Home base, Thorsby, Alabama
In Chilton County, with U.S. Highway 31 running through town and more than 50 inches of rain a year, Thorsby is the home base for South Eastern Campers, which repairs RVs and campers where they are parked.
Thorsby began in the 1890s, when Swedish immigrants who had first settled in the northern states chose this part of Chilton County for its more hospitable climate, and other Scandinavian families soon followed. The town was named for early settler Theodore T. Thorson and was incorporated in 1901.[2,3]
Fruit has long been part of the story here. Early farmers grew strawberries, peaches and grapes, and Thorsby growers established a significant number of the county's early orchards, with peach trees set out as early as 1898. The first Chilton County Peach Festival was held in Thorsby in 1947, before it moved to Clanton in 1952.[3,4]
Each autumn the town hosts its Swedish Fest, with a pageant, crafts, music and a car show. If you bring a camper to a gathering like that and the air conditioner or refrigerator quits, we can come to wherever it is parked. Jemison is about 4 road miles from Thorsby, and Clanton is about 8.[2,3,1]
General information. Every situation is different, so call us about yours.
Central Alabama summers are hot, and the National Weather Service describes rather persistent high humidity in the Birmingham area. When the air is that heavy, an RV roof unit has to work harder, and a dirty filter, a weak capacitor or a low refrigerant charge shows up fast. It depends on the unit, so a diagnosis is the right first step before replacing anything.[5]
Heavy rain, and now and then a tropical storm, is hard on roof seams, vent flashings and the sealant around skylights and air conditioner housings. Many owners find a leak only after a stain shows up on the ceiling. If you can climb up safely, look for cracks and gaps after a wet stretch, or ask us to look at the roof before the next soaking.[2]
It can be, if you camp where there is no electricity. Chilton County lists primitive camping sites next to full hook-up sites at Higgins Ferry Park, for example. An RV with panels and a properly sized battery bank can run lights, a fan and a water pump without a generator. What you need depends on what you run, so we talk through your loads first.[6]
No. South Eastern Campers is based in Thorsby and comes to your driveway, campsite or storage lot, so the camper can stay where it is parked. Some work, such as a roof or an awning, goes more smoothly on level, open ground, and we can talk about the spot when you call 205-955-3054.
Swedish settlers founded Thorsby around 1895, and the town was incorporated in 1901.[2,3]
The 2020 Census counted 2,064 residents.[2]
The Thorsby Institute, built in 1906, was the first high school in Chilton County and is now Thorsby High School.[3]
Thorsby growers established many of the early orchards in Chilton County, and the first Peach Festival was held here in 1947.[4]
U.S. Highway 31 runs through town, and Jemison is about 4 road miles from Thorsby, with Clanton about 8.[3,1]
The area has a humid subtropical climate with more than 50 inches of rain a year and an occasional tropical storm.[2]
Road miles between town centers, measured by OpenStreetMap routing[1]. Towns with a page are linked.
Home base is right here. Call 205-955-3054, say what the camper is doing, and we will plan the repair at your Thorsby driveway, a campsite or a storage lot.
Local details on this page come from these public sources, checked in November 2026.
