2005.36.101: N Reynolds to Tom, 1859 November 23
1859; Transcription; Mother; Mrs. Watts; Col Watts; Kate; Alick; Dr. Framer; Mrs. Gennie Smith; Col Young; John Wes; Greenwood; Bereavement; Cotton Crop; Smoking; Images; Pastor
A letter to Tom from his mother-in-law (?) about the death of her daughter, Kate. She mentioned the cotton crop, a visit from his mother, She discussed Alick, who is working for Dr. Framer and asked Tom to have him stop smoking. She mentioned that she sent him a likeness of Kate and that there were other copies.
P.M.B. Young Collection, Bartow History Musem
2005.36.101: N. Reynolds to Tom, 1859 November 23
Transcription; 1859; Mrs. Watts; Col Watts; Alick; Dr. Framer; John Wes; Mrs. Ginnie Smith; Death; Mourning; Cotton; Employment
A letter from a mother-in-law to her son-in-law about the death of her daughter. She referenced a good cotton crop. And someone named Alick who was employed by Dr. Framer. She sent him a picture of Kate and referred to another photo that she had. Four handwritten pages.
P.M.B Young Collection, Bartow History Museum
Aerial photograph of Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. Date and creator unknown. From the Metro Cincinnati description: "The now-demolished concourse is shown at the upper right, and is now the site of an intermodal rail yard. A new concourse for commuter, regional, and high-speed rail service is proposed for the location. The taxi, bus, and streetcar ramps are seen on either side of the central rotunda. - See more at: http://metro-cincinnati.org/?page_id=138#sthash.3ZToTBtG.dpuf"
Metro Cincinnati
Black and white photograph of the Women's Lounge in the Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. Date and creator unknown. From the Cincinnati Museum Center description: "Union Terminal opened in March of 1933, nine months ahead of schedule. Described as a "Temple to Transportation" by the local and national press, Union Terminal was in many ways a dream come true for Cincinnati. For 50 years, various plans had been put forward for a unified rail station in Cincinnati. Finally it had arrived, and it was undoubtedly one of the finest stations ever built." About this image: "The Women’s Lounge featured hand cut wall paper and hand cut, hand painted linoleum murals by Pierre Bourdelle."
http://www.cincymuseum.org/union-terminal/train-station
Cincinnati Museum Center
Temple to Transportation, 1933-1972
1942-11-08: In Our Opinion radio program: roundtable discussion of gasoline rationing in Detroit
World War, 1939-1945, Consumer rationing--United States--1940-1950
This sound recording captures a radio discussion of gasoline rationing in the Detroit, Michigan area, and its effect on war workers and war production. The speakers heard are John R. Richards, Supervisor of Gas Rationing, Office of Price Administration (OPA); Raymond Berry, Chairman of the Detroit Board of Commerce; Royce Howes, Detroit Free Press; and George Cushing, WJR moderator. The discussion is preceded by and followed by a bulletin announcing the Allied invasion of North Africa.
Office of Price Administration; Radio station WJR; Detroit Free Press
National Archives Records of the Office of Price Administration, 1940-1949: Sound Recordings Relating to Price Controls and the War Effort, 1941-1947
http://research.archives.gov/description/2205856
Poem by Oliver Goldsmith, where Auburn gets its name from
Newspaper Clipping, Kirk Newell's History of "War Eagle"
1944 Opelika-Auburn Newspaper Article on Kirk Newell's perspective of where and how "War Eagle" originated for Auburn University.
Capt. P.B. Young; Cartersville Georgia; Georgia Military Institute; 1857; Mr. Magget; Ruff; Persons; Heubert; Boyd; Mutiny; Trial
A short letter about a "sort of mutiny" at the school, with 30 cadets dismissed. One handwritten page and one envelope
P.M.B. Young Collection, Bartow History Museum
2005.36.329: P.M.B. Young to Colonel W. J. Hardee, 1860 May 04
1860; Pierce Manning Butler Young; P.M.B. Young; W.J. Hardee; West Point; New York; Guard Duty; Mess Hall; Observation
A report by P.M.B. Young to his commanding officer, Colonel W.J. Hardee, informing him that he “observed” no infractions while on guard duty. 1 handwritten page.
2005.36.167: P.M.B Young to Mother, 1854 March 25
1854; Georgia Military Institute; Marietta; Georgia; mother; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Pierce M.B. Young; sickness; death; religion; transcriptions
A short letter from Young to his mother discussing the death of a “brother cadet” at the Georgia Military Institute. Young comments on the cause of death, which was pneumonia, and how symptoms such as pleurisy induced a very painful death. Young also expresses sadness toward the fact that no family members of the dead cadet were present before his death and that few are aware of his death. Young calls on God to have mercy on his soul despite the fact that the dead cadet is not a Christian.
2005.36.156: P.M.B. Young to Father, Dr. R. M. Young, Unknown July 15-16
West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Sickness; Politics; Family Matters; Visiting; Cartersville; Georgia; George; Bob; Mom; sister, Dr. R.M. Young; Transcription
Pierce M.B. Young writes a letter from West Point to his father, Dr. R.M. Young at the Young's family home in Georgia. In it, he details the tough life he is having at West Point, providing information on military drills and a recent sickness he has had. He also discusses Georgia politics, family matters, and expects a visit soon. 4 handwritten pages and one envelope
1857; West Point; New York; United States Military Academy (USMA); Camp Putnam; Cadet life; Family relations; Emotions; Military life; George; Jim Lewis; Social Relations; Homesickness; Living conditions; Personal affairs; Camp-life; Soldier activities; transcriptions
Young is writing to his mother describing homesickness, his thoughts of resignation from the United States Military Academy, pertinent day-to-day activities for cadets, and his future. He expresses a desire to come home, but also the importance as a Southerner to remain committed to the USMA. There is mention of how Northerners are more prepared for the academy than Southerners because of their levels of education. He mentions the discussions cadets have concerning assignments. He also describes how New York City is a “fussy” place, but how his mother would enjoy the beautiful landscape, river, and academy parade ceremonies.
1859; P.M.B. Young; Sister; Louisa; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; School Work; War of 1812; Mexican War; Graduation; Banquet; Transcription
P.M.B. Young writes home to his sister (specific one unknown) his recent examinations, banquets for soldiers returning to campus, and graduation of a class and the ceremony that went along with it. 2 handwritten pages
2005.36.145: P.M.B. Young to Mother, 1856 March 8
1856; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Classes; Family Matters; Visiting; Appointments; Award; Local Georgia Politics; George; Robert; Sister; Mother; Father; Lumpkin; McConnel; Bob Stiles; Marietta; Transcription
P.M.B. writes home to his mother, and he talks about cadet life, his classes, and what he has been doing with his little spare time. Meanwhile, he talks about a merit appointment that he believes he should have been recommended for. 3 handwritten pages
2005.36.363: P.M.B. Young to Father, 1860 September 16
1860; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Busy; Cadet Elections; Plums; Horse; Literature; Class; Mother; Ben Foster; Breckenridge; Lane; Douglas; Johnson; Bell; Everett; Linen; Hamlin; Transcription
PMB Young writes to his father, asking him for comments on a piece about horses that he wrote that an instructor is using in class. He sends home seeds from a plum he enjoyed, describes the events of a cadet election, and promises to write his mother soon. 2 handwritten pages
1860; Tom Jones; Ohill; Elliot; Herris; Mother; Father; General Lane; John Breckenridge; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Sister’s Marriage; Husband Options; Travels; Vacation; 4th of July; Money; Camp; Politics; President; Transcription
P.M.B. Young writes to his sister, disapproving of her choice of Tom Jones as husband and urging her to think carefully about her decision. He mentions 4th of July celebrations at West Point and that he wants money to travel to New York soon. His mentor, Gen. Lane, will be traveling to Georgia and staying with his family. He also writes of Gen. Lane's disillusionment with the U.S. Presidential race. 3 handwritten pages.
2005.36.182: P.M.B. Young to Caroline Elizabeth Jones, Date Unknown
P.M.B Young: Caroline Elizabeth Jones; West Point; School; Breakfast; Handwriting
P.M.B. Young writes a quick note to his mother about West Point, breakfast, and school. 2 handwritten pages.
2005.36.167: Letter from P.M.B. Young to Elizabeth Caroline Young, 1856 March 25
1856; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Georgia Military Institute; Christianity; Death; Sickness; Religion; Suffering
A short letter from Young to his mother discussing the death of a “brother cadet” at the Georgia Military Institute. Young comments on the cause of death, which was pneumonia, and how symptoms such as pleurisy induced a very painful death. Young also expresses sadness toward the fact that no family members of the dead cadet were present before his death and that few are aware of his death. Young calls on God to have mercy on his soul despite the fact that he is not a Christian.
2005.36.176: P.M.B. Young to Mother, 1858 October 31
West Point, New York; Illness; Winter; Fort Solomon; Promotion; Marriage; Robert; Brother; Mother; P.M.B. Young
A letter from P.M.B. Young to his Mother. Young discusses his health, and overcoming a recent illness. Additionally, Young outlines his views on marriage and graduation, as well as events at Fort Solomon.
2005.36.691: P.M.B. Young to his mother, 1865 June 10
1865; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Charleston; South Carolina; Civil War; Robert E. Lee; Uncle John; Spartanburg; Augusta; Georgia
Pierce is writing to his mother to see how she is adjusting to the outcome of the Civil War. He names several options for her to consider if she decides to relocate. He also reminds her to remain strong and optimistic despite the defeat.
2005.36.376: P.M.B Young to mother, 1860 March 1
1860; West Point; New York; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Cartersville; Georgia; United States Military Academy; Robert Young (Brother); Sister; New Port; New Orleans; Home relations; Social conditions; Homesickness; Weather; Environmental conditions; Soldier conditions; Soldier training
Pierce is writing to his mother to express his happiness toward receiving letters from her and his brother Robert. Pierce discusses his sister's travel arrangements too. He also goes into details expressing his love of home and how it should remain paramount in the hearts of all.
Falkville, Alabama; Morgan County, Alabama; Jewish Settlement in Alabama
Louis M. Faulk, who was born in 1839 in Prussia, who died in 1871, and who is buried in Cincinnati, Ohio, established a store and named the town for himself. Falk's brother, Alexander, is the only Jewish individual buried in the Florence, Alabama Cemetery.
Erwin M. Coleman, A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama: Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Privately Published.
Samuel J. Israel; Colbert County: Jewish Philanthropists
Samuel J. Israel immigrated from Lithuania moving to Sheffield, Alabama in 1909. His first venture was a wholesale grocery. He eventually founded Paper and Chemical Supply of Sheffield. He was known throughout the community for his charitable works and kind nature. He served on multiple committees on behalf of local charities, fraternities, and the Temple. His most notable contribution to the area was donating the land and organizing the fundraising for the construction of the Northwest Alabama Rehabilitation Center in Muscle Shoals. He also worked tirelessly to promote adult literacy in the state of Alabama. When he died, Senator Howell Heflin (Democrat of Alabama) paid special tribute to Mr. Israel's contributions to the area and the state on the floor of the United States Senate. He married Bessie Kreisman (whose parents were prominent businesspeople in Florence). Their daughter, Beatrice, married Jack Muhlendorf. He first marriage to Bessie lasted from 1912 until her death in 1912. His second marriage was to Hilda Shipper. He died in 1990 at the age of ninety-three. The Israel and Muhlendorf Family have a section of graves at the Jewish Cemetery in Oakview Cemetery in Sheffield, Alabama. The three acres of the cemetery were put aside for Jewish use before a temple existed.
Samuel J. Israel, unpublished manuscript, local history room, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library -- Local History Room
Libraries; local history; Jewish History
The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library's local history room has several large files devoted to the study of local places, organizations, and individuals. The Jewish History Collection offers a good cross-section of Jewish owned businesses, the history of the Temple, copies of society pages, copies of unpublished manuscripts, and copies of prominent Jewish families who settled in the area. Many of the papers were donated by Doryce Levi and Dallas and Mary Lancaster. An original history of the Jewish settlers, written by Lee Freeman, can also be found in the files.
Sheffield Public Library -- Alfred Huger Moses Room
Sheffield,. Alabama; Colbert County; Afred Hugler Moses; Jewish Settlement
The Alfred Huger Moses Room, which is located in the annex of the Sheffield Public Library (on Montgomery Avenue ), was made possible, in part, by funding from the descendants of Alfred Huger Moses (founder and first mayor of Sheffield). The room was dedicated 104 years after the founding of Sheffield. Adeline Moses, one of Alfred's daughters, married Carl Loeb, founder of Loeb Rhodes in New York City. Her children and grandchildren were in attendance at the dedication of the room.
Samuel J. Israel, Unpublished Autobiography
Samuel J. Israel; Sheffield, Alabama; Jewish Community; Philanthropy
Samuel J. Israel, who moved to Sheffield, Alabama in 1909 from Lithuania, wrote his memoirs at his daughter's (Beatrice Muhlendorf) request. The manuscript -- which is over thirty pages long -- is titled "From Northern Lithuania to Northern Alabama."
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, local history room, file 3-2.
Unpublished Manuscript -- Stanley Rosenbaum
Stanley Rosenbaum, who was a Florence, Alabama businessman, philanthropist, Civil Rights advocate, member of the University of North Alabama's English Department, and original owner of the Stanley Rosenbaum Frank Lloyd Wright House, was interested in and encouraged creative writing. An unpublished one act play, titled "When I Am Thirty," is housed in the archives of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. The play has three characters, one setting, and has detailed stage directions. Stanley Rosenbaum and his father gave the funds to establish the library and Stanley Rosenbaum served in various positions as a volunteer for over thirty years.
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, archives, file 3-2 in the local history room.
WQLT Transmitter Site: Elvis the Generator
Sam Phillips; Colbert County; Big River Broadcasting
The generator for WQLT Radio station, which is owned by Big River Broadcasting - founded by Sam Phillips and now under the management of his sons and grandchildren -- is, whimsically perhaps, painted gold and named Elvis for Elvis Presley, who Sam Phillips is credited with discovering.
Tuscumbia, Alabama; Colbert County; Jewish Settlement
Jacob and Isaac Friedman, brothers who moved to Tuscumbia from Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1840s, established a dry goods store on the main street of Tuscumbia.
Florence, Lauderdale Public Library, Local History Room, History of Temple B'nai Israel files, 2-3.
Special Collections, Sadie Schrader Collection, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence. Alabama.
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.
Jewish Community in Florence; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Founded by Luke Abroms (December 1, 1897 - April 26, 1981), Abroms, located at 118 North Court, specialized in women's clothing. Luke and his wife Reba (February 28, 1901 - August 31, 1984) were members of Temple B'Nai Israel. Their son, Adolph, and his wife, Sybil, ran the business until it closed.
Photograph courtesy of the UNA Archives, Collier Library.
Chief Doublehead; Cherokee Tribe; Lauderdale County, AL; Bluewater Creek
1774 – 1807 Doublehead, who was also known as “Talo Tiske” (meaning two heads) and sometimes “Autowee,” was a member of a prominent Cherokee family. “Tassel” or “Old Tassel” was a beloved statesman and principal chief of the Cherokee Nation whose name became synonymous with integrity and truth. One of his sisters, Wurteh, married Nathan Gist, who was white and who married into the tribe, choosing to live with the Cherokees. Gist acted as an intermediary on behalf of the Cherokees in their dealings with the white. Wurteh and Nathan Gist were the parents of Sequoya. John Watts, who at one time was counted as the Chief of Chiefs among all Cherokees, was Doublehead’s nephew. Doublehead was without any noted influence in his family until around 1790, the year he established a town near Muscle Shoals. He later moved his town to the north bank of the Tennessee River near the mouth of Blue Water Creek in Lauderdale County. There are legends, and some evidence, that Doublehead lived in other places in Lauderdale County before settling at Blue Water Creek, which is located near Center Star. (Tahleitoiskee, his brother-in-law, had lived there). Tahleitoiskee’s people had made the land inhabitable for farmers. Approximately forty “mostly cast-offs from other Cherokee and Creek villages,” moved to Blue Water with Doublehead. Though the original settlers were “infamous in Tennessee history as “the ravagers of the Cumberlands,” in time, they were joined by other Cherokees. For over two hundred years, the area Doublehead claimed kept as a hunting reserve for both Chickasaws and Cherokees. Doublehead’s settlement was thought to be a test to see if he could regain title to the lands. With the death of Old Tassel in 1788, Doublehead’s position in the tribe started to rise within the Cherokee tribe. He attended important conferences and exerted “considerable influence in the treaties between the United States government and the Indian Nations.” Doublehead, taking twenty-eight members of a “hunting party” with him, set out to avenge Old Tassel’s – his brother’s death – seeking revenge upon the whites who had ambushed Old Tassel and two others. Doublehead and his band would spend six years leading excursions designed to carry out retaliation against the whites. In June of 1794, Doublehead became a delegate to a party of chiefs visiting Philadelphia; there, he met President George Washington and Secretary of War Henry Knox. It is believed that Doublehead and the other chiefs negotiated between $1,500 and $5,000 each in annuities from the newly formed government. It is believed that John D. Chisholm, a half-breed Cherokee trader and Doublehead’s newly acquired wealth, made Doublehead determined to live more like the whites. Doublehead built a story and a half log house on the hill overlooking Blue Water Creek. He emerged as a spokesman for the Cherokee nation, living a quieter life after the wars that raged between 1791 through 1796. Doublehead and other Cherokee leaders met with Secretary of War Henry Dearborn on January 7, 1806; a large tract of land was reserved for Chief Doublehead. The end of Doublehead’s life was marked by violence. There were conspiracies to assassinate him as a traitor to his people and there were personal animosities against Doublehead for his underhanded business dealings. Doublehead died as he had lived. Several of his enemies ambushed and killed him but not without a fight. There has been speculation by historians and legends handed down from generation to generation that the Doublehead’s death was evidence of a growing sense of unity among the Cherokee. After Doublehead’s death, it came to light that he and Colonel Meigs had colluded to include much more land than had been ceded by the Cherokee.
McDonald, William Lindsey. "The Lore of Chief Doublehead and His Home at Muscle Shoals." The WIlliam McDonald Lindsey Collection. Archives, Collier Library. University of North Alabama.
Archives. Collier Library. The University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Photograph. Courtesy of Collier Library.
Methodist Churches; Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Community; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The First United Methodist Church, located at 415 N. Seminary Street in Florence, Alabama, almost fell victim to the Great Depression. A devastating fire in 1920 caused the congregation to have to design, reconstruct, and refinance the church. The doors of the church were reopened on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924. Economic changes in the community – construction of Wilson Dam was completed, the iron furnaces over east Florence were closed, and the cottons mills were closing – caused economic uncertainty. By 1937, the United Methodist Church – in arrears for five years due to the construction of the building – was in serious financial trouble. The holder of the mortgage had instigated court action and the Methodist congregation was faced with losing its place of worship. The congregation tried various campaigns and programs to raise money but to little avail. While the money did help, it was not enough to pay off the debts. The First United Methodist Church was faced with foreclosure and a public auction of the building. Louis B. Rosenbaum, an influential businessman and member of Temple B’nai Israel, contacted the church leaders offering to help negotiate with the mortgage holder. Mr. Rosenbaum called the National Bank of New York asking the bank officials to give the congregation another opportunity to raise the money to catch up on their mortgage. The congregation worked very hard during the grace period to raise the remaining funds to pay down their burdensome debt. When the First United Methodist Church was unable to raise the money, Mr. Rosenbaum stepped in, writing a check on a private loan to the congregation to save the building. William Lindsey McDonald, a local historian, described the occasion “as one of the most beautiful accounts in the annals of Christian and Jewish relationships.”
Coleman, Erwin M. A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration:1906-2006. Privately Printed. Florence, Alabama, 2006.
Photograph Courtesy of University of North Alabama Archives, Collier Library, Florence, Alabama.
Libraries; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Louis Rosenbaum; Stanley Rosenbaum; Jewish Community of Lauderdale County; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Louis and Stanley Rosenbaum were instrumental in building and integrating the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. In August of 1945, Louis Rosenbaum gave $25,000 toward the building of a new library. They also pledged, at the onset of the public fundraising campaign, an additional $15,000 if the campaign goal of $56,000 was not met. The library building was completed in 1948. While Stanley Rosenbaum was treasurer for the public library, a position he held for over thirty plus years, he worked toward consolidating the African-American and white libraries into one library for all Lauderdale County residents. A bronze plaque, which was moved from the old library location at 218 North Wood Avenue to the library's new location at 350 North Wood Avenue in 2004, commemorates the Rosenbaum's generosity.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906-2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006.
Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
110 W. College St. Florence, Alabama 35630
Indian Mounds; Indigenous Cultures; Archaeology; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The Indian Mound is the largest platform mound in the Tennessee Valley. The size and the shape of the earthwork are designated as Mississippian. However, artifacts and radio carbon evidence suggest that the mound is from the Middle Woodland period, A.D. 100 – 500, and is non-mortuary in purpose. The mound is located on the north side of the Tennessee River in Southern Lauderdale County. In 1914, Charles B. Moore drilled thirty-four trial holes in the mound hoping to discover what the purpose of the mound might have been. The Alabama Museum of Natural History explored the mound in 1932. The Mound, which had been part of the farm owned by Dutch Kachelman, was donated to the City of Florence in 1945 by the Dabney Family. Research undertaken in 1996 and 1997 suggests that the mound was used for tool production and use; and the preparation and consumption of food; and possible regional interaction and exchange.
Futato, Eugene, editor. Journal of Alabama Archaelogy. The Alabama Archaeological Soceity, Volume 46, number 2, December 2000, p. 90.
Photographs courtesy of the Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Leaders of Alabama; Florence, Alabama Business Owners; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Louis Rosenbaum was born in Lublin, Poland on May 12, 1887. He, and his brother had "to flee" eastern Poland in 1893. He married Anna Block in 1910, and their only child, Stanley, was born later that year. The family lived in Caspar, Wyoming, Little Rock, Arkansas, Denver, Colorado, and Douglas, Wyoming before moving to Florence in 1918 during the building of the Wilson Dam. He opened the Princess Theatre on September 1, 1919. His business would grow to include movie houses in Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Athens. Louis Rosenbaum was a leader of Temple B'Nai Israel, a Civil Rights advocate, and a generous donor to the community and the arts. He served as the Temple's president during the fundraising and construction of Temple B'Nai on Hawthorne Street. He and his wife supported creating a State of Israel and they hosted Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife. His philanthropic works included donating $25,000 to help fund the building of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and giving land on West Alabama Street to create a park near E.C.M. Hospital. He had lived in Florence for over forty-three years upon his death on September 8, 1962.
Vertical Files, Rosenbaum Family. Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama. Temple B'nai Israel Cemetery, Obits Compiled by Scott Dawsky, 2005. Vertical files, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama.
From the Rosenbaum Papers, University Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Mildred Rosenbaum; Rosenbaum House and Museum; Historic Preservation; Frank Lloyd Wright; Architecture; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Mildred (“Mimi”) Bookholz Rosenbaum was born in New York City on June 30, 1917, the daughter of Isador and Gussie Bookholz. She attended the New York public schools, Hunter College, and Columbia Teachers College where she pursued degrees in music and art. She worked as a fashion model for the John Powers Agency where she was featured in Vogue magazine. Mildred married Stanley Rosenbaum, a Harvard graduate, who had returned to his hometown of Florence, Alabama to work in the family’s movie theatre business. Louis and Anna Rosenbaum gave the couple funds and upon which to build a house as a wedding gift. The couple “who didn’t want anything with a colonial connotation” because “neither of us could identify with it,” consulted their friend Aaron Green who suggested that they consider contacting Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for them. The couple moved into the house in September 1940. The couple had four son– David Hillel (born 1941; died 1981), Jonathan Daniel (1943), Alvin Robert (born 1945), and Michael Joseph (1947). Mr. and Mrs. Rosenbaum enjoyed entertaining and the arts. They were also committed to the ideals of civil rights for everyone. Their home became a gathering place for artists who were visiting the South. Their visitors included: Beverly Sills, Mercedes McCambridge, Norman Cousins, Issac Stern, and John Mason Brown. After the death of Mrs. Rosenbaum’s husband in 1982, she became a “live in curator/tour guide” for the future stewardship of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and the preservation of the Rosenbaum house as a public space. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy recognized her work in pioneering strategies for protecting historic residential properties with the first Wright Spirit Award. In 1990, Mildred Rosenbaum hosted an open house for the general public – which was organized by Heritage Preservation, Incorporated of Florence , to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the completion of her home. Over 1,000 guest visited in a single day. From 1993 – 1998, Mildred Rosenbaum conducted tours of the house. Over 5000 people signed the guest registries helping to contribute to the maintenance of the house and its preparation as a public historic site. The National Trust for Historic Preservation published a book on the house and a documentary for public television. In 1999, Mrs. Rosenbaum and her family worked with Mayor Eddie Frost to reach a long-term stewardship agreement between the City of Florence, the Rosenbaum House in cooperation with the Rosenbaum Family, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House Foundation. Mildred Rosenbaum died on October 12, 2006 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Sheffield, Alabama.
From the Mary Lancaster Collection at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama. Fuqua. C.S. "Alabama's Only Frank Lloyd Wright House," Alabama Magazine, June 1990, p. 28. Gorham, Melinda. "Rosenbaum House," The Flor-Ala. Volume 47, Number 13, p 1. Times Daily Archives; "Mildred Rosenbaum," http://www.timesdaily.com/archives/mildred-rosenbaum/article
Photo courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama.
Rosenbaum House and Museum; Frank Lloyd Wright; Usonian Architecture; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
601 Riverview, Florence, Alabama The Rosenbaum House is the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Alabama. Louis and Anna Rosenbaum's wedding gift to their son, Stanley, and his wife, Mildred (known as "Mimi") was a two acre lot with a view of the Tennessee River and $7,500 to build a house. The Rosenbaums, who did not see themselves living in a "Colonial style" house, had read about Frank Lloyd Wright. After discussing their vision for a home with Aaron Green, they commissioned a Usonian style house (one of twenty-six pre World War II Usonian style houses designed by Wright). The house was built in an L-shape, using natural materials, cypress wood, brick and glass. It features low-rising steel cantilevered roofs on the house and carport. The original plan called for the house to be 1540 square feet. By the time the house was completed, with overruns, the house cost approximately $14,000. After the births of four sons in six years, the Rosenbaums approached Wright about adding an extension to the house. He agreed, designing a dorm space for the children. a larger kitchen for the family, a guest room, and a second carport, adding 1048 (a second L shape) to the house. The costs for the additions exceeded $40,000. The house was added to the National Historic Register of Houses in 1978. After Stanley's death in 1978, Mildred devoted her energies to giving tours of the house and preserving Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Mildred lived in the house until 1999 (longer than any other Wright clients) when she sold the house to the city of Florence with the intention that it would be turned into a museum. After extensive restoration and renovation, the house was opened to the public as a museum in 2003. John Sargeant describes the house as "the purest example of Usonian style."
Broach, Barbara Kimberlin, Frank Lloyd Wright's Rosenbaum House: The Birth and Rebirth of an American Treasure. San Francisco; Pomegranate, 2006. Rosenbaum, Alvin, Usonia: Frank Lloyd Wright's Design for America. Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1993.
Photograph Courtesy of Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Stanley Rosenbaum; Business; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Education; Frank Lloyd Wright; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Stanley Rosenbaum was born on October 1, 1910 in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Louis and Anna, moved to Florence, Alabama while Wilson Dam was under construction to open the Princess Movie Theatre. He enrolled in Harvard at the age of sixteen and graduated with honors in 1931. He earned his M.A. in English at the University of Denver in 1932. Upon graduation Stanley returned to Florence to work with his father in the movie theatre business. Stanley married Mildred (Bookholtz) on November 27, 1938 at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a honeymoon trip to Cuba and Denver, the couple returned to Florence. Stanley's parents gave the couple a lot and the financing to build a house as a wedding gift. Their friend Aaron Green suggested that they commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design their home. They moved into the house in September 1940. The couple's four children - David, Jonathan, Alvin, and Michael - were born over a six year period (from 1941 - 1947). Stanley and his father Louis participated in the formation of a local chapter of the Alabama Council on Human Relations, a bi-racial group that worked to solve discrimination issues without fanfare. The Rosenbaums were instrumental in consolidating the African-Amercan and white public libraries in Florence. Mr. Rosenbaum's employment at the Florence State College - now the University of North Alabama - was featured in the Times Daily on November 20, 1960. His specialties were British Literature and Linguistics. He retired from UNA in 1980. Stanley Rosenbaum died on December 1, 1988.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006
Photograph Courtesy of Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama
Trail of Tears; Waterloo, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
During the forced removal of the indigenous people from the eastern United States to Oklahoma, Waterloo was a stop for the Cherokees who came by boat, from Tuscumbia, after having walked from the homelands in the Appalachians in the winter of 1838/39. Approximately 17,000 people were removed. Though a few managed to escape, there were over 4,000 deaths.
Trail of Tears Marker, Waterloo, Alabama
Photograph of Waterloo, Alabama, c. 1900, courtesy of the Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Downtown Florence; Jewish Owned Businesses; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Kreisman's Women's Apparel, which was located at 103 N. Court Street, promoted itself as having "Nationally advertised Women's Clothing and Accessories." Kreisman's Menswear, located at 101 North Court Street, was owned by Mrs. H.K. Levin and Mrs. F. K. Brostoff. Their wares included "men's furnishings."
Diorama, 1965, (Florence State University, now the University of North Alabama yearbook), Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Pam Kingsbury . University of North Alabama
The John McKinley Federal Building and the United States Post Office
Federal Buildings; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The John McKinley Federal Building, which was built on the former site of the Florence Synodical Female College (which closed in 1893), occupies a city block. The main entrance to the building is on 210 North Seminary Street, a second, smaller, public entrance is on East Tombigbee Street, and entrances for employees and deliveries are the sides facing East Mobile Street and North Wood Avenue. The main post office for the city of Florence is located on the first floor and the United States District Court uses the remainder of the building (court rooms are on the second floor and offices are on the third floor). At one time, the building’s basement was designated as a civil defense fallout shelter with a capacity for approximately 1235 people. The United States Post Office and Courthouse was built and completed in 1913. The Times Daily, the local afternoon newspaper (at that time), praised the supervising architect James K. Taylor, for his use of Neo-Classical architecture, Georgia marble tiles, the oak that was used for the trim (inside and out), and the massive doors. The building was described as “the finest in the South.” In 1999, the 105th Congress of the United States renamed the post office to honor andcommemorate John McKinley’s contributions to the city of Florence. McKinley, who was born in Virginia and lived in Florence from 1821 – 1842, was Alabama’s first United States Supreme Court Justice. As befits a Supreme Court Justice, the sign in front of the post office was erected by the Alabama State Bar Association. Judge McKinley was part of the Cypress Land Company and one of the seven founding fathers of Florence, Alabama. His contributions to the area include; building one of the first schools in the state (Athens State University), building the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, and he is credited with being “the spiritual father of the Tennessee Valley Authority” for his work on behalf of the first Florence Canal. He became the 23rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court while he was living in Florence. The building remains in service as a post office and federal district court and it has seen several renovations since 1913. The building is a still vital part of downtown life in that it is within walking distance of several of the first churches in the city (First Presbyterian, First Baptist, First Methodist, Wood Avenue Church of Christ {no longer in an original building}, and Trinity Episcopal Church), the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, the University of North Alabama, Wilson Park, Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, the Shoals Theatre, and Wilson Park.
Historic Marker, 210 North Seminary Street, Florence, Alabama.
Locally Owned Businesses; Foodways; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Trowbridge’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop (nee Bar), located at 316 North Court Street, is a truly a Florence, Alabama landmark. Opened in 1918, Trowbridge’s is the oldest business still operating in its original location in Florence. Still owned by the Trowbridge family (third generation, Paul’s grandson, Don), the shop seats fifty, and the menu features sandwiches, chili, ice cream, milkshakes, and Wednesdays are bean day. An unassuming building and restaurant with large windows that face Court Street, the eight stools at the food counter allow customers to watch their sandwiches being assembled or their ice cream being dipped. Booths line the wall on the left and various artworks (photographs, newspaper clippings, and a few original pieces by local artists) are hung around the restaurant giving the customer an impromptu history of place; both Florence’s and Trowbridge’s. Locals of a certain age will recognize the waitresses of yesteryear in the oil painting on the back wall. Several small tables are scattered between the booths and the counter. The green vinyl padding on the stools and the chairs, alongside the 1950s style formica tables, give the place a completely unassuming retro feel. According to the Official Travel Site of Alabama, in 1917 Paul Trowbridge, who was on his way to a dairy convention in North Carolina, stopped in Florence and liked the area so much that he returned to Texas, packed his family and moved to Florence. A year later, he opened the Trowbridge Creamery where he developed the recipe for orange pineapple ice cream. He added hot dogs and chili to the menu in the 1940s. Trowbridge’s has long ceased making all ice cream by hand but the recipe for orange pineapple ice cream has become a Southern classic. It was named by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of “50 Reasons to Love the U.S.A. Now,” is included in the cookbook Alabama’s Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes (by Gay N. Martin, 2004), and is discussed and reviewed on websites as prosiac as Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Facebook; as Southern as Deep Fried Kudzu; and as commercial as Remax and Alabama Chanin’s Journal. Trowbridge’s, which has never been pretentious or had any aspirations to go more upscale, is a tradition for locals and a delight for visitors.
University of North Alabama; Willingham Hall; Historic Buildings; Preservation; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The site of Willingham Hall, which is located on the University of North Alabama’s campus in Florence, Alabama, and Willingham Hall (One Harrison Plaza) itself have many stories to tell. Willingham Hall is located on the site of what was once private property with a private home, and later, the site of Locust Dell Academy for Girls. The land on which the building is located was first developed in the early 1800s (pre dating Alabama’s statehood, 1819) by an anonymous Florentine. The house was purchased in 1830s by Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Marcelius Hentz, an educated couple who moved to Florence from the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area where he had been a Professor of Modern Languages at the University. Mrs. (Caroline Lee) Hentz was a writer. The couple opened the Locust Dell Academy for Girls, which was named for the locust trees on the property, in 1834. The Academy was closed “with the coming of the War for Southern Independence.” The Hentzs sold the house which was used as a private home by various owners until 1871. Major Henry Wood, for whom Wood Avenue is named and one of the first mayors of Florence, purchased the house in 1871. He owned the house for several years prior to the purchase of the home by the University of North Alabama (which was, at the time, the first state supported teachers college and first co-educational college south of the Ohio River). Shortly after the University acquired the house, (around the 1900s), it burned to the ground. Willingham Hall, which was located on Morrison Avenue, was built in 1939, with renovations in 1977, and 2007/08. The building was originally used as a dormitory for men and named for Dr. Henry J. Willingham, who was President of the University from 1913 through 1958, when the dorm housed women. The building, which houses the offices of the English, History and Political Science and Criminal Departments, is a three story, masonry, and steel structure.The building contains 20,464 square feet, 10,827 net assignable. Willingham Hall was constructed with funds and labor provided by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Work Projects Administration. At the time of construction the building was described as “a three-storied, fireproof building, ‘modern in every way’.” Willingham Hall is architecturally important to UNA’s campus because it is one of the oldest buildings on campus. The University – under a Green Campus Initiative – updated the building in 2007/2008. Willingham Hall is historically important to UNA’s campus because it was built on the site of one of the fine girls’ academies; it is architecturally important to the campus because it is one of the oldest buildings on campus and was built by the WPA; and it remains academically important because the English, History, Political Science, and Criminal Justice Departments are housed there.
Historic Marker, Willingham Hall, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Photograph, circa 1981, is courtesy of the Archives at the Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Chief Doublehead; John Chisholm; Lauderdale County, AL; Bluewater Creek
The Doublehead Company was a development agency that leased thousands of acres of land in the area between Elk River and Cypress Creek to more than fifty white settlers. The Company was founded by Chief Doublehead, his fellow Cherokee named Checkout, and John D. Chisholm who served as the company’s agent, legal counselor, and had Doublehead’s power of attorney. The area was not officially open for settlement and the sale or transfer of the land was not sanctioned by the Cherokee Nation. The lease holders started having problems with their claims after Doublehead’s death in 1807, and, by 1809, a petition to drive out the white settlers was circulating. The Cherokee Agent Meigs started evicting the intruders in 1811. According to documents in the W. S. Hooie Special Collections at the University of Alabama Library, the families were still attempting to recover their land or their investment as late at 1827.
McDonald, William Lindsey, "The Lore of Chief Doublehead and His Home at Muscle Shoals." William Lindsey McDonald papers. Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama. Florence, Alabama.
Rosenbaum Family; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Anna Block Rosenbaum, a native of Lithuania, was born on April 8, 1889, and was brought to the United States at the age of six months. She married Louis Rosenbaum in 1910 and they had one son, Stanley. After living in Denver, Colorado, Casper, Wyoming, and Little Rock, Arkansas, the family moved to Florence, Alabama during the Wilson Dam Boom. Louis opened The Princess Theatre in 1919. Mrs. Rosenbaum, along with her husband, were active in Temple B'nai Israel. They were part of a drive to support the new State of Israel through the purchase of bonds. The couple accompanied Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife when they came to tour TVA. She, along with the Sisterhood of the Temple sent clothing and food packages to its citizens. The Sisterhood also involved in helping the victims of Nazi persecution through the adoption of war orphans. Anna Rosenbaum died on August 9th, 1975.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906-2006, Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Sweetwater Creek, located between Huntsville Road and Florence Boulevard, was given its name by the indigenous people for the pure, clear water of the creek. The Sweetwater Mansion takes its name from the creek as did Sweetwater Mills. The area was also a popular swimming hole for the young men of East Florence.
Photographs courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Downtown Florence Businesses; Florence, AL; Jewish Owned Businesses; Lauderdale County, AL
The Florence Shoe Company, located at 122 North Court Street in Florence, was owned by Milburn Zeff (November 10, 1913 to April 2, 1989) and Morris Klibanoff (January 29, 1917 - December 13, 1996). Milburn was married to Bertha ("Betty") Klibanoff Zeff (1913 - 1965). He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana; lived in Cincinnati, Ohio; and moved to the Forence area after World War II. He was a former partner in the Bootery and Kaye's. The Zeffs and the Klibanoffs were active in Temple B'nai Israel and involved in community organizations.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama.
Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; Jewish Owned Businesses
During the 1960s many of the individually owned businesses in downtown Florence were owned by Jewish merchants. Most were incorporated with family members as officers of the corporations. The opening of Regency Square Mall (in 1978) was a reason for some businesses to relocate or close. Best Jewelry Company, located at 100 East Tennessee Street, was owned by Melvin L. Korman and Dorothy Korman. The store specialized in "Keepsake diamonds, China, Crystal, and Silver." Brother and Sister Shop, located at 108 East Tennessee Street, was owned by Erwin M. Coleman and Mrs. Rebecca W. Sebulsky. They advertised "Quality Clothing for Children - Infants Through Teens," and "Smart in Style." They also owned Junior Deb which was located next door. The Gift Box, located at 224 N. Court Street, was owned by John J. Jacobson, Fred J. Jacobson, and Gertrude S. Jacobson. S.S. L., located at 114 and 116 Court Street, was owned by the Levinsons. D. Max Levinson, Helen O. Levinson, and the Olim Levinson Company built and managed the First Federal Savings and Loan on Court Street. Davis (owned by Coleman Brodsky) and Shirley's (owned by Irving Bertell) were located from Mobile and Court, going south, on the east side of Court Street. City Drug Store, which was owned by Dr. Samuel Lischkoff, was located at the northeast corner of Tennessee and Seminary streets on 127 N. Seminary Street. The Shoals Theatre, owned by Louis and Stanley Rosenbaum, was located at 123 N. Seminary Street. Shipper and Company, Inc., Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds, owned by Stanley Shipper, was located on 212 E. Alabama Street.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing, Florence, Alabama, 2006 Shoals Directory, 1967. The R. K. Polk Company, Detroit, Michigan.
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama
Polk City Directory, 1965. R. L. Polk and Company, Detroit, Michigan.