Browse Items (963 total)

Richard Alphine was born a slave on the Alphine plantation in Mississippi in 1853. Richard was 12 years old at the end of the Civil War and often told stories about his memories of the war. In 1918, Richard moved to Florence for work and lived with…

Richard Rapier was one of the first settlers as well as one of the first merchants in Florence. A pioneer in the barge industry, legend names him as the first to bring a keelboat, or barge, through the river to Florence. Rapier began his business…

To reach the Richardson Cemetery, from Florence, Alabama travel Alabama Highway 20 west for 3.3 miles. Turn left onto County Road 14 and travel to Waterloo, Alabama. Turn left at the 4-way stop and go through the town of Waterloo to the turn-around…

William McDonald Richardson owned the Richardson Lumber Company. Richardson had served as the first manager of the Acme Lumber Company. The Richardson Lumber Company was located on Sweetwater Creek on Huntsville Road between Sweetwater Avenue and…

Rick Bragg, who was born on July 26, 1959, in Piedmont, Calhoun County to Charles and Margaret Bundrum Bragg, is a noted journalist, teacher, and writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for his work with the New York Times. His most lasting contribution to…

The Ricks family cemetery is an African American cemetery located near the Church of Christ established by George Parson Ricks and the Oaks Plantation. The grave of George Parson Ricks, a former slave on the Oaks, can be found in this cemetery along…

Located in Loachapoka along West Farmville Road.

Coordinates: 32.6567995, -85.5232839

Ripley Cemetery is located on Friend Road west of Poplar Creek. The date burials begin at this site is unknown. The oldest grave marker is of John N. Biard, January 15, 1780-January 6, 1839. Until the 1950s, no one was responsible for the maintenance…

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…

To reach this cemetery, travel Alabama Hwy. 20 west from Florence, Alabama for 2.1 miles. Turn left (west) off Hwy 20 onto county Road 2 (Gunwaleford Road) and go about 6.2 miles. The cemetery is on the right side of the road.

The River Bend…

In 1946, Robert E. Jones, Jr. was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives to fill Alabama's 5th Congressional District seat vacated by John J. Sparkman's election to the U.S. Senate. Elected to 15 consecutive terms, 1946-1976,…

Planter, tavern operator, newspaper editor, legislator, and land developer, he sought in vain to have the Jackson County Seat moved from Bellefonte to the settlement that bore his name. After his death in 1863, his widow reached an agreement in 1868…

The Robert Trent Golf trail is a collection of golf courses across Northern Alabama.The head of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, Dr. David Bronner wanted to help the state of Alabama develop resources to support retired state workers. He decided to…

One of the most talented wood craftsman in northwest Alabama is Robin Wade. His furniture studio in Lexington, Alabama, produces organic “American” wood furniture. Wade attended the University of North Alabama as a young man, and started his wood…

Rock Spring Nature Trail goes from Colbert Creek to Rock Springs. It is about a 20 minute walk. The trail is off of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The trail is a popular birding destination in the area. Birders mainly look for hummingbirds who are…

In the late 1820s James Edmonds Saunders established Rocky Hill plantation in Courtland, Alabama. Between 1858 and 1861, the plantation owner had the Rocky Hill Castle constructed. The two-story stuccoed brick eclectic home contained elements of…

Located in Smiths Station along County Road 158 near Lee Road 353.

Coordinates: 32.6651345, -85.1560502

National Register of Historic Places - Rogers Department Store 117 Court Street Florence, Alabama
Rogers Department Store began on the site in 1894 as the Surprise Store founded by B.A. Rogers and his sons T.M. and B.A. Jr. The early business was…

Courtview was built as the two story brick townhouse of successful planter and businessman George Washington Foster. The 1854-55 Greek Revival house faces the Tennessee River (southwest) down the length of Court Street in Florence. According to the…

The Rogers Bros. Surprise Store, eventually Department Store, was a retail fixture in downtown Florence from the late 1890s to the early 2000s. Opened in 1894 as the Surprise Store in downtown Florence by Major B.A. Rogers and his sons, the Surprise…

To reach the Rogersville Civitan Cemetery from Florence, head east on US 72 towards Rogersville. The cemetery is on the left side of the highway by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The cemetery is divided into five sections labeled as A, B, C, D,…

To reach Romine Cemetery from Rogersville, head east on College Street for three miles. The cemetery is on the left near the intersection with County Road 555.

A full list of records can be viewed within the source.

This historic marker is located in Florence's Walk of Honor in River Heritage Park.

The text on the marker reads: "In his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives (1977-1991), Ronnie Flippo held such important post as the chairmanship of the…

Located in Opelika at South Long Street and Monroe Avenue.

Coordinates: 32.6345785, -85.3882797

National Register property – Rosenbaum House

The Rosenbaum house was built for Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum in 1940 from a late 1930s Usonian design by Frank Lloyd Wright, the only house designed by Wright in the state of Alabama. Usonian…

Located in Opelika between India Road and Oak Bowery Road.

Coordinates: 32.6681886, -85.3963357

On July 10, 1864, Major General William T. Sherman ordered Major General Lovell Harrison Rousseau to depart from Decatur, Alabama with approximately 2,500 men. Their goal was to sever the Montgomery and West Point railroads - a vital link for…

To reach this cemetery, turn off AL 20 (Savannah Highway), onto Lauderdale 6 (Gunwaleford Road), go 9.8 miles. The cemetery is on the right side of the road. You must go through a small section of woods, and then across an open field to reach it. It…

Located in Loachapoka at the end of Lee Road 78 off of Rowells Road.

Coordinates: 32.6895759, -85.6193976

Located in Loachapoka along County Road 71 and County Road 551.

The Rural Arts Studio, based in Newbern, Alabama, is a design-build architecture studio run by Auburn University. The studio was founded in 1993 by architects Samuel Mockbee and D. K. Ruth, and Andrew Freear is the current director.

The Rural…

Russell Cave is located in northeast Alabama near the town of Bridgeport in Jackson County. It is a significant archaeological site that provides a record of thousands of years of human use. Russell Cave was named a National Monument in 1961 and a…

Like many north Alabama communities, Athens changed hands many times during the Civil War. In May 1862, one particular event would scar the citizens of Athens. After Union troops celebrated their victory at Shiloh, the federal Army of Ohio pushed…

Horseback trail riding, auction and headliner concerts mark this two-day event. Event is held annually on the 3rd Friday and Saturday in July. This event is a fundraiser for St. Jude. Donations are welcome. $35 donation to ride. $15 donation, if you…

Located Beulah along Highway 431.

Coordinates: 32.5984693, -85.2416084

Sallie Independence Foster was born on October 28, 1848, in Nashville, Tennessee. She was the youngest child of George Washington Foster and Sarah Independence Watkins Foster. From the age of seven she lived in Courtview, a mansion that is now…

Samuel M. Bowen owned several businesses around Athens, Alabama. He operated Yarbrough Brothers and Bowen 5, 10, and 25 Cent Store in 1909. In 1913 he operated Lerman and Bowen, located on the north side of the square where Cluxton's Jewelry is now.…

Born in 1837, Sam grew up with William "Billy" Patton, his young master. Because Sam's mother was the cook for the Patton family, he lived in the kitchen behind the big house. When Alabama seceded from the Union, Billy took Sam with him to war. In…

Sam Phillips (1923-2003)

Samuel Cornelius Phillips was born January 5, 1923 in Florence, Alabama. He was the youngest of eight children born to Charles Tucker Phillips and Madge Ella Phillips. He was born into a middle-class farming family, but…

This historic marker is located at Florence's Walk of Honor in River Heritage Park.

The text on the marker reads: "Known as the "Father of Rock and Roll," Sam Phillips established Sun Records in 1952, helping Elvis Presley and other well-known…

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."…

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…

This historic marker is located on North Court Street, Florence AL.

The text on the marker reads: "Named for Ferdinand Sannoner, who surveyed the town of Florence for the Cypress Land Company in 1818, the district contains twenty-five structures…

This historic marker is located on North Main Street north of East Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, Alabama.

The text on the marker reads: "Built in 1826 in the Spanish Revival architectural style, this is the first structure in Florence erected with…

The Sardis Baptist Church is one of the oldest Baptist church building still standing in Alabama. The church was constructed after Greek Revival architecture. Because of the buildings condition, the church is currently inactive.

The church was…

Sauta was a small Cherokee village established about 1784 on the north side of the Tennessee River near its confluence with North Sauty Creek. The August 13, 1828, issue of the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper includes a letter from an acquaintance of…

Located in Opelika along County Road 162 near Cusseta Road.

Coordinates: 32.7070764, -85.3588347

This historic marker is located in front of Florence Public Library between E. Tuscalossa and E. Tombigbee Sts., Florence, Alabama.

The text on the marker reads: "This sculpture relief was created by James W. Stoves and placed above the entrance…

This historic marker is located on N Seminary St., Florence, Alabama.

The text on the marker reads: "Named for the O’Neal family which produced two Alabama governors and for seminary the street on which Synodical Female College was located, the…