🎄 A Dadeville Christmas Remembered

There are moments in a town’s history that don’t make national headlines, yet they live on in the hearts of the people who were there — moments stitched into the fabric of a community. One of those moments unfolded in Dadeville, Alabama, on a cool Friday afternoon, December 1, 1950.

At exactly 4:45 p.m., neighbors gathered on the north lawn of the courthouse, bundled against the early winter air, waiting for the Christmas lights to glow to life around the square and along Broadnax Street. The theme chosen for that year’s celebration was simple and profound:

“Every light a prayer for peace.”

In a world still healing from war, those words carried a weight that everyone felt.

The Dadeville High School band, led by Mr. J. F. Burton, opened the ceremony with music that drifted across the courthouse lawn. Rev. L. G. Meadows of the Baptist Church offered a heartfelt prayer for peace, grounding the gathering in reflection and hope.

Mrs. Jim Black stepped forward to explain the meaning of the theme—how each bulb shining across town represented a personal prayer, a wish for harmony, safety, and goodwill. A choral group followed with two beautifully rendered songs, and young Betty Abrams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Abrams, offered a special children’s prayer for peace. Her small voice carried a sincerity that touched everyone present.

The American Legion’s color guard advanced the colors as the band played a salute, and the national anthem rose into the December air. Rev. Preston Hughes of the Methodist Church closed the ceremony with a prayer of dismissal.

Then came the moment that would stay with people for years.

At the stroke of five, the chimes from the Baptist Church began to play “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” As the final notes rang out, the Christmas lights around the square burst into brilliance. The crowd bowed their heads in silent prayer, the glow of the lights reflecting the quiet hopes of an entire community.

The event was lovingly sponsored by the Legion Auxiliary, the Dadeville Home Demonstration Club, the Delphic Club, the Philomatic Club, and the Worth While Club — a testament to the deep community spirit that has always defined Dadeville.

That evening, Dadeville didn’t just turn on Christmas lights. It illuminated its collective heart.