Sometimes by just doing what you love, you can make an impact on a community of people.
Earlier this month, the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce presented Bob and Rose Taunton with the President’s Award for their years of service.
Bob was born in Tallassee and grew up in the area. He traveled around for work — meeting Rose in Mobile. They both worked as sales representatives for marine and boating products for about 30 years before moving back to Tallassee about 35 years ago.
Bob and Rose are well known in the community, being active in their church, playing musical instruments around town and being members of the Talisi Historical Preservation Society. Bob has been the president of the society for the past six years and he will soon be stepping down from the position.
During his run as president, he has accomplished many feats. One of the initiatives was a time capsule, which is planted at Tallassee City Hall.
“We had members of the community prepare their memoirs and notes and souvenirs and packed them in the time capsule,” Bob said. “We're going to open it 100 years from now.”
The society also has a log cabin from the 1840s, which was improved upon during Bob’s term. The cabin now has restrooms for guests to use and is ADA compliant. It was a big undertaking that allowed the log cabin to be a venue for more public events.
The society has held a storytelling festival and a musical event at the cabin so far. The musical event was in observance of National Play Music on your Front Porch Day. As the name suggests, local musicians came together to play on the cabin’s front porch. Bob himself plays a variety of string instruments including the banjo, guitar and mountain dulcimer.
The historical society has about 20 members.
“It's really a great group of people,” Bob said. “It's people who are thoroughly interested in the history of our little town, and they always respond and help whenever they're called upon. The group as a whole is very active in the community and contributes a lot.”
Bob hopes the community, with the help of the society, is also able to find interest in Tallasee’s rich history. Tallasee holds one of the last remnants of the Creek Nation on the edge of its town. There also is a Confederate armory built during the Civil War days and the river acted as a hub for factories in the early years.
As far as the President’s Award, Bob said he nor Rose never expected to be the recipients. They try to be active in the community, but they didn’t realize it was something people really took notice of.
Because these awards are given through community nomination, Bob said it really is a great honor, and he is grateful people think so highly of both of them to even be nominated. As the next president takes up the role, he hopes they also get to experience the appreciation the community has given him and Rose.
The historical society meets at 6 p.m. every third Monday of the month at the Tallassee Falls Museum. Bob said everyone is welcome to stop by and enjoy.
