Miss Julia Paints the Town — Ann B. Ross

When a developer comes to town with plans to raze the old, abandoned courthouse on Main Street and erect a luxury condominium building for wealthy outsiders, Miss Julia hits the roof. Hoping to dissuade him, she and Etta Mae Wiggins take him under their wing and introduce him to some of the town's most colorful characters. They visit the likes of Brother Vern Puckett, Thurlow Jones and Granny Wiggins, along with all of Miss Julia's friends. But other things are going on, too -- Helen Stroud's husband is missing (along with a good deal of money) and so is Mildred Allen's husband. Pastor Ledbetter has received a tempting call from another church, and Sam is spending too much time giving Helen Stroud legal advice.

And to top it all, there is something atop the courthouse dome that Julia is determined to save -- a last vestige of the demolished courthouse which symbolizes not only what has been lost but also what continues on.