1956 - 2006

1956: Rainsville is made official It was a big year. Elvis Presley's first, second and third number one hits ­ Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, and Love Me Tender ­ came in 1956. The last Packard rolled off the assembly line in Detroit. President Eisenhower was re-elected in a landslide. His pet project, the Highway Revenue Act ­ which would change America, went into effect in that year. That year that saw the bus boycott in Montgomery make a young, African-American preacher famous, and Don Larsen pitch the only perfect game in World Series history, a group of men back in Rainsville took action in order to make their community a better place to work and raise a family. The town's founding fathers and citizens decided to make the town official during the second half of 1956. A petition of incorporation was filed with the probate judge on August 6, 1956. Subsequently, on August 27, 1956 the citizens confirmed the measure, by voting 41 in favor and 11 in opposition. The mayor and town councilmen were sworn in on October 13, 1956. The first town council meeting was held on October 22, 1956 and the Rainsville municipal government was created. Roland Daniels was the first mayor, while Bill Kelly, Edmond Burke, Leo Grimes, U.H. McDonald and Elmer Bailey were the original councilmen. They appointed Joe Thompson as the first town clerk.  NEXT PAGE: Rainsville - the fastest growing town in the state during the 1960s Heritage Project Home