LEIGHTON – LaGrange College Site Park will once again transform into a scene of Christmas
past for Christmas in the Country on Friday and Saturday, November 21–22, from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. each day. Located off Hwy 157 near White Oak on Little Mountain at a 400-foot elevation,
the historic park overlooks the Tennessee Valley and its late-autumn color.
Visitors can expect special music by the Stampede band, new vendors, food trucks, blacksmith
craftsmen demonstrations, and sales of iron-crafted art at the old Country Store. The event
captures the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned Christmas and welcomes locals and visitors
of all ages for two days of traditional decorations, entertainment, and free family fun.
Colbert County High School art students have been busy designing decorations for nine or more
Christmas trees that will be displayed during the event. Each tree will be identified by design
and number, and the public will vote for their favorites. Voting closes at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
November 22, with awards presented at that time. A special thanks to the Leighton Fire
Department for setting up the trees for students to decorate.
Colbert County Tourism President Susann Hamlin said, “Locals love Christmas in the Country. It
always comes early; just when we are getting into the Christmas spirit. Reminding us of
Christmases from our childhood or stories from our parents and grandparents about
Christmases gone by, it is a welcomed event, situated in our mountain setting, with live
greenery and mistletoe, hot chocolate, and a wagon transporting children throughout the park.
It’s fun, it’s our Christmas ‘kick off’. Meet your friends at Christmas in the Country. You will not
want to miss those fried pies or homemade cakes available for purchase at the bake sale.”
Held each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, this fundraising event began as a
Christmas open house featuring natural, handmade decorations that reflect the olden days.
Today, it has grown to include a bake sale, arts and crafts, entertainment, visits with Santa and
Mrs. Claus, hayrides, and tours of the pioneer village dressed in Christmas past décor. Guests
arrive early to purchase homemade baked goods for their Thanksgiving tables, enjoy hayrides
to the old LaGrange Cemetery, make family photos for Christmas cards, shop for gifts, and visit
with Santa. Historic log buildings throughout the park will be open for tours.
The LaGrange Living Historical Association hosts Christmas in the Country from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. both days. LaGrange College Site Park is located at 1491 LaGrange College Road in
Leighton. Admission is free, and donations for the upkeep and maintenance of the park are
welcomed.
Visitors are invited to explore the rich history of the LaGrange College Site, including guided
tours of the log buildings on Saturday. The log kitchen, listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, once stood at The Oaks in Tuscumbia. For young stargazers, the Shoals
Astronomy Club will host a special stargazing tour at the LaGrange Observatory within the park.
LaGrange College Site is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. LaGrange
College was Alabama’s first chartered college and the forerunner of the University of North
Alabama. Union forces burned it during the Civil War. Today, the pioneer village includes a
picnic pavilion, a memorial monument, several historical markers, a log barn, a smokehouse, a
wedding chapel, a barber shop, an outhouse, a log kitchen, a cemetery, a post office, a country
store, a blacksmith shop, and a caretaker’s house. Learn more at www.lagrangehistoricsite.org.
For more information on Christmas in the Country, contact Louise Lenz at 256-446-9324 or
Colbert County Tourism at 256-383-0783.
Media Release/Maryanne Floyd
Director of Communications
Colbert County Tourism
