An old friend on the river

The Roanoke riverfront in Jamesville is just not the same without it old fish shacks. They were all below the banks along the churning, muddy waters of one of the state’s most dangerous rivers. They were the place locals interacted with their springtime visitors and a part of the river’s lifeblood — the herring. Most of the fish and the shacks are gone now, but memories of the fun had there linger among those who visited. Gene Williams took vacation from Weyerhaeuser every spring during the herring run. He and a friend owned the shed right across the road from the Cypress Grill. Friends gathered, celebrated, played music, ate fish, and reveled in the cycle of life that was the Roanoke River. He and his dilapidated shed are much missed, by many. These photos are of Gene setting out with his driftnet to being in the night’s supper. This photo is from 1986.

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