Browse Items (1458 total)

The Home of Governor and Confederate Brigadier General Edward Asbury O’Neal was in downtown Florence Alabama. After graduating from LaGrange College he studied law in Huntsville and married Olivia Moore. He passed the bar in 1840 and began a law…

The Greek revival mansion built in 1855 by George Washington Foster required an act of the Alabama legislature to close Court Street. Foster’s daughter Sarah Independence McDonald and her family lived there until 1900, when it was purchased by…

The residence of Mapleton was built in the Federalist style under the direction of a South American architect. During the Civil War it was known as Todd’s Hill because it was the home of local physician Levi Todd. When the Union occupied Florence…

Wilson Dam is a gravity dam spanning the Tennessee River between Lauderdale and Colbert counties in the quad cities area. The dam was originally constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1918 and 1924. The project was envisioned as a part…

President elect Franklin Roosevelt visited Florence on January 21 and 22, 1933. The President was in the area touring Wilson Dam as a model for his proposal of a Tennessee Valley Authority. The design of the program, drafted by Senator George Norris…

Robin Lightfoot, a mixed blood slave, help to organize the first church of African Americans at Florence, Church Spring, in 1837. Reverend Lightfoot preached on the hope for eventual emancipation for his people. While Union General Don Carlos Buell…

Bridget Blessing Morrison lived on the southeast corner of Wood Avenue and Mobile Street. She was born in Montreal, Canada. Her father brought his family to Florence during the early 1830s to work as an engineer on the first Muscle Shoals Canal. She…

The Union Gunboat raid on Florence, by vessels under the command of Commander Andrew H. Foote began on February 7, 1862. The USS Conestoga, Tyler, and Lexington had steamed up the river on February 6, in pursuit of Confederate steamers. The CSS…

After the fall of Fort Henry at the mouth of the Tennessee River, the USS Contestoga, Tyler, and Lexington steamed up the river on February 6, in pursuit of Confederate steamers. The Union forces under the command of Commander Andrew H. Foote…

One of the most notorious outlaws in the Tennessee Valley moved to Lauderdale County in late 1862 or early 1863. He was known as Mountain Tom Clark because he was known to have been from the “mountain counties.” This moniker helped to…

The most contested ground in the Lauderdale County during the Civil War was most probably the area known as Happy Hollow. This engagement occurred in and around the area that Jackson’s Military Road crossed Shoal Creek in the area then known as…

The Wright and Rice Foundry was located where the Mars Hill Church of Christ is located on Cox Creek. The foundry was built in 1835 by Williams Johnson but was sold to James Wright and William Rice. The foundry produced steam engines, mill saws,…

After the Union forces captured Florence in 1862, the Union military officials issued an edict that forbade praying for the Confederacy. The pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Florence was arrested for violating this decree on Sunday, July…

From Florence, turn off AL 20 (Savannah Highway) onto Waterloo Road. Go 12.5 miles and bear right on a gravel road. Go 0.1 mile to the cemetery. The cemetery is located behind Gravelly springs Missionary Baptist Church.

Gravelly Springs Cemetery…

To reach Bumpus Creek Cemetery from Florence, Alabama, travel Alabama Hwy 20 west and turn left onto Waterloo Rd. and travel to Waterloo, Alabama. County Road # 14 turns north in Waterloo. Turn right and follow Bumpus Creek Road 4.5 miles to the…

To reach the Ford Mill’s Cemetery from Florence, Alabama, travel west on Alabama Highway 20. Turn left onto County Road 14 and travel approximately 22 miles. Turn right onto County Road 1 just before crossing the bridge into Waterloo. Travel north…

From Florence, take the Waterloo road and go to Waterloo. Then take the Pea Ridge Road for about seven miles, turn left at the first paved cross roads. Go for about three miles until the road comes to a "T", turn left and go almost
to the edge of…

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…

The Mt. Olive Cemetery is located in the far western area of Lauderdale Co., Alabama. To reach the cemetery, from Waterloo, AL, travel County Road #45 for 4.1 miles. Turn left onto Union Hollow Rd. Keep continuing left as Union Hollow Rd. begins to…

To reach the Walston Cemetery from Florence, Alabama, travel west on Alabama Highway 20 for 3.3 miles. Turn left (west) onto County Rd. 14 (Waterloo Rd.) and travel 5.4 miles to the community of Oakland, Alabama. Turn left onto County Rd. 15 and go…

The Florence Indian Mound Museum is located at the foot of the Florence Indian Mound. The Florence Mound was built by early Native Americans and dates back to the Woodland period. The museum has display cases that house arrowheads, spearheads,…

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…

To reach the William’s Chapel Cemetery, from Waterloo, Alabama, travel east on County Rd. # 14 for about ½ mile. Turn left (north) onto County Road. 1. Go about 7 miles and the cemetery is on the left behind the church. Williams Chapel Cemetery…

To reach Pine Hill Cemetery, from Florence, Alabama, travel Alabama Highway 20 west approximately 19½ miles. Turn right onto County Road 8 and travel approximately .9 mile and turn left onto County Road 10. Travel approximately 1.2 miles and the…

Whitten Cemetery is located in western Lauderdale County, Alabama area north of Waterloo. To reach the Whitten Cemetery, travel on Lauderdale County Road 14 to Waterloo. Continue to follow County Rd. 14 turning right. Continue on 1.07 miles and turn…

This cemetery is located off County Road 21 north of Waterloo, Alabama. From Waterloo, travel north on County Road 14 for 1.07 miles and turn right onto County Road 90. Go 2.2 miles to County Road 21. Turn left and keep right, following County Rd. 21…

David L. Montgomery visited this grave an stated: "An individual who lives in the immediate area of this grave informed me about this Union soldier’s final resting place. He has hunted the surrounding woods almost all of his life and has known of…

Murphy's Chapel Cemetery is located ½ mile east of Alabama Highway 20, on Lauderdale County Road 8 at Murphy's Chapel Free Will Baptist Church northwest of Florence, Alabama.

The oldest known grave is that of a Confederate soldier buried in 1861.…

The Macedonia Church of Christ cemetery is located in the western part of Lauderdale County. To reach the cemetery, travel Alabama Highway 20 west from Florence, AL. Immediately after crossing over the Natchez Trace Parkway, turn left onto County Rd.…

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…

From Florence, Alabama, travel Alabama Hwy. 20 west for 3.3 miles. Turn left onto Waterloo Rd. and go 10.2 miles. Turn left onto County Rd. 189 and go 2.8 miles. The church and cemetery are at the corner of County Rd. 189 and County Rd. 62. The…

To reach the cemetery, turn north off Cox Creek Parkway in Florence and travel 8.3 miles. Turn left onto County Road #73 and keep right. Travel .8 mile to the cemetery on the right. The are a few graves marked with stones.

Full list of graves is…

The Jessie’s Garden cemetery is adjacent to the Wilson Cemetery on state highway 17, north of Florence, Alabama. Turn right onto County Rd. 142 just north of the Rogers Chapel United Methodist Church. Go 200 yards and the entrance is on the right.…

Oak Grove Cemetery is located in Lauderdale County, Alabama. From Florence, Alabama, take Savannah Hwy west to Waterloo Rd. Turn west onto County Road 14, go approx. 17 miles. Turn right onto Bitter Branch Rd. Turn left onto County Road 121. The…

To reach the Rhodesville Methodist Church Cemetery, turn right in Rhodesville onto County Road #189. Go about .5 miles to the cemetery. It is located behind the church. The cemetery has a record of 136 records.

A list of graves is located in the…

General John Coffee was a Federal surveyor who did work in Tennessee and Alabama and is known as one of the founders of Florence, Alabama. Born on June 2, 1772, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Coffee moved to Tennessee as a young man. As a…

Alexander Donelson Coffee was a Confederate veteran of the Civil War and a planter and manufacturer in Florence. He was born on June 3, 1821, to General John Coffee and Mary Donelson Coffee. He attended the Lorance school in Florence, and the…

Kilby Laboratory School was founded in 1922 as a part of Florence State Normal School. The school originally occupied what is now the University Of North Alabama Mathematics Building. Classes were conducted in this location until the fall of 1964…

The Wilson Dam Replica is located on the corner of Mobile and Seminary Streets in front of Legends Steakhouse in downtown Florence, Alabama. The replica dam is engraved with each name of the quad cities: Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and…

James Jackson was born on October 25, 1782, in Ballybay County, Monaghan, Ireland. Jackson came to America in 1799 and moved to Nashville in 1801. Upon his arrival in Nashville, James Jackson quickly became acquainted with Andrew Jackson and John…

The City of Florence Walk of Honor is located next to the Marriott hotel in River Heritage Park. The city of Florence designed the Walk of Honor to recognize residents of Lauderdale County who had/have found success at the national or international…

This is the burial place of Lillian Cook Deibert. Lillian and her husband Kirk owned Rolling Acres Stock Farm. In 1991 their barn burned down, killing 27 of Lillian's beloved horses. She is buried at this spot located in Deibert Park right next to…

From downtown Florence take Cloverdale Road (State Highway 157), go for about 2 miles, turn left about 50 yards after crossing Cox Creek. A historical marker can be seen here (about General John Coffee and the War of 1812) at the entrance to the…

John McKinley was one of seven trustees that made up the Cypress Land Company and is considered a founder of Florence, Alabama. McKinley was born on May 1, 1780, in Culpepper County, Virginia, and later moved to Kentucky. He came to Alabama around…

Ferdinand Sannoner was born in Leghorn, Italy, in 1793. He graduated from the French Polytechnic Institute at Paris. Sannoner worked as a surveyor for Napoleon in France. He came to America around 1816. In 1818, John Coffee appointed him to…

This wall is known by two names: Tom Hendrix's Wall and the Wichahpi Commemorative Wall. Tom Hendrix started this wall in the 1980's after learning of his great-great grandmother's journey during the Trail of Tears. Te-lah-nay was forced to walk to…

Zebulon Pike Morrison was born in Lexington, Virginia in 1818. He and his wife Bridget had nine children. He was the sixteenth Mayor of Florence, and served in that capacity from 1880-1890. Morrison was also an alderman for the city of Florence…

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…

After leaving her job as a music teacher at a private kindergarten in Tuscumbia, Maud McKnight Lindsay started the first free kindergarten in the state of Alabama in 1898. She taught children from the cotton mill district in East Florence. The…

George Washington Foster was born on November 28, 1806, in Nashville, Tennessee. On January 10, 1829, he married Sarah Independence Watkins. They had seven children: Mary Ann, Virginia (Jennie), Watkins (Wat), Louisa (Lou), George Washington Jr.…