history!

Premise and Goal:

There is a necessity for any community to understand where its been so that its future is determined through the successes and mistakes of the past. Also, the understanding of the vibrancy of the culture that built the community is necessary to allow for the diversification of new, enriching cultures coming to light.

This section of the website will attempt to show where Loxley has been, its contributions to the historical background of this county, state and nation. There are brief, contrary historical identifications provided to placate those who, in the past, have had the desire to know. Unfortunately, the information is sketchy and not well researched. Some of the statements and accounts, so close to the truth, contridict each other, sometimes within the same article.

It is the purpose of this endeavor to find the truth about where we have been. In doing so, we wish to give our residents a sense of belonging to something other than simple anecdotes. We will attempt to define what it is to be a resident of Loxley. Hopefully, through this we will form an identity that when someone asks for us to tell them about where we came from, we can fill hours with conversation about this wonderful town, its residents, its past, and the direction of where we, as a community, are going.

We will fill this section with information received through anecdotes, newspaper articles, links to video media, historical references to the town, and photographs. It is the wish that this author, in order to form a true look at the history of Loxley, have the help of those who remember back when.

Sections:

The following are links to specific sections of the History of Loxley. Menu selections will be added as needed.

Main Page of Town of Loxley

Main History Page

Existing Historical References

Photographs

Anecdotes

Notes

About the Author:

Richard Joseph Knight was born on July 23, 1954 in Augusta, GA to Joseph Lawrence and Joretta Dyess Knight. He was born in a military hospital at Fort Gordon, GA. Although his early years kept him moving all over the world with his father, an US Army Staff Sargent, much of the time was spent in Loxley while his father was in transit to different parts of the world. Richard is known my his close friends as Joey. Joey had an opportunity in his younger days to live in Japan, Washington DC, Germany, and various parts of the United States. When he permanently moved back to Loxley in 1966, he attended Loxley Elementary School. Upon graduation from Robertsdale High School in 1972, he decided to attend Troy State University. His major was Music Education and in 1976 he was awarded a Bachelors in Music Education. He received his Masters Degree in Education from Troy University in 1990.

Joey's first job, ever, was with Mr. John Finch at Gulf Coast Awning in Loxley. He pulled weeds, mowed the grass, and did a variety of other odd jobs. When he turned 13, he began working for his Grandmother, Dora Belle Steele at Steeles Food Market. Through his years there he eventually became a meat cutter, cashier, stocker, bag boy, and Sunday manager. He began working as a band director in the fall of 1976 at Century High School. In the Fall of 1979 he moved into Alabama and taught at Springville High School in Springville, AL. An opportunity to teach in his old high school came open and he moved back to Loxley in 1981. Joey was the middle school director for the Robertsdale Feeder System and High School Chorus director for thirteen years. He took the high school band position at Robertsdale High School in 1994 where he worked until his retirement in 2004. In 2007, Joey was inducted into the Robertsdale High School Athletic Hall of Fame as an Associate Member for his work as band director and his consistent support for the sports programs at RHS.

In 1991, Joey married Tracie Lynn Morrow. They have three children, Katie, Traclyn, and Loren. Joey's interests include photography, jazz music, golf, oil painting, writing, reading, singing, drama, and history. Presently, he is the Director of the Loxley Civic Center, where he has been since his retirement from public education in 2004. His job includes coordinating and booking the events, seeing to the welfare and maintenance of the building, helping with activities of the center, and maintaining the Town's Website. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce as the Town of Loxley's Representative. He is member of the Baldwin County Strawberry Festival Committee. Attending Loxley United Methodist Church, he has served as Choir Director and Chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee. At present, he is working on a historical novel, nature photography, and oil painting.