PREMIERES THURSDAY APRIL 17 AT 8 PM

In this upcoming episode of DISCOVERING ALABAMA, Doug Phillips introduces residents of Chandler Mountain to discuss everything their home has to offer, and why they work so hard to defend it from future development plans. Watch this episode to learn more about the revered land of Chandler Mountain and why its residents believe that in their situation, conservation outweighs development.

Chandler Mountain, known as the “home of the south’s bluegrass,” is a vibrant landscape where musical heritage, cultural preservation, and natural beauty converge. Hosting legendary bluegrass figures at Horse Pens 40 and maintaining indigenous historical sites, this community celebrates generational roots amid geographic features like Big Canoe Creek, embodying the enduring spirit of Alabama rural life through its deep connection to music, land, and shared history.

Recent plans to build a reservoir on Chandler Mountain – which would have completely changed the character of the community – generated a good deal of press and led residents in the area to seek alternatives. The plans were eventually shelved, but people wonder if the issue might rise again.

Along with many others, Chandler Mountain resident Shelly Lyon feels strongly that the mountain should be preserved for their future children. “The biggest threat to Chandler Mountain is development, either industrial or suburban sprawl,” says Lyon. “Are we fostering this growth through ways that are truly beneficial to our communities, or are we just doing it to do it?"

To hear more about Chandler Mountain from people like Fran Summerlin, Verna Jackson, Brian Bell, and Ben Lyon, watch this episode of DISCOVERING ALABAMA on Alabama Public Television on Thursday, April 17 at 8 p.m.