said it many times that forasmuch as this county has been rich with deposits of coal, it’s every bit as rich in people.

Most of the best people I know—salt of the earth, God-fearing folks—call Walker County home.

Said another way, people are our best natural resource.

For years, though, our area has struggled with growth, and in many ways, it is still struggling. After all, one doesn’t have to drive too far in Walker County to behold the hardscrabble life.

Oftentimes the collective leadership in Jasper has struggled to get on the same page. This fracturing and a stodgy, clodhopper-like thinking has stifled and stunted the town’s growth.

Now I believe the right pieces are in place to move Jasper and Walker County forward. We have witnessed pockets of growth over the last few years. A coffee shop popping up here. A new restaurant or boutique there. Our leaders have discovered that things work more efficiently and greater outcomes are produced if we work together and don’t care who gets the credit.

Which brings us to the trolley.

A few weeks ago, Debbie Sanders and her daughter, Iris Jarvis, owners of Young Jewelers in Jasper, announced a new venture: Trolley on Main “TOM”. (Jasper now has a trolley? Yes, indeedy-doo.)

No, this is not San Francisco, and no, you aren’t going to be able to chug past Fisherman’s Wharf or the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory as you snack on your icing-drizzled scone, but Jasper’s iteration of trolley can add a special flair to your wedding day or even spook you with a Halloween ghost tour.

Cleverly and creatively, Debbie and Iris have added trolley benefits to those who shop in the jewelry store. For instance, when purchasing an engagement ring at Young Jewelers, customers have priority and special pricing with trolley reservations.

Trolley on Main has also partnered with Jasper Main Street to host community events and further showcase a growing and vibrant downtown. And what better way to “wow” town guests and potential industry than a ride in Jasper’s very own cable car?

Lastly, TOM may be reserved for corporate outings, holiday events, and celebratory milestones with friends and family.

So, in the future, if a joke about Jasper or Walker County threatens to roll of your tongue, think twice before you make fun.

We might just surprise you. 78

You can follow Trolley on Main on Facebook and Instagram or call Young Jewelers for reservations (205) 221-6194. Also visit www.trolleyonmain.com

Words and Images by Al Blanton