Tolkien character might live in Selma

Published 7:52 pm Saturday, December 15, 2012

A possible hobbit hole: Could this be Selma’s shire? A small grassy area on Washington Street could be the home of a world famous, fictional superstar.

While the world saw the premier this week of the Peter Jackson directed film, The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey, a mystery remains in Selma surrounding the whereabouts of a possible hobbit resident, or then again maybe not.

A one Frodo Baggins, the protagonist of J.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series, is listed in the Selma Dallas County phone book under 211 Washington Street. But when looking up 211 Washington Street you will find that address is somewhere in the middle of the intersection of Washington Street and Selma Avenue or in between two retail buildings. The mystery remains whether someone of that actual name coincidentally resides in Selma, or if the phone book listing is just one big hoax.

Several Selma residents claim they noticed the listing in the phone book several years ago and always look for it to check Baggins’ entry and told the Times-Journal of the listing.

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“Someone found it a while back and showed it to us and we were all pretty amazed,” Luke Jones of Selma said about he and his friends who joke about the listing. “Legend has it that Frodo lives in the shire — but we all knew he actually lived on Washington Street.”

Frances Bowden has worked at Selma Bail Bond for the last 16 years at the same location on 128 Washington Street, the same block where “Frodo Baggins” lives.

“Frodo Baggins … no I don’t think I have ever heard of him,” Bowden said. “This block of Washington Street is not really residential.”

And several gathered at the car wash just down the block on 274 Washington Street all shook their heads and said they had never heard of someone by the name of Baggins.

There is a slight possibility that the Selma-Dallas County Library book drop box sits in the proximity of the hobbit’s home, as it is cattycorner to the Selma Avenue intersection.

“Well, I think if he were to live anywhere it would be right here,” Library director Becky Nichols said about Baggins and mentioned that some of the Hobbit books are currently checked out. “But we would be delighted to annex him at any time.”

Nichols said the library is a good place to come while school is out for the children. It is very similar to the shire in several ways, so she could understand why Baggins would list his address as close to the library.

“Just like the shire we are always open for fun and fellowship,” Nichols said.
https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2012/12/15/tolkien-character-might-live-in-selma/
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