A  year from today—January 20, 2017—a new president of the United States will be inaugurated. As a relatively small place in an historically rural state, Hartselle obviously has not been on the beaten path of those who in the past have sought the nation’s highest office. Nevertheless, there have been connections between this area and the presidency as the following items will show.

April 22, 1901–A leading topic of conversation here at the present time is the proposed visit of President and Mrs. McKinley and party on the morning of the 30th instant and arrangements are being made for the entertainment of the distinguished visitors. The presidential party will stop in Morgan County by the request of Mrs. McKinley, who is desirous of visiting her mother’s old friend and schoolmate, Miss Mary Frey, formerly of Canton, Ohio.

April 22, 1908–The Republican Congressional convention was held this afternoon at 1:23 o’clock in the Knights of Pythias hall. The convention was called to order by S. L. Sherrill, secretary, of Hartselle. Resolutions were adopted endorsing President Theodore Roosevelt and his administration and backing William Howard Taft as the next president.

June 8, 1912–Roosevelt Republicans met in Morgan County today from all sections of the eighth Congressional district and organized a district committee. Many of the Republicans in this district declare that Teddy Roosevelt is the only Republican who can be elected over the Democratic nominee, Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey.

July 23, 1904–D. W. Speake was today appointed judge of this judicial circuit to fill out the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge O. Kyle who was recently appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as one of the judges of the Panama Canal Zone.

 April 26, 1915–President Wilson today nominated Henry A. Skeggs, a long-time Morgan Countian, to be United States marshal for the northern district of Alabama. This is an example of the type of reward Democrats here receive as a result of their steadfast loyalty to the party.

Feb. 18, 1924—J. A. Rountree, founding editor of the Enquirer and now director general of the United States Good Roads association, left the state Sunday bound for Washington to call on President Coolidge and Mrs. Coolidge and members of the cabinet, extending them invitations to attend the next annual meeting of the association of which he is now the leader.

Nov. 1, 1924—President Calvin Coolidge, the Republican nominee, is drawing little support in Hartselle and surrounding areas. The Democratic candidate, John Davis, is much more popular. The visit of Enquirer founding editor Asa Rountree earlier this year obviously did little to increase the president’s standing among voters in this area.

June 28, 1934–At a meeting of the governing body of the Old State Bank Building, plans were made to bring every possible pressure to bear upon President Franklin Roosevelt to come here this fall and dedicate the structure. Letters were sent to city councils and city organizations at Hartselle, Danville, Eva, and Priceville and other nearby municipalities asking them to cooperate in the “get Roosevelt” movement.

April 7, 1938—Former Hartselle mayor and current Postmaster J. L. Day has been nominated by President Franklin Roosevelt to serve another term in this office. This job always goes to a loyal member of the Democratic Party if its leader is in the White House.

Dec. 12, 1939—Ronald Reagan and the “Dead End” Kids are starring in “Hell’s Kitchen,” the feature presentation at the Strand Theatre in Downtown Hartselle tonight.

Nov. 7, 1972—Morgan County will continue to be legally dry for the time being. “No” votes amounted to 2,189, yes votes to 1,245. In the presidential race, Nixon was more popular than prohibition, beating McGovern 2,658-665.