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Retirees Enjoy Mellow Lifestyle,
Rich Antebellum Heritage and Lake Culture in Eufaula, Alabama
Cost of Living: Below the National Average
| In 1834, Eufaula's
four main downtown streets were named
Livingston, Orange, Randolph and Eufaula,
creating the acronym LORE, and today the Seth
Lore and Irwin Historic District has more than
700 structures on the National Register of
Historic Places. Included are the
17-columned, 1884 Shorter Mansion, an
outstanding example of Neoclassical Revival
architecture, the 1854 Creek Revival Couric-Smith
house (which once belonged to CBS television
anchor Katie Couric's great-grandfather), and
our favorite, the Old City Jail, which was
originally divided into two cells
- one for men and one for, yes, “women and
lunatics." Each year the
Eufaula Heritage Association sponsors the town's
biggest event, the Eufaula Pilgrimage and
Antique Show, a tour of the town's oldest and
most impressive homes. |
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The Medical Center Barbour (Lakeview Community
Hospital) has 74 beds and is Eufaula's primary
health facility. It underwent a major
renovation project in 1998 and today has a 24-hour
emergency department, surgical services, acute care
services, an ICU and a cardiopulmonary
department. It also has two independent living
facilities and a 176-bed nursing facility.
The Eufaula Senior Center is operated by the
Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging (SARCOA)
and is open Monday through Friday. Services
include transportation and home delivered meals.
There are classes, health workshops, board games,
potlucks and more. They can be reached at
(334) 687-8367.
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The Eufaula Community Center is also a popular
gathering spot for many retirees. There are racquetball
courts, a swimming pool, an exercise room, walking and running
tracks and meeting rooms.
Eufaula is off the beaten path (the closest interstate highway
is 50 miles away and the closest sizeable city, Dothan, Alabama -
population 65,000 - is 45 miles away) and has the ambiance that
only an authentic, small Southern town can have. The air is
clean and heavy, and each spring dogwoods and azaleas burst forth,
bathing open spaces and parks in shades of pink and
white. The residents are friendly, happy to help out a
neighbor when needed. Afternoons can be spent strolling
through quiet neighborhoods, imagining life in a different era, or
dipping a line in the lake and waiting for the bass to bite.
Shopping is adequate; dining options are not outstanding but there
are a number of good, non-chain eateries. There is a
public library, and Wallace Community College offers vocational
subjects. At least 67 churches can be found
(most are Baptist), but there is no public transportation.
The overall crime rate is above the national average, but most
crimes are thefts. The population is ethnically
diverse.
The climate is sub-tropical, meaning summers are hot, winters
are mild and it rains a lot. Summer high temperatures reach
into the 90s, and winter high temperatures are in the 50s and
60s. The annual rainfall is nearly 70 inches, and the
average relatively humidity is 72%.
In many ways, time seems to have stood still here as life
meanders at a leisurely pace and is savored. Modern stresses
do not seem as pressing. Yet, there are a few drawbacks to
retirement in Eufaula. Anyone seeking a retirement full of
hustle and bustle will not be content in this rural spot as
cultural amenities are nearly non-existent, and getting here takes
a little time and patience. June, July and August heat can
be sticky (some might say oppressive), but for those who enjoy a
quiet life, long, languid summer days are made for sitting on the porch
and sipping some homemade sweet tea or strolling down to the lake for a
cool dip. And knowing that life is good.
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