Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located on corner of S Seminary St and Veterans Drive, Florence, Alabama. Text on the marker reads: "John McKinley (1780-1852), native of Virginia, prominent attorney, member of Cypress Land Company, built a large three-story mansion near this site in 1820's which later burned. McKinley served in Alabama Legislature, U.S. Senate (1826-31), U.S. House (1833-35); was appointed Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court, by President Van Buren: served 1837-52. Died in Louisville, Ky."
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
“John McKinley Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on Cox Creek Parkway (Alabama Route 133), Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "For 21 years following the end of World War II, John Bulls served as Agricultural Extension Advisor for the U.S. Dept. in India, Nigeria, Tunisia and Uganda, assisting farmers and organizing community development programs."
“John Thomas Bulls, Jr. Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on Hightower Place, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "First serving as a member of the U.S. Senate (1826-1830), John McKinley was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Van Buren, becoming the first justice from Alabama.."
“Justice John A. McKinley". Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Justice John McKinley Federal Building Marker
This historic marker is located on N. Seminary St. just from E. Tombigbee St., Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "Named for Alabama's first United States Supreme Court Justice, John McKinley made his home in Florence, Alabama from about 1821 to 1842. Born May 1, 1780 in Culpepper County, Virginia, he died July 19, 1852 and is buried in Louisville, Kentucky. McKinley was an early setter of Huntsville, Alabama and resided in the Howard Weeden Home. As a member of the Cypress Land Company, he was one of the seven founders of Florence in 1818. McKinley helped establish one of Florence's first schools and its first church. First Presbyterian Church." The text on side two reads: "McKinley was an early benefactor of public education in Alabama by donating land for the current Athens State University and serving on the original Board of Trustees for the University of Alabama. As a local lawyer, he gained regional status as an Alabama Legislator and national status in both the U.S. House and Senate. His work in Congress on the first Florence Canal establishes him as the "Spiritual Father of TVA." While a resident of Florence in 1838, McKinley was sworn in as the 23rd Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court where he served until his death."
“Justice John McKinley Federal Building Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on 301 North Pine Street, Florence, AL. The text on side one reads: "The Karsner ~ Kennedy House is significant because of its architectural characteristics. Benjamin F. Karsner (1800-1867) of Maryland married Sarah Carter of Virginia in 1827. He was a prominent figure in Florence and at times he was a Justice of the Peace, Tax Assessor, and Commission Merchant. The Karsner home was constructed from 1828 to 1831. The two-story Federal Style cottage, uncommon to this area, was situated on lot No. 7 according to the original plat of Florence is drawn by the Cyprus Land Company. The house had 13-inch brick load-bearing exterior walls, broad pine plank floors and wood ceilings and roof framing. The main chimney was an integral part of the wall and not projected on the exterior. Other structures at the site included a smokehouse, root cellar, and cistern. The Karsner house was remodeled several times before a complete restoration to the original style in the early 1970s. In all modifications, the original structure of brick and wood remained basically unchanged. After Mr. Karsner’s death in 1868, Mrs. Karsner remained in the house until her death in 1880. The Karsner family sold the house to Mary Fannie Hudson and it was used as residential rental property." The text on side two reads: "In 1907, Dr. George W. Carroll purchased the property. A few years thereafter, the house became the property of his oldest daughter Bertha Carroll, and her husband, Oscar Y. Kennedy. In 1971, the lot and house, then in a very dilapidated condition, were sold to the Florence Housing Authority as a part of the downtown urban renewal project. Under the supervision of Karl Tyree, Jr., executive director of the Housing Authority, the history of the house was carefully researched after which the structure was restored in 1971 – 1973 to its original style and condition. It became an addition to the Housing Authority’s central office. From this location, Tyree coordinated numerous major urban development projects in Florence. Throughout its long history, the Karsner ~ Kennedy House has stood as one of the finest examples of Federal Style domestic architecture in the Tennessee Valley. In 1971, it became the second local entry, after Wilson Dam, and the 17th Alabama entry to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places."
“Karsner-Kennedy House Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Lee County, Auburn, Baptist, Cemetery, African American
Baptist Hill cemetery is a part of Alabama’s first separate black community and is a critical part of Auburn’s black history. According to oral history, a white man gave most of the land in the 1870’s. Currently the cemetery is four acres and has over 500 marked graves and many unmarked. The oldest grave dates back to 1879. Many of the buried at the cemetery were born into slavery but later became teachers or people in business. The cemetery gets its name from the Ebenezer Baptist Church close by.
Lee County, Auburn, Religion, Baptist, African American, Baptist Hill Cemetery
Ebenezer Baptist Church was the first black church formed in Auburn after the civil war. Erected in 1870, the church was located on land donated by a white man, Lonnie Payne. The impressive church gave the local area the name “Baptist Hill”. The church also has claims to the nearby cemetery, Baptist Hill Cemetery, which was the first separate black community cemetery in Auburn. Members of the church were the first buried in the cemetery; however, currently members of other churches have been interred there.
Lee County, Auburn, John J. Harper, Alabama Confederacy, Auburn Heritage Association
Pine Hill is the oldest cemetery in Auburn and was established in 1837. Auburn’s founder, Judge John J. Harper, donated six acres to be used a community burial ground for white settlers and their slaves. The oldest marked graves are dated 1938. There are no early cemetery records. The first survey was conducted in in the 1950’s and over 1,100 graves were cataloged. Of those, only one grave belong to a black individual. People who have been interred at Pine Hill include slaves and university presidents. For decades, Pine Hill was the main burial ground for local whites. Auburn’s confederate marker is at the rear of the cemetery standing over 98 common graves of Texas soldiers who died in a temporary hospital. Before 1995, Pine Hill was neglected and vandalized until the Auburn Heritage Association began to restore the cemetery. In 1978, Pine Hill was placed on the Alabama Register and is currently owned by the City of Auburn.
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.
This historic marker is located behind the Florence/Lauderdale Veterans Memorial on veterans Park Dr, Florence, AL. The text on the marker reads: "The Korean War June 1950~ July 1953 Erected by the citizens of Florence in honor of the men and women from Lauderdale County who served this nation during the Korean War. In memory of the following patriots from Lauderdale County whom made the supreme sacrifice for this nation during The Korean War; James F. Barrier • Ralph T. Bruce • Robert H. Guthrie • Morris E. Hughes • William R. McGee • Grady H. Miller • James Oakley • Oscar B. Parker • Carl T. Sloan • Grover C. Spencer, Jr. • Marvin R. Springer • Gerald D. Steen • James O. Trent."
“Korean War Memorial Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located at 698 Mars Hill Road, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Built by Theophilus Brown Larimore and his wife, Esther Gresham Larimore, as a home and educational center. Near site of foundry and arsenal of War Between The States, it served as a school, 1871-1887, to train ministers and Christian workers of the Church of Christ. Used, 1947-1968, for classes by Mars Hill Bible School. Restored in 1971 by Associated Women's Organization. Listed in National Register of Historic Places, 1974."
“Larimore Home 1870 Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Lauderdale County High School 1912 Marker
This historic marker is located on College St, Rogersville, AL. The text on side one of the marker reads: "Prior to 1912, a private school, Rogersville High School, was housed in a two-story wooden frame building located in this vicinity. On August 7, 1907, an act was passed by the Alabama Legislature to establish a state high school in each county. Communities desiring a high school were required to submit plans for a building, equipment and five acres of land, with a total value of at least $5,000. The property was to be deeded to the state. Governor Emmet O’Neal visited Rogersville in October 1911and gave his assurance that the high school for Lauderdale County would be located at Rogersville. On October 16, 1911, the trustees of the Rogersville High School Association conveyed to the state five acres of land and the existing building. That school closed on May 17, 1912, with Mr. W. R. Hale as principal. In early May 1912, the County School Board selected Mr. W. L. Davis as principal, and Mrs. W. L. Davis and Mr. C. W. Williams as teachers for the state high school. It opened on September 10, 1912, with 112 students. On May 20, 1913 Rogersville High School, later named Lauderdale County High School, held its first commencement with three graduates. Between 1919 and 1925 two buildings, agricultural and home economics, plus three acres of land were added." The text on side two reads: "On April 1, 1927, the original building burned and was replaced by a modern one-story brick structure at a cost of $30,000. By 1931, the campus had several athletic facilities and in 1948, a gym was completed. An elementary school, built prior to 1927, burned on January 20, 1960, and was rebuilt, along with a cafeteria, in front of the high school. A new high school was built in 1958 and the old building became the junior high. A new library was built in 1966 along with an office complex, In 1967, the stadium was moved to the pervious elementary school site. In 1977, a new junior high school was built and the old one was removed in 1982. From 1985 to 1997, a new gym, weight room, band room, and cafeteria were built. A new office/library complex was completed in 2001, and an additional elementary building in 2010. By 2013, the school had modern-day academic, athletic and support facilities and equipment on a campus of about 43 acres. It had 65 teachers under the leadership of the 18th principal. During the first 100 years, LCHS maintained a high level of academic standards. It developed a rich athletic tradition which received recognition in local, regional, and state competition. Also, LCHS had resented diplomas to approximately 6500 graduates."
“Lauderdale County High School 1912 Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located in front of Locust Dell Academy, which is now the Department of History on the Campus of UNA. on N. Wood Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "On this site Nicholas Marcellus Hentz conducted a girls school, Native of Metz, France. Hentz was a painter, entomologist, author, and was once a professor at University of North Alabama. Experimenting with silkworms, he planted groves of mulberry trees around this section of town. His wife, Caroline Lee Whiting Hentz, native of Massachusetts, assisted in the academy. She also wrote plays, poems, stories, popular novels, and a significant diary of her years in Florence."
“Locust Dell Academy Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Talladega County, Sylacauga, Cemetery, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
In 1898, the Marble City Cemetery officially opened after the city of Sylacauga bought one acre from James T. Persons. Although there are earlier marked graves, it was originally a burial ground for the Pearson family. The original deed, notarized by J. W. Langley, was dated August 27, 1898. The land was divided into lots and numbered. Currently the cemetery contains 2,520 graves dating back to 1876. Over the years the cemetery has gone under renovations for cleaning and improvements. Eight Sylacauga mayors are interred at the cemetery along with a Union solider and Sylacauga’s first mayor. In 1995, the cemetery was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
This historic marker is located on Old Jackson Hwy, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Christians first met here in a log building which also served as a schoolhouse. In 1909 a frame building was constructed. Because of a single cedar tree in prominent view, it was given the name Lone Cedar by Wilbert M (Will) Behel, an early dedicated gospel preacher. In 1938 a more modern stone building was completed by these diligent christians. A larger auditorium was added in 1977. This early christian meeting place soon became a landmark and a vital part of the Greenhill Community."
“Lone Cedar Church of Christ 1898”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on Highttower Place, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "After flying more than 90 worldwide reconnaissance missions, in 1990 Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding set a coast to coast aircraft speed record of 67 minuets 54 seconds flying an SR-71 spy plane, which is now at the Smithsonian."
“Lt. Col. R. Edward Yeilding Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on County Road 158 west of Road 5, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Tracing its roots to the early 1800's. The Macedonia Baptist Church originally met in homes with Joseph Fanning, visiting evangelist. In 1834, J.W. Smith supervised a building on this site. In 1880, T.B. Larimore, an evangelsit among Churches of Christ was asked to preach. The group then changed its name to Macedonia Church of Christ. This church has made a powerful local and world~wide impact. Its adjoining cemetery is the resting place for many of the country's beloved sons and daughters."
“Macedonia Church of Christ Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located in River Heritage Park, near the Marriott Hotel in Florence, AL. Text on the marker reads: "In 1891, G.W. Goethals, in his role as supervisor of public works on the Tennessee River, reported directly to the Secretary of War. Later, he was Chief Engineer for the construction of the Panamal Canal."
“Maj. Gen. George W. Goethals Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Major General George Washington Goethals' Home — 1888-1907 Marker
This historic marker is located on North Wood Avenue north of East Irvine Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "The great engineering genius of the Panama Canal lived at this site from 1888 until 1907. As a young lieutenant, Gothals was sent to Florence to speed up the work on the Muscle Shoals Canal Project which effectively by-passed the serious river impediment known as the Muscle Shoals. His successful accomplishment here were considered as an apprenticeship that led to his renowned work in the building of the Panama Canal (1908~1914). Goethals later remarked that his work on the Muscle Shoals Canal loomed far larger in his memory than the canal in Panama."
“Major General George Washington Goethals' Home — 1888-1907 Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on Cole Street near Old Brandon Elementary School in East Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Born in Tuscumbia, Lived in Sheffield Daughter of Robert Burns Lindsay, Governor of Alabama 1870-72. Teacher of Alabama first kindergarten-1898. Ranks as one of the greatest kindergarten teachers in the world. Author of 18 books for children. Maud Lindsay was close friend of Helen Keller. The Florence Free Kindergarten Established September 3, 1898 Founded through the efforts of Miss Loulie Johnes, Mrs John R. Price, Mr. Frank Jackson, Mr. Thomas Phillip, Teacher Miss Maud McKnight Lindsay Teacher, Writer, Philanthropist. The Monument erected for Miss Maud Lindsay in Appreciation of her life of service to the community. By students and friends Mrs. Grover Garner Chairman September 3, 1970."
“Maud McKnight Lindsay Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Walker County, Dora, Cemetery, Louisa Hoover
Davis Cemetery was the first cemetery in East Walker County. It is located behind where the Old White Church (Dora Second Baptist) now stands. The gravestones in this cemetery date back to the earliest settlers. In 1888, Louisa Hoover, wife of Daniel Davis, decided to build a church for the minders who moved into the area after 1886 when the railroads were built. Louisa Hoover gave the land and built the church on her own. The church became known as the “White Church” because of the color it was painted. Methodist, Nazarenes, and Baptists have worshipped at the church.
Jackson County, Dekalb County, Rainsville, Sand Mountain, Education
Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) is a comprehensive, public two-year college within the Alabama Community College System; it is one of 12 junior colleges created by the Alabama State Legislature during the administration of Gov. George C. Wallace. NACC is located on State Highway 35 approximately five miles from Rainsville, DeKalb County; its grounds straddle the county line between DeKalb and Jackson counties. - See more at: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2611#sthash.adCiCsrn.dpuf
McFarland Park and Recreation Area Marker
This historic marker is located on McFarland Drive in Florence, AL. The text on the marker reads: "This bottom land serves as a reservoir for TVA's flood control program. Florence leases it for recreational purposes when not being used by TVA. Major Robert McFarland, a native of Ireland, his wife, Kate Armstead McFarland, and their seven children resided in the ante~bellum mansion now called Mapleton that overlooked this river bottom. Strawberries were once grown here. Jobless families were encouraged to plant vegetables gardens here during the Great Depression. Major McFarland rode with Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and became the first cavalryman to leap across the line onto Indian soil."
“McFarland Park and Recreation Area Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is locate on the Walk of Honor located at River Heritage Park. The text on the marker reads: "Representing the Secretary of Defense at the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks in the 1980's, Michael Mobbs was a leader in negotiations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., resulting in the most complex arms control treaty in history. Inducted 2010 City of Florence Walk of Honor."
“Michael Hall Mobbs Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located at entrance to Florence Cemetery near US 72, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "The notorious outlaw gang leader who boasted that no one would ever run over Tom Clark lies buried near the center of Tennessee Street where now all who pass by do run over him. In 1872, Clark, who terrorized helpless citizens during the Civil War, confessed to at least nineteen murders, including a child, and was hanged with two companions. Although graves were already dug in a nearby field, outraged townspeople interred Clark beneath Tennessee Street thus bring his boast to nought."
“Mountain Tom Clark Marker”. Accessed 11/05/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Historic Markers; Killen, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located at the intersection of U.S. 72, Killen, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Lock Six, headquarters of Muscle Shoals Canal, was located 1.3 miles south of here. An 1836 attempt to build a bypass canal around the shoals proved unsuccessful. On November 10, 1890 the canal from Rogersville to Florence was successfully completed. The river fell 85 feet in 14 1/2 miles requiring nine locks. Canal was closed in 1918 and later covered by backwaters from Wilson and Wheeler Dams. Jesse James robbed the U.S. Payroll near Lock Six in 1881."
“Muscle Shoals Canal Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Original Site of FAME Recording Studio Marker
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Tennessee St and Seminary St, Florence, AL. The text on the side one of the marker reads: "This marks the site of the pioneering music company of Florence Alabama Music Enterprises (FAME), a name which became renowned worldwide is the home of the Muscle Shoals Sound. FAME was founded in the early 1960s by three young local entrepreneurs (Rick Hall, Billy Sherrell and Tom Stafford) who improvised a makeshift studio in a vacant room above the city drugstore that once stood here. FAME’S earliest recording sessions launched the careers of such music business legends as Arthur Alexander, Rick Hall, Billy Sherrell, Norbert Putman, David Briggs, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, and many others." Side two reads: "Following limited success, the partnership dissolved. Rick Hall took the publishing company and FAME name in return for the studio equipment. He relocated the studio to an empty tobacco warehouse in Muscle Shoals. His next recording of “You Better Move On”, by Arthur Alexander, was acclaimed as the Shoals first worldwide bestseller. Over the next several decades FAME recording studios became one of the most successful producers of rhythms in blues, pop and country music in the world. Rick Hall became known as the “Father of the Muscle Shoals Sound”. "
“Original Site of the FAME Recording Studio Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Montgomery County, Montgomery, Monument, American Civil War, Confederacy, Alabama Soldiers, Historical Monumental Association of Alabama, Jefferson Davis, Governor Robert Bentley
In 1865, the Historical Monumental Association of Alabama (HMAA) decided to request $5000 from the Alabama state legislature in order to build a marble monument dedicated to the 122,000 Alabamians who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Original efforts were delayed by appeals from Virginia in order to help protect the remains of Alabama soldiers who lay in shallow graves at the sites. Montgomery postponed the project in order to care for soldier’s graves on battlefields. Fundraising for the project began in 1865 and was mainly headed by the Ladies Memorial Association. This organization raised $47,000 though several efforts in order to build the monument. On April 29, 1886, former Confederate President Jefferson Davis laid the cornerstone. The dedication ceremony was on December 7, 1898 with the grand unveiling. On June 24, 2015, Governor Robert Bentley order the removal of four Confederate flags after a national controversy over displaying the flag in public places.
Montgomery County, Montgomery, Education, Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame
In 1914, Margaret Booth opened the Margaret Booth School as a college preparatory school for girls. This school occurred in Booth’s home. Margaret Booth was a longtime proponent of women’s education after receiving her own education in Montgomery public schools, the Agnes Scott Institute, and Mt. Holyoke College in Massachusetts. When she returned to Alabama, Booth became the first principal at the new Demopolis High School. She was also the founder of the Demopolis Public Library after donating a single volume. Booth is now a member of the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame Between 1914 and 1915, Miss Booth stated in the Margaret Booth school bulletin, “It is my hope to be the instrument in the hand of Providence of founding an institution which shall accomplish for young women in Alabama what our college preparatory schools are accomplishing for boys”. The school/home was located on 529 Sayre Street Montgomery, AL.
http://preserveala.org/pdfs/AR/AR_Property_Listing_4_9_15.pdf http://www.awhf.org/booth.html
Patton Elementary School (1891-1958) Marker
This historic marker is located on Dr. Hicks Boulevard, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "First school in Florence Public school system built 1890 on land given by Governor Robert M. Patton. It was occupied in 1891. Designed originally to serve all white elementary school children of Florence. Usually served six grades divided into nine sections. The building was remodeled several times and also housed the Superintendents Offices. Cloakrooms, safety doors, fire escapes were added, and the third floor was removed in 1921. Ada Coffee, leading Alabama educator, joined the facility in 1896, and served as principal from 1910 to 1944. She established the first school lunchroom and parent teachers association in Florence. White children moved to JW Powell School in 1958 when the Negro high school burned. About 360 African American junior and senior high school students used the Patton building form January 5, 1959 until Burrell- Slater High school building was completed in 1960. The Building was razed, and grounds are now occupied by Florence Utility Department."
“Patton Elementary School (1891-1958) Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Pesthouse and Cemetery / Pestilences Marker
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Wildwood Park Road and Waterloo Road, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "Following an outbreak of the dreaded plaque, smallpox (Variola), at Florence during the winter of 1865-66, the Board of Alderman adopted a resolution on January 2, 1866, that a Pesthouse be “erected at the vineyard as soon as possible.” According to tradition, this Pesthouse, believed to have been a simple two-room log structure, was located in this area where people with infectious diseases could be isolated from community. Also located nearby is a small cemetery where victims of these diseases were sometimes buried in unmarked graves." The text on side two read: "Prior to 20th Century During its early history, this area was faced with periods of infectious epidemics. One of the most feared was the small pox plague. It became a serious threat at the end of the Civil War, believed to have resulted from the frequent movements of troops here during the war. Yellow fever, a rare plague in the northern hemisphere, appeared here in the fall of 1878, resulting in 42 deaths in Florence. Four nurses from the Howard Association, a New Orleans charity organization, were sent here to assist with the sick and the dying."
“Pesthouse and Cemetery/Pestilence Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on 203 Hermitage Dr, Florence, AL. The text on side one of the marker reads: "Pope’s Tavern Museum is housed in a building that dates back to the early 1800s. According to legend Christopher Cheatham built and operated a tavern on this site for Leroy Pope in 1811. This was seven years before the founding of Florence in 1818. Archaeological evidence suggests that the original building was burned. Apparently part of the present building was erected in the 1820s. Since that time there have been numerous structural changes to meet changing needs for the building. While no firm evidence exists that this building was a tavern, there are several reasons to believe the legend. The present structure is certainly one of the oldest buildings in Florence and a prominent historical site. At various times the building served is the home of prominent families including Charles Cookin, a businessman and City Alderman, and Josiah Patterson, a prominent lawyer and his son, who later became governor of Tennessee." Side two reads: "During the Civil War the house was used as a hospital by Union and Confederate armies. It was first used as a hospital shortly after the Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and remained in fairly constant use after early 1862. Thirty-two soldiers died in the house and were buried in the old Florence Cemetery. Felix Grundy Lambeth, a postmaster in Florence, bought the house in 1874. It was occupied by the Lambeth family until 1965. When rumors circulated that the house was to be demolished, the Chamber of Commerce purchased the property and gave it to the City of Florence. The deed stipulated the city would maintain and preserve the building as a historic site and that it would be used as a museum. After extensive renovations of the building by the city and an extensive search for appropriate artifacts, the Pope’s Tavern Museum was opened to the public in 1968."
“Pope's Tavern Museum Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located across the road from the Indian Mound Museum, on South Court Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "This is the highest domiciliary mound in the Tennessee Valley. It was probably built between 100 B.C. and 400 A.D. by a prehistoric people of the ancient Woodland Culture. Such mounds served as bases for ceremonial temples or chief's houses. This mound, originally encircled by an earthen wall, contains no burials. It is 43 feet in height. Its base measurements are 310 feet by 230 feet. Its flat top measures 145 feet by 90 feet. Evidence indicates that nearby there were two smaller mounds, villages and cultivated fields."
“Prehistoric Mound Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Prehistoric Native Americans / Historic Native Americans Marker
This historic marker is located in McFarland Park next to the Tennessee River on McFarland Park Road, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one reads: "This area near the mouth of Cypress Creek was inhabited by Archaic People as early as 8,000 B.C. Their main food consisted of freshwater mollusks from the river. (These mussels were the origin of the name "Muscle Shoals.") The Woodland and Copena Cultures, associated with the nearby large Florence Mound, arrived around 2,000 B.C. and remained almost 3,000 years. About 800 A.D. the Mississippian Civilization established villages here and on adjoining islands. Many of the Indian mounds in the Tennessee Valley were built by them." Side two reads: "For almost 300 years this area was the home of people known as Historic Indians. the first were the Euchees from the Great Lakes area. They were soon ousted by the Shawnees from the Ohio River. The Shawnee were evicted in 1715 A.D. by the Cherokees and Chickasaws. The Cherokees signed away their rights to this area in 1806. The Chickasaws held their claim until the Treaty of 1816. In the Summer of 1787, a skirmish occurred nearby between a party of Creeks and a company of militia from Nashville. The Creek Chief Bigfoot was killed."
“Prehistoric Native Americans/Historic Native Americans Marker”. Accessed 11/04/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
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.
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
This historic marker is located in Florence's Walk of Honor in River Heritage Park. The text on the marker reads: "In 1976, Fran McKee became the first woman line officer promoted to Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. A wide range of opportunities for women in the Navy is a result of her personal example and her work on the Navy's Equal Rights Committee."
“Rear Admiral Fran McKee Mrker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located at the intersection of N. Seminary St. and E.Tuscaloosa St. on N. Seminary St., Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "This building which was completed in 1983 is an accurate replica of the local historical mansion known as The Forks of Cypress. The original mansion, completed in 1822 by James and Sarah Jackson on a knoll five miles from Florence Alabama, was struck by lighting and burned in 1966."
“Regions Bank Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located in Florence's Walk of Honor in River Heritage Park. The text on the marker reads: "In his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives (1977-1991), Ronnie Flippo held such important post as the chairmanship of the Space Science Subcommittee during the development of the space shuttle, Columbia."
“Ronnie Gene Flippo Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located at Florence's Walk of Honor in River Heritage Park. The text on the marker reads: "Known as the "Father of Rock and Roll," Sam Phillips established Sun Records in 1952, helping Elvis Presley and other well-known artist launch their careers. He received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in music."
“Samuel Cornelius Phillips Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
This historic marker is located on North Court Street, Florence AL. The text on the marker reads: "Named for Ferdinand Sannoner, who surveyed the town of Florence for the Cypress Land Company in 1818, the district contains twenty-five structures on North Court and North Pine Streets. Wealth planters, lawyers and merchants occupied the six fine antebellum homes: Courtview (1855) Gov. Edward Asbury O'Neal (1840's), Irvine Place (1843), Conner Place (1854), Wakefield (1820's) and Hickory Place (James Irvine's House 1832.) Other structures date from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries."
“Sannoner Historic District”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Colbert County, Alabama; Cherokee, Alabama; Barton Hall; Cunningham Plantation; National Register of Historic Places; Historic American Buildings Survey
Barton Hall, or Cunningham Plantation, is a two-story, Greek-Revival-style, wood-frame house near Cherokee in Colbert County. Its construction was initiated during the 1840s by Armstead Barton, whose father, Dr. Hugh Barton, had left Virginia during the late 18th century and settled with his young family in East Tennessee. At the time of its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, in 1969, it was owned by Taylor Bodkin, a descendant of the Barton family. The home's most distinctive feature is its stairwell, which "ascends in a series of double flights and bridge-like landings to an observatory on the rooftop that offers views of the plantation." The staircase was documented, along with other interior and exterior features, by the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) during the 1930s, and Barton Hall was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
Brian Corrigan, University of North Alabama
National Register of Historic Places, Barton Hall, Cherokee, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #73000337. Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS AL-337, http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/al0075.photos.001619p (accessed November 7, 2015). "Barton Hall (Alabama)," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Hall_(Alabama) (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Belmont; Belle Mont; Thomas Jefferson; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places; Historic American Buildings Survey
A rare Southern example of architectural "Jeffersonian Classicism," the Belmont plantation house was completed in 1835 as a residence for Isaac Winston, a successful and wealthy planter who would, in his sixties, volunteer for service in the Confederate army. Together with the Brandon, Battersea, and Randolph-Semple manions of Winston's native Virginia, and other regional examples like Saunders Hall in Lawrence County, Belmont demonstrates the scope and extent of Thomas Jefferson's influence on early-to-mid-19th-century domestic architecture. During the 1930s, the Historic American Buildings Survey documented the Belmont complex in a series of photographs and measured drawings, and the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
National Register of Historic Places, Belmont, Tuscumbia, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #82002003. Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS AL-388, http://loc.gov/pictures/item/al0081 (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Cherokee, Alabama; Buzzard Roost; Natchez Trace Parkway; Levi Colbert; Native American History; National Register of Historic Places
Buzzard Roost is a site along the Natchez Trace Parkway near Cherokee, where farmer, trader, and Chickasaw tribal spokesman Levi Colbert is thought to have lived and operated a "stand," or inn, for travelers during the early years of the 19th century. The site shares its name with Buzzard Roost Creek, which originates from a spring below the spot where Colbert's home is thought to have stood. The picturesque Buzzard Roost interpretive site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
National Register of Historic Places, Buzzard Roost, Cherokee, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #76000157.
Colbert County, Alabama; Ford City, Alabama; Clyde Carter House; Clyde Carter; Henry Ford; Wilson Dam; Rural Electrification Act; Agriculture; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places
Built between 1924 and 1930, the Clyde Carter House is a Spanish-Eclectic-style cottage located in what was (briefly) the Bernard Subdivision of Ford City. With its "fanciful," European-influenced design and stuccoed walls, the house stands out amongst the Bungalow-style dwellings which otherwise dominate its rural setting. The Carter residence was the first, and only, home built for the proposed Bernard Subdivision, envisioned as a planned community for nitrate-plant workers and their families after Henry Ford announced his intention to buy Wilson Dam from the federal government and remake the agricultural Shoals into "a modern industrial landscape." When Ford's plans fell through, development of a planned community at Ford City was scrapped, and construction of the Spanish Eclectic cottage was abandoned until Clyde Carter purchased the property in 1930. For a decade and a half, beginning in 1930, Carter and his family grew cotton and corn on the surrounding farmland, and the same two crops were still being farmed on the property as recently as 2004, when the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
National Register of Historic Places, Clyde Carter House, Ford City, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #04000559.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Chambers Robinson House; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places
The Chambers-Robinson House at 910 Montgomery Avenue in Sheffield is a two-story, Queen-Anne-style frame house, built in 1890 as a residence for Judson G. Chambers and his wife Mary. In 1898, the couple sold the home to Charles and Dora Robinson, whose descendents occupied the house for the next 64 years. The two-story frame house has a steeply pitched hipped roof supported by decorative brackets and pierced by several dormers. Another notable exterior feature is the wraparound porch, complete with elaborate posts, brackets, and latticework. Inside, a grand Eastlake staircase leads to the second story from a first-floor entry hall. The property was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Places in 1992, and added to the National Register of Historic Places the following year.
National Register of Historic Places, Chambers-Robinson House, Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #93000419. "Chambers-Robinson House," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambers-Robinson_House (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; John and Archibald Christian House; Tennessee Valley Country Club; Robert Lindsay; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places; Historic American Buildings Survey
The John and Archibald Christian House in Tuscumbia was built during the 1830s as a residence for two brothers from Virgina, who, like many natives of the Piedmont region during the mid-19th-century, relocated to North Alabama. It is particularly significant for its role, during the Reconstruction era, as the home of Robert Lindsay, the only foreign-born governor of the state of Alabama. The Christian house has been part of the Tennessee Valley Country Club since 1923, and the fifty-acre property surrounding the home has been converted into a nine-hole golf course. Photographers for the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documented the house in 1934, and the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
National Register of Historic Places, John and Archibald Christian House, Tuscumbia, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #82002004. Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS AL-312, http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/al0094.photos.001745p (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Ivy Green; Helen Keller; Social History; Education; Communications; National Register of Historic Places; Historic American Buildings Survey
A one-and-a-half-story "Southern Viriginian" frame cottage located at 300 West North Commons in Tuscumbia, Ivy Green is significant for being the birthplace and childhood home of Helen Keller. It was during her infancy at Ivy Green that illness rendered Keller's blind and deaf; and it was there, in 1887, that Anne Sullivan taught the seven-year-old Keller to read, write, and speak, using a "finger language" devised by Samuel Gridley Howe of Boston's Perkins School for the Blind. The Ivy Green complex consists of the main house and two additional structures of historical significance: another, smaller frame cottage built as an office for the Keller family plantation; and the still smaller structure housing the water well and pump which facilitated Keller's famous "communication breakthrough." The property was acquired by the City of Tuscumbia in 1954, and has been open to the public as a museum ever since.
National Register of Historic Places, Ivy Green, Tuscumbia, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #70000101. Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS AL-317, http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/al0093 (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; John Johnson House; The Green Onion; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places
The John Johnson House, commonly referred to as "The Green Onion," is a 19th-century Tidewater-style cottage near Leighton in Colbert County. It is one of four double-square Tidewater cottages in the state of Alabama, and one of three among those built using single-pile brick construction. Original owner and namesake John Johnson, who had moved to Alabama from Virigina (by way of Tennessee), purchased the 80-acre property on which the house sits for $600 in 1829. After Johnson's death, it became part of the Leonard Preuitt estate. Though one of its walls has since collapsed, and its paneled wainscoting has been vandalized, the Johnson house "remains to a surprising degree structurally sound," and continues to showcase "some of the finest brickwork to be found anywhere in early Alabama." The John Johnson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and is also listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Places.
National Register of Historic Places, John Johnson House, Leighton, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #86001537. Alabama Department of Archives and History, "Alabama Photographs and Pictures Collection," http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/landingpage/collection/photo (accessed November 7, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Muscle Shoals Sound Studio; Performing Arts; Music; National Register of Historic Places
The modest exterior of the one-story concrete structure at 3614 North Jackson Highway stands in deceptively stark contrast to the majesty of the music produced therein. The building once housed the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, where some of the most influential popular music of the 20th century was recorded and produced. Between 1969 and 1978, the studio and its versatile Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, affectionately known as "the Swampers," turned out "over 50 gold and platinum hits and hundreds of albums for pop, rock, blues, funk, soul, reggae, and even country music superstars," and in the process made the Shoals area famous the world over. Having played on some of the biggest pop, rock and soul hits of the 1960s as the house band for Rick Hall's FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, the four-man MSRS struck out on their own in 1969 and, with the financial backing of Atlantic Records president Jerry Wexler, opened their own studio in the neighboring town of Sheffield. After an inauspicious start, a number-one single recorded with R.B. Greaves ("Take a Letter Maria") and a visit from the Rolling Stones (immortalized in the documentary film Gimme Shelter) inaugurated the studio's decade-long gold and platinum winning streak. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
National Register of Historic Places, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #06000437.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; E.L. Newman Lustron House; Lustron Corporation; Architecture; National Register of Historic Places
The E.L. Newman Lustron House is a prefabricated one-story home in Sheffield built in 1949 by the Lustron Corporation. The house is one of eleven surviving Lustron homes in the state of Alabama, and one of five in the Shoals area, for which it once served as the "model" Lustron home. Its most distinctive exterior feature is its enamelized metal siding, comprised of two-foot square porcelain panels, which to this day show no signs of rusting or other deterioration. Lustron houses were popularized in the immediate aftermath of World War II, when a housing shortage in the United States had created a considerable market for prefabricated dwellings. The Newman house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, at which time it was still occupied by the original residents.
National Register of Historic Places, E.L. Newman Lustron House, Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama, National Register #00000134.