Businessman

Born:

September 26, 1915, Madison County, Alabama

Died:

January 22, 1997, Madison County, Alabama

Buried:

Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama

Son of:

Aaron Fleming

Brother of:

Billy Fleming

Brother of:

Joe Fleming

Notes:

•  "Huntsville's first drive-in theater opened June 16, 1949, at the intersection of Whitesburg and Airport Road. It was owned and operated by Acme Investments, Incorporated, whose officers and stockholders were Walton Fleming (president), Martha Fleming (vice-president), and Charles A. Crute (secretary-treasurer). Playground equipment was installed in front of the screen, where parents could keep watch over children who had rather play than watch a movie that appealed to the older family members. Robert Ross was manager of the theater and snack bar in the 1950's. The old theater is long gone, but it still is remembered by many a Huntsville resident who saw movies under the stars at the fine entertainment center for years." - Rankin

•  Walton served on the Industrial Development Board from 1967-1975. The board: "To aid in providing plant buildings and property for new industry in Huntsville, a seven member Industrial Development Board was created in 1965. The Board can construct plants and lease them to private industry, under legislative acts generally referred to as the 'Wallace' and the 'Cater' acts." - Record, Vol. II

•  In 1963, "The Piedmont Par 3 Golf Course, an 18 hole lighted course, was opened by Walton Fleming and Charles Crute." - Record, Vol. II

•  Walton was an area developer, landowner, and community activist. - Nilsson

•  He owned much of Garth Mountain. - Nilsson

•  1946: "March 31 - A permit was issued to build a $20,000 theatre at the corner of Pike Street (now Triana Blvd.) and 9th Avenue. The permit was issued to Fritz Thomas and Walton Fleming. (Center Theatre)" - Pruitt

•  Walton Fleming was on the Huntsville Hospital Governing Board. - Goldsmith & Fulton

•  Mrs. Walton Fleming was serving on the Madison County Department of Welfare Board of Commissioners in 1955 when the Sesquicentennial book was published. - Taylor

•  "Whitesburg Drive - In Theater opened June 16, 1949. The screen size was increased in 1954 to 100 X 40 feet to accommodate both widescreen and Cinemascope attractions." - Taylor

•  "On March 6, 1956, ten acres of land was purchased from Walton and Martha Fleming on Airport Road (Deed Book 233, page 431, Madison County Probate Court Records). This was the beginning of Holy Spirit Church." - Tumminello

•  Walton was on the 1930 Football Team of Huntsville High School. (Photo here) - Roberts & Nelson

•  Marriage to Martha Lou Crute, December 22, 1937 (dates given here are for the marriage license, not necessarily for the wedding.) - MCRC


Related Links:

•  Ancestry.com - Page owned by l_mccartney and can be viewed only with paid Ancestry.com subscription (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/34074085/person/20247974123.)

•  Goldsmith & Fulton - Medicine Bags and Bumpy Roads: A Heritage of Healing in Madison County, Town and Country, by Jewell S. Goldsmith and Helen D. Fulton, 1985, page 72.

•  MCRC - Madison County Records Center

•  Nilsson - Why Is It Named That?, by Dex Nilsson, 2005, page 24

•  Pruitt - Eden of the South: A Chronology of Huntsville, Alabama, 1805-2005, by Raneé G. Pruitt, Editor, 2005, page 173.

•  Rankin - Article titled "Whitesburg Drive-In Theater" by John P. Rankin in The Heritage of Madison County, Alabama, by The Madison County Heritage Book Committee, John P. Rankin, Chairman, printed 1998, pages 62 & 736.

•  Record, Vol. II - A Dream Come True: The Story of Madison County and Incidentally of Alabama and the United States, Volume II, by James Record, 1978, pages 402 & 736

•  Roberts & Nelson - Article titled "A Brief History of Huntsville Schools" by Dr. Frances Roberts and Dr. H. D. Nelson in the Historic Huntsville Quarterly, Vol. XII, #3-4, Spring-Summer, 1986, Historic Huntsville Foundation, page 12.

•  Taylor - Commemorative Album, Celebrating our City's Sesquicentennial of Progress, Huntsville, Alabama, by James E. Taylor, General Chairman, 1955, pages 87 & 241.

•  TCAS - TCAS Monthly, Volume 2 Issue 4, April, 2009, pages 2 & 3. The author tells of using a metal detector around the playground area of the out-door-theater, after it closed, and finding lost change.

•  Tumminello - A Mighty Fortress of Faith: A History of St. Mary of the Visitation Church, 1861-2011, by Edited by Pat Tumminello, 2012,

The Following Pages Link to this Page:
•  Aaron Fleming
•  Billy Fleming
•  Joe Fleming
•  Nilsson
•  Pruitt
•  Record, Vol. II
•  Roberts & Nelson
•  Taylor