Moonshine Express

The Franklin County Historical Society recently held their annual Moonshine Express on April 20th. Dedicated volunteers and interpreters braved rain showers and cool temperatures in order to play their part in making this event a success.

The Moonshine Express consist of interpreters in period dress from the 1920's and 30's, stationed throughout Rocky Mount. As the tour buses arrived at their location the interpreters would board the bus and proceed to tell the buses passengers interesting and educational tid-bits regarding Franklin County's checkered past.

A letter of Thanks.

Thanks to many people, Franklin County Historical Society's fourth annual "Moonshine Express" history event, conducted Sunday, April 20, was a success.

Community service is a wonderful thing for nonprofit organizations like ours. None of our character events would be possible without participation by community citizens.

A public thank-you is necessary. At the top of the list is Commonwealth Coach & Trolley Museum of Roanoke, which provided vintage buses and drivers.

Bus sponsors were the Town of Rocky Mount, All Jobs Inc., Mountain to Lake Land & Realty, Dick & Dee Shoemaker and Flowers by Jones.

Thank you to the town for allowing use of the Municipal Building as tour headquarters.

Cast members, portraying local people from real slices of life, were, in order of appearance: Tom Young, "A Peace Officer," Dawn and Tracy Self, "Churchgoers Women who like to gossip," Sandy Via, "A Church Woman," who sang a Prohibition song probably not heard since it was written in Rocky Mount in 1909.

Karen Mutter, "A Good Baptist," Jim Taylor, "Prosecutor," Andy Self, "Sheriff," A.L. Self, "Deputy," Simon LeRay and Marcus Quinn, "Locals Enjoying a Drink at the Courthouse," Jamey Singleton, "Young Bootlegger."

Doris Eames, "A Businesswoman" and Gladys Taylor, "Businesswoman's Nosey Friend," JoBeth Akers, "Country Gal," Donald Meador, "Country Boy," Shawna Banks, "Bradie Allman's Housekeeper," Donna Harris, "Moonshiner's Widow."

Jim Galloway, "Bottler," Mindy Quinn, "Female Gawker," Emily Rose Tucker, "Rum Runner Queen," Brittany Doss and Laura Hughes, "Females at Franklin Glass," Timothy Luck and Alexander Young, "Thirsty Young Men at the Train Station" and Libby Cantley-Beckner, "Female at The Hub."

Thanks to the guides on the buses, Marie Beckett and Doris Eames; the interpreters at the likker still, Lane Rakes and Rocky, Eddie Peters, Tim Smith and B.K. Hodges; Tom Howell and David for showcasing the Moonshine Run cars; Jack Powell for tale-telling; Leola Martin and Aubrey Self for handling concessions and other jobs.

Thank you also to the many vintage automobile owners who brought their vehicles out to park at the scenes around town. Among them: Herbert Jones, Walter Jones, Roy Jones, Eugene Akers, Billie Hubbard, Jack Dillon, W.D. Messenger, Jeff Rakes, Doug Gibbs, David Woody, Raven Lynch, Ravon Thurman, Bill Greer and any others whose names we missed.

Our appreciation also to Martha Young and Claude Holland, Franklin County Sheriff's Office personnel, especially transporter Jamie Smith, Terry Wallace and Kathy Krietsch, task-doers. We appreciate Home Shopping Network, which provided community service employees.

Special thanks to ticket-buyers, who rode the four buses, coming from near and far to learn more about Franklin County's history.

If you missed the tour, souvenir tour booklets with the actors' scri pts and "rest of the story" are available at the history museum at 508 Franklin Street in Rocky Mount. Our next character tour will be "Ghosts & More" in October.

Linda Stanley

Special Projects Coordinator

Take a look at the full coverage of this event at the following link:  Set 1