Appears in Eyes on the Prize. Wrote a book about Selma civil rights movement.
Cullman County, Hanceville, Religion, Catholicism, Monastery, Mother Angelica
Construction began on the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama in 1996. The Our Lady of the Angels monastery was consecrated in 1996. Mother Angelica, who also founded the Eternal World Television Network, established the shrine and the monastery. According to its website, the shrine is modeled after the great Italian churches of the 13th century. Visitors walk across the piazza before entering the church in order to reflect upon the separation between faith and secularism. The church doors are adorned with Seven Joys and Sorrows of the Virgin Mary.
http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/m-3425 http://olamshrine.org/about/
Education; University of North Alabama; Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Coby Hall is located on North Court Street in Florence, Alabama. Funds for its purchase in 1990 were provided by Mr. David Brubaker. Brubaker purchased what was then Irvine place for $375,000. At a ceremony on December 7, 1990 Brubaker donated the house to the University of North Alabama under the new name, Coby Hall, in honor of his late wife, Coby Stockard Brubaker. After many years of heavy use and lack of maintenance funding, Coby Hall had fallen into disrepair. Dissatisfied with the condition of the house, Brubaker donated a sum of money for repairs which sparked a “Campaign for Coby” which set out to raise money for more repairs. At the end of the campaign enough money had been raised for a total rehabilitation. Many repairs took place at this time but the most significant were the addition of a full copper roof, gutters, charger, and downspouts. The same was done for the carriage house. The result was a fully restored Coby Hall, which now houses the University of North Alabama Office of Admissions. There is a historic marker is located on Court, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Built by John Simpson in 1843, on the site of his earlier home, this residence was occupied at various times by both armies during the Civil War. Purchased in 1867 by George W. Foster, builder of Courtview, for his daughter, Virginia, and her husband, James B. Irvine. Their daughter, Virginia, left the home to her great-niece Harriett Rogers King in 1939. Mrs. King and her husband, Madding restored Irvine Place in 1948. Acquired in 1990 by David Brubaker, and donated to the University of North Alabama in memory of his wife, Coby Stockard Brubaker. Listed: National Register of Historical Places." David Brubaker, in presenting his gift to the University of North Alabama, stated: "Coby Stockard Brubaker was a giver, a lady who lived her life the same way she faced her death- with humor, honesty, courage, and the devout conviction that her experience was part of God’s plan. I wanted an omnipresent reminder to her family and the community of the love I have for Coby. The building will be a living memorial where our son, Jay, can always come and experience the warmth of the community, which his mother loved so much. I want him to remember that a big part of his heart is in Florence, Alabama.” (Howard 50-60).
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama Brian Peden, University of North Alabama
“Simpson House-Irvine Place-Colby Hall Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/ Prelude, History of Simpson House-Irvine House-Coby Hall On the Campus of the University of North Alabama, Archieves/Special Collection, Collier Library,University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama Section Four, Coby Hall- 1990-2005, History of Simpson House-Irvine House-Coby Hall On the Campus of the University of North Alabama, Archieves/Special Collection, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Between the 1950s and 1980s the success of Shoals recording studios, such as FAME Recording Studio and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, earned the Shoals region’s music industry national attention. Artists such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin recorded top charting hits at Shoals studios. During the twentieth-first century the Shoals music industry has continued to thrive. One reason for this is due to the success of Single Lock Records in Florence, whose name derives from the Wilson Dam, which at time of construction was the largest single lock dam in the world. Established in 2013 by John Paul White (The Civil Wars), Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes and The Bear), and Will Trapp (a Shoals native and financial advisor), Single Lock Records is an indie label that focuses on local talent. Bands and musicians that have signed with Single Lock Records are The Bear, Belle Adair, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Dylan LeBlanc, and Donnie Fritts. The record label uses Sun Drop Studios in Florence and hosts concerts at their small venue located at 116 East Mobile Street, Florence, Alabama.
Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
Text: Greg Carmalier, Muscle Shoals: The Incredible True Story of a Small Town with a Big Sound, DVD, Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2014. Single Lock Records,” Alabama Chanin Journal, May 28, 2013, http://alabamachanin.com/journal/2013/05/single-lock-records/ (accessed May 1, 2015). Single Lock Records, “About Us,” Single Lock Records, http://www.singlelock.com/ (accessed May 1, 2015).
Jefferson County, Birmingham, Religion, Baptist, Civil Rights Movement, African American, National historic landmark, Ku Klux Klan
The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, located in Birmingham, became a national symbol during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. Having been built in 1873, the church was the first Colored Baptist Church. In the early twentieth century, the church would become a fixture in the African American community and would host many notable figures including W. E. B. Dubois, Mary Mcleod Bethune, Paul Robeson, and Ralph Bunche. As the church moved on in to the twentieth century, it became a center for African American activism. Rallies and demonstrations were held frequently at the church to support integration and equal rights; however these rallies would also be responsible for increasing racial tension dramatically in the neighborhood. On September 5, 1963, the tension culminated in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church right before the 11 a.m. service. The blast killed four young girls and injured twenty-three other churchgoers. This incident would shock the nation and help propel landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The FBI would investigate and find four men affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan responsible for the bombing; however, charges would not be filed until 1977 against one man, 1997 for the second, and 2002 for the third. The fourth would die in custody before charges could be filed. In 2006, the church became a national historical landmark. In 2013, the four girls who died were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the United States highest civilian honor.
Civil War, Rogersville, Lambs Ferry, skirmish
Lamb’s Ferry was one of the oldest ferries crossing the Tennessee River in Lauderdale County. The ferry was built by John Lamb from Giles County Tennessee in 1809 four miles south of where the town of Rogersville is now located. The traffic involved in cross river trade on the road to Lamb’s Ferry was instrumental in the founding of Rogersville in 1827. The Ferry was the site of a skirmish between Union and Confederate forces on May 10 and 14 1862. On May 9 1862, the brigade of Confederate Colonel John Adams crossed the Tennessee River at Lamb’s Ferry to harass the Union forces. On May 11, Colonel Adams took a force of 850 men on an attempted raid of wagon trains traveling the road from Pulaski to Elkton in Tennessee. Meanwhile, Union forces under Colonel Lytle crossed Elk River from Athens and met with forces under the command of General Negley, moving down form Pulaski. The two forces converged on Rogersville with Colonel Lytle moving on Lamb’s Ferry south of the town. The main body of Confederate forces retreated across the river. Colonel Lytle’s cavalry opened fire on a ferry load of Confederates, killing several men and horses. Confederate forces on the opposite bank returned fire, wounding one man and killing 2 horses. The Confederate forces were driven off the opposite bank by the arrival of artillery under the command of Lieutenant Sypher. One ferryboat was destroyed by artillery, one was burned by Union forces and the third was commandeered and turned into a gunboat for the Union.
Michael Williams, University of North Alabama
McDonald, William Lindsey. A walk through the past : people and places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. n.p.: [Killen, Ala.] : Bluewater Pub., 2003., 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015). McDonald, William Lindsey. 2003. Civil War tales of the Tennessee Valley. n.p.: Killen, Ala. : Heart of Dixie Pub. (1812 CR 111, Killen, Ala., 35645), [2003], 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015). Crane, Gregory R. n.d. "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862. ." Perseus Digital Library. Accessed April 14, 2015. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0057%3Achapter%3D45. Government, Lauderdale County Alabama. 2011. "The History of Lauderdale County." Lauderdale County Online. Accessed April 19, 2015. http://lauderdalecountyonline.com/New_Website/About_LauderdaleCounty/index.html. Wallace, Harry E. n.d. "Lauderdale County, Alabama History." algw.org. Accessed April 14, 2015. http://www.algw.org/lauderdale/historyshoals4.htm.
Photo from following websites: http://www.civilwararchive.com/RESEARCH1/1863/Chickamaugausa4.htm Photo from following websites: http://www.rdonmcleod.org/brigadeer-general-john-adams.html
Jackson County, Skyline, New Deal, National Register of Historic Places
http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-15461934- http://focus.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=f45c8e40-c386-48d2-af26-286d5bce5ef9 http://library.mtsu.edu/tps/lessonplans&ideas/Lesson_Plan--Skyline_Alabama.pdf
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
Skyline Farms was an effort to build a “new world” in rural America. It would be a world in which tenant farmers, hit hard by the Depression, would become self-sufficient landowners and live in an idyllic village. The program was started by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in 1934 and operated later by the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration. Skyline Farms, carved out of the mountain wilderness, was one of some forty “farm communities” established during the Franklin Roosevelt Presidency. The federal government acquired some 18,000 acres of land for Skyline Farms, initially called “Cumberland Mountain Farms”. The program was intended for out-of-work tenant farmers and participants were carefully screened in regard to character and work records. Families were to have a new start in life by acquiring a home and eventually their own 40-acre farm. The program also provided work for the unemployed in the area through construction of roads and buildings. Additionally, the government built a small factory at Skyline, and then leased the facility to a private company. As with other farm community programs, Skyline Farms was controversial. Detractors labeled such programs as socialistic and compared them to communes, even though the government was trying to transform the participants into independent entrepreneurs. The programs were charged with waste and mismanagement and despite the good intentions of the project; few of the selected families were able to acquire their units. Most families could never make the one-fourth down payment and finally, under pressure from Congress, the Farm Security Administration ended its farm community programs and units at Skyline were sold to private buyers. Sadly, Skyline Farms families who could not make their down payment were forced to leave their homes. Skyline Farms did have its benefits. It carried many families through the worst part of the Depression and people received adequate health care, food, clothing, and housing during very hard times. Many participants learned skills at Skyline Farms that permitted them to find work as painters, stonemasons, or carpenters after they left the project. And the children of the project obtained educations that would last a lifetime. (from the Alabama Historical Association historical marker, compiled from research by Dr. David Campbell)
Education; Lee County, AL; Slaton's Academy; Antebellum Era; Auburn, AL; Oak Bowery Academy; Slaton, William F.; East Alabama Male College; Methodist Church; Religion
In 1857, this institution opened on the corner of what is now Tichenor Avenue and North Gay Street. Slaton’s Academy functioned as a preparatory school for young men pursuing admission to East Alabama Male College. William F. Slaton, a local Methodist, founded the school and served as its headmaster. Slaton was previously the headmaster of Oak Bowery Academy in Chambers County, but was persuaded by Auburn’s residents to relocate after plans for the men’s college were announced.
Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lissoy/sandbox2 Text Source: Ralph Draughon, Jr., Delos Hughes, and Ann Pearson, Lost Auburn: A Village Remembered in Period Photographs (Montgomery: NewSouth Books, 2012), 48.
Education; Lee County, AL; Smith's Station, AL; Antebellum Era; Smith's Station School; Smith's Station Elementary School; School Consolidation; Mott's School; Oak Grove School; Prince School; Lee Bullard School; Salem Senior High School
This academic institute, one of the county’s oldest, started out as a log cabin in 1826, near where Smith’s Station Elementary School currently stands. This school never had more than thirty students. Much like the consolidations in the Beulah and Beauregard areas, the one-room schools in the Smith’s Station area began to amalgamate in the late 1910s. The merged schools included Smith’s Station School, Mott’s School, Oak Grove School, Prince School, Lee Bullard, and Salem Senior High.
Text Source: The Heritage of Lee County Book Committee, The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000), 69-70.
Events; Red Bay, AL; Franklin County, AL
A popular sport among the children of Red Bay was "snipe hunting." The hunts would always take place at night on a new moon. The "hunter" is armed with a tow-sack. This weapon is used to catch the "snipe" once it escapes the safety of its domicile. Groups always invited someone who had never been snipe hunting and the victim was left out in the woods looking for the elusive (and imaginary) snipe!
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
Boswell, Lurlie Wren. "Do You Recall." Outlaw Press, 1986.
Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County
This historical marker is located on South Magnolia Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "This area is the military cemetery for Confederate Soldiers. After an 1862 skirmish in the streets of Florence, it was used to bury casualties until the end of the Civil War. Many unknown Confederates and a few unknown Union soldiers rest here. After the war it was reserved for Confederate veterans and their families. In 1977, the historic plot was deeded by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to insure its preservation and perpetual care."
“Soldier's Rest - 1862 Marker”. Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Festivals; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
SoulStock is an annual outdoor Christian music and worship event that happens at Point Mallard. The event is free for the general public. SoulStock is sponsored by churches, businesses, and individuals mostly in the surrounding area. The festival usually occurs the second week in May annually.
“SoulStock.” Accessed July 16, 2015. http://www.northalabama.org/
National Register of Historic Places; Florence, AL
Southall Drug is significant to the history of Florence for its architectural style and as a leading business in the downtown area owned and operated by the same family for over 50 years. The 1900 building is a prime example of a late 19th century Italianate commercial structure as constructed in small Alabama towns. Italianate styled buildings were introduced in the northeastern United States as early as the 1840s and quickly spread to other cities across the country becoming one of the most popular styles by 1860. The trend continued more slowly into the less populated areas of the country and remained popular through the early 20th century. The Southall Drug building is sited on a dominant commercial corner in downtown Florence and exemplifies the Italianate architectural style with heavy reddish-brown brick walls laid in running bond with matching mortar and arched windows separated on the second floor by brick pilasters. Though the two original heavy metal cornices, located above and below the pilasters, are missing the building still retains the feel of an Italianate structure in part because the parapet located around the front corner of the building is reminiscent of the typical Italianate tower. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1980 and more information on the property can be obtained in the National Register nomination. All information and photos for this Omeka entry were found in the nomination.
Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
Mertins, Ellen and Harvie Jones. National Register Nomination. "Southall Drugs" (#80000699) (8/21/80).
Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located at the intersection of North Court Street and East Mobile Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Charles Morton Southall (1864-1952) constructed this Commercial Italianate style building in 1900 of the finest materials for his wholesale/retail drug business. The elegant interior by Charles Hester, New York City, contained the area's first rubber tile floor. In addition to health wares: window glass, paints, seeds, musical instruments and other sundries were dispensed. The building remained a pharmacy until 1979. In 1982 it was renovated by the Southall family and Byron Bower for combined commercial/residential use with John Mott, AIA, Ft. Smith, Arkansas, architect. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980."
“Southall Drugs”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Religion, Christianity, Jefferson County, Birmingham, Education, College, Edgar J. Rowe
Southeastern Bible College (SBC) was organized in 1933 as a four-year, nondenominational, evangelical institution. The school was created by northern fundamentalists as a training school in Christian ministry. Classes began in October 1934. Originally the college served Baptist and Presbyterian congregations but eventually spread to several independent churches. In 1927 Southern Baptist Edgar J. Rowe, his wife, and several friends attended a Bible conference led by fundamentalist teacher Harry A. Ironside. He inspired them to launch a Baptist institution in Birmingham. Rowe investigated the structure of schools and in 1933 wrote a prospectus to approximately 30 local pastors and laymen. With their support, Rowe laid the foundation for the SBC. Currently all SBC graduates receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Bible and theology. The Department of Education also offers a dual major in Biblical studies and elementary education. The Department of Biblical Studies allows students to minor in biblical studies, Christian ministries, pre-seminary, and world missions. There is also a church education major.
Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker
Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The Southern Female University located in this vicinity was created in 1889 by Florence businessmen led by Judge William B. Wood and Alabama Baptist led by Rev. Dr. J.B. Hawthorne. The church connection was discontinued by a vote of the Alabama Baptist Association prior to opening date. The SFU was housed in a five-story Renaissance style building 220 feet long and 121 feet wide. It contained a chapel that could seat 750 people, sixteen recitation rooms, fifty bedrooms, a gymnasium, and thirty-eight classrooms. SFU opened on September 15, 1891, with 19 faculty members and about 125 students drawn from most Southern states. The students were offered five academic programs, three of which led to degrees, and two to certificates. Despite a successful first year, the University began the second year with major problems. It was located about one mile from downtown. Streets and sidewalks from Seven Points were unpaved, no streetcar service existed and the water supply was inadequate. On October 14, 1892, the University left Florence and moved to Birmingham which had offered significant support to encourage the move." The text on side two reads: "The SFU building stood vacant from 1892 to 1908. In the spring of 1908 N. C. Elting, Florence banker, announced that the Florence University for Women with a music conservatory would be established. The building was refurbished. A faculty was employed and a catalog was issued announcing that classes would begin in September. Fifty students enrolled the first day. The curriculum was a blend of old and new courses. Young ladies who wanted to prepare for the traditional role in the home could study classical and modern language, literature, music, art, elocution, history and science along with dressmaking, sewing, cooking, and household economics. Students who wanted to train for employment outside the home could take courses in teacher training, shorthand, typewriting, and bookkeeping. Eleven degrees and four certificates were granted at the end of the first year. A school annual The Varsity, was issued describing campus organizations including the YWCA, Tennis Club, Basketball Club, Kodak Club, Georgia Club and Fudge Club. The second year started with 112 students and additional faculty and courses. The third academic year began with great expectations but the University was permanently closed in early April 1911 when a fire burned the building and all equipment. Students were transferred to other institutions when no suitable replacement building could be found in Florence."
“Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Montgomery County, Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama; Southern Poverty Law Center; Civil Rights
The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded by Morris Dees, Joe Levin, and Julian Bond in Montgomery, Alabama in 1971. A non-profit, public interest law firm the a Southern Poverty Law Center specializes in civil rights cases that include hate groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center also has several education programs, most notably Teaching Tolerance. Southern Poverty Law Center is located at 400 Washington Avenue in Montgomery, Alabama. A fountain designed by Maya Lin commemorates the death of Civil Rights workers.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Education; Lee County, AL; Southern Union Community College; Bethlehem College; Hodge, John M.; Southern Christian Convention of Congregational Christian Churches; Piedmont Junior College; Southern Union College; Southern Union State Junior College; Opelika State Technical College; Alabama State Board of Education; Brown, Robert
Southern Union State Community College began its institutional life as Bethlehem College on June 2, 1922. John M. Hodge, a Wadley banker, donated forty acres to the Southern Christian Convention of Congregational Christian Churches as a site for the campus. From 1923 to 1964, Bethlehem College remained under religious auspices, operating as Piedmont Junior College (1928-1929), Southern Union College (1930-1933), and The Southern Union College (1933-1964). On October 1, 1964, the State of Alabama took possession of Southern Union State Junior College, which became part of a new organization of two-year colleges under the governance of the Alabama State Board of Education. The Alabama State Legislature created Opelika State Technical College in 1963 in order to fill a vocational and technical educational niche in one of Alabama’s heavily industrialized areas. The Lee County Commission donated 63 acres for Opelika State Technical College’s campus, and the college opened on January 10, 1966. Robert Brown served as its first president, heading the technical college until 1992. On August 11, 1994, the Alabama Board of Education decided to assimilate Southern Union State Junior Colleges three campuses in Wadley, Valley, and Opelika, with Opelika State Technical College in Opelika. The community college still operates on campuses in Wadley, Valley, and Opelika.
Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Union_State_Community_College Text Sources: “Southern Union State Community College,” Encyclopedia of Alabama, http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-2946 The Heritage of Lee County Book Committee, The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000), 80.
Sheffield, Alabama; Colbert County; Jewish Settlement
Jacob Spielberger, who was born in Hungary in January of 1856, came to Alabama around 1888. He opened a dry goods store and clothing store, Spielberger and Sons, at 217 and 219 Mongomery Avenue in Sheffield. His three sons, Jacob, Harry, and Ben worked with him as young men. The Spielbergers figure prominently in the development of retail in Sheffield, in the building of Temple B'nai Israel, and in fraternal organizations.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama; Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. A History Of Sheffield, Sheffield Public Library, privately printed.
The family was active in business in Sheffield from 1888 to the mid-1970s.
Center Star, Lauderdale County, FAME Studios, Rick Hall, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Dan Penn, R&B music, Soul music, Rock and Roll Hall of fame, Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Spooner Oldham (June 14, 1943 - ) The writing credits of Spooner Oldham read like a jukebox selection. From Percy Sledge to Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett to Janis Joplin, Spooner is at the heart of what has come to be called “The Muscle Shoals Sound.” Born June 14, 1943, in Center Star, Alabama, a community so small it hasn’t been listed on the U.S. census rolls since 1880, Dewey Lindon Oldham, Jr., comes from a family with a musical background. His father played in a band when Spooner was young child, and, per Spooner, he would just “sit over in the corner and watch them,” as his father and bandmates would practice out on the porch. It was also as a child when Spooner “accidently” acquired his nickname. Reaching for pan on the stove, he was left blind in his right eye when it was injured by a spoon. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began playing piano for local bands while in high school. After graduation, Spooner briefly attended the University of North Alabama in Florence, but dropped out soon after realizing he was skipping more classes than he attended, preferring to Rick Hall’s FAME Studios to learn his trade against that of an official classroom. It was there that Spooner started on his journey to becoming one of the premier sidemen in music. In this role, Spooner played keyboards on some of the most successful songs to come out of, first FAME Studios, then Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. Songs like Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1966), Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally” (1966), and Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You” (1967), all saw Spooner on keyboard. Spooner also played on Franklin’s signature song, “Respect” (1967), recording at Atlantic Records Studio in New York City in 1967. Shortly afterwards, Spooner headed west to Memphis, where he connected with a songwriting partner he had met while at FAME, Dan Penn. Together they had written the James & Bobby Purify hit, “I’m Your Puppet” (1966), while both were still at FAME. Reconnecting in Memphis, the duo continued to churn out songs, including those recorded by The Box Tops (“Cry Like a Baby”-1968) and Percy Sledge (“It Tears Me Up”-1967). The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, in April of 1968, was a turning point for Spooner. The once-open racial atmosphere of R&B and soul, where all that mattered was your skill with music, took a hit with King’s murder, especially in the South, leading Spooner to make the move to Los Angeles, where things were somewhat like they used to be. The next decade saw Spooner recording with the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young. Relocating once more, this time to Nashville, Spooner toured extensively with Young and with Bob Dylan, with whom he had worked on Dylan’s 1980 gospel album, “Saved.” 1984 saw one of Spooner’s older songs become a hit on the country charts when Steve Wariner recorded “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers,” which went all the way up to number four. In the 1990s, Spooner returned home to Alabama, settling down in Rogersville, just up Highway 72 from Center Star. Returning to his roots hasn’t slowed Spooner down, as he has gone out on tour with his writing partner Dan Penn several times, as well as going out on the road with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 2006 “Freedom of Speech” tour, and with the Drive-By Truckers, the Athens, Georgia-based band co-founded by Patterson Hood, the son of Spooner’s former Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section partner, David Hood. For his contributions to the music industry, Spooner Oldham was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 2009, where he was inducted by Paul Shaffer, sidekick to David Letterman on both his late-night talk shows, and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2014. Watch and Listen: "I'm Your Puppet - Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nnLE-aBoPQ "Paul Schafer Inducts Spooner Oldham into R&R Hall of Fame" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGQiPUTu3z4 Spooner Oldham R&R Hall of Fame Speech" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP8B24ap0m8 "RESPECT - Aretha Franklin" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzPXozDgvYs "Two In The Morning - Spooner Oldham" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tehBrFqX1iw
John Griffin, University of North Alabama
Spooner Oldham Biography http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2510/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Spooner Oldham discography http://www.allmusic.com/artist/spooner-oldham-mn0000155405/discography/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Dan Penn-Spooner Oldham interview http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music-good-ol-boys-in-the-hood-1123527.html Accessed December 2, 2016 Spooner Oldham bio - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/spooner-oldham/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Dan Penn-Spooner Oldham interview http://www.furious.com/PERFECT/pennoldham.html/ December 2, 2016 All images courtesy of Mr. George Lair and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, unless otherwise noted.
Religion, Catholicism, Catholic, Bishop Michael Portier, Mobile County, Mobile, Education, College, American Civil War, Desegregation, Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”
In 1830, Spring Hill College was founded by Mobile’s first catholic bishop. Originally most of the students were male from wealthy families in the Mobile, Pensacola, and New Orleans areas. However most of the students were not catholic. In 1954, Spring Hill College was the first college to desegregate in the Deep South. Bishop Michael Portier originally intended for it to be a boarding school that housed students under the age of 12. However the age restriction was soon relaxed and by 1832 there were almost 130 students. During the American Civil War, high officers of the Confederacy sheltered their sons from the draft at Spring Hill. Eventually the college formed two military companies. After the war, Spring Hill recruited among sons of Central American and Cuban leaders. Latin American culture was introduced to the mostly American student body. In the 1920’s the school expanded to include high school ages, yet the high school was closed in 1935. In 1932, the college opened Saturday classes for adults and began admitting women. The first two women, Marie Fidelis Yeend and Genevieve Cordilia Jarvis, graduated in 1937. In 1953 was the hiring of the first full-time female faculty member, Ella Morris, who lectured in biology. The school desegregated the following year, and in 1956, Fannie Motley became the first black graduate of a previously white college in Alabama. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote about Spring Hill in his “Letter from the Birmingham jail” mentioning the school’s moral significance. Currently the school has a diverse student body with approximately 1.450 students. The school offers degrees in the liberal arts along with master’s programs in business, education, nursing, and theological studies.
Spring Park; Colbert County; Tuscumbia, Alabama; walking; spring
Spring Park is in downtown Tuscumbia. The main feature of the park is the spring and waterfall. The waterfall is made of natural limestone rocks. An fountain show is put on during certain times of the year. The area is often used for festivals and events in the area. The park is very family oriented with a playground, a mini roller coaster, and a unique little train that travels around the park. A statue is located in the park to pay tribute to the region's Native American heritage. The park includes pavilions and stages to host entertainment. There is year round trout fishing in the spring, however there is a fee to fish here. Restaurants are also located around the park.
Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
Langley, John. 2015. 'Spring Park'. Springparkal.Com. http://www.springparkal.com/.
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Native American; Early Settlement
In 1815, Michael Dickson and a group of white settlers sailed in a keel-boat down the Tennessee River and up Spring creek, settling where Spring Park is now. Dickson purchased this land from the Indian chief Tashka-Ambi for two pole axes and five dollars in cash. Tuscumbia, formally known as Ococoposa, was renamed in 1822 in honor of the Indian Chief. Spring Park was originally named Big Springs, but was renamed in the 1920’s. In 1817, Spring Park had 3 dwellings, a mill, and a store. Today, the park contains a two story open air shelter, several single story shelters, a large playground, a train, a carousel, a python roller coaster, and a splash pad. The largest man made natural stone waterfall is also located here, standing at 40’ tall and 80’ wide. 4,320,000 gallons of water pass over the falls a day into the lake. The lake also features a fountain in honor of Princess Im-Mi-Ah-Key, wife of Chief Tashka-Ambi. The fountain contains 51 jets, 1 shooting 100’ in the air in the middle and the 50 others shoot 40-50’ high. It is also choreographed to lights and music each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at dusk. The water from the spring supplies the town of Tuscumbia, AL. It steadily stays at a temperature of 36 to 38 degrees year round. Many events have taken place at Spring Park and still do today. Federal troops camped on these grounds during the Civil War, and Jimmy Carter initiated his campaign to run for a second term at Spring Park on September 1, 1980. Today the Oka Kapassa festival is held at Spring Park. Oka Kapassa is a Native American gathering dedicated to celebrating the culture and traditions of the Native Americans who thrived in North Alabama. Other events include the Labor Day Festivities, Muscle Shoals Street Rod Run, and the annual Tuscumbia Fair.
Katie McVey, University of North Alabama
Mary Jane McDaniel, Historic Muscle Shoals: Buildings and Sites (Tennessee Valley Historical Society), 29. “Know Your State- Tuscumbia,” The Benjamin News, October 31, 1948. Thomas F. Hill, “Tuscumbia’s Big Spring.” Google. http//www.google.com/springpark.html Brent Moore. Flickr.com, “Cold Water Falls- Tuscumbia” Picture, Tuscumbia, Alabama, June 16, 2012.
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Old Jackson Hwy and Co Rd 47, St. Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Father A. J. Houser, Director of the Homestead Society of Cincinnati, Ohio founded St. Florian. He subdivided the land for German immigrants who became independent landowners, built homes and reared their families. Many of the descendants from that small group of immigrants still live in the community, some in the original homes. Other descendants are scattered throughout the United States. The St. Florian Historic District was included in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in September 2007."
“St. Florian Historic District Marker”. Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur, Alabama
Morgan County, Alabama; Decatur, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur ; Historic Churchs
St. John's Episcopal Church, in Decatur, was built in 1890. The original structure was constructed for approximately $2,000. Through the years the building and the congregation have grown. Descendants of the first parishioners still worship at St. John's. The oldest part of the building is included in the Hallelujah Trail. St. John's is located at 202 Gordon Street SE.
Prior to 1898 the Catholic population in Florence, Alabama, traveled to Tuscumbia’s Our Sacred Heart. The pastor of Our Sacred Heart, Father Bassen, characterized Florence as a mission of the Catholic Church. As a result, St. Joseph Catholic Church was established in 1898 in Florence. Before the congregation had the funds to build a structure, they conducted mass in the home of Joe Beckman. During the 1880s, Mrs. Lena Peters donated property on Laughton Heights for the congregation to build a little framed church, which was erected in 1889 and also served as a school. The church’s construction was done by St. Florian resident Mr. Stumpe. The first pastor of Saint Joseph Catholic Church was Reverend Gamblert Brunner (an original member of Sain Bernard Abby in Cullman,Alabama), who served at St. Josephs from 1889 to 1907. During his time as pastor, Brunner constructed a rectory that served as the pastor’s home until the 1970s. Bishop Edward Allen dedicated the church on June 8, 1902. Throughout its history, the church has had numerous pastors and renovations. Three during the 1930s were Rev. Henry Watson, Father Alfred Trottman, and Father Anselm Spitzer. During the years of World War II, Father Isidore Fussnecker made efforts to reach out to the black population in the area. In the late 1950s Father Paul Koehler became the pastor of the church. Koehler implemented renovations to the church. For instance, he added additional wings to the school, a Parish hall, and a modern convent. The greatest renovations happened during the 1970s. The old church, considered too small, was demolished and a new church erected in 1974. The new church building is made of brick and consists of a tower, a statue of Saint Joseph the Worker, and a huge cross. Today, the church is one of the chief religious and educational centers for Catholics in northwest Alabama.
Text: Rose Gibbons Lovett, excerpt from Catholic Church in the Deep South (The Diocese, 1980), in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “A Brief History of St. Joseph’s Parish Florence, Alabama,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Baldwin County, Point Clear, Religion, Protestant, Church, St. Francis at the Point Church, Mrs. Ben Hamel, Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
St. Luke’s church, commonly known as St. Francis at the Point Church, was constructed in 1898. The building was modeled in a vernacular interpretation of the late Gothic Revival style. St. Luke’s church was the first Episcopal Church on the eastern shore of Mobile bay. St. Luke’s congregation assembled in 1896, two years before the church was built. The church was active until 1947. The congregation had diminished during WWII so the church was vacant from 1947 to 1956. In 1957, Mrs. Ben Hamel bought the building and converted it into a gift shop. Eventually the Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church acquired the property and religious services resumed in 1984. St. Luke’s Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1997.
The site of St. Mark's missionary Baptist Church has been in continuous use by the African-American community of Florence since 1859. Originally, the church body met under a brush arbor. The current church building was built in 1901.
Ashley Pentecost, University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama archives; Dr. Carolyn Barske, Images of America: Florence.
Established in 1872, St. Michael’s Catholic Church was the first Catholic Church in Lauderdale County. The church was organized in St. Florian, Alabama, a community founded by German Catholic settlers. A prominent Catholic minister in the southwest region of Tennessee, Reverend J. House, bought over two thousand acres of land in north Alabama. It was on this land that St. Florian was founded and the Catholic Church was erected. Consisting of a large frame, the first church was completed in 1872 on the south side of Military Road and was pastored by the German priest Father Michael Merz until 1876. Merz’ sister, Annie, attended St. Michael’s Catholic Church and became the first teacher at the church’s sponsored school. Due to the town’s cultural background, the school regularly taught classes in German. In 1878 the congregation relocated the church across the Military road, at which is still the current location. Due to growth in attendance the congregation needed a larger church, so the construction process to erect a new church structure began in 1914. From 1914 to 1918, parishioners voluntarily contributed to the erection of the new church. Stones from Shoals Creek were carried to the construction site and a local Shoals stone mason, Casper Haeger, laid the foundation. Also, members of the congregation cut down trees in wooded areas and took them to the local sawmill owned by Ed Rasch. Today, one of the most astonishing sights at the church is the nineteen stained glass windows--twelve large and seven small. These windows, made in Munich, Germany, were purchased in 1924 as a memorial for the early settlers of St. Florian.
Text: Jill Garrett, “First Catholic Church in County,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “Church Started in 1872,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Historic Markers; St. Florian, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located on Church Road (County Road 30) west of Old Jackson Highway (County Road 61), St Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Catholics of German ancestry settled on the former Wilson Plantation and established the town of St. Florian. St. Michael's Church was built south of the road, moved to the present site in 1878, and replaced the present building in 1916. The stained-glass windows, ordered from Munich, Bavaria, weren't installed until the 1920's. The rectory was built in 1872, burned and was rebuilt in 1934. The first pastor, Fr. Michael Merz, a German priest, died in 1876. He was replaced by Fr. Gabriel Guester, O.S.B. from Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Benedictine priest have served the parish since that time."
“St. Michael's Catholic Church Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. Paul African Methodist Church; African American History; African American church
St. Paul African Methodist Church was established in the early 1840s. A group of African Americans from a congregation called First Methodist left to form what is now known as the St. Paul African American Methodist Church. The original name of the group was Church Springs. The first iteration of the church was located in an old cowshed located near South Street. A pastor named Robin Lightfoot, who would later die during the Civil War, led this church. The church was later established as the St. Paul African Church in 1879. The congregation would later be relocated to in 1895 before relocating again in 1968 to Court and Alabama Streets.
Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 158
St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Burrell Street and White Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In early 1840s about 14 African-American members from First Methodist formed own congregation “Church Springs” near South Court Street. In 1857, a nearby brick cow shed was converted for its use under Rev. Robin Lightfoot who became a martyr during the Civil War. Site of American Missionary School after Emancipation. Organized as St. Paul AME in 1879. Relocated to Court and Alabama Streets in 1895. Charles B. Handy was early pastor and William W. Handy was early leader (father and grandfather to W.C. Handy.) St. Paul relocated again in 1968 to present site."
”St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker". Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
St. Paul's Church and St, John's Episcopal Church
Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
Formed in 1867, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church served the people of Decatur until 1930. Located in Old Decatur, the church served a thriving population who prospered from the trade that the Tennessee River generated. However, in 1888 two events worked to change St. Paul’s immensely. First, a yellow fever epidemic hit Decatur and many survivors left the community. Second, St. Paul’s burned to the ground and the congregation split over where to build the new church. Many parishioners wanted to keep the congregation in Old Decatur, while others wanted to build in New Decatur. The advocates for building in New Decatur decided to withdraw from the congregation and formed St. John’s. However, the two congregations remained closely tied together. In fact, in 1892, Dr. Erasus Wooster Spalding came to Decatur to serve both churches. By 1893, the congregation of St. John’s raised enough money to build a church, which still serves the congregation today. St. Paul’s continued to serve Old Decatur until 1930.
Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory Morgan County Archives http://stjohnsdecatur.dioala.org/
Buildings; Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
St. Paul's Lutheran Church was founded on October 9, 1898. The congregation originally met in homes, and later in 1901, they built a house of worship at 4th Avenue and Sherman Street. Reverend W. G. Hussman was the first pastor for a congregation of 25. The church is now located at 1700 Carridale S. W.
Decatur Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory
A place of business in the Sweetwater area that still exists and serves the community today is Staggs Groceries. Originally, Staggs Grocery was founded as Taylor Wylie’s Meat Market at the turn of the twentieth century. Taylor Wylie moved to east Florence to Sweetwater when Mountain Mills moved from Barton, Alabama to Florence to become the Cherry Cotton Mill. The original Wylie’s Meat Market burned to the ground and Wylie's son-in-law, L.D. Staggs, Sr., continued the business down the street on Huntsville Road. Staggs Grocery’s present location is where it has been since 1937. When L.D. Staggs, Sr. became proprietor of the grocery, he had his brother, Web Staggs, and his sons, L.D. Jr., Jack, and Billy Staggs become working members of the grocery. Staggs, Sr.’s family descendants run the operation today and have made the transition from grocer to restaurant. Staggs Grocery has a reputation for having one of the best hamburgers in all of Florence.
M.C. Fesmire, University of North Alabama
Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "Sweetwater: The Story of East Florence." Florence, Ala.: Florence Historical Board, 1989. Barske, Carolyn. "Images of America: Florence." Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2014. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Staggs Grocery.” Florence, Alabama, Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-11.
Stanley Rosenbaum; Business; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Education; Frank Lloyd Wright; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Stanley Rosenbaum was born on October 1, 1910 in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Louis and Anna, moved to Florence, Alabama while Wilson Dam was under construction to open the Princess Movie Theatre. He enrolled in Harvard at the age of sixteen and graduated with honors in 1931. He earned his M.A. in English at the University of Denver in 1932. Upon graduation Stanley returned to Florence to work with his father in the movie theatre business. Stanley married Mildred (Bookholtz) on November 27, 1938 at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a honeymoon trip to Cuba and Denver, the couple returned to Florence. Stanley's parents gave the couple a lot and the financing to build a house as a wedding gift. Their friend Aaron Green suggested that they commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design their home. They moved into the house in September 1940. The couple's four children - David, Jonathan, Alvin, and Michael - were born over a six year period (from 1941 - 1947). Stanley and his father Louis participated in the formation of a local chapter of the Alabama Council on Human Relations, a bi-racial group that worked to solve discrimination issues without fanfare. The Rosenbaums were instrumental in consolidating the African-Amercan and white public libraries in Florence. Mr. Rosenbaum's employment at the Florence State College - now the University of North Alabama - was featured in the Times Daily on November 20, 1960. His specialties were British Literature and Linguistics. He retired from UNA in 1980. Stanley Rosenbaum died on December 1, 1988.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006
Photograph Courtesy of Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama
The State Normal School began in 1872 after Florence Wesleyan University closed and the building was deeded to the State. This university was the first normal school south of the Ohio River. The college consisted of a two year program to train teachers. A year after the school was opened female students were admitted, but non registered, making the State Normal School the first coeducational institution in the state. Tuition was only $11 a year. In 1887 the college's name was changed to State Normal College.
Claire Eagle, University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama, "Brief Look at University of North Alabama History." Florence, Alabama, 2005.
Historic Businesses; Historic Restaurants; Fifties Diner; Sheffield; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
Southland, located at 1309 S. Jackson Highway in Sheffield was founded in 1950 primarily as a BBQ place and evolved over the years to offer a more diversified menu. In 2012, the building that housed Southland was bought by Steve Gaskins who now owns and operates Stephano's. However, the original Southland sign still remains. Stephano's offers a wide variety of dishes and combinations, ranging from popular Italian dishes, to local favorites like BBQ and freshly-made desserts. Stephano's has kept many of the same dishes and combinations from Southland's menu.
Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
Colbert County Alabama; Sheffield Alabama; African American History; African American School; Sheffield Colored School; Sterling High School.
Sterling High School was another prominent school for African Americans in Colbert County. The origin of the school is in a Baptist Church on East 20th St. Originally, the school only served five students and a man named Henry Hopkins was hired as their teacher. Due to a fire, the school was forced to relocate to another church. Sheffield Colored School was then built in 1918 and served as an elementary school for African American students. It was during this time that the school’s eventual namesake Benjamin J. Sterling served as a teacher and principal for the Sheffield Colored School. In 1921, the school expanded to teach high school level children. At first only grades one through eleven were offered until 1922 when grade twelve was offered. In 1942, the name of the school was officially changed to Sterling High School. Sterling High school established an athletics program that included basketball, track, and football. They even went up against Trenholm High School during the season. The school was eventually closed in 1968 due to integration. The building was finally destroyed ten years later in 1978. The location of the school can be found at E 19th St in Sheffield Alabama.
Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 155 Colbert County Heritage Book Committee (Colbert County, Ala.). 1999. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, AL: Heritage Pub. Consultants. 64-65
Jackson County, Stevenson, Transportation, Railroads, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places
Stevenson's importance as the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad predates the Civil War. The town and its railroad junction were of strategic importance during the war for both sides. Stevenson was occupied by the Union army for much of the war and was a particularly vital location in the Chickamauga campaign. The original depot building was destroyed by fire during or shortly after the Civil War. The depot and hotel structures that stand today are indicative of many similar structures that were built in Appalachia in the late 19th century. The hotel and depot were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Secrist, Philip L.. "Stevenson Historic District." National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form. Southern Tech, Marietta, GA, September 13, 1978. West, Carroll Van. "Stevenson Depot and Hotel." Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
Mobile County, Mobile, Religion, Baptist, African American, National Registrar of Historic Places
The original congregation of the group of Baptist was organized in Mobile in 1835 settling in a plain brick church building. This group disbanded in 1840 before immediately reorganizing under the name St. Anthony Baptist Church. This group moved to a building at the corner of Chestnut and Tunstall Streets. In 1870, the property was transferred to the trustees of the Stone Street Baptist Church. Over the next one-hundred and fifty years there have been many changes made to the church including in 1846 the creation of a separate African Church branch. The Baptist congregation has been a continuous black congregation in Mobile. One of the church’s most influential pastors was Rev. M. C. Cleveland who was also on the Selma University Board of Trustees as Chairman. Cleveland instituted a program for rebuilding the church in the early-20th century. By 1931, the new modern brick church was completed. In 1979, Stone Street Baptist church suffered damage from Hurricane Frederick and while in the process of rebuilding the roof, also built an educational building. Currently Stone Street Baptist Church is one of the most influential black Baptist churches in Alabama. The church building itself represent the achievement of laymen who utilized resources available to them to build a lasting and supportive congregation. Stone Street Baptist Church is on the National Registrar of Historic Places.
Ralph the stress tigers place on RBD book Christmas tree ready for students to grab
Auburn Universiy Libraries Instagram page
Located in Smiths Station at County Road 179 and Lee Road 246. Coordinates: 32.5504161, -85.1643831
Students burning copies of the Glomerata at Plainsman Park on the campus of Auburn University
Hundreds of students participated to protest the new edition of the yearbook, which they felt overrepresented the presence and influence of hippie culture at the school.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Birmingham News (Alabama), August 5, 1936
Lee County, AL; Civil War; Auburn, AL; Samford, William F.; Historic Home; Secession
This historic home that sits on what is now South College Street was the site where the 14th and 18th Alabama regiments were mustered in 1861. William F. Samford, known as the “Penman for Secession” for his nationally published diatribes on secession, owned the home and the connecting plantation.
Auburn Villager: Remembering the "Penman for Secession"
Conservation; Recreation; Tanner, AL; Limestone County, AL
Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area is an 8,870 acre management area located in Tanner, AL. The area is open to the public for waterfowl and small game hunting. Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area is located on 18936 Harris Station Road. http://www.outdooralabama.com/wildlife-management-areas
“Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area.” Accessed July 13, 2015. http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit
Swedish Angel Tough Nut For Tom O'Toole Monday
Professional Wrestling Jim Crockett Charlotte, North Carolina Tom O'Toole Swedish Angel
Article appeared in Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) on August 20, 1941. Describes upcoming Jim Crockett promotions wrestling match between Tommy O'Toole, "a sturdy young Irishman," and the Swedish Angel.
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Florence Boulevard (U.S. 43) and Sweetwater Avenue, Florence, AL. The text on the marker reads: "Home of Major John Brahan, veteran of War of 1812, Major General, Alabama Militia, who owned 4,000 acres here. Built of bricks made on the place, marble mantels imported from Italy, boxwood hedge from London. Named for spring nearby. Federals and Confederates quartered here at various times during the Civil War. Home of Brahan's son-in-law, Robert M. Patton, Governor of Alabama, 1865-1868."
“Sweetwater 1828 Marker”. Accessed 11/10/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/