Scottsboro, Jackson County, Transportation, Railroad, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
Barbour County, Midway, Religion, Baptist, Church, Solomon G. Burke, Francis T. Burke, American Civil War, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
The Ramah Baptist Church was constructed around 1840. The interior of the church is one large room with two columns in the pew area. In 1857 Solomon G. and Frances T. Burke gave the deed for the present building and cemetery. During the civil war, Ramah Church was the focal point for military roads, used by both the confederacy and the union, leading to Midway, Enon, Hartville, and Ft. Browder. In 1963, arrangements were made to preserve Ramah Church and the adjoining cemetery. The church is now under the care of the Ramah Church Memorial Association. Ramah Baptist Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2011.
Walker County, Jasper, Religion, Methodist, Church, American Civil War, Rev. L. J. Morris, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
The present building of the First United Methodist Church was built in 1914 although the congregation dates back almost a hundred years prior. The Methodist church is the oldest church in Jasper, Alabama with the first formal organization occurring in 1833. Around 1858, a frame building was built on the site of the present building. This frame building was burnt during the American Civil War by Union soldiers. In 1888 the congregants began to build a new church; however, plans changed and in 1912, Reverend J. L. Morris petitioned to build a new church. This church was finished and dedicated in 1921. The First United Methodist Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1983.
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
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Sheffield City Cemetery; Cemeteries
To reach Sheffield City Cemetery from Florence, follow US-72 across O'Neal Bridge into Sheffield. Go straight through the first traffic light and veer slightly right onto North Jackson Highway. After half of a mile, look for the cemetery on your right. See the RootsWeb source below for a complete list of burials.
Brian Corrigan, University of North Alabama
"Oakwood-Sheffield," RootsWeb, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alcolber/cem-oakwood-sheffield.htm (accessed November 21, 2015).
Mt. Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Colbert County, Alabama; Mount Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery; Mount Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Old Brick Presbyterian Church; Cemeteries
Mt. Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established by a faction which split from nearby Old Brick Presbyterian Church. The earliest burial in the cemetery is Josephine "Josie" Davidson Kerby (1870-1916). The RootsWeb source linked below contains a complete list of burials. To reach the Mt. Cumberland Presbyterian Church and cemetery from AL-157 in Muscle Shoals, head east on River Road and turn right onto County Line Road. After one mile, the church and cemetery are on the right.
"Mt. Pleasant Cumberland Prebyterian Church Cemetery," RootsWeb, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maury/AlabamaCemeteriesWeb/ColbertCounty/MtPleasantCPChurchCem/MtPleasantCumb.PresbyterianChurchyardCemListingFAG.htm (accessed December 5, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; Old Brick Cemetery; Old Brick Presbyterian Church; Cemeteries
The origins of Leighton's Old Brick Presbyterian Church can be traced back to 1812, when traveling minister Carson P. Reed staged a two-week revival in the Brick community. 45 men baptized during the revival were inspired to establish a congregation of their own, with Reed as preacher, and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was born. Nearly a century later, in the early 1900s, a split within the congregation led to the departure of one faction (which formed the nearby Mt. Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church), and a switch to the "Old Brick" name still in use today. To reach the Old Brick church and cemetery from AL-157 in Muscle Shoals, head east on River Road and turn right onto County Line Road. After one mile, turn left onto Mount Pleasant Road, and look for the cemetery on the right. See the RootsWeb source below for a complete list of burials.
"Old Brick Church Cemetery," RootsWeb, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maury/AlabamaCemeteriesWeb/ColbertCounty/OldBrickChurchCem/Old_Brick_Church_Cem_Listing.htm (accessed November 20, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Cherokee, Alabama; Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery; Cemeteries
On September 4, 1937, Tuscumbia merchant Key Underwood buried his trusty coon dog Old Troop in a part of the Freedom Hills Wildlife Management area known then as Sugar Camp. In the years that followed, other coon dog owners began to follow Underwood's example, and Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery was born. In addition to nearly 200 grave markers, the cemetery boasts a striking stone monument depicting two coon dogs as they tree unseen prey. Today, the cemetery is a top local tourist attraction in the Cherokee area, with its annual Labor Day festivities drawing a particularly large crowd. To reach the Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery from Tuscumbia, head west on Highway 72 towards Memphis. After 8.5 miles, turn left onto AL-247 and head south. Follow this road for 13 miles until you see the signs for the cemetery on your left.
W.E. Rickard, "Coon Dog Cemetery," in The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999).
Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; Glendale Cemetery; Cemeteries
To reach Glendale Cemetery from Muscle Shoals, head south on Wilson Dam Road, then turn right onto Old Highway 20 and drive for about 3 miles. The cemetery is on the left, just past Gnat Pond Road.
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Oakwood Cemetery; Felix Grundy Norman; Cemeteries
Tuscumbia's Oakwood Cemetery was mapped and designated as a burial ground in General John Coffee's 1817 survey "Plan of a Town at Coldwater Spring," and the cemetery's oldest burial dates from 1821. Hundreds of military veterans are buried in Oakwood, including veterans of the Revolutionary War and dozens of unknown soldiers killed fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Among the noteworthy burials at Oakwood are one-time Tuscumbia mayor Felix Grundy Norman and Captain Arthur H. Keller, C.S.A., publisher of Tuscumbia's North Alabamian newspaper, and father of Helen Keller. To reach Oakwood Cemetery from Muscle Shoals, head south on Highway 72, turn right onto 6th Street, then turn left onto East Commons Street. Continue for five blocks and the cemetery is on the right.
Mary McWilliams, "Oakwood Cemetery," in The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999). Carolyn Murray Greer, "One of Our Best, Most Respected Citizens," Remembering the Shoals, https://rememberingtheshoals.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/one-of-our-best-most-respected-citizens (accessed December 6, 2015).
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Winston Cemetery; Andrew Jackson; Robert Lindsay; Cemeteries
Winston Cemetery, at the corner of SW 14th Avenue and SW 7th Street in Sheffield, sits on land purchased from the United States government by Andrew Jackson, who subsequently gifted it to Col. Anthony Winston. The property was later incorporated into the plantation of William H. Winston, who is among those buried here. Revolutionary War commander Capt. Anthony Wilson, father of Col. Winston and cousin of Patrick Henry and Dolly Madison, was one of the cemetery's earliest burials. Robert Burns Lindsay, the Scottish-born, Reconstruction-era governor of Alabama, is perhaps the most notable burial.
Carolyn Murray Greer, "One of Our Best, Most Respected Citizens," Remembering the Shoals, https://rememberingtheshoals.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/one-of-our-best-most-respected-citizens (accessed December 6, 2015).
University of North Alabama; Education; Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama
The Communications building has been a part of the University of North Alabama since 1939. It is located on Pine Street. The building, designed by the Birmingham architecture firm Warren Knight and Davis, started off as a gymnasium that included a swimming pool in the basement. In 1972 the building was transformed into a media center that gradually became a Communications and Theater building. Today it is known only as the Communications Building. It cost $100,000 to construct the building.
Traci Adams, University of North Alabama
UNA School Journal (date unknown) and The Florence Times (November 22, 1938), University of North Alabama Archives
Mascots; University of North Alabama; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
On October 7, 2002, University of North Alabama had the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the brand new lion habitat. The habitat was named after a long time contributor to the university, George H. Carroll. After the death of the previous mascot Leo II, animal rights activists did not want UNA to have another mascot. There were concerns that having a lion on campus would drain money meant for academics. However, all money, labor and equipment needed to build habitat for the new mascots were donated by corporations and individuals. The 12,764 square foot habitat met USDA and the American Zoo and Aquarium standards. The habitat is located between Willingham Hall and the university president’s home on campus. It is equipped with a simulated waterfall and rock wall, separate climate controlled sleeping quarters for both of the lions, a quarantine area for when they get sick, a squeeze cage that allows veterinarians to work on the lions, and two visitor observation areas. The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat is currently the home of Leo III and Una.
Malik Emmett, University of North Alabama
“UNA to dedicate lion habitat, but without new cubs,” Birmingham News, Oct 6, 2002, Lion Habitat Collection, University of North Alabama Archives. “UNA’s Lion Habitat Finally A Reality,” Courier Journal, Oct 16, 2002, Lion Habitat Collection. University of North Alabama Archives.
Courthouses; Tuscumbia, Alabama, Colbert County, Alabama
Colbert County was established in 1867, fourteen years before the courthouse was built. Commissioners met at a local hotel called The Horn House while the probate judge’s office was located on the second floor of a brick building on Main Street in Tuscumbia. On March 7, 1870, an election took place to decide if Cherokee or Tuscumbia would be the permanent county seat. Tuscumbia would go on to win by a vote of 1367 to 794. On December 13, 1880, the county spent $2,000 and bought four lots in downtown Tuscumbia from Colonel J.F. Deshler. These lots would soon provide the location of the Colbert County Courthouse. Construction of the courthouse began on August 22, 1881. The architect chosen was a man named Mr. Edward Laurent of Nashville. Mr. William Dowling of Chattanooga was awarded the contract for the construction of the courthouse. Mr. Hornung was chosen to be the contractor for the laying the stone foundation. In the northern part of town, workers were expected to produce about 500,000 bricks for building material. This two-storied Italianate styled structure was finished by May of 1882 for a cost of $14,750. The building served the county well until a fire gutted the structure on May 14, 1908. With most of the brick walling undamaged, the county created a “special courthouse tax” to fund the reconstruction. This new Neo-Classical Revival styled courthouse was completed in 1909. Since then, a north wing has been added in 1948. Also, a $2,000,000 architecturally compatible west wing was built in 1975.
John Grissom, University of North Alabama
Gamble, Robert. "Colbert County Courthouse Square Historic District." In Historic Muscle Shoals: Buildings and Sites., 43-44. Vol. 10. Florence, Ala.: Tennessee Valley Historical Society, 1983. Graves, Arthur D. Tuscumbia: America's First Frontier Railroad Town. Tuscumbia, Ala.: Tuscumbia Main Street Project [and] Preservation Incentive Project, 1989. 23-24.
Mary Wallace Kirk; Historic Homes; Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama
Locust Hill, a historic home located in Tuscumbia, Alabama on the corner of Seventh and Cave streets, was built in 1823 by Col. William Winters. The large 14 room mansion stretches across nearly three-fourths of a city block and features striking architecture that gives it a distinct look. Its deep set windows and one of a kind woodworking designed and made by a local wood worker named Braden, make Locust Hill a house like no other. The 13-inch thick, white, hand-crafted bricks, were created on site. In fact, it is believed to be the oldest surviving brick home in the State of Alabama. The two story home is surrounded by trees and plants of various species, the most notable being the Locust trees from which Locust Hill derives its name. During the Civil War, the home was occupied by a dentist named Dr. Chisholm. As war times continued, the home experienced its fair share of wear and tear. It was used as headquarters for the commander of the federal forces, Colonel Florence N. Cornyn, in 1863, as well as a hospital for Confederate troops. The home was destroyed, trashed from the inside out. Blood stained the floors, the insides were washed white, and the landscape was left desolate. In December of 1865, Captain John Taylor Rather and his family of ten, his son and daughter-in-law as well as their 6 children, later to be seven, purchased the property. After having his home, located in Decatur Alabama, burned by federal troops, Rather used what money he had left, both that which he had buried as well as that which he had snuck in stockings tied inside the hoop skirts of his daughter-in-law and her maid, to purchase the property. The total was $3000 in gold. Rather’s wife’s first purchase for the new home was thick red curtains. Being that there was a price on Rather’s head, the family thought it best to keep the curtains drawn to prevent anyone who sought to harm Rather from being able to get a clear shot. The tradition of drawing the curtains is a practice that lasted at Locust Hill for generations to come. Rather’s son General John D. Rather and his wife Letitia Pearsall worked towards fixing the landscape of the home, planting the beautiful trees and plants that gave Locust Hill its iconic look. The name “Locust Hill” comes from the stunning Locust trees on the property. Rather and his wife had seven children: Hal, Anne, Courtenay, Pearsall, John D. Jr., Mary Wallace, and Ella. The latter, Ella, married James T. Kirk, and their daughter Mary Wallace Kirk would later become the last of their family to have possession of the home. Mary Wallace Kirk was the fourth generation of her family to live at Locust Hill. Mary Wallace Kirk, lovingly known as “Miss May Wallace”, was born in the only other home located on the same block as Locust hill. It was a colonial style cottage that featured a beautiful garden with paths lined with flowers. Her family occupied this home during the first few years of their marriage. At age four, Kirk’s grandparents passed and the possession of Locust Hill fell to the Kirk family. Following the death of her parents, the property then fell into the hands of Kirk herself. Kirk fondly recalls her time spent in Locust Hill in her book, Locust Hill, published by the University of Alabama press in 1975. In her memoir, Kirk discusses many aspects of Locust Hill including not only the history of the home itself, but her own family history as well. The book also includes many of Kirk’s happiest childhood memories of the home. Today, the home is owned by Eli Harper and Laura Gayle Smith who purchased the home with intent to “put it back on the map”. Through continuation of the renovations that began with the previous owner, Harper and Smith have given the home new life. Now, the home is open to the public as a venue for various activities including weddings.
Melanie Hodges, University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama Archives and Special Collections Delinski, Bernie. "Locust Hill." Times Daily, December 28, 2014. Kirk, Mary Wallace. Locust Hill. University: University of Alabama Press, 1975. McDaniel, Mary Jane. "Locust Hill." In Historic Muscle Shoals: Buildings and Sites, 38-39. Tennessee Valley Hist. Society, 1983. Metcalf, Doris. "They Call Him Mr. Tip." In Tuscumbia: The Journal of Muscle Shoals History, 108-109. Vol. 16. Tennessee Valley Historical Society, 2001. Pitman, Mary Ann. "Locust Hill- a Visit into the Past." The Florence times, June 19, 1977.
Historic Homes; Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama
The Thimbelton home is located on 221 West Tuscaloosa Street in Florence, Alabama. Originally built as a two-story frame home in 1830, Thimbleton was modified to a Second Empire style home in the late 1800s. The home now has a false mansard roof (viewed from behind the home the false front is visible) and exceptional iron roof cresting. It is also L shaped. Ferdinand Sannoner drew up the plans. The original owners are unknown but in 1839 Thomas Kirkman inherited it, then in 1881 Mr. William P. Campell got it and through his widow Mary Coffee O’Neal, the home was passed into the hands of Edward A. O’Neal, III. Mr. O’Neal was president of the American Farm Bureau Federation during the administration of FDR. The home still stands today in downtown Florence, Alabama.
Anna Hughes, University of North Alabama
Alabama’s Tapestry of Historic Places: an inventory: page 92 Historic Muscle Shoals: a guide to places of historical interest in Colbert and Lauderdale Counties, Alabama: Tennessee Valley Historical Society: page 40 Journal of Muscle Shoals History: Historic Muscle Shoals Buildings and Sites: page 125 Florence Times: House and Gardening Pilgrimage April 25, 1954: UNA Archives, Florence Collection. Buildings. Miscellaneous Picture Source: UNA Archives, Photo Collection, File: Architecture. Domestic. Florence, Photo# AD: 25-11.
Mascots; University of North Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County, Alabama
Description: Leo was born April 14, 1974 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He came to UNA on July 22, 1973. Dr. Robert M. Guillot established a new tradition by making UNA the only school in the country to have a live lion mascot living on campus. In addition to being UNA’s mascot, Leo was also a tourist attraction. Leo died January 20, 1988 and Leo II took his place in July of 1988. He was brought to UNA with the help of the Shoals community. UNA now has a system where all funds associated with the care and feeding of Leo III and UNA, the operation of their habitat, and the conduct of a related educational program are funded exclusively by charitable contributions. Leo II died in February of 2000 and he was replaced by the lion that currently is the king of the jungle at UNA, Leo III. He and his sister Una were brought into UNA in the year 2002.
Damion Johnson, University of North Alabama
“Leo: the story of Leo the lion, mascot of the University of North Alabama,” printed in 1977, Bill McDonald collection, University of North Alabama archives “Leo and Leo II- a living tradition at north Alabama,” UNA’s Lions, printed 1995, Bill McDonald collection, University of North Alabama Archives "University of North Alabama." RSS. Accessed November 13, 2015. http://www.roarlions.com/sports/2015/4/2/GEN_0402151225.aspx. "Lion Mascots Featured on Campus." Flor-Ala. Accessed November 13, 2015. http://www.florala.net/news/lion-mascots-featured-on-campus/article_cb611cda-eb4c-11e3-ae91-0017a43b2370.html.
Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Education; National Youth Administration; Great Depression
In 1939 students working for the National Youth Administration, a New Deal program started by FDR to help keep high school and college students by giving them paid work, constructed the Stone Lodge. The Stone Lodge sits in the middle of UNA's campus today. Originally, the building was constructed as a student union of sorts for student leisure and recreational activities. Over the years it has been used by the band, several clubs, and the SGA for various meetings. In 1996, It was again used as a student recreation center. Today, the lodge is used by clubs and organizations as a meeting place.
Devin McMeans, University of North Alabama
“New Student Lodge Complete Constructed by NYA Boys.” FlorAla, October 11 1939, 9th ed. Skipworth, Jay. "Leo's Provides Students with a Place to Go." FlorAla, July 11, 1996. Image: University of North Alabama Archives and Special Collections
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Jackson Cemetery; Cemeteries
The Jackson Cemetery was established in 1918 by Alex Jackson as a burial place for his adoptive family. Vinson Perkins, the grandson of Jackson's adoptive parents, was caretaker of the cemetery from 1978 until his death in 2006. To reach the cemetery from Woodward Avenue in Muscle Shoals, head east on 2nd Street, turn right onto Wilson Dam Road, and drive four blocks. Jackson Cemetery is on the right, past Rosedale Street.
Joseph D. Bryant, "Old Cemetery Symbol of Family, History for Caretaker," TimesDaily, March 1, 2003. Obituary for Vinson Perkins, Sr., TimesDaily, April 11, 2006.
Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; LaGrange Cemetery; LaGrange College; University of North Alabama; Cemeteries
LaGrange Cemetery in Colbert County is located on the site of Alabama's first college, which was established by charter in 1830, and served as a military academy in the years leading up to the Civil War. In 1854, most of the LaGrange College faculty and student body followed president R.H. Rivers to nearby Florence in Lauderdale County, and formed a new institution which later developed into the University of North Alabama. During the war, in 1863, the original college site on LaGrange Mountain was burned by Union troops under the command of Colonel Florence M. Cornyn. Today, visitors to the cemetery are greeted by a marble statue, the Abraham Ricks Monument, sculpted on the site by an Italian artist who was brought to the United States by the Ricks family. A complete list of those buried in LaGrange Cemetery can be found at the USGenWeb source linked below. The college cemetery are listed on the Alabama Historical Register of Landmarks, and the cemetery has recently been restored by the LaGrange Living Historical Association. To reach the college site and cemetery from Muscle Shoals, head southeast on Highway 172 for 8 miles, turn right onto LaGrange College Lane, veering right almost immediately onto LaGrange College Road. The college site and cemetery are on the right.
"LaGrange College Site Park," LaGrange Living Historical Association, http://www.lagrange-collegesitepark.org/index_1.html (accessed November 21, 2015). "LaGrange Cemetery, Colbert County, Alabama," USGenWeb Archives, http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/colbert/lagrangecem/lagrange.htm (accessed November 21, 2015). "LaGrange Cemetery," RootsWeb, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maury/AlabamaCemeteriesWeb/ColbertCounty/LaGrangeCem/LagrangeCollegeCemList.htm (accessed December 5, 2015).
Historic Businesses; Historic Shops; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
The building originally known as G & J Sutherland's Store is the only remaining building of Mechanic's Row in Tuscumbia and is the oldest known commercial building in the State of Alabama. Thomas Keenan, David Deshler, J.M. Moore, Dr. Wharton, James Conner, and Gurnee & James Trimble were early store operators in Mechanics Row.
Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 6, 7.
Historic Businesses; Sheffield, Colbert County; Alabama; Old Opera Houses; Historic Buildings
In 1835, William Young and his brother Isaac Smoot, a contractor, bought a lot on what is today the corner of Fourth and Main Streets in Tuscumbia for the purpose of opening a carriage factory. They constructed a large red brick building with a porch supported by large columns on the west side. The roomy second floor was used as a show room for Mr. Young's carriages. This business was known as 'Young's Coach Shop” and sometimes the “Old Carriage House" until the 1880s when it was purchased by A. J. Lloyd who had moved to Tuscumbia from Kentucky. Mr. Lloyd used the first floor to house the local post office and the second floor he used for an opera house. From then on, the building was referred to as “The Old Opera House.” In addition to locals who performed plays and minstrel shows, the theater was also used by traveling theater companies and vaudeville troops. General Tom Thumb, the circus midget, was possibly the most famous to visit The Old Opera House. In 1897, the new Tuscumbia library which had been meeting at the Deshler Female Institute purchased the building through a third party. In 1897, the theater was closed for renovations and reopened two years later. The library occupied a portion of the first floor while the rest was rented to local businesses. The upstairs continued to serve as the town performance center. In 1908, the Colbert County Courthouse burned and the library offered the upstairs as the temporary court house until a new one could be built because the theater was not used during the summer. The county offices ended up remaining here until a new court house was built. The Old Opera House also housed the post office from 1915-1936 for which the U.S. Government rented part of the building. When the post office moved out, the library moved downstairs. In order to afford its new building on the corner of N. Main and N. Commons Streets, the library was forced to sell the Old Opera House building. The library hoped it would be preserved as a public meeting house or museum. The U.S. Department of Interior had recognized the building for its historical and architectural value. The architecture was reminiscent of colonial Williamsburg and throughout its history had housed a carriage factory, an opera house, a furniture store, a high school auditorium, courthouse, library, bus station, attorney's office, as well as numerous other locally-owned shops throughout the years. However, efforts to preserve the building were not successful and the building was sold to State National Bank, whose name was later changed to Central Bank of Alabama. The building was demolished and replaced with a newer bank building.
Journal of Muscle Shoals History. Tennessee Valley Historical Society 9 (1981). Young's Coach Shop Image courtesy of: "Florence Times," May 22, 1960.
Historic Businesses; Drug Stores; Colbert County; Alabama
This building was built in 1833. It was originally known as "The Railroad Hotel." and later as "The Major Pope Railroad Hotel." The word railroad was added because the hotel became a popular resting place for rail travelers even before the Civil War. The soda fountain was established in 1906 and appeared much the same as it does today. Early in the 20th century, it became a favorite meeting spot for Deshler High School students and was even owned at one point by Tuscumbia's own David Deshler. Harvey Robbins frequented the location with fellow Deshler students in the 1950s and it is where he also met his future wife, Joyce McKinney. In later years, dismayed at the idleness and dilapidation of their former hang-out spot, they purchased the store and remodeling began in 2000. It opened for business in 2001, restored to its former 1950s look and offering the same fast food, shakes, and ice cream sodas that were served there in decades past.
The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 7.
Historic Businesses; Historic Buildings; Colbert County; Alabama
This structure was completed in 1839 on the northeast corner of 5th and Main Streets. John L. McRae was in involved in its construction. It was a three story brick building and competed with the Franklin House with its livery stable located just north of the hotel on Main Street. Fire destroyed the inside of the building in the early 1950s and the third story was not rebuilt when the bulding was restored. The building still stands today, but is not a hotel.
The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 8.
Historic Businesses; Historic Hotels; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
The Franklin House was one of Tuscumbia's early great landmarks. Colonel Robert Ransom moved to Tuscumbia from Tennessee and began construction of a hotel on the southeast corner of 5th and Water Streets. The Franklin House's grand opening of this hotel was June 1, 1837. It was advertised as the “house on Railroad Street.” It was 3 stories high with sixty rooms designed to accommodate two hundred guests. Board and lodging per year was $150, per month was $15, and per week was $5. A tornado destroyed the roof and top floor of the Franklin House in 1874. The hotel was remodeled during repairs and became the main offices of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in 1875. The telegraph was also moved here. In 1878, the hotel was renamed the Parshall House by Mr. Schuyler who bought the building. Electric lights were added in 1905. The hotel burned on October 11, 1915 from a fire started on the top floor. The building pictured sits on the site of the Franklin House today.
Public Libraries; Cherokee; Colbert County; Alabama
The Cherokee Public Library is located on Church Street in downtown Cherokee, Colbert County. If heading west from Tuscumbia on Hwy 72, turn right on Main Street, cross the Old Lee Highway and the railroad, turn right on First Street, then take the first left on Church Street. The library is on the corner of First and Church Streets. It offers over 14,000 books and periodicals as well as 7 computers with DSL internet access for the general public and wifi access. The library is open 12 pm - 6pm Monday, 12 pm – 5 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 am – 2 pm on Fridays. It is closed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
“Cherokee Public Library," Accessed Novermber, 16, 2015, http://webmini.apls.state.al.us/apls_web/cherokee/?q=home. http://thermasavetech.com/?attachment_id=482
Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama; Museums; City Hall; Muscle Shoals Music; Muscle Shoals Sound; FAME Studios; Natchez Trace Parkway; Shoals; Tennessee River; Wilson Dam; Tennessee Valley Authority
“Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals” is a corridor of historic displays in the Muscle Shoals City Hall. It covers the history of the city of Muscle Shoals, the Wilson Dam and Lock, and Muscle Shoals Music with exhibits of original documents and photographs. Admission is free and it is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m Monday-Friday.
“Natchez Trace Parkway,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.scenictrace.com/pathways-walk-through-the-history-of-muscle-shoals/. “Muscle Shoals Music,” Muscle Shoals Area, Alabama, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.colbertcountytourism.org/index.php/2012-11-08-15-06-08/2012-11-12-01-58-07. “Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals,” Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit/?a=18.
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; WLAY-Radio; Muscle Shoals Sound
WLAY-AM (1450 -AM) was one of the first broadcast radio stations in the Shoals. Licensed in 1933 (as WNRA), the station stopped broadcasting in 2014. The station's original broadcast was a variety format featuring gospel, country, and "race music" by African American artists. Sam Phillips worked as a disc jockey at WLAY in the 1950s. As the "Muscle Shoals Sound" developed in the 1960s, WLAY debuted many of the local recordings, many of which are now known worldwide. Paul Kelly built the studio which is now housed at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The Alabama Historical Society named the station a Historic Landmark in 2007. The station was located on Second Street in Muscle Shoals during its heyday.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Photographs courtesy of Kevin Self. The photograph of the sign is from the 1950s. The photographs of the buildings are from the 1990s. The reproduction of the logo is circa 1970, courtesy of Kevin Self.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Oakwood Cemetery, Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Cemeteries
The highest point in Oakwood Cemetery in Sheffield was given to the members of the Jewish Synagogue in appreciation for their contributions to the communities of Sheffield and Florence, Alabama. Families who are interred there include: the Rosenbaums, the Klibanoffs, the Abroms, the Zeffs, the Israels, the Muhlendorfs, and the Kreismans.
Coleman, Erwin R., A History of Temple B'nai Iarael, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Mars Hill Bible School; Church of Christ; Private Schools
Mars Hill Bible School is a private preparatory day school for boys and girls in Florence, Alabama. The school begins at pre-kindergarten goes through the twelfth grade. Mars Hill Academy was opened by Thomas Brown Larimore in 1871. The academy, which was later called Mars Hill College, operated as a boy's school for sixteen years. The college was closed in 1888. Mars Hill Bible School is located at 698 Cox Creek Parkway in Florence, Alabama. In 1947 several local churches of Christ reopened the school. Mars Hill Bible School is affiliated with the Church of Christ and is completely autonomous.
Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Heritage Christian University; Church of Christ
Heritage Christian University, located at 3625 Helton Drive, in Florence, Alabama, is a private Bible college affiliated with the Church of Christ. Founded in 1971 as International Bible College. the school is co-educational, has approximately ninety students, and is overseen by a Board of Directors (all of whom must be active in the Church of Christ).
Museums, Art Museums; Shoals; Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama; Tuscumbia; Tennessee Valley; Tennessee River; Native Americans; Petroglyphs
The Tennessee Valley Art Association was incorporated in 1964 in order to create an art museum and develop public programming related to the arts. The Tennessee Valley Art Center was constructed in 1972 on property provided by the city of Tuscumbia. The Association began a series of concerts at local churches in the late 1970s and founded two music schools and two theater programs in the 80s. For five years, these programs rehearsed in the Art Center before they incorporated separately as the Shoals Symphony. In 1998, the Art Center added an extension which doubled exhibition space, providing a workshop and art storage. The permanent exhibition of the Martin Petroglyph , a 3,000 pound boulder depicts human footprints and snakes carved by the prehistoric people of northwest Alabama. Objects include shell and stone carvings, pottery, and projectile points of the earliest people of the area. A plaza honoring TVAA founder, Ethel Davis, was constructed in 2008. The museum's name was changed to The Tennessee Valley Museum of Art in 2009. The museum is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Admission is free on Sundays. It is closed on Saturdays and all major holidays. It is located at 511 N Water Street, Tuscumbia, AL and is adjacent to the Helen Keller Birthplace and behind the Helen Keller Public Library. Parking is available on the east side of the museum on Water Street, but one must enter the museum from the west side of the building.
“Tennessee Valley Art Association,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.tvaa.net/.
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Paul Kelly; Muscle Shoals Sound
Paul Elisha Kelly (born on November 10th, 1924; died on May 25th, 1997) was a broadcast engineer, who built and maintained many of the studios and radio stations (notably WLAY and WQLT, which was owned by Sam Phillips) responsible for the Muscle Shoals Sound. Kelly was also affiliated with Chips Moman at American Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jones, Roben. The Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios. University of Mississippi Press, Oxford, Mississippi. 2011. .
Photographs and notes courtesy of Jeffrey Z. Vaughn, Sr.
Tuscumbia Railroad and Transportation Museum
Tuscumbia, Colbert County; Alabama; Historic Railroad Depot; Museums; Railroad Museum; Frontier Railroad Town
The Tuscumbia Railroad Historic Depot, located at 204 W. 5th St. in downtown Tuscumbia is a fully restored museum based on how it was when it was built in 1888. The museum displays train memorabilia, interactive train simulators, telegraph demonstrations and information about Tuscumbia's history. Its hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
“Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit/?a=28. “Historic Tuscumbia Railroad Depot,” Sweet Home Alabama: The Official Travel Site of Alabama, Accessed November 21, 2015, http://alabama.travel/places-to-go/historic-tuscumbia-railway-depot.
Public Library; Leighton; Colbert County; Alabama
The Leighton Public Library is located at 8740 Main Street in Leighton, Colbert County, just off Old Hwy 20. If heading east from Muscle Shoals on Hwy 72, turn left on County Line Road which turns into Leighton's Main Street. Besides 6,300 books, the library lends DVD's and has available fax and copy machines as well as free wifi. It is open Tuesday – Friday from 1:45 pm – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am – 2 pm. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
“Leighton Public Library,” leightonpubliclibrary.com, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://leightonpubliclibrary.com/index.html. “Leighton Public Library,” libraries.org: A directory of libraries throughout the world, March 6, 2015, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=6642.
Public Libraries; Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama
The Muscle Shoals Public Library is located at 1918 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Colbert County, next to Muscle Shoals High School. It contains approximately 52,000 volumes and offers DVD's, audiobooks, computers, and free wifi to the public. It also offers a homebound delivery service free of charge. It is open Mondays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
“Muscle Shoals Public Library,” libraries.org: A directory of libraries throughout the world, March 6, 2015, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=4642. Image provided by: http://helenkellerhealth.com/the-shoals/muscle-shoals/ “Muscle Shoals Public Library,” http://www1.youseemore.com/muscleshoals/contentpages.asp?loc=35, Accessed November 16, 2015
Public Libraries; Sheffield; Colbert County; Alabama
The Sheffield Public Library is one of five public libraries in Colbert County. It is located at 316 N. Montgomery Ave. From Hwy 72 in Muscle Shoals, take E 2nd St. until N Montgomery Ave, then go north. The library is on the corner of N Montgomery Ave. and 4th St. It is open Monday – Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. In 1890, a group of women came together and lended books out of their own personal collections. In 1919, the library found a home in the Red Cross building on the corner of 5th St. and Montgomery Ave. In 1948, the city of Sheffield let the library use the municipal building. That same year, the Friends of the Sheffield Library formed in 1948 as a non-profit corporation with the purpose of providing the library with its own building and to encourage the use of the library by the public. This organization purchased a building on the corner of 5th St. and Nashville Ave. and donated it to the city of Sheffield as a public library in 1963. In 1974, the library moved to a larger building. The Friends purchased the building next to the library in 1983. This building has since been turned into a conference room and local history room.
“Sheffield Public Library,” Accessed November 16, 2015, http://www1.youseemore.com/sheffieldpl/default.asp.
Colbert County; Alabama; Tuscumbia; Museums; Muscle Shoals Sound; FAME Studios; Muscle Shoals Sound Studio; Blues; Country; Rock n Roll; R & B; Music Hall of Fame; Clarence Carter; Percy Sledge; Wilson Pickett; Aretha Franklin; The Rolling Stones; Paul Simon; Bobby Womack; Mary MacGregor
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, located off Hwy 72 in Colbert County, on the outskirts of Tuscumbia is the hall of fame that honors Alabamians who have made major contributions to American music. Over the years, it has provided an educational experience in which thousands of tourists, historians, school children, and music fans have toured to learn of the many contributions Alabamians have made to music. These accomplishments are not limited to any particular genre, nor are only musicians honored. Alabamian performers, songwriters, managers, and publishers all receive due recognition for their contributions. The accomplishments of successful individuals from Alabama in the music industry are recognized by the Hall of Fame through inductions, exhibits illustrating those accomplishments, and a walk of fame that includes permanent bronze stars for all inductees. Its location in the area known as The Shoals is no accident. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the neighboring town of Muscle Shoals became nationally famous for its two recording studios, FAME and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios where artists such as Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, and Paul Simon recorded many of their hits. A unique “Muscle Shoals Sound” developed over these years which according to blues singer Clarence Carter was “a blend of country, gospel and R & B.” By the mid 70s, the Shoals was home to eight stuidios. In the 1980s, the Muscle Shoals Music Association, a local professional organization of music professionals and the state legislature, under the leadership of state Sen. Bobby Denton, formed the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board with a mandate to honor Alabama’s famous music achievers and to construct a venue in which to display the accomplishments of these talented individuals. In 1987, citizens of Alabama passed a state-wide referendum which authorized the construction of Phase One of the construction of a 12,500-square foot exhibit facility. More than 35,000 music enthusiasts attended the Alabama Music Hall of Fame's Grand Opening in 1990 which included performances by some of the state's most talented musicians. The Alabama Hall of Fame is open Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. Directions and Admission: http://www.alamhof.org/visit/hours-and-rates/ Alabama Hall of Fame List of Inductees: http://www.alamhof.org/inductees/inductees/inductees-2/
“Alabama Music Hall of Fame,” 2015, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.alamhof.org/about/. Elliot, Debbie. “The Legendary Muscle Shoals Sound: Alabama Studios Rolled Out Big Hits of '60s and '70s,” NPR, September 20, 2003, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1437161.
Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama; Andrew Jackson; Old Jackson Highway; Stagecoach Stop
The Coldwater Stagecoach Stop is located 302 South Dickson St. in Tuscumbia. It was built as early as 1815 as a small log cabin. It served as a stagecoach stop on the Jackson Military Road and is believed to be one of several cabins operated as a hotel by Michael Dickson, the first white settler to Tuscumbia.
“Natchez Trace Parkway,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.scenictrace.com/coldwater-stagecoach-stop/
Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Newbern, Alabama; Andrew Freear; Rural Arts Studio
Andrew Freear, the Wiatt Professor of Architecture at Auburn University, became the Director of the Rural Arts Studio in Newbern, West Alabama in 2002. Freear, who is from Yorkshire, England, was educated at the Polytechnic of Central London and the Polytechnic of Central London, England. He has practiced in London and Chicago, and he taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago and as a Unit Master at the Architectural Association. He moved to Alabama over a decade ago to direct the Rural Studio, a hands-on architectural pedagogy that teaches students to design and build homes for the rural poor and community projects in addition to improving the living conditions in West Alabama.
Auburn University College of Architecture and Design www.ruralstudio.org
Photograph courtesy of the archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Samuel Mockbee; Rural Arts Studio
Samuel Mockbee - who was born on December 23, 1944 in Meridian, Mississippi and who died on December 30, 2001 - was an architect and the co-founder of Auburn University Rural Studio. A 1974 graduate of the School of Architecture at Auburn, Mockbee came to feel very connected to rural places and held a great respect for and understanding of the disadvantages faced by the rural poor. Mockbee and D. K. Ruth founded the Rural Studio program at Auburn University, a program acclaimed for introducing students to the social responsibilities of the profession. Mockbee was widely recognized for his work - including being given a MacArthur Foundation (known colloquially as the "Genius Grant" in 1998.
Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer and Hursley, Timothy, "Rural Studio:Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency." Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton Architectural Press, 2002.
Photograph courtesy of the Archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Lexington Alabama; Lauderdale County Alabama; Post Offices
The old Lexington Post Office (circa 1940) had fallen into dis-repair and disuse after the new post office was built. Several businesses attempted to make the space usable without major updates. When Dr. Paul Corfman, who grew up in North Alabama, wanted to make an investment in his community, he and his wife, Nicole, renovated the building turning it into usable space.They incorporated the details of the post office - most notably the high ceilings - to turn the building into a comfortable and welcoming space for patients. Located on Highway 101 the building is now a model for a small, rural community hoping to attract new businesses.
Old Lexington Alabama Post Office; Corfman Chiropractic
Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County; Alabama Chanin; Alabama fashion
Natalie Chanin, a native of Florence, Alabama, is the founder and creative director of Alabama Chanin. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Time, The New York Times, Town & Country, Bon Appetit, and Gun and Garden. She has been interviewed by National Public Radio and CBS News. Rosanne Cash credits Chanin with having given her the line that became one of the thematic hooks on Cash's most recent album, "The River and The Thread." Alabama Chanin was founded in 2000. The company which started as a hand-sewn T-shirt company and clothing brand has grown into a lifestyle company. Community and sustainability have become the cornerstones of her work. Natalie Chanin's business has grown to include an in-store studio, a restaurant named The Factory (which specializes in local, organic food), a Do It Yourself educational center named the School of Making, and continues to expand. Part of Alabama Chanin's mission statement is, "... we preserve traditions of community, design, producing, and living arts by examining work and life through the act of storytelling, photography, education, and making. The Factory, located on 462 Lane Drive in the industrial Park of Florence, which was once the home to textile producers Tee Jay's Manufacturing. The building, which was built in 1982, was called Building 14; Chanin has paid homage to the spirit of the former business by naming the machine-made designs and manufacturing "Building 14."
alabamachanin.com "Reviving A Southern Industry, From Cotton Field to Clothing Rack," National Public Radio Archives, October 10, 2014.
Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery
Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery; Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church; Cemeteries
To reach the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery from AL-157 in Muscle Shoals, head east on 2nd Street/AL-184 and after 6 miles, turn right onto County Line Road. The church and cemetery are on the left.
Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Athens Presbyterian Church; Historic Churches
Athens First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1829. After meeting an interdenominational building, the church was built on Washington Street. The building was badly damaged during the Civil War and the Presbyterians met at the First Baptist Church while trying to organize and raise funds to replace the church. The current building - located on the square in Athens - was completed in 1895 and has added several wings,while maintaining the architectural integrity of the original building, in the last 100 years.
The Hallejuah Trail; St. John's Episcopal Church of Tuscumbia, Alabama
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church; The Hallejuah Trail; Historic Churches
The North Alabama Hallelujah Trail features thirty one churches that are at least 100 years old, still stand on their original sites, still hold services, and are accessible to the public. The churches represent various architectural designs, use both imported and local building materials, and are located in a combination of urban and rural settings. The Trail is in sixteen counties and the churches were selected during an intensive two-year research process. The churches include: Blountsville United Methodist Church Brilliant Methodist Church Cambridge United Methodist Church Church of the Forest Corinth Church Courtland Presbyterian Church Episcopal Church of the Nativity First Methodist Church of Guntersville First Presbyterian Church of Athens First Presbyterian Church of Fort Payne First Presbyterian Church of Guntersville First Presbyterian Church of Tuscumbia First United Methodist Church of Attala First United Methodist Church of Red Bay Helton Memorial Chapel Keener United Methodist Church Lebanon Campground Methodist Church Mentone United Methodist Church Mount Pleasant Methodist Church Oneonta Bible Church Pine Torch Church Round Mountain Baptist Church Shady Grove Methodist Church St. John's Episcopal Church St. John's Episcopal Church of Tuscumbia St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church St. Joseph Catholic Church Temple B'Nai Shalom The Tabernacle of Hartselle Trinity Episcopal Church White House Church of Christ Woodville Methodist Church The sixteen counties included in the tour are: Blount Cherokee Colbert Cullman Dekalb Etowah Franklin Jackson Lauderdale Lawrence Limestone Madison Marion Marshall Morgan Winston Stop #11 (shown in the photograph) is St. John's Episcopal Church in Tuscumbia.
The Harris-Pryor House was built around 1858 by Schulyer Harris on land that had been owned by Henry Augustine Washington (who had been related to the President). Harris gave the house to his daughter, Ida Marie, and her husband, William Richard Pryor (who was the son of Senator Luke Pryor and Isabella Virginia {Harris} Pryor). Through the purchase of land, marriages, and inheritances, the plantation that was known as "Flower Hill Farm" grew to over 3,000 acres. After the abolition of slavery, over sixty tenant farmers lived on the land. The historic farm and land, which is not open to the public, is owned and held in private trust.
Limestone County, Alabama; Tanner, Alabama; Harris-Pryor House; Antebellum Trail;
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Ritz Theatre; Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Owned Businesses; The Arts
The Ritz Theatre, which was built as a playhouse opened on July 9. 1928, with the production of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Louis Rosenbaum, a prominent Jewish business owner who lived in Florence and who owned a chain of movie theaters in North Alabama, was the district manager of the theatre and C. J. Ross was the first manager of the Ritz. The theatre had a seating capacity of 408 downstairs, 173 in the white section, and 110 in the "colored" section upstairs for a total of 682 seats. In 1933 the Wurlitzer organ was refitted to accommodate talkies and the theatre was updated to an Art Deco style. On Saturday, January 23, 1933, the theatre had a second "Grand Opening" when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Florence, Alabama. The Muscle Shoals Theatres became a subsidiary of the Nashville based Crescent Amusement Company in 1941. The theatre went out of business on June 9th, 1951. The Tennessee Valley Arts Association purchased the theatre in 1985 and restored the building, reopening it to use for local play productions, student recitals, and concerts.
cinematreasures.org Tennessee Valley Art Center
Photographs courtesy of Kaitlyn Corfman.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Sheffield Land, Iron, and Coal Company; Alfred Hugler Moses; Jewish Culture
Alfred Hugler Moses, who was appointed the first mayor of Sheffield, Alabama by the governor of the state, moved to Sheffield in order to build the Sheffield Land, Iron, and Coal Company. Moses, who had been a captain during the Civil War and a land developer after the war, wanted to create an industrial site on the banks of the Tennessee River. He believed the area would be more advantageous than Birmingham because of the coal and iron deposits in Franklin, Winston, and Walker counties and the proximity of a major waterway. He and his brother, Mordecai, formed the Sheffield, Iron and Coal Company. with financing from a New York bank to build a railroad from Franklin County. The brothers started selling lots on May 8th, 1884. Alfred, who was forty three at the time, moved from Montgomery to Sheffield to supervise the construction of streets and sidewalks, the building of a bank and school, and the first iron furnace in the area creating a land boom. Over-speculation, competition, and a decline in the cost of pig iron caused the business financial difficulties. The brothers were able to pay their debts but the company was closed. Alfred Moses died in St. Louis in 1918 and is buried in Montgomery, Alabama.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, 1906 - 2006.
Illustration courtesy of the Sheffield Public Library.
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.