The People Behind “Syrup Soppin’ Day” – Lee County Historical Society
The Chattahoochee Valley Historical Society would once again like to extend an open invitation to attend one of our fine quarterly presentations on Sunday, October 22nd at 3:00 PM EST (2:00 PM CDT). Our presentation will once again be a live, on-site presentation held at Point University’s main campus, the Lanier Academic Center, in downtown West Point, GA. Our presenter for this upcoming meeting will be Dr. Jim Witte. Dr. Witte’s presentation will focus on the history and annual programs and events of the Lee County Historical Society (particularly “Syrup Soppin’ Day” in Loachapoka, where he has served as the Blacksmith for the past 20 years).
The well-known annual “Syrup Soppin’ Day” in Loachapoka, AL goes back to 1971. At a location in downtown Loachapoka, the historical process of harvesting Sugar Cane is recreated each year. This process, involving 19th century farming techniques including a mule, produces buckets of sweet, delicious cane syrup. As the annual festival grew, it also became a place for many local vendors to come and shop their wares for the residents of East Alabama.
Directly across Alabama State Route 14 from all of the vendors and the railroad tracks, one can also find “Pioneer Park”. This is where, on one specific Saturday every Fall, the Lee County Historical Society bring the past to life. The Society’s museum properties are open to the public (complete with all of their exhibits) and many live demonstrations by
historical re-enactors (like our speaker, Dr. Witte, who is the Blacksmith) take us back in time to the 19th century. Since Loachapoka was once a Creek settlement (meaning “place of the turtles” in Muscogee), there are also members of their community giving demonstrations of their lives and lifestyles as well.
Dr. Witte, with over 60 years of combined military and civilian flight experience, is quite an accomplished individual. A former Army Officer and pilot, he has experience with both U.S. military rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. With a PhD from the University of South Florida, he has been at Auburn University in various capacities in the past 25 years. For the past four years, he has been the Director (and Professor of Aviation Management) for the Auburn School of Aviation. Dr. Witte spent extensive time in industrial training, developing programs of instruction ranging from sexual harassment, loss control management, Supervisor’s safety development, methods, and techniques of training, and Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance training. Additionally, He is an award winning bladesmith and blacksmith instructor.
This presentation will be held at Point University in West Point, GA (address: 507 W 10th Street, West Point, GA, 31833). Visitors are encouraged to park in the west parking lot and enter through the western entrance to the building (several CVHS members will be there to help them find their way to the presentation room). The presentation will start at 3:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Central) on Sunday, October 22nd and will last approximately one hour (with time for questions at the end). If anyone has any questions concerning our presentation, please email our Program Chair Charlie Powers at ccpowers02@gmail.com for further information.