The Fuller & Dees Gold Mine . . . still stands at 3736 Atlanta Highway. In 1960, Millard Fuller (ex baseball pitcher) and Morris Dees (ex political operator), were enterprising students at the U of A Law School. Soon thereafter the pair settled in Montgomery, started a modest law practice. Then, building on their student success, they invented a direct-mail cookbook publishing company. The left end of the pictured structure (present-day home of the State Personnel Offices) was Cookbook headquarters, and their endeavor made millions. In 1965 business was so good they added the right half (now Fortis College, sort of a private trade school). I still remember walking down the then grassy hillside with Morris and Millard as we planned the expansion, and I tried to comprehend their Midas touch. But, after less than a decade of making millions, it all became boring, so the Golden Boys sold out, making even more (and that was back when a million was worth striving for). Fuller stumbled about a while, then moved to Georgia where he founded Habitat For Humanity. Dees stayed in Montgomery where he founded the Southern Poverty Law Center that looms over Dexter Avenue. But 50 years ago all the action was out here on the Atlanta Highway.

-Charles Humphries