WALZ HISTORICAL PHOTOS - MAGNOLIA
The first car wreck in Columbia County occurred about 1911 or 1912 on the then-dirt road between Magnolia and McNeil. Pictured in the photo from left are: 1. an inudentified spectator wearing a derby hat, 2. Duke Emerson, 3. Willie Carraway, owner of the upturned Ford Roadster, and 4. Wes Emerson, father of Dule, and owner of the 1910 Cadillac at left. According to the late Miss Esther Emerson, "Duke and Willer were drag racing, and Willie in his Ford hit a rut and flipped over. Our car (the 1910 Cadillac) was not damaged, nor was Willie Carraway hurt. Duke came to Magnolia in our Cadillac and got our father (Wes Emerson), a photographer, and several witnesses and went back to photgraph the wreck." This photo was discovered by Hugh Longino among family photos; copy by R. Walz.
