Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Native American; Early Settlement
In 1815, Michael Dickson and a group of white settlers sailed in a keel-boat down the Tennessee River and up Spring creek, settling where Spring Park is now. Dickson purchased this land from the Indian chief Tashka-Ambi for two pole axes and five dollars in cash. Tuscumbia, formally known as Ococoposa, was renamed in 1822 in honor of the Indian Chief. Spring Park was originally named Big Springs, but was renamed in the 1920’s. In 1817, Spring Park had 3 dwellings, a mill, and a store. Today, the park contains a two story open air shelter, several single story shelters, a large playground, a train, a carousel, a python roller coaster, and a splash pad. The largest man made natural stone waterfall is also located here, standing at 40’ tall and 80’ wide. 4,320,000 gallons of water pass over the falls a day into the lake. The lake also features a fountain in honor of Princess Im-Mi-Ah-Key, wife of Chief Tashka-Ambi. The fountain contains 51 jets, 1 shooting 100’ in the air in the middle and the 50 others shoot 40-50’ high. It is also choreographed to lights and music each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at dusk. The water from the spring supplies the town of Tuscumbia, AL. It steadily stays at a temperature of 36 to 38 degrees year round. Many events have taken place at Spring Park and still do today. Federal troops camped on these grounds during the Civil War, and Jimmy Carter initiated his campaign to run for a second term at Spring Park on September 1, 1980. Today the Oka Kapassa festival is held at Spring Park. Oka Kapassa is a Native American gathering dedicated to celebrating the culture and traditions of the Native Americans who thrived in North Alabama. Other events include the Labor Day Festivities, Muscle Shoals Street Rod Run, and the annual Tuscumbia Fair.
Katie McVey, University of North Alabama
Mary Jane McDaniel, Historic Muscle Shoals: Buildings and Sites (Tennessee Valley Historical Society), 29. “Know Your State- Tuscumbia,” The Benjamin News, October 31, 1948. Thomas F. Hill, “Tuscumbia’s Big Spring.” Google. http//www.google.com/springpark.html Brent Moore. Flickr.com, “Cold Water Falls- Tuscumbia” Picture, Tuscumbia, Alabama, June 16, 2012.
Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Old Jackson Hwy and Co Rd 47, St. Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Father A. J. Houser, Director of the Homestead Society of Cincinnati, Ohio founded St. Florian. He subdivided the land for German immigrants who became independent landowners, built homes and reared their families. Many of the descendants from that small group of immigrants still live in the community, some in the original homes. Other descendants are scattered throughout the United States. The St. Florian Historic District was included in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in September 2007."
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
“St. Florian Historic District Marker”. Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur, Alabama
Morgan County, Alabama; Decatur, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur ; Historic Churchs
St. John's Episcopal Church, in Decatur, was built in 1890. The original structure was constructed for approximately $2,000. Through the years the building and the congregation have grown. Descendants of the first parishioners still worship at St. John's. The oldest part of the building is included in the Hallelujah Trail. St. John's is located at 202 Gordon Street SE.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Prior to 1898 the Catholic population in Florence, Alabama, traveled to Tuscumbia’s Our Sacred Heart. The pastor of Our Sacred Heart, Father Bassen, characterized Florence as a mission of the Catholic Church. As a result, St. Joseph Catholic Church was established in 1898 in Florence. Before the congregation had the funds to build a structure, they conducted mass in the home of Joe Beckman. During the 1880s, Mrs. Lena Peters donated property on Laughton Heights for the congregation to build a little framed church, which was erected in 1889 and also served as a school. The church’s construction was done by St. Florian resident Mr. Stumpe. The first pastor of Saint Joseph Catholic Church was Reverend Gamblert Brunner (an original member of Sain Bernard Abby in Cullman,Alabama), who served at St. Josephs from 1889 to 1907. During his time as pastor, Brunner constructed a rectory that served as the pastor’s home until the 1970s. Bishop Edward Allen dedicated the church on June 8, 1902. Throughout its history, the church has had numerous pastors and renovations. Three during the 1930s were Rev. Henry Watson, Father Alfred Trottman, and Father Anselm Spitzer. During the years of World War II, Father Isidore Fussnecker made efforts to reach out to the black population in the area. In the late 1950s Father Paul Koehler became the pastor of the church. Koehler implemented renovations to the church. For instance, he added additional wings to the school, a Parish hall, and a modern convent. The greatest renovations happened during the 1970s. The old church, considered too small, was demolished and a new church erected in 1974. The new church building is made of brick and consists of a tower, a statue of Saint Joseph the Worker, and a huge cross. Today, the church is one of the chief religious and educational centers for Catholics in northwest Alabama.
Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
Text: Rose Gibbons Lovett, excerpt from Catholic Church in the Deep South (The Diocese, 1980), in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “A Brief History of St. Joseph’s Parish Florence, Alabama,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Baldwin County, Point Clear, Religion, Protestant, Church, St. Francis at the Point Church, Mrs. Ben Hamel, Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
St. Luke’s church, commonly known as St. Francis at the Point Church, was constructed in 1898. The building was modeled in a vernacular interpretation of the late Gothic Revival style. St. Luke’s church was the first Episcopal Church on the eastern shore of Mobile bay. St. Luke’s congregation assembled in 1896, two years before the church was built. The church was active until 1947. The congregation had diminished during WWII so the church was vacant from 1947 to 1956. In 1957, Mrs. Ben Hamel bought the building and converted it into a gift shop. Eventually the Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church acquired the property and religious services resumed in 1984. St. Luke’s Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1997.
The site of St. Mark's missionary Baptist Church has been in continuous use by the African-American community of Florence since 1859. Originally, the church body met under a brush arbor. The current church building was built in 1901.
Ashley Pentecost, University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama archives; Dr. Carolyn Barske, Images of America: Florence.
Established in 1872, St. Michael’s Catholic Church was the first Catholic Church in Lauderdale County. The church was organized in St. Florian, Alabama, a community founded by German Catholic settlers. A prominent Catholic minister in the southwest region of Tennessee, Reverend J. House, bought over two thousand acres of land in north Alabama. It was on this land that St. Florian was founded and the Catholic Church was erected. Consisting of a large frame, the first church was completed in 1872 on the south side of Military Road and was pastored by the German priest Father Michael Merz until 1876. Merz’ sister, Annie, attended St. Michael’s Catholic Church and became the first teacher at the church’s sponsored school. Due to the town’s cultural background, the school regularly taught classes in German. In 1878 the congregation relocated the church across the Military road, at which is still the current location. Due to growth in attendance the congregation needed a larger church, so the construction process to erect a new church structure began in 1914. From 1914 to 1918, parishioners voluntarily contributed to the erection of the new church. Stones from Shoals Creek were carried to the construction site and a local Shoals stone mason, Casper Haeger, laid the foundation. Also, members of the congregation cut down trees in wooded areas and took them to the local sawmill owned by Ed Rasch. Today, one of the most astonishing sights at the church is the nineteen stained glass windows--twelve large and seven small. These windows, made in Munich, Germany, were purchased in 1924 as a memorial for the early settlers of St. Florian.
Text: Jill Garrett, “First Catholic Church in County,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “Church Started in 1872,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Historic Markers; St. Florian, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located on Church Road (County Road 30) west of Old Jackson Highway (County Road 61), St Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Catholics of German ancestry settled on the former Wilson Plantation and established the town of St. Florian. St. Michael's Church was built south of the road, moved to the present site in 1878, and replaced the present building in 1916. The stained-glass windows, ordered from Munich, Bavaria, weren't installed until the 1920's. The rectory was built in 1872, burned and was rebuilt in 1934. The first pastor, Fr. Michael Merz, a German priest, died in 1876. He was replaced by Fr. Gabriel Guester, O.S.B. from Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Benedictine priest have served the parish since that time."
“St. Michael's Catholic Church Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. Paul African Methodist Church; African American History; African American church
St. Paul African Methodist Church was established in the early 1840s. A group of African Americans from a congregation called First Methodist left to form what is now known as the St. Paul African American Methodist Church. The original name of the group was Church Springs. The first iteration of the church was located in an old cowshed located near South Street. A pastor named Robin Lightfoot, who would later die during the Civil War, led this church. The church was later established as the St. Paul African Church in 1879. The congregation would later be relocated to in 1895 before relocating again in 1968 to Court and Alabama Streets.
Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 158
St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Burrell Street and White Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In early 1840s about 14 African-American members from First Methodist formed own congregation “Church Springs” near South Court Street. In 1857, a nearby brick cow shed was converted for its use under Rev. Robin Lightfoot who became a martyr during the Civil War. Site of American Missionary School after Emancipation. Organized as St. Paul AME in 1879. Relocated to Court and Alabama Streets in 1895. Charles B. Handy was early pastor and William W. Handy was early leader (father and grandfather to W.C. Handy.) St. Paul relocated again in 1968 to present site."
”St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker". Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
St. Paul's Church and St, John's Episcopal Church
Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
Formed in 1867, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church served the people of Decatur until 1930. Located in Old Decatur, the church served a thriving population who prospered from the trade that the Tennessee River generated. However, in 1888 two events worked to change St. Paul’s immensely. First, a yellow fever epidemic hit Decatur and many survivors left the community. Second, St. Paul’s burned to the ground and the congregation split over where to build the new church. Many parishioners wanted to keep the congregation in Old Decatur, while others wanted to build in New Decatur. The advocates for building in New Decatur decided to withdraw from the congregation and formed St. John’s. However, the two congregations remained closely tied together. In fact, in 1892, Dr. Erasus Wooster Spalding came to Decatur to serve both churches. By 1893, the congregation of St. John’s raised enough money to build a church, which still serves the congregation today. St. Paul’s continued to serve Old Decatur until 1930.
Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory Morgan County Archives http://stjohnsdecatur.dioala.org/
Buildings; Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
St. Paul's Lutheran Church was founded on October 9, 1898. The congregation originally met in homes, and later in 1901, they built a house of worship at 4th Avenue and Sherman Street. Reverend W. G. Hussman was the first pastor for a congregation of 25. The church is now located at 1700 Carridale S. W.
Decatur Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory
A place of business in the Sweetwater area that still exists and serves the community today is Staggs Groceries. Originally, Staggs Grocery was founded as Taylor Wylie’s Meat Market at the turn of the twentieth century. Taylor Wylie moved to east Florence to Sweetwater when Mountain Mills moved from Barton, Alabama to Florence to become the Cherry Cotton Mill. The original Wylie’s Meat Market burned to the ground and Wylie's son-in-law, L.D. Staggs, Sr., continued the business down the street on Huntsville Road. Staggs Grocery’s present location is where it has been since 1937. When L.D. Staggs, Sr. became proprietor of the grocery, he had his brother, Web Staggs, and his sons, L.D. Jr., Jack, and Billy Staggs become working members of the grocery. Staggs, Sr.’s family descendants run the operation today and have made the transition from grocer to restaurant. Staggs Grocery has a reputation for having one of the best hamburgers in all of Florence.
M.C. Fesmire, University of North Alabama
Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "Sweetwater: The Story of East Florence." Florence, Ala.: Florence Historical Board, 1989. Barske, Carolyn. "Images of America: Florence." Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2014. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Staggs Grocery.” Florence, Alabama, Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-11.
Stanley Rosenbaum; Business; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Education; Frank Lloyd Wright; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Stanley Rosenbaum was born on October 1, 1910 in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Louis and Anna, moved to Florence, Alabama while Wilson Dam was under construction to open the Princess Movie Theatre. He enrolled in Harvard at the age of sixteen and graduated with honors in 1931. He earned his M.A. in English at the University of Denver in 1932. Upon graduation Stanley returned to Florence to work with his father in the movie theatre business. Stanley married Mildred (Bookholtz) on November 27, 1938 at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a honeymoon trip to Cuba and Denver, the couple returned to Florence. Stanley's parents gave the couple a lot and the financing to build a house as a wedding gift. Their friend Aaron Green suggested that they commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design their home. They moved into the house in September 1940. The couple's four children - David, Jonathan, Alvin, and Michael - were born over a six year period (from 1941 - 1947). Stanley and his father Louis participated in the formation of a local chapter of the Alabama Council on Human Relations, a bi-racial group that worked to solve discrimination issues without fanfare. The Rosenbaums were instrumental in consolidating the African-Amercan and white public libraries in Florence. Mr. Rosenbaum's employment at the Florence State College - now the University of North Alabama - was featured in the Times Daily on November 20, 1960. His specialties were British Literature and Linguistics. He retired from UNA in 1980. Stanley Rosenbaum died on December 1, 1988.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006
Photograph Courtesy of Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama
The State Normal School began in 1872 after Florence Wesleyan University closed and the building was deeded to the State. This university was the first normal school south of the Ohio River. The college consisted of a two year program to train teachers. A year after the school was opened female students were admitted, but non registered, making the State Normal School the first coeducational institution in the state. Tuition was only $11 a year. In 1887 the college's name was changed to State Normal College.
Claire Eagle, University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama, "Brief Look at University of North Alabama History." Florence, Alabama, 2005.
Historic Businesses; Historic Restaurants; Fifties Diner; Sheffield; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
Southland, located at 1309 S. Jackson Highway in Sheffield was founded in 1950 primarily as a BBQ place and evolved over the years to offer a more diversified menu. In 2012, the building that housed Southland was bought by Steve Gaskins who now owns and operates Stephano's. However, the original Southland sign still remains. Stephano's offers a wide variety of dishes and combinations, ranging from popular Italian dishes, to local favorites like BBQ and freshly-made desserts. Stephano's has kept many of the same dishes and combinations from Southland's menu.
Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
Colbert County Alabama; Sheffield Alabama; African American History; African American School; Sheffield Colored School; Sterling High School.
Sterling High School was another prominent school for African Americans in Colbert County. The origin of the school is in a Baptist Church on East 20th St. Originally, the school only served five students and a man named Henry Hopkins was hired as their teacher. Due to a fire, the school was forced to relocate to another church. Sheffield Colored School was then built in 1918 and served as an elementary school for African American students. It was during this time that the school’s eventual namesake Benjamin J. Sterling served as a teacher and principal for the Sheffield Colored School. In 1921, the school expanded to teach high school level children. At first only grades one through eleven were offered until 1922 when grade twelve was offered. In 1942, the name of the school was officially changed to Sterling High School. Sterling High school established an athletics program that included basketball, track, and football. They even went up against Trenholm High School during the season. The school was eventually closed in 1968 due to integration. The building was finally destroyed ten years later in 1978. The location of the school can be found at E 19th St in Sheffield Alabama.
Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 155 Colbert County Heritage Book Committee (Colbert County, Ala.). 1999. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, AL: Heritage Pub. Consultants. 64-65
Jackson County, Stevenson, Transportation, Railroads, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places
Stevenson's importance as the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad predates the Civil War. The town and its railroad junction were of strategic importance during the war for both sides. Stevenson was occupied by the Union army for much of the war and was a particularly vital location in the Chickamauga campaign. The original depot building was destroyed by fire during or shortly after the Civil War. The depot and hotel structures that stand today are indicative of many similar structures that were built in Appalachia in the late 19th century. The hotel and depot were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Secrist, Philip L.. "Stevenson Historic District." National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form. Southern Tech, Marietta, GA, September 13, 1978. West, Carroll Van. "Stevenson Depot and Hotel." Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
Mobile County, Mobile, Religion, Baptist, African American, National Registrar of Historic Places
The original congregation of the group of Baptist was organized in Mobile in 1835 settling in a plain brick church building. This group disbanded in 1840 before immediately reorganizing under the name St. Anthony Baptist Church. This group moved to a building at the corner of Chestnut and Tunstall Streets. In 1870, the property was transferred to the trustees of the Stone Street Baptist Church. Over the next one-hundred and fifty years there have been many changes made to the church including in 1846 the creation of a separate African Church branch. The Baptist congregation has been a continuous black congregation in Mobile. One of the church’s most influential pastors was Rev. M. C. Cleveland who was also on the Selma University Board of Trustees as Chairman. Cleveland instituted a program for rebuilding the church in the early-20th century. By 1931, the new modern brick church was completed. In 1979, Stone Street Baptist church suffered damage from Hurricane Frederick and while in the process of rebuilding the roof, also built an educational building. Currently Stone Street Baptist Church is one of the most influential black Baptist churches in Alabama. The church building itself represent the achievement of laymen who utilized resources available to them to build a lasting and supportive congregation. Stone Street Baptist Church is on the National Registrar of Historic Places.
Ralph the stress tigers place on RBD book Christmas tree ready for students to grab
Auburn Universiy Libraries Instagram page
Located in Smiths Station at County Road 179 and Lee Road 246. Coordinates: 32.5504161, -85.1643831
Students burning copies of the Glomerata at Plainsman Park on the campus of Auburn University
Hundreds of students participated to protest the new edition of the yearbook, which they felt overrepresented the presence and influence of hippie culture at the school.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Birmingham News (Alabama), August 5, 1936
Lee County, AL; Civil War; Auburn, AL; Samford, William F.; Historic Home; Secession
This historic home that sits on what is now South College Street was the site where the 14th and 18th Alabama regiments were mustered in 1861. William F. Samford, known as the “Penman for Secession” for his nationally published diatribes on secession, owned the home and the connecting plantation.
Auburn Villager: Remembering the "Penman for Secession"
Conservation; Recreation; Tanner, AL; Limestone County, AL
Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area is an 8,870 acre management area located in Tanner, AL. The area is open to the public for waterfowl and small game hunting. Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area is located on 18936 Harris Station Road. http://www.outdooralabama.com/wildlife-management-areas
“Swan Creek Waterfowl Management Area.” Accessed July 13, 2015. http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit
Swedish Angel Tough Nut For Tom O'Toole Monday
Professional Wrestling Jim Crockett Charlotte, North Carolina Tom O'Toole Swedish Angel
Article appeared in Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) on August 20, 1941. Describes upcoming Jim Crockett promotions wrestling match between Tommy O'Toole, "a sturdy young Irishman," and the Swedish Angel.
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Florence Boulevard (U.S. 43) and Sweetwater Avenue, Florence, AL. The text on the marker reads: "Home of Major John Brahan, veteran of War of 1812, Major General, Alabama Militia, who owned 4,000 acres here. Built of bricks made on the place, marble mantels imported from Italy, boxwood hedge from London. Named for spring nearby. Federals and Confederates quartered here at various times during the Civil War. Home of Brahan's son-in-law, Robert M. Patton, Governor of Alabama, 1865-1868."
“Sweetwater 1828 Marker”. Accessed 11/10/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
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
Sweetwater Mill has a relationship to the Sweetwater area because it is an old part of the Cherry Cotton Mill plant. The J.T. Flagg Knitting Company purchased the mill after the conclusion of World War II because the company was looking to expand because of the success the company had providing clothing for troops. During the 1960s, J.T. Flagg sold his knitting company to Genesco Textile Manufacturers out of Nashville, Tennessee, thereby transferring possession of Sweetwater Mill to Genesco. As the 1970s progressed, the textile operations of J.T. Flagg were moved from east Florence to the Florence Industrial Park before being closed down by the end of the 1970s. Sadly, the Sweetwater Mill, the last facility used from the Cherry Cotton Mill, closed about fifty years ago.
Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama." Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2003. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Sweetwater Mill.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-61.
Sweetwater Plantation (Governor Robert M. Patton House)
National Register of Historic Places ; Political History; Architecture
The 1976 National Register nomination of the Robert M. Patton house states that the property is significant in terms of architecture as a classic example of a North Alabama Georgian plantation house, and for political history as the home of the first elected governor of Alabama after the Civil War. The house also known as Sweetwater Plantation originally sat on 4,000 acres with elaborate landscaped grounds surrounding the house. The two story brick house is the common double pile plan, four rooms divided by a wide central hall on each floor. Small room alterations have been made including a kitchen, side entrance, and second floor bathrooms. The exterior massing is a symmetrical rectangle with simple Georgian detailing seen most clearly in the low hipped roof, one story porch detailing, and ornamental delicate sidelights and transom surrounding the double front doors. The owner Robert M. Patton inherited the partially built house from his father-in-law and completed the house in 1835. Patton served in the Alabama legislature almost continuously from 1837 until the Civil War. He represented Lauderdale County at the State Conference and the Charleston Convention in 1860, which passed the secession ordinance that started the war. In 1865 he served in the State Constitutional Convention and became governor in 1866 until he was replaced by the Reconstruction government in 1867. Patton was then involved with the railroads and various colleges and universities throughout the South. The house remained in the family at the time of the NR nomination in 1976. The nomination needs to be updated. All information and photos for this Omeka entry are from the NA nomination.
Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
Floyd, W. Warner, National Register Nomination. “Sweetwater Plantation (Governor Robert Patton House)”, (#76000335) (6/17/76).
Interviewed by FBI. Age 27 At front of line? Believes hit by Sheriff Clark Wearing a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (1965) badge
T.S. Stribling graduated from State Normal College in 1903. He was a Pulitzer Prize winning author. Due to his significance to UNA and the literary world he earned UNA the first Literary Landmark in the state in 2006.
T.S. Stribling Literary Landmark file, University of North Alabama Archives and Special Collections,
Methodist settlers first entered the northwest region of Alabama during the early 1800s during the Second Great Awakening. The lot of land that Tabernacle Methodist Church sits on was used for religious camp meetings during the Second Great Awakening. The church itself was not erected until the 1830s. An exact of construction date is unknown. The building’s original design was that of a simple log structure. One of the first ministers at Tabernacle Methodist Church was Reverend Henry Hill, who passed away in 1850. The church burned down twice prior to 1869. After the second fire, the congregation built the church building that still stands today. Prominent citizens of Lauderdale County, such as Henry A. Killen, helped furnish and finance the church. Also, in 1874 George Kennedy, who owned the property that the church was located on, gave the congregation legal title to the land. The church building today does not host weekly worship services. Instead, it is used for funerals and memorial services for those buried in the Tabernacle Cemetery.
Text: Jill Knight Garret, A History of Lauderdale County, Alabama, 140. Tennessee Valley Historical Society, “Tabernacle Methodist Church,” Journal of Muscle Shoals History Vol. X (1983), 146.
Franklin County, Red Bay, Music, Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Tammy Wynette (May 5, 1942-April 6, 1998) Virginia Wynette Pugh was born May 5, 1942 in Tremont, Mississippi, but she spent much or her childhood just across the state line in Red Bay, Alabama. After her father died when she was nine months old, she lived mostly with her grandparents on a farm that spanned the state line. As she grew up, she worked on the farm, taught herself to play guitar, served as pianist at the Providence Baptist Church, and sang in school programs. Just before graduating high school, Virginia married Euple Byrd, with whom she had three children. Byrd was often unemployed and moved the family around, so Virginia worked as a waitress. When the couple split, she moved to Birmingham to live with relatives while she worked as a beautician and sang in WBRC’s popular Country Boy Eddy television show. In 1965, she made several trips to Nashville and moved there a year later. She auditioned for Alabama native, Billy Sherrill, with Epic Records who quickly signed her and changed her stage name to Tammy Wynette. Wynette’s first hit, “Apartment #9,” was the first of twenty-one No. 1 hits. Her hits included: “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “Stand By Your Man,” “Singing My Song,” “He Loves Me All the Way,” and “Woman to Woman.” Her marriage to George Jones from 1969 to 1975 produced many hit duets including “The Ceremony,” “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Two Story House,” “We’re Not the Jet Set,” and “Golden Ring.” She married songwriter-producer George Richey in 1978 and released an autobiography Stand By Your Man in 1979. Wynette continued to record hits through the 1990s. She teamed up with Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn in 1993 for their landmark "Honky Tonk Angels" album. In 1995, she and her ex-husband Jones, released a reunion album. Wynette died in her sleep April 6, 1998, of a pulmonary blood clot; she was 55. She was known as the “First Lady of Country Music.” Wynette was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Country Music Hall of Fame shortly after her death. Click the link to listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBirf4BWew
Joy Caitlin Monroe, University of North Alabama
“Tammy Wynette.” Alabama Music Hall of Fame. (2016) http://alamhof.org/inductees/timeline/1993/tammy-wynette/
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.
The first location of Temple B'nai Israel. which was built in 1909, is located on 8th Street and Atlanta. The cornerstone was laid (with what the local paper called 'appropriate ceremony") in accordance with Jewish ritual. It contained: a history of the organization of the congregation, lists of the members of the congregation who served on various committees that spearheaded the organization and erection of the Temple, various Mason items, and one dollar among other items.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama: Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Privately Printed.
Judaism; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
A significant Jewish community has existed in the Shoals area since the 1840s. One of the earliest references to the Jewish community in Florence, Alabama was in September 1882 (Rosh Hashanah) in the Florence Gazette reminding readers that “our citizens of that belief generally observed by closing their places of business.” Various rabbis from Birmingham and Huntsville performed wedding ceremonies and funerals until the congregation decided the time had come to build a temple and to hire a Rabbi. The Florence-Standard Journal reported that Rosh Hashanah services had been conducted in the Masonic Hall on Court Street (which, in addition to the homes of various members, would appear to have been the usual meeting place for the group that became Temple B’Nai Israel. Many of the male congregants were Masons.) The Florence Herald reported in March of 1899 that “there were about twenty-five children who needed instruction in their faith.” In June of 1900, the Times reported that plans were being made to build a Temple in Florence. Mark Reisman and M. (believed to stand for Mose) Coplan led the building project. The Times reported, “some of our best citizens are Hebrews and they form quite a considerable portion of our community, they are law abiding and prosperous and always found on the right side of every question leading to the upbuilding and prosperity of the city’s growth.” In July of 1900, The Times reported that $800 had been raised toward the building of a Temple and that, a board of trustees had been elected at a meeting in the home of Morris Coplan: President, Mark Reisman; Vice President, A. E. Bresler; Secretary, H. Weinbaum (of Sheffield); Treasurer, H. Miller. Philip Olim, H. Goldman, A. Kreisman, and Joe P. May were elected as Trustees. On January 22, 1906, the Congregation incorporated in Colbert County under the name of Congregation B’nai Israel of the Tri-Cities. The first permanent meeting place of Temple B’nai Israel was in Sheffield, Alabama, (from 1906 until 1953) where the congregants were active religiously and socially. In January 1953, at the annual (business) meeting of the group, Louis Rosenbaum (then president) announced that the purpose of the meeting was to make a final decision on the new building. An architect had estimated that it would cost $3,500 to repair the old building, and an attorney opined that the old building could be sold. The group discussed a sketch of the new building and voted that lots on Hawthorne Street in Florence be purchased. It was agreed that the auditorium and the portion of the building that would house religious school rooms be built immediately with the auditorium serving as the sanctuary until that time. The sum of $10,000 was taken from the surplus Federation funds to place into a building fund. The Lt. Alvin Rosenbaum Foundation conveyed almost all of lots 1, 2, and 3 in Block 427 of the City of Florence to the Congregation B’nai Israel of the Tri-Cities. The Temple still stands at 201 Hawthorne Street. The cornerstone of the Temple was laid in 1953. An addition to the building, which added three classrooms and enclosing the arcade, were added in 1958. The building, in essence, remains the same today. Rabbi Joseph Gallinger of Birmingham, came to the Temple in 1957 and stayed for nineteen years, instituting many of the traditions that are still followed by the congregants. A twelve tribes memorial plaque, an etched glass memorial, and tree of life doors have been added to the interior of the building. The Temple B’nai Israel hosted a centennial celebration in 2006.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006.
The Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company is another company that the Ashcraft family of Florence either owned or had a stake in. In 1897, a year before he founded the Florence Cotton Oil Company, Lee Ashcraft founded and incorporated the Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company. At the time of incorporation, the Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company had an initial capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, before increasing to one hundred thousand by 1903. The Fertilizer Company was well known for making custom-made guano fertilizers for customers if the fertilizers were needed for a special purpose. Some of the various guano fertilizers they produced were named King Cotton Grower, Three Link, Ashcraft Special, Cotton Seed Meal and Bone, Tiger Cotton Grower, Tiger Guano, Tiger Potash Guano, and Blood and Bone. The factory’s location was on Cherry Street in Sweetwater. On the first day of operation, Lee Ashcraft and an unnamed helper produced eleven bags of fertilizer together. From 1897 to 1904, Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company under Ashcraft produced nineteen different fertilizers at 15,000 tons annually. Lee Ashcraft owned the Fertilizer Company until 1909 when the International Mineral Corporation (IMC) bought the company from Ashcraft. The Fertilizer Company became the oldest running fertilizer plant for IMC in the country into the early 2000s. As of today, it is still in operation under the name of Agrium, Inc. in the same area of Sweetwater right next to Veterans Drive and the Patton Island Bridge. The original factory for the Fertilizer Company stretches back to before the Civil War when the facility the fertilizer plant occupied was a flouring mill for Florence. Unbelievably, the three-story building that existed in 1897 when Lee Ashcraft began the business was not burned to the ground by Union forces in during the Civil War. So the original Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company factory building could trace its industrial genealogy back to before the Civil War.
Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "Remembering Sweetwater: The Mansions, The Mills, The People." photos by L.D. Staggs, Jr. Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2002. “Florence As She Is." The Florence Times. 1903. McDonald, William Lindsey. "A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama." Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2003. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “The Tennessee Valley Fertilizer Company.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-39.
The Tennessee Valley Historical Society (TVHS) was established in 1923. Since that time, TVHS has served to educate the public and promote the region’s local history. The Journal of Muscle Shoals History is published by TVHS, and includes articles about historic places, people, and events that are important to the Muscle Shoals Area. TVHS participates in various forms of community outreach, including the Helen Keller Festival and the North Alabama State Fair. Quarterly meetings are held each year. TVHS and the University of North Alabama’s Public History Center recently began work on an oral history interview project. The UNA Public History Center is also assisting with the digitization of out-of-print volumes of the Journal of Muscle Shoals History. TVHS sponsors yearly scholarship competitions in conjunction with UNA’s history department.
Kayla Scott, University of North Alabama
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/.
Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention
Festivals; Athens, AL; Limestone County, AL
The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention occurs in Athens during the first week of October. This festival is known as the "Granddaddy of Midsouth Fiddlers Conventions" for its role in reviving the tradition of competition in old time music. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend each year. The convention also included 150 traditional arts and crafts booths. These feature many handmade and traditional items.
“Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention.” Accessed July 16, 2015. http://www.northalabama.org/
Once the TVA was formed during the New Deal, men were needed to work on building Wilson Dam and to work in the Nitrate Factory No. 2. Many of these men were a part of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC. Many of the original workers were being relocated from the Northwestern United States. The first groups of men established camps to live in while they were working for the TVA. These campsites eventually became known as the Nitrate Villages. The men's jobs included preventing erosion, working on the dam, planting saplings, and working on building the nitrate factory.These men were soon introduced to educational training in April of 1936. This training focused on business, soil conservation, agriculture, mechanics, journalism, radio, first aid, and practical science. For those who needed it, basic education on reading and writing was also taught to the men in the camps.
Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
Carle, J.F. 'US Nitrate Plant No. 2, Muscle Shoals, Alabama'. Paper. Florence. William Lindsey McDonald Collection. UNA Special Archives. 'FDR, TVA, And CCC Federal Influence In The Shoals: The Journal Of Muscle Shoals History Volume XIX'. 2015. Florence. William Lindsey McDonald Collection. UNA Special Archives. KIng, Gail. 2010. 'Wilson Village No. 2 1918-1950'. Book. Florence. William Lindsey McDonald Collection. UNA Special Archives. 'Sheffield History And Recollections: Journal Of Muscle Shoals History Volume XVIII'. 2011. Florence. William Lindsey McDonald Collection. UNA Special Archives.
This historic marker is located at the intersection of S. Court Street and Dr Hicks Blvd., Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The American Legion, an organization of U.S. War Veterans was founded in Paris, France, March 15~17, 1919 by delegates from combat and service units of the American Expeditionary Force assembled in response to a call by a committee headed by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. A national charter was granted by Congress on September 16, 1919. The charter has been amended over the years to admit veterans of all American Wars to its membership. Nonsectarian and nonpolitical, the American Legion membership requirement is an honorable service and an honorable discharge." The text on side two reads: "On July 15, 1919, following a petition signed by fifteen charter members, the American Legion Post Number II, Florence, Alabama was organized, with Albert McFarland, commander, Bob Eastep, vice-commander, and George Bowen, adjutant. This post held its first meetings on West Tennessee Street, across from the location of the original court house. Construction of the original wing of this historic home of Post Number II, 318 South Court Street, commenced on March 15, 1936. This building is dedicated to the memory of those from Lauderdale County who paid the supreme sacrifice in World War I."
“The American Legion - 1919 Marker”. Accessed 11/10/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
The seal of Auburn University that sits infront of Langdon Hall and was put there in the 70s.
Schools; Churches; Moulton, AL, Lawrence County, AL
In 1852, the Baptist Female Institution of Moulton was incorporated under the patronage of the Muscle Shoals Baptist Association. At the time the school received its charter, the school building could accommodate 150 female students. Tuition per each five-month session varied. The preparatory department cost either $10 or $12. The freshman class paid $14, the sophomore class, $16, and the junior class, $18. The senior class paid the largest tuition per session at $20. Extracurricular activities including instrumental music, piano and guitar could be added at a cost of $15 each. Additional instruction in drawing and painting cost $10. A dollar was added on to all tuition for contingent expenses. The school rules required students to conform in all their conduct to a strict code of morality. No conversation of any kind was allowed during study hours. No pupils were permitted to receive attention from male students, or attend parties during the session of their term. Expulsion was imminent if they did not abide by the rules.
"The Heritage of Lawrence County, Alabama." Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc. 1998.
Downtown Florence Businesses; Jewish Community in Florence, Alabama; Klibanoff Family; Lauderdale County, AL
The Bootery, which was located on 111 North Court Street, was a locally owned business and landmark for eight decades in Florence. (The last incarnation of the store was Kaye's Shoes in Regency Square Mall.) Owned by Morris Klibanoff and Melburn Zeff, the store specialized in "shoes, accessories, sportswear, and lingerie." Hymen Klibanoff (October 20, 1886 - June 10, 1947), who was married to Lillie A. Klibanoff (August 1, 1890 - February 13, 1969) founded The Bootery in 1918. Born in Russia, he came to the United States as a young man. Morris (January 29, 1917 - December 13, 1996) and Rosalyn Klibanoff (August 8, 1919 - December 6, 2003), worked together and were married for over fifty-six years. Morris Klibanoff, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, graduated from Coffee High School, attended Vanderbilt, and graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois with a degree in Business Administration and Commerce. Rosalyn Bookholtz attended Hunter College and moved to Florence, Alabama (the home of her sister Mildred Rosenbaum) in 1940 to marry Morris Kilbanoff. They were the parents of five children: Judy Klibanoff Engle, Ruth Klibanoff Berg, Henry ("Hank") Klibanoff, Deborah Klibanoff, and Danie Klibanoff. The couple was active in the community and Temple B'nai Israel. Mrs. Klibanoff was instrumental in founding two local theatre groups - in 1949, she was a founding member of The Little Theatre, and she worked toward founding the Zodiac Theatre (which was, at that time, located on Hermitage Drive).
From the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library Archives, vertical files. Temple B'nai Israel Cemetery Obituaries, Compiled by Scott Dawsey, 2005.
Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Professional Wrestling Jim Crockett Bill Lewis Bob Whitfield Charlotte, North Carolina Richmond, Virginia
Article appeared in Charlotte Observer on September 6, 1936.
Lee County, AL; Civil War; Auburn, AL; Religion; Langdon Hall; Auburn Presbyterian Church; Slavery; Reese, Edwin; Old Main Hall
Founded as the Auburn Presbyterian Church in 1851, “the Chapel” was built by local slaves belonging to one of Auburn’s first residents, Edwin Reese. Like Langdon Hall and Old Main Hall, it served as a makeshift hospital from July 1864 through the end of the Civil War. It is currently the oldest building in Auburn still standing on its original site and the second oldest building overall. It is still in use today as a multi-faith chapel.
Floyd D. Warner, Auburn Players Theater: National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form
The first African-Americans who lived in the Shoals were slaves of the Chickasaw tribe. When the Chickasaws from Alabama and Mississippi were removed from their homes in the 1830s, the census included 1156 slaves. Tom Melton, an Irishman who lived among the Chickasaws, most definitely had African-American slaves at his home site near present-day Rogersville.
William McDonald, A Walk Through the Past. University of North Alabama archives
Late eighteenth-early nineteenth century