![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgaHk-mcwVFXJjU1Htteu8A9tdeEpxNWj_7rnoL2TeV-Iuw66VM8PYsBMFbcFS1dMkZRT8SoOK_XqYSN84JKJMQo4_HB3keSfJNyKS_IlL54D1iCkJAwFhD-5dbWJ8iNKPb5Bfrj67oY/s320/john+henry+003.jpg)
This past Saturday my husband and I went to the
town of Leeds, Alabama to see the play "Listen to
That Cold Steel Ring" written by Leeds native Marie
Cromer. It was all about John Henry from boyhood
to a grown man who worked on the railroad. Although
he was born a slave his owner took him under his wing
and when he was old enough took him to work on the
railroad. The story (whether it be legend or truth) is
that John Henry was in a contest against the steam drill.
He won but died from exhaustion. The photo above is
of my husband, myself and the man who played John
Henry as a grown up. All the players were hometown
people and all did a fabulous job. We thoroughly enjoyed
the play, it had some comedy and of course at the end
tragedy.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvo98Rjy0ohD_FKOHinUpG_VxmhMSQKAotFunPNVOW-jfD_7hn0YTe9BL6yrI_i3GFPcAn7vahO7Kkfv0CzAgc5-n6nT4J2jHea59sslGN3HhtC8abEqIW9Ak4jWCJd0PfvrI4u52M0c/s320/john+henry+004.jpg)
Plaque about John Henry. If you click on picture
you will be able to read most of it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OWct0a-RNBBWRbktaT9QAFKyIjNUz13x1-Zr7gCuAzQgHiJ5k-sp83HQMP9l4jyo9N1nrGYJsEd69PEecT0m_2OhhqRuUjUg8uWTvzNDZu_q-uSIAEAeWmC4UPVD-HcX3BHxtZtp-b4/s320/john+henry+007.jpg)
Some of the singers. They did a great job of
singing old time gospel songs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T5Aw_9jxQILK-GS8Cpv12MoU4AgllTW5HGHRGaNdfuxY1vtG1s2VgFCsNQ0DK7wa6BT6TsOmA-A6o6eQ5x-TG1Yt6q6wU7S4Tso7bXLABhNFTi0izvSa64zdi17vqYOGCfH-EPUB5_w/s320/john+henry+010.jpg)
The lady who played the mom of John Henry
on the right and the other lady was a midwife
who told her that John Henry would die with a
hammer in his hand.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuQznPvQA2GiT4c7_KTGHkdtSam1-k9TWr9ecJAhPuXHqydg3pThAMoYN8oxSb3OKhVHliC-XRUDJDrdl0RDnSH8TJBk-6uDgjxNtoyK4TVDQk4rJI30r8_e4H-F6yLPoEv2uE87igzY/s320/john+henry+016.jpg)
John Henry as a young boy with his dad and mom.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYndq_1lg-k0FLP8iK4IOTBl90ogHQUDfIcQiM7UO_F68rEmgr05lXRx6l_Dkk4CzLHUJfO61othPPznXpd0zdDMRoJjXqjvJp8rwZKNiB06WG1Bm5UW6ma9C58-FRkS1OmyYb-NlYkH8/s320/john+henry+018.jpg)
John Henry as a teenager with his mom and dad.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpoAt4V4PfwrbpGlATDAqxb5iFLvohlPqhgS14hX_IfdIDGGZtAGN-D8Txe3ifkMFKq-D9ems58db90pIBgilFtyraGeKOV_YjG6uiniEsuYB_diY09C7wBA1ludk5boWUqs7x_Sdt2w/s320/john+henry+022.jpg)
John Henry as a grown man with with partner
that held the rods that went into the rails.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wO1kIYp4inoxjSf1fSqdtsrR5WrLE9QdS_czt5Vi7WbKUn2Ssr1l9aynfpQG8i4Qg1hNaMkJlNCt8wKjV5Ny8H5qox7K4ujsNKaJCFeTJtVMUXI5iXEM48sQBuFoGj_mjKaaF85JMUw/s320/john+henry+035.jpg)
This scene brought tears to my eyes. John
Henry after he beat the steam drill with his
wife, the owner of the plantation and his partner.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOYikvXQPoYhlqXA8TKtdt57UI07wAoAExV4VqZ-lAJ6VoVVA0cNRkzzWQQ3IpIp9tDQzA2pbtylryCSXAY2rt_6xw_WFy9YtsBWupHPs5gBtWoq5mRsfxCYS-y9YX87hyphenhyphenYkFe-kMO2c/s320/john+henry+036.jpg)
The end of the play. Dead being covered up
by his partner. They say he is buried next to
railroad.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G53GsPjwjKtituG6QUqfELKIDkNGNxgE5dSQqxwgmorFVIW7zYq1elQcpL28fSAItvWb4cEMvUYgBmzOE2p3OV6XHYT5Ai-NVNI9MTJlZcxUQno5Y24nqIqXPncYZ_x7Hz-2zmkRfsM/s320/john+henry+044.jpg)
The plaque about the depot there in Leeds, which
now is a museum about the railroads.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JPilqduR3JFODCBI_jxWGsGwg7H3Eu79Ju5NEVnCMlqq48ahrMHveaJmDriBK5G2kvayhkEyTJ-AdbxnhcSPOveJ-p_6NMIlPYWVgBbt0-78e-Ri4KTCHfbi9hKmUG26lM41NTrTn6s/s320/john+henry+043.jpg)
Photo of the Depot.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9JprBQzKi7pOqa9RKhN_Pt6IUVIHAlXbi3Ma53xVZTcsxcvJmCdYVn6wTQgd082f0NFvjot0CY1nWTyENDYDaLcwjwcxeCev22_glX-PHX_AZ4Kte5t-8OaJENZY3M2SbJtBn7E_evM/s320/john+henry+041.jpg)
This used to be a hotel across from the depot
now is a home.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOanlUAUVnkYdqU-Xi73_9uTyPfPa5FuJzlhRsbOsoo17hCCVVewpa_rRyjvFW4BpI9CbvNkkvRXRV1tyMAxQmtLN2Klw_qzjyvat-AaiC2NMDkV_fAAVOAD1O3uowq07SA8s8s8x_B-A/s320/john+henry+042.jpg)
The livery another building across from the
depot. It also has railroad information and
other things one can buy books about railroads
etc.