Join us on Wednesday, October 15th at 12:00 PM at Jack L. Ray Park as we celebrate with Coosa Riverkeeper the installation of a new historical marker honoring comic artist Tom Sims, best known for continuing the legacy of Popeye the Sailor Man. The marker will be placed near the boat ramp and dock, a fitting location along the Coosa River that inspired much of Sims’ storytelling.
About the Marker
Tom Sims, who took over writing and illustrating Popeye after the original creator’s death in 1938, drew creative inspiration from his childhood on the Coosa River and his father’s work as captain of the steamboat Leota, built by the River Iron Company of Gadsden. In a 1944 interview, Sims explained that when he began writing Popeye, he placed his characters “back on the old Leota” and turned “the Coosa River into a salty sea.” This local connection inspired the inscription for the new marker, which highlights the river’s influence on both regional culture and American pop art. The installation is led by Coosa Riverkeeper, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Coosa River and the communities that depend on it. Learn more at CoosaRiver.org.
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT
David Franklin, Operations Manager (256) 543-3472
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