The Florence Hotel was constructed by The Florence Land, Mining, and Manufacturing Company, the company owned by Judge William Basil Wood, the father of the Sweetwater and Florence Industrial Boom. W.B. Wood had quite an impact in Florence since he was the president of W.B. Wood Furnace Company, the Charcoal & Chemical Company, the Florence, Tuscaloosa & Montgomery Railroad Company, the Florence & Chicago Railroad Company, and Secretary of the Alabama Improvement Company, so he was a true mover and shaker for Florence. The Florence Land, Mining, and Manufacturing Company had the Florence Hotel built in 1887-1888. The hotel was the first in the area to introduce both electricity and the telephone in 1888. On March 3, 1888, the Florence Hotel was successfully lighted and the next night at the Leap Year Ball, the Florence Hotel became the center of the social world for Florence. In November of 1888, Charles M. Brandon, founding member of the Cherry Cotton Mill, bought the lease for the Florence Hotel from the Florence Land, Mining, and Manufacturing Company until 1891. However, his lease was prematurely terminated in 1890 for reasons unknown. By 1904, the Florence Hotel had changed hands a few different times until A.D. Bellamy of the Florence Wagon Works bought the hotel and used it for the Florence Vehicle Company. Reports of the number of rooms the Florence Hotel vary, but the largest number seems to be 29 guest rooms for the Hotel. In 1909 or 1910, the Florence Hotel served as the temporary home of Rogers Surprise Store after Rogers experienced a devastating fire to their retail building on Court Street. In addition to serving Rogers, it also served the new owner of the Florence Wagon Works, John T. Ashcraft as an office building and suites for the Wagon Works executives. After the 1910s, the Florence Hotel building became strictly used for business, thus ending the life of the Florence Hotel.
M.C. Fesmire, University of North Alabama
Text Sources: Maness, Maurine. “A History of Lamar Furniture Building, Florence, Alabama.” Journal of Muscle Shoals History, vol. 6 (1978): 121-126. Picture Sources: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Florence Hotel.” Florence, Alabama, Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-23.
Late Nineteenth Century-Early Twentieth Century
Florence Ice and Coal Company/Central Ice Company
Two separate ice and coal companies merged to create the Florence Ice and Coal Company. The first company was Chapin Ice and Coal Company. The second company was H.J. Moore Coal Company. Chapin, before the merger, boasted that the company could produce up to 25 tons of ice per day. In 1902, the two companies merged to create the largest manufacturer of ice and provider of coal in Florence. The water used for the manufacturing of the ice at Florence Ice and Coal was pumped from a pure spring in the Sweetwater area, fortunately, multiple springs existed in Sweetwater. The company owned its own purification plant to help clean the water from the mineral free spring. In addition to the purification plant, the company owned over a dozen horses to transport the heavy loads of ice to the people of Florence daily. How the workers of Florence Ice and Coal knew to replenish their customers with a fresh block of ice was a placard system instituted by the company and a set of four cards given to customers. The customers would have the option of 25, 50, 75, and 100 pound blocks of ice to be delivered to their ice boxes daily by the route runners of Florence Ice and Coal. The placards had to be upright to have any ice delivered to their home on a daily basis. After twenty-six years, Florence Ice and Coal Company became Central Ice Company, eliminating coal from their services.
Matthew C. Fesmire, University of North Alabama
Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama." Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2003. McDonald, William Lindsey. "Remembering Sweetwater: The Mansions, The Mills, The People." Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2002. McDonald, William Lindsey. "Sweetwater: The Story of East Florence." Florence: Florence Historical Board, 1989. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Florence Ice and Coal Company/Central Ice Company.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-31.
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, Native American pottery, and implements made from bones, shells, and rocks. The museum does not focus on the Florence Indian Mound, but features displays from different eras, tribes, and locations that are not related to the Florence site. There are enough labels and interpretive exhibits to allow a visitor to understand the meaning of the objects on display, even without a detailed tour. A video that is less than 10 minutes long is available for visitors to watch. It briefly covers Native American History, but really does not mention the Florence Indian Mound with any significance. The first exhibit in the museum is entitled “The New Americans Migrated from the Old World” and explains how this is thought to have been done. The second is entitled “Paleo Indian Nomadic Hunters: More than 10,000 Years Ago.” Continuing down the line you find the “Transition of Paleo-Archaic Hunters to Gatherers: 7,000 to 10,000 years ago,” “Woodland People The First Farmers: 1,100 to 4,000 years ago,” “Mississippian People: Temple Mound Builders 500-1,000 years ago,” “Historic Indians,” and “Trail of Tears.” After walking back to the other side of the room, a visitor is able to learn about the “Stanfield-Worley Bluff Shelter: One of the World’s Archaeology Greats.” This side of the room offers a look at Native American tools, Spanish trade goods, pottery, and the use of effigies in Native American culture. Industrialization has encroached on the mound site a great deal. Almost touching the drive that circles around the mound is a Co-Op store and related buildings. The railroad runs near the opposite side of the mound, where the Port of Florence is in close proximity. The above article was written in 2015, and tells the story of the first museum that was located at the Florence Indian Mound. Shortly after this article was completed, the old museum building was demolished. A new museum was completed in early 2017.
Kayla Scott, University of North Alabama
A Visit to the Florence Indian Mound Museum
Florence Little League Baseball (1951) Marker
Historic Markers; Florence AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker is located on Clayborn Liles Drive, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Plans for the Florence Little League Baseball program for youth in ages ranging from eight to twelve years were completed in April 1951. These plans and the layout of this playing field were in accord with those developed by American's first Little League Program of 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The four local teams to participate in the Florence 1952 opening season were Indian, Red Socks, Tigers and Yankees. In 1973 this field was re~named Coach Presley Robbins Field in appreciation of Robbins' years of labor that was instrumental to the development of this program for the youth of Florence."
Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
“Florence Little League Baseball Marker”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
The Florence Lumber Company was established in the early 1910s. Today, Florence Lumber Company is located on East Tennessee Street in downtown Florence. The company has been a mainstay in Florence for around a century and is one of the earliest lumber businesses in Florence to be in operation. The lumber company is operated by Uhland O. Redd III, a descendant of one of the original founders of the Florence Lumber Company. In the early twentieth century, Florence Lumber Company was at the center of a local controversy involving the construction of the Bungalow style home in downtown Florence. The controversy centered around the bungalow home being an uncommon home in contrast to the traditional homes in northwestern Alabama area since the style was a transplant from California. Many in the downtown Florence community complained about the bungalow controversy, but, in the end, the bungalow style homes were built. Florence Lumber Company built a number of bungalows, as well as houses of other styles, around Florence.
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. “Florence Lumber Company.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-06.
This company was founded in the East Florence area of Sweetwater. The initial founders of the company were R.M. Martin, President, Colonel Noel F. Cherry, Vice-President (and founder of the Mountain Mills and Cherry Cotton Mill), and S.S. Broadus, Secretary and Treasurer (founder of the short lived Broadus [Cotton] Mill in the Sweetwater area located close to present day Veterans Drive and Wilson Dam Road, also treasurer of the Merchant’s Bank in Florence as well ). Located along the railroad tracks in Sweetwater, the Florence Machine Company served as a manufacturing spur along the railroad line through east Florence. When it was founded, the capital investment within the company was ten thousand dollars.
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. “Florence Machine Works.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-33.
Theatre; Arts; Culture; Music; Florence, AL
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 years of operation, the opera house had numerous managers, such as John B. McClure. Many national recognized actors and artists, such as the Conklings, Mr. John Thompson, Mr. Rowland D. Williams, and General John B. Gordon, put on dramas, comedies, and musical concerts. In addition, local talent from the Shoals put on shows and events. For example, actors from Florence and Sheffield put on the opera “H. M. S. Pinafore” on January 24, 1896. On regular occasions the proceeds of events went towards local charities, such as the construction of Confederate Monument and City Infirmary.
Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
Text: “Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps,” Florence Lauderdale Public Library, Local History Room Collection, folder “Opera House,” Florence, Alabama. “Opera House. Two Good Attractions for February 22nd, and March 15th,” Florence Herald, February 1, 1984, Florence Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama, Local History Room Collection, folder “Opera House,” Florence, Alabama. “H. M. S. Pinafore. In the Opera House Friday, January 24th,” Florence Times, January 11, 1896, Florence Lauderdale Public Library, Local History Room Collection, folder “Opera House,” Florence, Alabama. “Gen. Gordon’s Lectures,” Florence Standard-Journal, May 6, 1898, Florence Lauderdale Public Library, Local History Room Collection, folder “Opera House,” Florence, Alabama. Images: Flyer for a 1895 play at the Florence Opera House, Nolen Collection, “Florence area 1880s-1920s: Photos,” Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
This historic marker was located on Alabama Highway 17. It is now located on the University of North Alabama's campus. The text on the marker reads: "Oldest state-supported teachers college south of Ohio R. 1830-opened as LaGrange College (Methodist) at nearby Leighton. First chartered college in state. 1855-moved here and re-named Florence Wesleyan University. Flourished until closed by war in 1865. 1872-deeded to State by church; became Florence State Normal School. 1926-present name adopted."
“Florence State Teachers College Marker”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
In 1855 by the Presbyterian Synod of Nashville opened the Florence Female Synodical College. Zebulon Pike Morrison, who constructed Wesleyan Hall, also built the two buildings that housed the college. Young women of any religious denomination could attend the school. The college trained women art, languages, drawing, painting, English, geography, arithmetic, and music. The college closed in 1893. The college stood where the Florence Post Office now is.
Claire Eagle, University of North Alabama
William Lindsey McDonald, A Walk Through The Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. (Bluewater Publications, 2003), 89.
Florence Synodical Female College Marker
This historic marker is located at the intersection of North Wood Avenue and Tombigbee Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one reads: "The Cypress Land Company reserved this block for education purposes. In 1847 the Florence Female Academy, consisting of two buildings, was established. The Academy was soon in financial trouble Despite a $20,000 contribution from the City of Florence. the Academy ceased operation in the early 1850's. At the request of the City, the Academy Board of Trustees turned the land and building over to the Presbyterian Synod of Nashville on November 25, 1854. The Florence Synodical Female College was chartered by the Alabama Legislature in December, 1855 and received its first students that same year. White female applicants were accepted without regard to class or religious denomination, although daughters of Presbyterian clergy received preference. The stated aim of the College was to train young ladies for proper sphere in the home and drawing room. Dr. William H. Mitchell, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, served as president of the academy until 1871. Five other presidents followed him. The Board of Trustees consisted of fifteen prominent business men. Robert M. Patton, later governor of Alabama, was Chairman of the Board. The education building, facing Wilson Park (then called the Public Walk), consisted of classrooms, offices, and a library. The dormitory faced Seminary Street where the post office is currently located." The text on side two reads: "Students often used the Public Walk for recreation. The city assisted this activity by planting 100 trees and fencing the area to keep the cows out. FSFC faculty and staff usually included six or seven teaching faculty members plus a cook and janitor. The faculty taught in departments of language, literature, natural science, mathematics, music and a preparatory department. Enrollment averaged about 100 and never exceeded 140 students. Students came from all parts of the South, but mainly from more affluent families of Northwest Alabama. Student life and activities were strictly controlled. Off campus generally limited to family members. During some years students were required to wear uniforms to discourage extravagant dressing. Financial troubles and competition from the state supported co-female University, which opened in 1891, forced closure of the College in 1893. In 1895 the land, buildings, and appurtenance were sold to satisfy financial obligations. The dormitory was demolished in 1911 clearing the way for the federal building. The educational building was occupied by several businesses and the Elks Club until razed in 1972."
“Florence Synodical Female College”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
The Florence Times was the predecessor of the current newspaper for Lauderdale County, The Times-Daily. The Florence Times began in the nineteenth century by the O’Neal family. The O’Neal family of Florence produced multiple governors of Alabama and were pillars of the Florence community in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Florence Times did not become the predominant newspaper in Lauderdale County until the twentieth century. In 1927, a man from Gadsden, Alabama named J.L. Meeks, Sr., after he sold his newspaper in Gadsden purchased The Florence Times from the O’Neal family. A story exists about J.L. Meeks that he had the same kind of open top car as a famous madam in Florence. Little did Meeks know that when he drove down the street that the reason why people would wave and grin at him was not to welcome him to Florence, but to make fun of his lack of knowledge about the preeminent madam in Florence and her car. In addition to owning The Florence Times, Meeks also owned the Tri-Cities Daily based out of Colbert County. In the 1940s, Meeks passed away and the ownership of the papers went to his son, J.L. Meeks, Jr. In the early 1960s, Meeks, Jr., sold The Florence Times to Worrell Newspapers, Inc. About twenty years later in 1982, The New York Times purchased The Florence Times from Worrell Newspapers, Inc. And the publisher at the time, Guy Hankins, changed the name of the paper to the Times-Daily, the newspaper Lauderdale County knows today. The Florence Times was on Court Street for many years during the early to mid-twentieth century before moving to West Tennessee Street where it stands today.
Text Sources: Wade, Gerald compiler. "Facts, Folks, Residents and Rascals: A Tourist Guide & Visitors’ Handbook to the Shoals Area." Florence, Ala.: Cypress Creek Publishing, 1990. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Florence Times.” Florence, Alabama. Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-51.
Florence University for Women was also known as Baptist University and Hawthorne's College. Work began on the college in 1890 by the Florence Educational, Land, and Development Company headed by J.B. Hawthorne. The building had three floors, 88 bedrooms, a chapel that could seat 750, a dining hall, sixteen classrooms, and a gym.The school was going to be a Baptist university if a $100,000 endowment could be paid within the first year. After the endowment was not paid the school was given to Rev. L.D. Bass to establish a secular school named Southern Female University. It opened in 1891 with 20 teachers and about 100 students. Although Bass advertised the school as a secular institution, the student body consisted of mostly Baptist girls. After only two years the college moved to Birmingham and the building sat vacant. In 1908 the president of Southern Female College in Lagrange, Ga, M.W. Hatto purchased the building. Hatto had the building renovated and reopened the school as Florence University for Women. Less than 3 years later the building burned, along with all of the students belongings, because of faulty electrical wiring. Only the seniors were able to finish their degrees after being sent to a school in Kentucky. The building was insured, but only for $16,000.
Text: William Lindsey McDonald, A Walk Through The Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. (Bluewater Publications, 2003), 92-93. “Florence University is Burned to the Ground,” The Tri-Cities Daily, March 2, 1911. Image: University of North Alabama Archives and Special Collections
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Richards Street and Veterans Drive, Florence, AL. The text on the marker reads: "Moved here from Atlanta in 1889, this industry made Florence a household word throughout the South. It was the largest wagon factory in the South, reportedly second largest in the U.S., with 250 employees and annual production of 12,000 wagons. World War I army wagons were made here and sent all over U.S. and to France. Increasing use of motorized vehicles caused gradual reduction in activity of factory. The firm was liquidated in 1930's."
“Florence Wagon Company Marker”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Before the city of Florence, Alabama gained renown for its world famous Florence Wagon Works, the wagon company operated in the area of Atlanta, Georgia. One reason why the company moved to Florence was the infrastructure of industry within the Muscle Shoals region, with about sixty different plants and businesses located in the city of Florence. Dr. Alfred David Bellamy, a New York native and owner of the Atlanta Wagon Company, moved the company to Florence in 1889 when the new buildings for the new Florence Wagon Company were completed in 1888/1889. At the height of the Florence Wagon Works’ production the company manufactured enough wagons to be second in North America behind the Canadian wagon company Studebaker. In February of 1890, the Florence Wagon Works employed about seventy-five laborers. By October of 1890, the number of employees expanded to 125, then to 160 by 1897. There is a discrepancy in different sources as to how many people Florence Wagon Works employed at its apex, one source says 175 , whereas another says 250. Regardless of the exact numbers, Florence Wagon Works had a serious impact on employment in the Florence area. Production of the “Light Running” Florence Wagons increased yearly from 1889 into the early twentieth century, to the point where the factory would turn out twenty to twenty-five wagons per day, a very high number for a custom wagon in the pre-assembly line era. At their peak, Florence Wagon Works used an average of two million feet of hardwood per year to produce between ten to fifteen thousand “Light Running” Florence Wagons per year. The “Light Running” Florence Wagon was a casualty to its era. With the invention of the automobile, including the utilitarian pick-up truck, and the advancement in tractor machinery, the “Light Running” Florence Wagon began to meet its demise in the early twentieth century. The diminished necessity of horse-drawn transportation sent the wagon into decline. The greatest decline in business for the Florence Wagon Works was in the 1920s and 1930s when people were able to buy affordable gasoline powered vehicles in the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Florence Wagon Works tried to survive the declining demand for horse-drawn vehicles by turning to building lawn furniture in the 1930s. But the company could not survive and was sold in 1941 to a company from Chattanooga called Trenholm & Starr, Inc. who continued the Florence operation for a short period. Eventually, the new ownership moved all operations to Hickory, North Carolina in 1941, leaving open warehouses at the Florence Wagon Works that were used for the storage of cotton, and thus was the end of Florence Wagon Works in North Alabama. There was hope the deserted factory would be used in World War II for defense purposes, but that never materialized.
Text Sources: Florence/Lauderdale Public Library. Vertical History File. Local History & Genealogy. Freeman, Lee. “A Brief History of the Florence Wagon Factory.” Florence, Lauderdale County, AL. Florence Wagon Works 2-2. Florence/Lauderdale Public Library. Vertical History File. Local History & Genealogy. Freeman, Lee. “A Tribute to the Men and Women of the Florence Wagon Works.” Florence, Lauderdale County, AL. Florence Wagon Works 2-2. McDonald, William L. "Remembering Sweetwater: The Mansions, The Mills, The People." Killen, Ala., Bluewater Publications, 2001. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collections. William B. McDonald Collection. “Florence Wagons.” c. 1938, Florence, AL.
National Register of Historic Places; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; Industry
The 1889 Florence Wagon Works was the largest wooden wagon manufacturer in the United States producing 15,000 wagons a year. The most popular, the Florence Light Running Wagon helped settle the West, especially Texas, and was important in France during World War I. The company manufactured and sold other models as well as parts. The company directly employed 175 employees, both white and African American. The Works was said to pay its employees over $100,000 a year and indirectly affected the local economy by as much as $300, 000 a year. Demand for wagons dropped dramatically with the mass production of cars and trucks and the business closed in 1941 leaving the building to slowly deteriorate. Currently only ruins exist where once a thriving industry prospered. Only stonewalls, foundations, and a railroad trestle remain but due to a progression of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps the original configuration of factories, mills and warehouses is known. The site is significant for what the archeological remains may tell us about Florence’s industrial past. The site was placed on the National Register in 1996 and the nomination includes relevant area Sanborn maps. The site is currently owned by TVA.
Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
Ford, Gene A. National Register Nomination “Florence Wagon Works Site” (#96000596) (6/13/96).
Florence Wesleyan University began when LaGrange College's students and teachers sought a new location in Florence. The majority of the faculty and students left the original site of LaGrange College - across the river from Florence (4 miles south of Leighton, Alabama) in 1855. The college began holding classes at the Florence Masonic hall because construction on their building, Wesleyan Hall, had not been completed yet. The tuition was listed as $25 for a ten month semester. The college closed from 1861-1869 due to the fact that over 100 students and faculty left to fight in the Civil War. After the Civil War had ended the school reopened but closed three years later due to lack of funding. In 1872 the school was deeded to the state of Alabama and reopened as State Normal School.
William Lindsey McDonald, A Walk Through The Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. (Bluewater Publications, 2003), 90-91. University of North Alabama, "Brief Look at University of North Alabama History." Florence, Alabama, 2005.
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.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
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.
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.
The Florence-Lauderdale County Veterans Memorial was dedicated during a Veterans Day ceremony on May 30, 1977. The memorial serves to honor all Lauderdale County veterans of all wars. The memorial’s location was originally named Point Park, but the name was changed to Veterans Memorial Park in 1983. The Veterans Memorial Fund Raising Campaign began in May of 1971. Anson Cooper, a disabled veteran of World War II was the driving force behind the establishment of the memorial. His idea was taken by Reverend Rowe Wren, a World War II veteran who came up with architectural drawings for the memorial. Wren’s drawings were used by Ebbe Kindahl to design construction layouts that were used by the building contractor. The memorial features a Cobra helicopter and a plane. War-era guns, ammunition, and memorabilia are displayed inside the memorial, which is open to the public from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on weekends.
Sources: Robert S. Steen. Florence State Teachers College: Heroes of World War II (1941-1945). University of North Alabama, no date. Destination Shoals Magazine, 2011 Images courtesy of UNA Collier Library Archives
Florence's Early Water Tower 1890 Marker
This historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this tower of native stone was completed in 1890 as the foundation for a wrought- iron tank with a capacity of 280,000 gallons of water. It is 70 feet high and is located on the highest elevation in the city. Water was pumped here from Cypress Creek. It was constructed during the Industrial Boom at which time the population of Florence increased from approximately 2,000 in 1887 to over 6,000 in 1889. It was replaced by the adjoining standpipe in 1935."
“Florence Early Water Tower 1890 Marker”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
"Selma, Alabama Flossie Menifee, 67, who marched on "Bloody Sunday" in 1965, stands in front of the A.M.E. Church where the march started as she commented on a billboard within sight of the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama that is sponsored by a group dedicated to honoring Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest on Friday, March 6, 2015.(Photo By: Jefferson Siegel/NY Daily News via Getty Images)"
Opelika, AL; Lee County, AL; Industry; Baked Goods
First opened by W.H. "Bud" Ingram in the Clement Hotel in Opelika in 1910, it moved to the Montgomery Brothers' Building in 1911 and to its own building on S 8th St. in 1914. Ingram sold the business to Jim Tom Hamilton in 1923 who moved the operation to three combined building on 231 8th. The bakery was purchased by Hamilton's son in 1936 and the name was changed from Ingram's to Hamilton's Bakery. In 1962, Hamilton built a new building at 101 Simmons St. and in 1964 the business was purchased by Flowers Baking Company of Thomasville, GA. The business is still in operation as of 2014.
Image and Text: "The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama"
Lauderdale County; Florence AL; Education; Recreation; University of North Alabama
Flowers Hall first opened in 1972 and still continues to be used today. It is the home court for the volleyball team and the men’s and women’s basketball teams. It was named after Hubert A. “Eddie” Flowers, who was a long time head of the physical education and athletic programs. He was also the basketball program’s first coach. Flowers Hall was a great addition to the university because it gave them a great athletic facility costing approximately three million dollars. It has a seating capacity of 4,000 with both floor and upper level seating. The Flowers Hall Annex renovation added 17,800 square feet and cost one and a half million dollars. Flowers hall is a four level structure with the gym being on the third floor. It includes more than just a site for athletic events. It contains offices, class rooms, locker rooms, and special facilities for athletic training. It is also used for educational and recreational purposes. Flowers Hall is located on 615 North Pine Street in Florence, Alabama.
Jackson Newton, University of North Alabama
Greer, Tyler. “Gymnasium not just used for basketball”, University of North Alabama Archives. (Newspaper Clipping) Florence State University Yearbook 1972, University of North Alabama Archives. Thomas, Ronald. “Flowers fought long and hard for athletics”, University of North Alabama Archives. (Newspaper Clipping) University of North Alabama Basketball Guide 1974-75, University of North Alabama Archives . Images: University of North Alabama Archives and Special Collections
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 on Co. Rd. 1 for 3.4 miles. Turn left onto County Road 90 and go .4 mile. The cemetery is on the right side of the road at the intersection of County Road 90 & Man Bone Rd. It lies diagonally across from the Ford’s Mill Free Will Baptist Church. There is a small child’s grave that is unknown. Ford Mill’s cemetery was established in 1932. The cemetery is well maintained and contains 18 records. List of graves are located in sources.
Montgomery, David L. "Ford's Mill Cemetery." Rootsweb. January 5, 2005. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~allauder/cem-fordsmill.htm. Accessed April 3, 2015.
National Register of Historic Places Social History Architecture
National Register property – Forks of Cypress Forks of Cypress plantation house is now a ruin. A fire resulting from lightning destroyed the home in 1966. However, the 23 remaining standing brick columns are still significant for what they can tell us about architecture and more importantly about the social history of the affluent planter lifestyle, in particular that of the owner, planter, and politician James Jackson. The basic core of the house was a two story frame double pile plan much like others of its time period except for the central hall. The central hall at Forks of Cypress was divided into an entrance hall and a rear stair hall. The porch, however, is a different story and is now is all that remains to tell that story. The peristyle porch with 24 two story columns stretched completely around the house. This is the first documented house in Alabama to be so constructed before the war and one of the earliest nationwide outside the lower Mississippi valley. In the lower Mississippi valley peristyle porches were designed as living spaces with the columns supporting second story galleries that ringed the house and provided access to the rooms that opened on to the galleries. The peristyle porch at Forks of Cypress was designed to impress. Though the porch did provide sheltered gathering space and shade from the Alabama sun, the monumental nature of the brick columns with Ionic capitals that matched those on the new State Capitol building were a statement to the wealth and status of the inhabitants of the house. The architect of the house is reported to be William Nichols, State Architect of Alabama and designer of the new Capitol. James Jackson, native of Ireland, was an early investor in the Cypress Creek Land Company that founded Florence. He along with others including John Coffee made up a local elite in the Lauderdale County area. Jackson was a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and the Senate during the 1820s and 30s. He was also a successful businessman and plantation owner raising thoroughbred race horses. He was rumored to be the richest man in the county upon his death. The 1997 NR nomination for Forks of Cypress is extensive and provides a wealth of information about the house, James Jackson, and the history of Lauderdale County. The nomination also includes drawings from the 1935 WPA Historic American Building Survey inventory of the house (#AL-375). Farris, Johnathan A. National Register Nomination, “Forks of Cypress” (#97001166) (10/10/97).
National Register nomination (#97001166)
Forks of Cypress Cemetery (aka Jackson Cemetery)
Jackson Cemetery is located about four miles northwest of Florence. The cemetery is due east of the ruins of the Forks of Cypress, located on the Old Jackson Road, which stretches from North Florence to the Savannah Highway. Separating the ruins from the Cemetery is Dowdy Road. There is a 90’x 90’ cut stonewall that is four feet in height surrounding it. Jackson History: At the age of 17, James Jackson came to America from Ballibay County in Monaghan, Ireland, in 1799. His sister Elenaora, and her husband Thomas Kirkman came along with Jackson. Jackson, along with his sister and her husband, settled in Nashville. While living in Nashville, Jackson met Sarah Moore McCullouch who was a widow from South Carolina. On December 28, 1810, James and Sally were married. James Jackson, along with General John Coffee, future Supreme Court Justice John McKinley and other partners, established the Cypress Land Company in 1818. They realized that land companies were great investments. The first land sale for land in Florence was held in 1818. Lauderdale County was soon formed with Florence serving as county seat. Jackson realized Florence had a great potential, so he decided to construct his plantation in the surrounding area. Four miles from Florence, at the junction of the Big and Little Cypress Creeks, Jackson constructed his mansion with 3,000 acres. In 1820, Jackson died and was laid to rest among relatives in Jackson Cemetery. History of the Cemetery: Unfortunately, there is no exact evidence of the age of Jackson Cemetery. The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is that of Jane Hannah Anderson, infant daughter of Henry and Ellen Anderson, buried September 19, 1829. It is believed that during the early years of the cemetery there was no wall. Only when Master James Jackson decided to make it a family resting place was the wall constructed.
McDonald, William L. "A Walk Through the Past: People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama." Bluewater Publishing, 2003. 408. "Jackson Cemetery." Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=23651. Accessed April 11, 2015.
This historic marker is located on Jackson Road, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "Side 1: The Forks of Cypress plantation was established in 1818 by James and Sarah Jackson. Its home, believed the design of William Nichols, was one of Alabama's great houses, featuring perhaps the earliest peristyle colonnade in America. Built by skilled African-American artisans in slavery. The Forks stood until June 6, 1966, when it was struck by lighting and burned to the ground. Its surrounding brick porch with twenty-three brick columns-once plastered with a mix of lime, horsehair and molasses and topped by cypress Ionic capitals-remains on limestone foundations. Irish-born James Jackson, engineer, turfman, merchant, financier, planter, statesman, member of the Cypress Land Company, was a founding father of Florence. He was the major figure in establishing the local textile industry. As President of the Alabama Senate, he was its key advocate of the 1832 Treaty of Cusetta." The text on side two reads: "James Jackson's most enduring contribution was his legacy on the thoroughbred horse industry. With the purpose of improving American bloodstock. Jackson imported some of England's finest horses, most notably Leviathan, Gallopade, and Glencoe. Peytona, bred at the Forks, in 1843 won the Peyton Stakes, the flushest purse ever, and the Race between the North and South, for which she walked 1,200 miles to Long Island. Reel, the leading American broodmare of the 19th century, was another Forks-bred horse. Both were daughters of Glencoe, as was Pocahontas, England's all-time pre-eminent broodmare. Jackson's greatest horse was the immortal stallion Glencoe who led the Stud Brook eight years, "a truly epochal animal such as appears only at rare intervals and with whom only a scattering few others of all time deserve to be ranked." -- James Hervey, Racing in American His successful progeny insured such prevalence of the line that by mid-20th century virtually no thoroughbred in the world could be found who did not descend from Glencoe of the Forks of Cypress."
“Forks of Cypress Plantation Marker”. Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Forks of Cypress Plantation Site; James Jackson; Greek Revival Style; Tourism; Alabama Historical Commission
Originally owned by James Jackson, one of Florence’s founding fathers, the Forks of Cypress was one of the earliest Greek Revival homes built in Alabama. The home featured a temple-type veranda supported by massive columns that surrounded the exterior of the house. The Forks of Cypress plantation house burned on June 6, 1966. A severe thunderstorm produced cloud-to-ground lightening that struck the mansion, setting it on fire. The fire destroyed everything except the twenty-four Ionic columns that had surrounded the foundation. Forks of Cypress had been a part of Florence and Lauderdale County for 145 years. The Forks of Cypress was owned by Mr. Rufus B. Dowdy at the time of the fire in 1966. The Forks served as a museum that housed around a million dollars worth of antiques. Imported china, silver and glassware, pioneer artifacts, and other museum pieces were lost in the fire. The Forks of Cypress had been the number one tourist attraction in Florence. While the historic ruins are owned by the state and presided over by the Alabama Historical Commission, the access road is privately owned. The ruins are viewable from a distance via a public road.
Bob Martin, “Mid-Morning Today: Historic Forks Burns.” Tri Cities Daily, June 6, 1966. Florence Herald “Historic Forks of Cypress Burns to Ground Monday.” June 9, 1966, p. 2. Personal Interview with Lee Freeman, November 24, 2014. Images courtesy of UNA Collier Library Archives
Sam Siegel Knoxville, Tennessee Professional Wrestling
Jackson County, Stevenson, Military Fortification, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places, Alabama Historical Commission Markers
Constructed by the Union Army in the summer of 1862 and expanded in 1864, using soldiers and freed slaves, Ft. Harker was built on a broad hill a quarter-mile east of town. It overlooked Crow Creek and was well within firing range of Stevenson’s strategic railroad lines, supply depots and warehouses. Ft. Harker was an earthen redoubt, 150 feet square, with walls 14 feet high, surrounded by an 8 foot deep dry moat. It contained 7 cannon platforms, a bomb-proof powder magazine, a draw-bridge entrance and an 8-sided wooden blockhouse at its center. Soldiers building the fort reported that “the soil is very hard, requiring the continual use of a pick.” Despite that, Ft. Harker was critical to Union plans. The officer in charge was ordered by his commanding general “to work night and day” to complete the fort “as rapidly as possible.” One other large fort, two smaller redoubts and at least seven blockhouses were constructed along the railroad lines at Stevenson during the Civil War. No major fighting occurred here, but skirmishes and sniper attacks were common as territory traded hands between Union and Confederate forces. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places 5/2/77 (From the historical marker erected at the site by the Alabama Historical Commission)
Historical marker erected at the site by the Alabama Historical Commission http://focus.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=95bdb8b3-ef52-477c-851f-ae8cb34f821d http://focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/nrhp/text/78000491.pdf http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.23042/
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
This historic marker is located at the intersection of Florence Boulevard and North Oak St., Florence, AL. The text on side one reads: "The United States flag that flies at the base of this hill stands as a sentry over the site that was the home of Fort Willingham Armory from 1937-1979. The Armory was named after Dr. Henry J. Willingham, president of Florence State Normal School, and later, Florence State Teachers College for 25 years. In addition to its military functions, the Armory also served as the focal point for community sporting events and social gatherings. In 1935, an extensive building program was inaugurated by the State of Alabama, the Adjutant General's Office, and the Works Progress Administration for the construction of an armory for each National Guard unit in the State. For Governor Bibb Graves, Adjutant General John C. Coleman, and many National Guardsmen, the building program was a dream come true. The cost of construction for 32 armories exceeded two million dollars. Fort Willingham Armory cost $31,110. The Armory was razed in January 1981. All that remains of Fort Willingham are the rock walls surrounding the site, history of the units stationed here, and memories of those who trained here." The text on side two reads: "The lineage of the units of the Alabama National Guard that trained at Fort Willingham Armory changed over the years as they were reorganized. The units that trained here included: Service Company, 106th Med BN 1937 101st Light Pantoon Co. 1939 Co. F., 151st Combat Eng BN 1940 Co. F., 1343rd Eng BN 1944 104th Air Defense BN HQS, & A Co. 1947 278th Air Defense Arty BN HQS, & A Co. 1953 161st Medical Co. 1953 115th SIG BN, HQS CO. & A Co & D Co. 1960 Co. B., 1st Special Forces BN, 20th Group 1961 Members of these units were patriotic citizens of the NW Alabama Region who served their State and Nation with distinction during wars, natural disasters, and humanitarian missions. Sponsored by the Retirees of the 115th Signal Battalion, Alabama Army National Guard."
“Fort Willingham Marker". Accessed 11/02/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
Civil War; General Philip Roddey; Union General Granville Dodge; Confederate Colonel William A. Johnson; 9th Illinois Cavalry; 4th Alabama Cavalry; Lamb’s Ferry; Rogersville, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The first skirmish at four mile branch in Lauderdale County during 1864. January 25, Confederate Colonel William A. Johnson’s 4th Alabama Cavalry was dispatched to forage in Lauderdale County by General Philip Roddey from his headquarters at Bainbridge. A Union spy in Florence sent word of Colonel Johnson’s mission to Union General Granville Dodge’s headquarters at Pulaski Tennessee. General Dodge sent Colonel A. O. Miller’s 2nd Cavalry from Pulaski and Lieutenant Colonel Jesse J. Phillips with the 9th Illinois Cavalry from Athens to join the 18th Missouri. The combined Union forces were tasked with intercepting Johnson’s expedition. Johnson’s Confederates avoided Phillips’ Union cavalry but encountered Miller’s forces at the crossroads of Huntsville and Byler Roads. The ensuing skirmish lasted for a couple of hours until dark. Miller withdrew to the east bank of Shoal Creek and Johnson’s forces held the field for the night. The following day Johnson went on the offensive and caught Miller’s forces at Lamb’s Ferry in Rogersville. Miller’s 2nd Cavalry suffered two casualties in that engagement. Meanwhile, General Roddey took advantage of Phillips’ forces leaving Athens and attacked the garrison there. In the raid, Roddey’s forces captured prisoners and supplies. Miller’s forces suffered fifteen killed and twenty-five wounded in the two days of skirmishing. The Confederate forces under Johnson suffered seven deaths.
Michael Williams, University of North Alabama
McDonald, William Lindsey. 2003. Civil War tales of the Tennessee Valley. n.p.: Killen, Ala. : Heart of Dixie Pub. (1812 CR 111, Killen, Ala., 35645), [2003], 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015).
Photo from following websites: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7217181 Photo from following websites: http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/Delta/3843/johnson.htm
Fourth of July Celebration (Cherokee, Alabama)
Independence Day Festival; Fourth of July; Cherokee, Alabama; Colbert County, Alabama; Festival
The town of Cherokee celebrates with an Independence Day Festival that includes children’s games, bingo, food, street dance, music and fireworks. This festival is held annually on the 4th of July.
Thomas Hale, University of North Alabama
“Fourth of July Celebrations”, Accessed on November 29, 2015, http://www.colbertcountytourism.org/index.php/2012-11-08-15-07-00/annual-events
Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House ; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; Museums
The Rosenbaum House was built in 1939-1940 with a price tag of approximately $14,000. The Rosenbaum House is located in Florence and serves as the only example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in Alabama. Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum were the owners of the house until 1999. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Rosenbaum House using the Usonian architectural style. The house was designed to blend with and rise from the landscape, and features carports, flat roofs, overhanging eaves and a concrete floor. The home is constructed from cypress, glass, and brick. Wright designed a 1,540 square feet floor plan. Storage space was a key component, and every inch of the house was meant to be used to the fullest extent. The kitchen is a tiny workspace that allows for standing room only. There were numerous problems with the home’s construction. The chimneys were not ventilated properly. The flat roofs did not drain, so water leaked in. Despite these problems, an addition was added in 1946-1948, with Wright designing the plans. The addition added an additional 1,084 square feet, adding two wings to the house and enlarging the kitchen. A second carport was also added at this time. The Rosenbaum House was purchased by the city of Florence in 1999 for the sum of $75,000. Termite and water damage had caused extensive structural problems over the years, requiring between $600,000 and $700,000 of renovations. The house now serves as a museum and is open for tours each week Tuesday through Sunday.
www.florenceal.org Ben Berntson, “Rosenbaum House Museum,” Encyclopedia of Alabama. http://www.encyclopdiaofalabama.org/article/h-2397#sthash.Ja3m6yMb.dpuf Image courtesy of UNA Collier Library Archives
Located in Loachapoka along County Road 652. Coordinates: 32.6243002, -85.6110637
Professional Wrestling Knoxville, Tennessee Promoter
Lee County, AL; Beulah, AL; National Register of Historic Places; Commerce
Franklin Yarborough, Jr. Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1989.
Architectural drawings; Watercolors; Houses; Dwellings; Doors & doorways; Windows; Shutters; Balconies; Hand railings; Porches; Columns; Roofs; Ironwork; Stairways; Woodwork; Men; Women; Horses; Trees; Landscapes (Representations)
This image is a watercolor painting of the Frasier-Brown house, also known as Noble Hall or Frazier-Brown House or Frazer-Brown-Pearson House or Casey Homestead, in Auburn, Alabama done by an unknown student sometime between 1917 and 1942. The painting shows the front and side exterior of the house at an angle with its doors, windows, shutters, balcony, railings, columned porch, steps, and roof surrounded by trees and landscaping. There is a woman on the porch, a man on horseback, and people on the grounds in period costume. The house and grounds are placed within framing art showing its architectural features including columns, a corner of the roof, a wooden staircase and iron railings. Floor plans and the interior of the house are shown within the framing art. There is an Alabama Polytechnic Institute School of Architecture stamp and the handwritten inscription "2nd Medal" in the lower right corner. The painting is in fair condition with minor wear on the edges and is encapsulated.
Unknown (rendering) ; Foster, J. L. (house)
Auburn University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives Dept. Architecture, School of -- Architectural Renderings Student Projects
This image is the property of the Auburn University Libraries and is intended for non-commercial use. Users of the image are asked to acknowledge the Auburn University Libraries. For information about obtaining high-resolution copies of this and other images in this collection, please contact the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Department at archive@auburn.edu or (334) 844-1732.
Library of Congress (Historic American Buildings Survey): http://www.loc.gov/item/al0283/ ; Alabama Department of Archives and History: http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/2267 ; Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Hall
Auburn -- Lee County -- Alabama ; Shelton Mill Road, Auburn, Lee County, AL (three miles north-east of Auburn)
Lee County, Lochapoka, Music, Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Freddie Hart (December 21, 1926- ) Born Fred Segrest on December 21, 1926, Hart was one of fifteen children. His parents were sharecroppers. He began playing guitar at age 5, and by age 12 he dropped out of school to work for his parents. When World War II broke out, Hart was 15. He lied about his age, joined the Marine Corps, and saw action at Guam and Iwo Jima. While in the service, he became interested in the martial arts, and after the war, he taught self-defense at the L.A. Police Academy. In 1948, Hart met Hank Williams who taught Hart about songwriting. In 1951, he joined Lefty Frizzell’s band. During his year with the band, Hart got his first recording contract with Capitol Records. In 1959, he recorded his first hit, “The Wall,” with Columbia Records. In 1971, his hit “Easy Lovin’” went to number one on the country charts and number seventeen on the pop charts. The song won two Grammy awards and was recognized as The Country Music Association as “The Song of the Year” for both 1971 and 1972. His songwriting has produced hits for many artists including Porter Wagoner and Charlie Rich. He was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Click the link to listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaU8txxC04I
Joy Caitlin Monroe, University of North Alabama
“Freddie Hart.” Alabama Music Hall of Fame. (2016) http://alamhof.org/inductees/inductees/inductees-2/
Freedom Hills; Shooting Range; Colbert County, Alabama; Cherokee, Alabama; Primitive Camping
Freedom Hills is a 34,500 acre wildlife area. It borders the Natchez Trace and Cherokee, Alabama. The main attraction to the area is the abundant hunting available in the area and the outside shooting range. The shooting range is open to the public and can also be used for archery. It has a distance of 100 yards. The shooting range is also wheelchair accessible. A valid hunting or fishing license must be had to use the shooting range. It is also only open during daylight. This wildlife area is also home to the famous Coon Dog Cemetery. The cemetery is a resting place for many hunting dogs. The area also has primitive camping.
Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
Outdoor Alabama,. 2014. 'Freedom Hills WMA Shooting Range'. http://www.outdooralabama.com/freedom-hills-wma-shooting-range. Alabama's Official Travel Guide,. 2015. 'Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area - Cherokee - Alabama.Travel'. http://alabama.travel/places-to-go/freedom-hills-wildlife-management-area.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'Nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Friendship Community Church
Friendship Community Church, an Evangelical Church, is located at 800 North Atlanta Avenue in Sheffield, Alabama. Friendship Community Church is housed in what was once the first Jewish Temple in the Shoals area. Sheffield was the home of what became Temple B'nai Israel from 1906 until 1953. The original building had no indoor plumbing and the toilet facilities were outhouses. The temple was remodeled and updated in the 1940s when the choir loft and indoor toilets were added.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
Education; Lee County, AL; Frog Pond School; Jones Academy; Beulah Academy; Beulah High School; Consolidation of Schools; Holder, S.J; Bradshaw, J.H.
Frog Pond School, also known as Jones Academy, was on Lee County Road 279 near the intersection with Lee County Road 259. Professors S.J. Holder and J.H. Bradshaw instructed students at Frog Pond around the turn of the twentieth century. Frog Pond closed when its student body consolidated with Beulah Academy and other schools to form Beulah High School in 1928.
Text Source: The Heritage of Lee County Book Committee, The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000), 68.
Front of March, Eastern Side of Highway 80
Funeral Program, William Gregory Shepard
Copy of funeral program for William Gregory Shepard, Buffalo, New York 2012. Grandson of John Henry Wallace
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Architectural drawings; Watercolors; Dwellings; Mansions; Houses; Doors & doorways; Niches; Sculpture; Windows; Porches; Columns; Hand railings; Roofs; Chimneys; Moldings; Vases; Trees; Landscapes (Representations)
This image is a watercolor painting of Gaineswood, also known as Whitfield Home or Gen. Nathan Whitfield-Kirven House, in Demopolis, Alabama done by Morris A. Hall in 1938. The painting shows the front exterior of the house with its windows, door, niches with statues, columned porch and a flat roof with two chimneys and a round railing. The house also has two wings that also have columned porches. One wing porch is one story with a railing and the other is two stories and has steps. There is a tree in front of the house and landscaping around it. The house is placed within framing art showing its architectural features including a including a small inset of the back exterior of the house and a close-up of the columns and the molding under the roof, the handrail on one of the porches, and a stone vase. In the lower right corner, there is an Alabama Polytechnic Institute School of Architecture stamp with the handwritten inscription "2nd Medal" and the artist's information block which reads: "Measured drawing, Major II, Arch 476, Morris A. Hall, April 9, 1938." The painting is in fair condition with a few pieces missing from the edges and is encapsulated.
Hall, Morris Aaron (rendering) ; Whitfield, Nathan B. (house)
Library of Congress (Historic American Buildings Survey): http://www.loc.gov/item/al0370/ ; Alabama Department of Archives and History: http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/15082 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/1293 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/2320 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/15077 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/7356 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/15078 ; http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo/id/1279
Demopolis -- Marengo County -- Alabama ; 805 South Cedar Street, Demopolis, Marengo County, AL (U.S. 80, 1/2 mile)
Opelika, AL; Lee County, AL; Industry; Medical Equipment; Dialyzers
Sweden-based Gambro Renal owns this plant, which produces dialyzers for patients with kidney failure. A large expansion has been planned for 2016. The business opened in 2008, and still operates today. The factory currently employs around 150 people and is located at 1101 Jeter Ave., Opelika, AL.
Image: http://www.aecci.com/completedprojects/industrial/gambro/gambro.htm
Located in Opelika along Frederick Road. Coordinates: 32.6265232, -85.3957799
Park; Colbert County; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; recreation;
Gattman Park is maintained by the Muscle Shoals Parks and Recreation Department. The park has access to both indoor and outdoor activities. There are two gym facilities, one with a rubber floor walking track. The other gym also has meeting rooms available for renting out. Outside, the park has two large pavilions and one small one. This is the location of the areas' ball fields, as well. There is an outdoor walking track around the park, with playground equipment in various locations around the area. During the summer months the splash pad play area can also be rented out for parties. Gattman Park is a well maintained park and is popular with the area's families.
Alabama's Official Travel Guide,. 2015. 'Muscle Shoals Parks And Recreation Department - Muscle Shoals - Alabama.Travel'. http://alabama.travel/places-to-go/muscle-shoals-parks-and-recreation-department. Cityofmuscleshoals.com,. 2015. 'Muscle Shoals – Facilities'.
General and Governor Edward Asbury O’Neal from Florence
Edward Asbury O’Neal; Florence, AL; 9th Alabama Infantry Regiment; Sannoner Historic District; Army of Northern Virginia; Secession; Andersonville Prison; Lauderdale County, AL
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 practice in Florence, Alabama, that same year. When the couple rode through the town of Florence, Olivia spotted a home under construction that she liked and persuaded her husband to buy it. The house was on North Court Street in the Sannoner Historic District. O’Neal had been a strong proponent of the secession movement. After the firing on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, he raised a company form the local area for the 9th Alabama Infantry Regiment. O’Neal received a commission as colonel for the 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment, in March 1862. The 26th Alabama was assigned to General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The unit and O’Neal fought in many of the major battles of the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. This included Seven Pines, Seven Days, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. O’Neal was wounded twice in battle and placed in command of the guards at Andersonville prison in Americus, Georgia for a short stent when it was first opened. O’Neal and the 26th Alabama participated in the unsuccessful defense of Atlanta from General Sherman. O’Neal and a group of survivors from Alabama regiments surrendered in 1865 at Greensboro North Carolina. When he surrendered his official rank was Colonel. The Confederate government had agreed to a promotion to Brigadier General; however, the designation had not arrived before his surrender. The state of Alabama would later give him a commission as a brigadier general. After the war O’Neal returned to Florence and the practice of law. He entered back into Alabama politics in 1875 and was elected the 26th Governor of Alabama in 1882.
McDonald, William Lindsey. A walk through the past : people and places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. n.p.: [Killen, Ala.] : Bluewater Pub., 2003., 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015). McDaniel, Mary Jane. 2008. "Edward A. O'Neal." encyclopediaofalabama.org. February 13. Accessed April 14, 2015. http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1459.
Photo from following websites: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1459 Photo from following websites: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11041 Photo from following websites: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1459