J.E. Hughes, known as the “Daddy of Florala”, believed that the town should be built with materials studier than wood. He owned a cement block factory and promoted cement block construction. For that reason a number of buildings downtown were made of cement bricks and they still stand today.
The Geronimo Hotel was on the north side of 5th Ave (card postmarked 1912). The building no longer exists. Geronimo was captured 1886 and held for a time at Ft. Pickens in Pensacola in 1887, and then near Mobile, AL. His “stay” in Pensacola may have inspired the name of the Geronimo Hotel in Florala.
Back of the Geronimo Hotel card (above)
The Opera House is the largest building in this picture above on the left.
North side of 5 Ave (above). Luther Ray owned the Florala Hardware Co.
Downtown Florala of today (2011) looking west. The building with the red awning is where the Opera House stood.
