RonnioeAdventure #0527 - Alabama 2022 Part V

Huntsville (population 215,006) is the most populous city in Alabama and is known as "Rocket City" because of its close associations with the U.S. space program. The historic Redstone Rocket Test Site and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center are both located on a large track of land within the Redstone Arsenal just south of Interstate 565. Unfortunately, when we visited the area all of these facilities were closed to the public due to COVID-19. Only the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Museum was open for visitors. 

The Saturn V rocket that was used to place astronauts on the moon was designed at the Marshall Center and there are several Saturn rockets displayed at the museum.   

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is an Official NASA Visitor Center and a Smithsonian Affiliate. Since 1982 the Center has been home of Space Camp, where kids and adults can stay to learn and experience what is like to be an astronaut. Some of the Space Camp activities are available to museum visitors on a daily basis for an additional fee. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Interactive exhibits in the museum were popular with younger visitors, although some older visitors tried a number of the milder activities. While we were watching, some old man in the Space Shuttle simulator showed the kids how to make a perfect landing. It must have gone to his head because we next saw him spinning around in an outer space simulator. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

For an additional fee, visitors could also take a "spin" on the Multi-Axis Trainer or participate in a Sea TREK underwater walking experience using a specialized diving helmet. We did not try either one of these activities.

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

The Space Camp Mission Control Center and Space Camp facilities looked interesting, but we were not allowed to go in most of the training modules. These areas are only used by Space Camp attendees. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

However, we were allowed to walk through part of the International Space Station (ISS) module that contained a display of astronaut food and a sleeping rack.

Picture by Kolohe

Astronaut Food - Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Astronaut Sleeping Rack - Picture by Kolohe

Outside on display were Space Shuttle fuel tanks, a T-38 Talon trainer, modified Gulfstream II that that was used to train astronauts how to land the Shuttle, Saturn Rockets, LEM, and Skylab exhibit.  

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Suspended from the ceiling in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration building is a full-size Saturn V rocket divided into its individual components. The Saturn V exhibit is very similar to the Saturn V exhibit at Cape Canaveral. In order to get the entire rocket in one picture, Kolohe used a fisheye lens on her camera. Although the picture is distorted and appears curved, the rocket exhibit was really in a long straight line.

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Separation ring used between rocket stages.

Picture by Kolohe

Apollo Lunar Module, also known as LEM

Picture by Kolohe

Lunar Roving Vehicle.

Actual recovered Apollo 10 Capsule.

Picture by Kolohe

Apollo astronaut spacesuits.

Picture by Kolohe

Actual walkway from the launch tower that was used by astronauts to board Apollo spacecrafts.

 

Picture by Kolohe

The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) was used on three different shuttle missions, so that astronauts could repair faulty communications satellites. By using the MMU, astronauts were able to move about untethered and unattached from their shuttle while working in space. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

A moon rock collected and returned to earth from the Apollo 12 Mission.  

Picture by Kolohe

On exhibit was the largest piece of Skylab recovered after it disintegrated on reentry through the Earth's atmosphere on July 11, 1979. 

Picture by Kolohe

When we discovered that it was 36 million miles to the next food place, we decided that we had better stop at Mars Grill and have a "Space Burger" before starting our long journey home. 

RonnieAdventure #0526 - Alabama 2022 Part IV

Paragon Picture Gallery Corporate Office/Manufacturing Facility

 

When we were in Albertville (population 22,386), we had the opportunity to visit the Paragon Picture Gallery and Propac Images factories where wall-art is manufactured. The staffs at both facilities were great to visit with and we really appreciated their southern hospitality. 

In 1970, the Glassco family founded Carousel Decors to provide accessory packages for the manufactured housing industry. Then, in 1975, the family purchased a competitor, Paragon  Decors, and retained the company's name. 

As the business grew, second generation Glassco family members joined the business and in 1981 a national showroom was opened with sales rep coverage. 

By 1989 a larger facility was needed. To meet the increased wall-art demand, a new 44,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility was constructed and additional types of products were produced. During the manufacturing processes, large quantities of usable scrap materials were created, so in 1990 a second company, Propac Images, was founded to make smaller products using as much of the Propac scrap materials as possible.

In 1995, the manufacturing facility was expanded to 86,000 sq.ft. and in 2001 a corporate showroom was opened in Chicago.

By 2005, the company had once again outgrown the manufacturing building, so a new 150,000 sq.ft. corporate office/manufacturing facility was constructed. With increased manufacturing capacity, corporate showrooms were opened in Las Vegas (2007), High Point in North Carolina (2008), and Atlanta (2013).    

The Paragon and Propac manufacturing facilities are now located in separate buildings and the businesses are operated as two separate companies. Paragon is the larger facility, so we toured the factory first and then followed with a tour of the Propac facility that uses similar manufacturing processes. Third generation Glassco family members now work at both companies.

Art Design Room - Picture by Kolohe

Photographing Art Work for Sales Catalogue

Artist at Work - Picture by Kolohe

Artists Work Area

Artist at Work - Picture by Kolohe

Master Print Storage Area - Picture by Kolohe

Mat Board Cutting Area

Picture Frame Stock Storage Area - Picture by Kolohe

Frame Stock Cutting Area - Picture by Kolohe

Cutting Machine - Picture by Kolohe

Cut Picture Frame Stock Ready For Assembly - Picture by Kolohe

Picture Frame Stock Assemblage - Picture by Kolohe

Finished Picture Frames - Picture by Kolohe

Pictures Ready to be Mounted in Frames - Picture by Kolohe

Assemblage of Final Product - Picture by Kolohe

Final Product Order Collection Area

Manufacturing Shipping Boxes. (Order is being Shipped to Las Vegas) - Picture by Kolohe

Boxes Waiting for Shipment to Retailers - Picture by Kolohe

Propac Images Corporate Office/Manufacturing Facility

Albertville is known as the "Fire Hydrant Capital of the World" and on July 21, 2016, the Mueller Company produced the four millionth hydrant. The hydrant was chrome plated and placed on a pedestal in front of the Chamber of Commerce building near the Main Street Music Festival Logo and the Albertville Train Depot.

Although Guntersville is the county seat of Marshall County, there is also a courthouse located in Albertville for the convenience of people that live in the Albertville-Sand Mountain area.  

Guntersville (population 8,553) has an interesting history. 

In order to obtain land for salt mining, John Gunther, the great-great grandfather of humorous Will Rogers, married the Cherokee Indian Chief's daughter and then gave salt to the Indians for their lands. The town that sprang up next to the mine was eventually named Guntersville, after John Gunther.  

As we were entering Scottsboro (population 15,578) we noted some interesting roadside art at the Patches Merchant Emporium. The artwork was unique, but a little too large to purchase and carry home with us. 

Picture by Kolohe

At the Jackson County Courthouse there is an unusual looking statue of Andrew Jackson. Jackson's head is no wider than his neck; thus, the statue has been nicknamed "Pencil head Jackson."

Picture by Kolohe

Most tourists travel to Scottsboro to visit the world famous Unclaimed Baggage Center that has been featured in numerous magazines and television programs. This is the nation's only retailer of lost luggage.

It is hard to believe, but about 1.4 million airline bags are lost each year, or about 3,800 bags per day, 7-days per week. Almost all of the lost bags eventually reach their owners, but the contents of a small number of bags that never reach their owners are sold at the Unclaimed Baggage Center. 

Some of the more unusual items discovered in the lost luggage are on display and not for sale. Unfortunately, clothing was the most common item for sale, which is what would be expected considering that the items are from suitcases. Most of the non-clothing items that we looked at were dated or in questionable condition, so we did not purchase anything. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe