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Canaan Methodist Church
Established during the 1830s, the Canaan United Methodist Church is the oldest Methodist congregation in Lauderdale County. Land for the church’s building and cemetery were given by an early settler in the county named Edmond Noel. Established for…
Goodsprings Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Along with thirty-five members, Reverend Felix Johnson organized Goodsprings Cumberland Presbyterian in Rogersville, Alabama, on September 18, 1839. During its history the church’s congregation has had to deal with two historical events—the Civil War…
First Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church of Florence is the oldest continually operating congregation in Florence, Alabama. Early Presbyterian settlers of Florence bought land lot 84 from the Cypress Land Company in 1818 for a total of $1,600 and built a…
Shape-Note Music
The shape-note notation was an American pedagogical tool designed to increase the music education of the average citizen who did not have the financial resources or time to learn the traditional round note notation. New Englanders William Smith and…
Florence Opera House
According to Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, an opera house operated in Florence during the late 1880s and permanently closed its doors during the early twentieth century. Between 1894 and 1905 the venue was known as Turner Opera House. During the…
Florence Downtown Mural
The Florence Main Street Program, a non-profit organization, strives to renovate the downtown sector of Florence, Alabama. One of the organization’s recent projects is the beautiful mural located on the exterior wall of Fred’s Super Dollar store…
UNA "Front Porch" Storytelling Festival
One of the world’s oldest spoken art form is storytelling and the Communication Department at the University of North Alabama acknowledges this. Beginning in 2011, UNA communications professor Dr. Bill Huddleston started to offer the course COM…
Arts Alive Festival
Since 1986, the city of Florence has hosted an annual two day festival dedicated to highlighting the local area’s rich art culture known as Arts Alive. Each year, the event has is organized through the hard work and efforts of a volunteer committee. …
The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival
George Smith Lindsey attended Florence State Teachers College (now present day University of North Alabama) during the late 1940s. At Florence State Lindsey excelled both on the football field and in the theatre. One of the theatrical plays in which…
First Fridays Downtown Florence
On the first Friday of each month from March through December, Florence residents come together at historic downtown Florence to celebrate the town’s rich culture in the arts. The scene is a festive atmosphere and the admission is free. Streets are…
2005.36.122: Jeannie to Louisa Young, 22 May 1859
This letter expresses pain and disappointment related to the “very long time” since receiving a letter. Jeannie compares the love to a son to her love for Louisa. The letter also discusses the social life of Charleston, South Carolina.
2005.36.407: James W. Watts to Tom, 1858 September 21
A very short letter, in response to one from Tom. Watts said he agreed with the plan for the perez (?) as all parties agreed. One handwritten page.
2005.36.399: James W. Watts to Lou Young, 1860 May 13
Describe the letter in detail here . . . .
North Alabama Abstract & Guaranty Company
The building that currently houses the North Alabama Abstract is known as the Clark Building. It is a part of the Colbert County Courthouse Square Historic District. The district is part of the National Register of Historic Places. This brick…
Stephano's Southland
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…
Audie Mescal Womens Clothing Store
The building that now houses Audie Mescal Womens Clothing is one of the oldest commercial buildings in Colbert County, belonging to the original seven buildings that made Commercial Row in the 1830s. It was in this building that Helen Keller's…
Sheffield Hardware
Sheffield Hardware is located directly across from the Sheffield Library at 309 North Montgomery Avenue. The building was built in 1896 and became the original Sheffield Hardware in 1898. In the 1930's, the building became McClellan's Five and Dime…
Coldwater Seed and Supply
According to the current owner of Coldwater Seed and Supply, it is one of the oldest, continually-operating seed stores in Alabama. It was founded in 1930.
Colbert County Reporter / Standard & Times
The Standard & Times was founded in 1829. The building still stands at 106 W 5th Street as part of the original seven buildings that comprised the historic Commercial Row where it continues to serve as a newspaper office for the Colbert County…
Cypress Moon Studio
Cypress Moon Studio is located at 1000 Alabama Avenue in Sheffield. The studio overlooks the Tennessee River. There is parking with picnic tables right across from the studio by the river. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio moved from its original…
Coldwater Stagecoach Stop
The Coldwater Stagecoach Stop is located 302 South Dickson St. in Tuscumbia. It was built as early as 1815 as a small log cabin. It served as a stagecoach stop on the Jackson Military Road and is believed to be one of several cabins operated as a…
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, located off Hwy 72 in Colbert County, on the outskirts of Tuscumbia is the hall of fame that honors Alabamians who have made major contributions to American music. Over the years, it has provided an educational…
Sheffield Public Library
The Sheffield Public Library is one of five public libraries in Colbert County. It is located at 316 N. Montgomery Ave. From Hwy 72 in Muscle Shoals, take E 2nd St. until N Montgomery Ave, then go north. The library is on the corner of N Montgomery…
Muscle Shoals Public Library
The Muscle Shoals Public Library is located at 1918 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Colbert County, next to Muscle Shoals High School. It contains approximately 52,000 volumes and offers DVD's, audiobooks, computers, and free wifi to the public.…
Leighton Public Library
The Leighton Public Library is located at 8740 Main Street in Leighton, Colbert County, just off Old Hwy 20. If heading east from Muscle Shoals on Hwy 72, turn left on County Line Road which turns into Leighton's Main Street. Besides 6,300 books, the…
Tuscumbia Railroad and Transportation Museum
The Tuscumbia Railroad Historic Depot, located at 204 W. 5th St. in downtown Tuscumbia is a fully restored museum based on how it was when it was built in 1888. The museum displays train memorabilia, interactive train simulators, telegraph…
Tennessee Valley Museum of Art
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.…
Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals
“Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals” is a corridor of historic displays in the Muscle Shoals City Hall. It covers the history of the city of Muscle Shoals, the Wilson Dam and Lock, and Muscle Shoals Music with exhibits of original…
Cherokee Public Library
The Cherokee Public Library is located on Church Street in downtown Cherokee, Colbert County. If heading west from Tuscumbia on Hwy 72, turn right on Main Street, cross the Old Lee Highway and the railroad, turn right on First Street, then take the…
The Franklin House
The Franklin House was one of Tuscumbia's early great landmarks.
Colonel Robert Ransom moved to Tuscumbia from Tennessee and began construction of a hotel on the southeast corner of 5th and Water Streets. The Franklin House's grand opening of this…
Colonel Robert Ransom moved to Tuscumbia from Tennessee and began construction of a hotel on the southeast corner of 5th and Water Streets. The Franklin House's grand opening of this…
Planter's Hotel
This structure was completed in 1839 on the northeast corner of 5th and Main Streets. John L. McRae was in involved in its construction. It was a three story brick building and competed with the Franklin House with its livery stable located just…
Palace Drug Store
This building was built in 1833. It was originally known as "The Railroad Hotel." and later as "The Major Pope Railroad Hotel." The word railroad was added because the hotel became a popular resting place for rail travelers even before the Civil War.…
Old Opera House
In 1835, William Young and his brother Isaac Smoot, a contractor, bought a lot on what is today the corner of Fourth and Main Streets in Tuscumbia for the purpose of opening a carriage factory. They constructed a large red brick building with a porch…
Kirkland's Dress Shop
The building originally known as G & J Sutherland's Store is the only remaining building of Mechanic's Row in Tuscumbia and is the oldest known commercial building in the State of Alabama. Thomas Keenan, David Deshler, J.M. Moore, Dr. Wharton, James…