Hollywood, Ala., doesn't have the fame and fashion of its California counterpart. But you can't beat the original, the Alabama residents can brag.
It's a slower pace of life around here, with not many restaurants or shopping. Still, it's a great town for natural beauty.
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Unfinished Plant> Passersby on Highway 72 likely notice two nuclear plant cooling towers that dominate the landscape of Hollywood, Ala. They belong to the TVA’s Belefonte Nuclear Generating Station, which has sat idle for the past 20-plus years since energy demand fell short. It’s future still remains uncertain.
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Hollywood Food> Shorty Machen’s Grocery Store & Deli: Come on down to Shorty’s for a good old-fashioned hamburger. They’ll make it any way you like, but they prefer the usual: mustard, tomato, lettuce, pickle and onion.> The shop is your typical grocery store, with a deli on the side. In addition to the hamburger, the folks at Shorty’s offer barbecue, catfish, chicken fingers, pizza and cold-cut sandwiches.> The shop is located at 169 Railroad St. and is open Monday-Saturday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Visit the real Hollywood> Population: 1,058> Landmark: Centuries ago, the residents of Jackson County debated where to put their new cemetery. Ultimately, they settled on a beautiful spot at the highest point of elevation in their community, a place they called Bellefonte. If you go there, you’ll find the graves of men who died in the 1820s.> Date incorporated: 1897> History: What you see today as Hollywood was known as Bellefonte in 1821, when the Alabama legislature incorporated 60 acres. The town became Jackson County’s seat of justice. In 1828, when the town’s population swelled to 200, builders constructed a two-story courthouse. But the country divided three decades later, and Union troops invaded the town. And like they did with other small, Southern towns, the troops burned down Bellefonte’s pride, melting the courthouse into shards. The town — and its people — never recovered. Only the cemetery remains.> Interesting fact: Hollywood tried to trademark its city name in 1994, but a federal judge blocked the action, calling the city in Alabama the original Hollywood. If you go to the city’s water tower today, you will see writing that says, “We’re the Real Hollywood.”