Learning about Bald Eagle

Don Curtis commissioned Rosie Lee Anderson to create a drawing of his grandfathers store based on his memory.

I came into this world as a Bald Eagle baby.

According to history, there are more people than we realize who lived and worked most of their lives as residents in one of Bath County’s smallest communities.

My sisters have memories of daddy pulling us down the road and across the Bald Eagle bridge in a little red wagon to Roy Tinsley’s.

I don’t remember ever crossing the iron bridge, but I do remember that big red, button-shaped coke sign that stood in front of the store.

There is so much more to learn about the little village that was once a thriving town.

It was at Bald Eagle that Moses Sharp settled when he first came to Bath County.

Just recently several members of our little history club have begun to share what they know about a place that many people have never even heard about.

For instance, did ya’ll know there was a school, a blacksmith shop and another little country store in that part of town?

What started as a question to figure out when the old bridge was replaced, suddenly turned into a long conversation of memories from Peggy Shields Razor, Debora Carl Curtis and her husband Don, Debbie Norris Stigall and Janet Norris Shrout.

So, here is a bit of what we have learned from some of the folks who grew up in or have relatives that lived in the area.

From around 1907 to about 1937 there was a store that stood against the hillside, behind what most of us remember as Roy Tinsley’s store, plus there was a one-room school, a blacksmith shop, a church and a mill.

Don Curtis’ grandfather, Steve Manley, owned and operated Manley’s General Store in one part of the building and reared a family of ten children on the other side.

Mrs. Parks (Jose) Donaldson was one of the school teachers, she was Peggy’s dads sister and she lived in the blue house at the top of the hill on Shields road.

Alonzo Linton was a blacksmith and had a shop.

Janet Norris Shrout believes her dad, Howard, bought the store from George Stephens in 1949 and sold it to Roy Tinsley in 1955.

Mrs. Beulah Moore Hart and her brother Ewell attended the Bald Eagle one-room school as did Don Curtis’ mother Pauline Manley and Mrs. Carrie Nixon was one of Beulah’s teachers.

Janet Shrout remembers the foundation to the school in early 50s. Coming from Sharpsburg, after crossing the bridge it set on the right side of highway in the first curve, below the road.

It’s exciting to know there is even more memories and photographs that tells the story of a tiny little hamlet known as Bald Eagle waiting to be shared.