Sterling High School
subject: Colbert County Alabama; Sheffield Alabama; African American History; African American School; Sheffield Colored School; Sterling High School.
description: 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.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: 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
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015
contributor: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
format: text

The Civilian Conservation Corps Company 4499
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Civilian Conservation Corps; New Deal; Company 4499
description: The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public works relief program set up as a part of the New Deal Program. The last Company of men sent to the Muscle Shoals area in 1936 was the 4499 company. These men originally worked under the United States Forest Service. The men were used to maintain the park created on the TVA property and to help with improving the landscape of the area. Before the TVA was created, there was a problem of erosion of farmable lands in the Tennessee Valley. Many of the problems came from a lack of proper nutrients in the soil, from over farming. By employing men to work solely on improving the lands people could start to farm again. One noticeable impact to the land by this company of men was the introduction of the plant kudzu. This plant is now found all across the state of Alabama and has greatly lessened the impact of erosion on the land.
creator: Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
source: '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.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015
format: image

Tuscumbia Shed Church
subject: Colbert County Alabama; Tuscumbia Alabama; church; African American Church; African American History; Tuscumbia Shed Church
description: This church was located close to what is now downtown Tuscumbia. The original buildings were cotton gins sheds. It has been said that these cotton gin sheds were used as a church as far back as the year 1870. The church served as a place of worship for African Americans of all Christian denominations. This was in part due African American parishioners not having churches to call their own. The location of the church was originallyon a hill that now serves as the Basden Bus Company parking lot.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Arthur Graves interview by Sam Keiser. November 11, 2015 McWilliams, John L. Tuscumbia. Charleston, S.C., South Carolina: Arcadia Pub. 2012. 35
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015
contributor: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey

Cherokee High School
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Cherokee, Alabama; Rosenwald school; African American History
description: Cherokee High School was one of seven Rosenwald School built for African Americans in Colbert County. The Julius Rosenwald Grant provided the funds for the building. The local African American community provided the remaining funds and land for the school. Around $2,900 came directly from the community. The grant from the Rosenwald’s was only worth only $800. Residents in the community were also able to raise around $900 through various donations and fundraisers. The first class graduated in 1938 and the last class graduated in 1969. The school was closed down after 1969 due to integration. The location of the school can be found on 4595 Old Lee Hwy
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 17
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015

Mount Zion School
subject: Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Rosenwald School; Mount Zion; African American History; Anita Cobb
description: Mount Zion was a Rosenwald school located in Florence, Alabama. The local community was provided a grant from Julius Rosenwald to build a school for the African American community. Like other Rosenwald schools the local community had to provide additional funds to buy the land for and funds for the school building. The school was a small one-room structure that served grades one through six. The classes were divided into two rooms separated by sliding doors. Each classroom had its own entrance. The building also had a cloakroom where the school children could hang their clothes and leave their lunches. There was also a small kitchen that provided heating for the school through the use of stoves. Two of the stoves were used to heat the building while the other one was used for cooking. The chimney also came down into the kitchen. The older girls at the school would cook all the food for the other children. They would arrive at school and begin cooking the food. Before lunch began, they would be dismissed from class early in order to finish cooking the food. The school was located off of Highway 189.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Cobb, Anita interview by Sam Keiser. Florence Alabama, November 18, 2015.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015

Trenholm High School
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Trenholm High School; George Washington Trenholm; African American History
description: Trenholm High School was originally founded as the Osborne Colored Academy in 1877. From there it became Tuscumbia’s Colored School, which lasted until 1921. The Tuscumbia’s Colored School changed its name to Trenholm High School in 1921. The school was named after a beloved teacher and principal George Washington Trenholm. While the school was segregated, it offered a wide range of educational activities for students. Some of these activities included clubs, contests, and plays. Trenholm High School had an active athletics program for students to participate in, including basketball, football, and track teams for its students. The black community in the area also heavily supported Trenholm High School. The school also became a space for community activities. The school began being used as a meeting site for various organizations and speakers. The building also provided entertainment for the community through various concerts and movies as well as prominent lecturers and speakers. Church congregations also used the school as a meeting place. Trenholm no longer stands today. A small memorial next to the school can be found with a list of every principal the school had prior to its removal.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Arthur Graves, interview by Sam Keiser, November 11, 2015 Colbert County Heritage Book Committee (Colbert County, Ala.). 1999. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, AL: Heritage Pub. Consultants. 64-65
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015
format: text, picture

Southern Poverty Law Center
subject: Montgomery County, Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama; Southern Poverty Law Center; Civil Rights
description: The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded by Morris Dees, Joe Levin, and Julian Bond in Montgomery, Alabama in 1971. A non-profit, public interest law firm the a Southern Poverty Law Center specializes in civil rights cases that include hate groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center also has several education programs, most notably Teaching Tolerance. Southern Poverty Law Center is located at 400 Washington Avenue in Montgomery, Alabama. A fountain designed by Maya Lin commemorates the death of Civil Rights workers.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: splcenter.org
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Rick Bragg
subject: Calhoun County, Alabama; Piedmont, Alabama; Rick Bragg; Alabama Authors
description: Rick Bragg, who was born on July 26, 1959, in Piedmont, Calhoun County to Charles and Margaret Bundrum Bragg, is a noted journalist, teacher, and writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for his work with the New York Times. His most lasting contribution to Alabama letters and Southern literature, is his trilogy of family stories, He believed that they would only be of interest to himself and his family. The books have been bestsellers among people who see themselves and their families in his stories. Bragg graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1977, went to Jacksonville State University for six months, and was awarded Harvard University's Nieman Fellowship in 1992. He has worked for the Anniston Star, the Birmingham News, and the New York Times. The trilogy of books about his family are: All Over But the Shoutin' (1997), Ava's Man (2001), and The Prince of Frogtown (2008). . He worked with Jessica Lynch (2003) and Jerry Lee Lewis (2014) on their life stories; his journalism was collected into the anthology Somebody Told Me (2000); and his features have been collected into anthology My Southern Journey (2015).. Rick Bragg teaches courses in literary journalism and feature writing at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Kingsbury, Pam. Inner Voices, Inner Views: Conversations With Southern Writers, The Enolam Group, Norwalk, Connecticut, 2005, p. 1-5.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1959 to the present.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photo courtesy of Rick Bragg.
type: Still Image and Text

Harvey Robbins and Tuscumbia
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Harvey Robbins
description: Harvey Robbins who founded National Floor Products in Florence with his father, Stanley Robbins, in 1957, is credited with restoring downtown Tuscumbia, Alabama. Born in Dayton, Ohio, he and his family moved to the Shoals while he was still relatively young. He graduated from Deshler High School and attended the University of Florida and the University of North Alabama. In the late 1990s, after selling the family business, he focused his attention on development and projects for the city of Tuscumbia. Three of his favorite projects were giving Spring Park a makeover, renovating and reopening the Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop (where he had "courted" his wife Joyce Ann McKinley when the building, located at Fifth and Main, still housed a drug store), and building Coldwater Books (101 West 6th Street, Tuscumbia) which features an indoor waterfall. His efforts to boost the city brought him national acclaim including an article in the New York Times and a spot on NBC's "Today Show."
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Delinski, Bernie. Times Daily, Florence, Alabama, January 30, 2013, page one.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Tom Arlin Dean House
subject: Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Tom Arlin Dean House; Architecture
description: Tom Arlin Dean, an engineer who admired the Rosenbaum House in Florence very much, followed many of Frank Lloyd Wright's ideals in creating the house located at 509 Clinton Street in Athens, Alabama. The house, which is a neighbor to two of the registered historic places -- the Robert Donnell House at 601 Houston Street and the Walker-Kuykendal House at 309 Clinton Street -- was showcased in the Limestone Journal on May 23, 1989. The house features steel beams, solid brick masonry, and California heart of redwood construction. The total finished space is 2,555 square feet and the house features two levels.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Volin, Cynthia (interview), September 18th, 2015.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Sheffield Water Tower
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, Alabama; Water Tower; Tennessee River
description: Montgomery Avenue, in Sheffield, Alabama, has maintained several spots along the street for the citizens of the area to enjoy the natural beauty of North Alabama. A water tower marks the end of the street and a small park with an overlook allows residents and visitors an unobstructed view of the Tennessee River and the city of Florence.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photograph by Pam Kingsbury
type: Still Image and Text
identifier: Sheffield, Alabama; Tennessee River; public spaces

Henry Ford's Vision for Muscle Shoals
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Henry Ford
description: Henry Ford, in 1921, wanted to buy the unfinished Wilson Dam and two nitrate plants in Muscle Shoals. The United States government was willing to sell both to a private company with the intention of producing nitrate fertilizer. Ford's dream was to develop North Alabama in the same way that he had developed Detroit, Michigan. The dream died but two streets in Muscle Shoals -- Ford and Edison -- are a reminder of Ford's desire to build a seventy mile city in North Alabama.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Swigger, Jessie. History is Bunk: Assembling the Past at Henry Ford's Greenfield Village. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2014.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photo courtesy of the Huntsville Times archives.
type: Still Image and Text

Friendship Community Church
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'Nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Friendship Community Church
description: 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.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Athens-Limestone Public Library
subject: Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Libraries
description: The Athens-Limestone Public Library solved two problems very creatively with their 2014 move to the old Kroger building at 603 South Jefferson Street. The old library (located near Julia Newman School) was approximately 10,000 square feet and the new building has almost 40,000 square feet.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: www.alcpl.com
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Village One
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Wilson Dam; Nitrate Plants
description: Village One, located in Sheffield, Alabama, is a subdivision of stucco homes built around 1918. The village was designed in the shape of a handbell. At completion, the village had 112 houses, two schools, and one large apartment building. (Maud Lindsey was hired as the first kindergarten teacher at the school.) The houses were intended to serve as homes for the people who moved to the area to work on Wilson Dam and in the nitrate plants. Harold Caparn, who was from New York and who helped expand the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, was chosen as the architect for the project. Most of the houses are either craftsman or Mission style. When World War I ended and there was less need for the nitrate plants, the houses were unoccupied. Henry Ford wanted to purchase the village as part of his plan to develop the area. Some of the houses were occupied by Alabama Power Company employees and Tennessee Valley Authority employees in subsequent years. In 1949, the streets, playgrounds, and school were deeded to the city of Sheffield by the TVA and the houses were auctioned to the public.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Tennessee Valley Historical Society, newsletter, fall 2011.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 4, 2015
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Veteran's Memorial Sheffield
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, Alabama; Veteran's Memorials; Bird Sanctuaries
description: The residents of Montgomery Avenue and the citizens of Sheffield, Alabama have preserved several spaces for public use on the historic street. The Veteran's Park, which is maintained by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, is the home to several monuments to local residents who have died while serving their country. The park is also home to a bird sanctuary.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photographs by Pam Kingsbury
type: Still Image and Text
identifier: Veteran's Memorial, Sheffield, Alabama

Helen Keller Birthplace “Ivy Green”
subject: Helen Keller; Ivy Green; Tuscumbia; Colbert Count; Alabama; Historic Towns; Museums; Anne Sullivan
description: The Helen Keller Birthplace, known as Ivy Green is the original home and grounds of Helen Keller's family. The home was built in 1820. It is a modest, white clapboard, Southern style home of Virginia cottage construction. There are four large rooms on the first floor with three small rooms upstairs separated by a hall. The grounds include the cottage where Anne Sullivan lived with Helen, a kitchen, a nineteenth century log cabin, and the original water pump where Helen had her first breakthrough and signed the word water at age six. Helen Keller was born a normal child, but at the age of 19 months she became sick and was left blind and deaf. At the age of 6, Helen was taken to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. Through Bell, Helen met Anne Sullivan, who had taught at the Perkins School for the Blind. After the breakthrough at the water pump, Helen learned rapidly. By the age of 10, Helen had mastered Braille, the manual alphabet, and had learned how to use a typewriter. By the age of 16 Helen could speak well enough to get herself into college. In 1904 she graduated from Radcliffe College with honors. In 1954, the house and grounds were turned into a museum and was placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Ivy Green is located at 300 North Commons Street in a quiet residential area just a few blocks from downtown Tuscumbia. Its hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 8:300 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama Abigayle Peterson, University of North Alabama
source: http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 28, 2015

Trinity School, Athens
subject: Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Trinity School; African-American Education
description: The Trinity School Cistern, which is located on Market Street near the railroad track in Athens, Alabama, is the last remnant of the Trinity School. Trinity School, which was in operation from 1865 to 1997, was a school for the children of slaves. Miss Mary Frances Wells who served as the school's principal and advocate was largely responsible for establishing the school on the old Richardson family property.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Trenholm High School
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Trenholm High School; African-American History
description: Trenholm High School, which is located on Trenholm Memorial Drive, was the last African-American High School in Tuscumbia, Alabama before desegregation. The school, which opened in 1870 and closed in 1969, was subsequently torn down. A movement by the Trenholm Alumni Association and the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation led to the placement of a historical marker on the last location of the school which was a center of culture in the African-American Community. The inscriptions on the brick walkway leading to the historical marker include memorials, descriptions of student activities, and commemorate the accomplishments of members of the student body after graduation. The Trenholm Reunion is held every Labor Day Weekend.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur, Alabama
subject: Morgan County, Alabama; Decatur, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur ; Historic Churchs
description: 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.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: stjohnsdecatur.dioala.org
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Sheffield Land, Iron and Coal Company
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Sheffield Land, Iron, and Coal Company; Alfred Hugler Moses; Jewish Culture
description: Alfred Hugler Moses, who was appointed the first mayor of Sheffield, Alabama by the governor of the state, moved to Sheffield in order to build the Sheffield Land, Iron, and Coal Company. Moses, who had been a captain during the Civil War and a land developer after the war, wanted to create an industrial site on the banks of the Tennessee River. He believed the area would be more advantageous than Birmingham because of the coal and iron deposits in Franklin, Winston, and Walker counties and the proximity of a major waterway. He and his brother, Mordecai, formed the Sheffield, Iron and Coal Company. with financing from a New York bank to build a railroad from Franklin County. The brothers started selling lots on May 8th, 1884. Alfred, who was forty three at the time, moved from Montgomery to Sheffield to supervise the construction of streets and sidewalks, the building of a bank and school, and the first iron furnace in the area creating a land boom. Over-speculation, competition, and a decline in the cost of pig iron caused the business financial difficulties. The brothers were able to pay their debts but the company was closed. Alfred Moses died in St. Louis in 1918 and is buried in Montgomery, Alabama.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Coleman, Erwin M., A History of B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, 1906 - 2006.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Illustration courtesy of the Sheffield Public Library.
type: Still Image and Text

Ritz Theatre
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Ritz Theatre; Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Owned Businesses; The Arts
description: The Ritz Theatre, which was built as a playhouse opened on July 9. 1928, with the production of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Louis Rosenbaum, a prominent Jewish business owner who lived in Florence and who owned a chain of movie theaters in North Alabama, was the district manager of the theatre and C. J. Ross was the first manager of the Ritz. The theatre had a seating capacity of 408 downstairs, 173 in the white section, and 110 in the "colored" section upstairs for a total of 682 seats. In 1933 the Wurlitzer organ was refitted to accommodate talkies and the theatre was updated to an Art Deco style. On Saturday, January 23, 1933, the theatre had a second "Grand Opening" when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Florence, Alabama. The Muscle Shoals Theatres became a subsidiary of the Nashville based Crescent Amusement Company in 1941. The theatre went out of business on June 9th, 1951. The Tennessee Valley Arts Association purchased the theatre in 1985 and restored the building, reopening it to use for local play productions, student recitals, and concerts.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: cinematreasures.org Tennessee Valley Art Center
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1928 to the present.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photographs courtesy of Kaitlyn Corfman.
type: Still Image and Text

Harris-Pryor House
subject: The Harris-Pryor House was built around 1858 by Schulyer Harris on land that had been owned by Henry Augustine Washington (who had been related to the President). Harris gave the house to his daughter, Ida Marie, and her husband, William Richard Pryor (who was the son of Senator Luke Pryor and Isabella Virginia {Harris} Pryor). Through the purchase of land, marriages, and inheritances, the plantation that was known as "Flower Hill Farm" grew to over 3,000 acres. After the abolition of slavery, over sixty tenant farmers lived on the land. The historic farm and land, which is not open to the public, is owned and held in private trust.
description: Limestone County, Alabama; Tanner, Alabama; Harris-Pryor House; Antebellum Trail;
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Historic Marker.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1858 to the present.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

The Hallejuah Trail; St. John's Episcopal Church of Tuscumbia, Alabama
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church; The Hallejuah Trail; Historic Churches
description: The North Alabama Hallelujah Trail features thirty one churches that are at least 100 years old, still stand on their original sites, still hold services, and are accessible to the public. The churches represent various architectural designs, use both imported and local building materials, and are located in a combination of urban and rural settings. The Trail is in sixteen counties and the churches were selected during an intensive two-year research process. The churches include: Blountsville United Methodist Church Brilliant Methodist Church Cambridge United Methodist Church Church of the Forest Corinth Church Courtland Presbyterian Church Episcopal Church of the Nativity First Methodist Church of Guntersville First Presbyterian Church of Athens First Presbyterian Church of Fort Payne First Presbyterian Church of Guntersville First Presbyterian Church of Tuscumbia First United Methodist Church of Attala First United Methodist Church of Red Bay Helton Memorial Chapel Keener United Methodist Church Lebanon Campground Methodist Church Mentone United Methodist Church Mount Pleasant Methodist Church Oneonta Bible Church Pine Torch Church Round Mountain Baptist Church Shady Grove Methodist Church St. John's Episcopal Church St. John's Episcopal Church of Tuscumbia St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church St. Joseph Catholic Church Temple B'Nai Shalom The Tabernacle of Hartselle Trinity Episcopal Church White House Church of Christ Woodville Methodist Church The sixteen counties included in the tour are: Blount Cherokee Colbert Cullman Dekalb Etowah Franklin Jackson Lauderdale Lawrence Limestone Madison Marion Marshall Morgan Winston Stop #11 (shown in the photograph) is St. John's Episcopal Church in Tuscumbia.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: North Alabama Tourism Bureau
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Athens Presbyterian Church
subject: Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Athens Presbyterian Church; Historic Churches
description: Athens First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1829. After meeting an interdenominational building, the church was built on Washington Street. The building was badly damaged during the Civil War and the Presbyterians met at the First Baptist Church while trying to organize and raise funds to replace the church. The current building - located on the square in Athens - was completed in 1895 and has added several wings,while maintaining the architectural integrity of the original building, in the last 100 years.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: www:fpcathens.org
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1829 to the present.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery; Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church; Cemeteries
description: To reach the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery from AL-157 in Muscle Shoals, head east on 2nd Street/AL-184 and after 6 miles, turn right onto County Line Road. The church and cemetery are on the left.
creator: Brian Corrigan, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 28, 2015
format: text, image

Alabama Chanin
subject: Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County; Alabama Chanin; Alabama fashion
description: Natalie Chanin, a native of Florence, Alabama, is the founder and creative director of Alabama Chanin. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Time, The New York Times, Town & Country, Bon Appetit, and Gun and Garden. She has been interviewed by National Public Radio and CBS News. Rosanne Cash credits Chanin with having given her the line that became one of the thematic hooks on Cash's most recent album, "The River and The Thread." Alabama Chanin was founded in 2000. The company which started as a hand-sewn T-shirt company and clothing brand has grown into a lifestyle company. Community and sustainability have become the cornerstones of her work. Natalie Chanin's business has grown to include an in-store studio, a restaurant named The Factory (which specializes in local, organic food), a Do It Yourself educational center named the School of Making, and continues to expand. Part of Alabama Chanin's mission statement is, "... we preserve traditions of community, design, producing, and living arts by examining work and life through the act of storytelling, photography, education, and making. The Factory, located on 462 Lane Drive in the industrial Park of Florence, which was once the home to textile producers Tee Jay's Manufacturing. The building, which was built in 1982, was called Building 14; Chanin has paid homage to the spirit of the former business by naming the machine-made designs and manufacturing "Building 14."
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: alabamachanin.com "Reviving A Southern Industry, From Cotton Field to Clothing Rack," National Public Radio Archives, October 10, 2014.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Old Lexington Post Office
subject: Lexington Alabama; Lauderdale County Alabama; Post Offices
description: The old Lexington Post Office (circa 1940) had fallen into dis-repair and disuse after the new post office was built. Several businesses attempted to make the space usable without major updates. When Dr. Paul Corfman, who grew up in North Alabama, wanted to make an investment in his community, he and his wife, Nicole, renovated the building turning it into usable space.They incorporated the details of the post office - most notably the high ceilings - to turn the building into a comfortable and welcoming space for patients. Located on Highway 101 the building is now a model for a small, rural community hoping to attract new businesses.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photographs courtesy of Nicole Corfman
type: Still Image and Text
identifier: Old Lexington Alabama Post Office; Corfman Chiropractic

Samuel Mockbee
subject: Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Samuel Mockbee; Rural Arts Studio
description: Samuel Mockbee - who was born on December 23, 1944 in Meridian, Mississippi and who died on December 30, 2001 - was an architect and the co-founder of Auburn University Rural Studio. A 1974 graduate of the School of Architecture at Auburn, Mockbee came to feel very connected to rural places and held a great respect for and understanding of the disadvantages faced by the rural poor. Mockbee and D. K. Ruth founded the Rural Studio program at Auburn University, a program acclaimed for introducing students to the social responsibilities of the profession. Mockbee was widely recognized for his work - including being given a MacArthur Foundation (known colloquially as the "Genius Grant" in 1998.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer and Hursley, Timothy, "Rural Studio:Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency." Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton Architectural Press, 2002.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1944-2001.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photograph courtesy of the Archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
type: Still Image and Text

Andrew Freear
subject: Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Newbern, Alabama; Andrew Freear; Rural Arts Studio
description: Andrew Freear, the Wiatt Professor of Architecture at Auburn University, became the Director of the Rural Arts Studio in Newbern, West Alabama in 2002. Freear, who is from Yorkshire, England, was educated at the Polytechnic of Central London and the Polytechnic of Central London, England. He has practiced in London and Chicago, and he taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago and as a Unit Master at the Architectural Association. He moved to Alabama over a decade ago to direct the Rural Studio, a hands-on architectural pedagogy that teaches students to design and build homes for the rural poor and community projects in addition to improving the living conditions in West Alabama.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Auburn University College of Architecture and Design www.ruralstudio.org
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photograph courtesy of the archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
type: Still Image and Text

Coldwater Stagecoach Stop
subject: Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama; Andrew Jackson; Old Jackson Highway; Stagecoach Stop
description: 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 hotel by Michael Dickson, the first white settler to Tuscumbia.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Natchez Trace Parkway,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.scenictrace.com/coldwater-stagecoach-stop/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Alabama Music Hall of Fame
subject: Colbert County; Alabama; Tuscumbia; Museums; Muscle Shoals Sound; FAME Studios; Muscle Shoals Sound Studio; Blues; Country; Rock n Roll; R & B; Music Hall of Fame; Clarence Carter; Percy Sledge; Wilson Pickett; Aretha Franklin; The Rolling Stones; Paul Simon; Bobby Womack; Mary MacGregor
description: 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 experience in which thousands of tourists, historians, school children, and music fans have toured to learn of the many contributions Alabamians have made to music. These accomplishments are not limited to any particular genre, nor are only musicians honored. Alabamian performers, songwriters, managers, and publishers all receive due recognition for their contributions. The accomplishments of successful individuals from Alabama in the music industry are recognized by the Hall of Fame through inductions, exhibits illustrating those accomplishments, and a walk of fame that includes permanent bronze stars for all inductees. Its location in the area known as The Shoals is no accident. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the neighboring town of Muscle Shoals became nationally famous for its two recording studios, FAME and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios where artists such as Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, and Paul Simon recorded many of their hits. A unique “Muscle Shoals Sound” developed over these years which according to blues singer Clarence Carter was “a blend of country, gospel and R & B.” By the mid 70s, the Shoals was home to eight stuidios. In the 1980s, the Muscle Shoals Music Association, a local professional organization of music professionals and the state legislature, under the leadership of state Sen. Bobby Denton, formed the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board with a mandate to honor Alabama’s famous music achievers and to construct a venue in which to display the accomplishments of these talented individuals. In 1987, citizens of Alabama passed a state-wide referendum which authorized the construction of Phase One of the construction of a 12,500-square foot exhibit facility. More than 35…
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Alabama Music Hall of Fame,” 2015, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.alamhof.org/about/. Elliot, Debbie. “The Legendary Muscle Shoals Sound: Alabama Studios Rolled Out Big Hits of '60s and '70s,” NPR, September 20, 2003, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1437161.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Sheffield Public Library
subject: Public Libraries; Sheffield; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 Ave. and 4th St. It is open Monday – Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. In 1890, a group of women came together and lended books out of their own personal collections. In 1919, the library found a home in the Red Cross building on the corner of 5th St. and Montgomery Ave. In 1948, the city of Sheffield let the library use the municipal building. That same year, the Friends of the Sheffield Library formed in 1948 as a non-profit corporation with the purpose of providing the library with its own building and to encourage the use of the library by the public. This organization purchased a building on the corner of 5th St. and Nashville Ave. and donated it to the city of Sheffield as a public library in 1963. In 1974, the library moved to a larger building. The Friends purchased the building next to the library in 1983. This building has since been turned into a conference room and local history room.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Sheffield Public Library,” Accessed November 16, 2015, http://www1.youseemore.com/sheffieldpl/default.asp.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey

Muscle Shoals Public Library
subject: Public Libraries; Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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. It also offers a homebound delivery service free of charge. It is open Mondays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Muscle Shoals Public Library,” libraries.org: A directory of libraries throughout the world, March 6, 2015, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=4642. Image provided by: http://helenkellerhealth.com/the-shoals/muscle-shoals/ “Muscle Shoals Public Library,” http://www1.youseemore.com/muscleshoals/contentpages.asp?loc=35, Accessed November 16, 2015
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Leighton Public Library
subject: Public Library; Leighton; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 library lends DVD's and has available fax and copy machines as well as free wifi. It is open Tuesday – Friday from 1:45 pm – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am – 2 pm. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Leighton Public Library,” leightonpubliclibrary.com, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://leightonpubliclibrary.com/index.html. “Leighton Public Library,” libraries.org: A directory of libraries throughout the world, March 6, 2015, Accessed November 16, 2015, http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=6642.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Tuscumbia Railroad and Transportation Museum
subject: Tuscumbia, Colbert County; Alabama; Historic Railroad Depot; Museums; Railroad Museum; Frontier Railroad Town
description: 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 demonstrations and information about Tuscumbia's history. Its hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit/?a=28. “Historic Tuscumbia Railroad Depot,” Sweet Home Alabama: The Official Travel Site of Alabama, Accessed November 21, 2015, http://alabama.travel/places-to-go/historic-tuscumbia-railway-depot.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Paul Kelly
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Paul Kelly; Muscle Shoals Sound
description: Paul Elisha Kelly (born on November 10th, 1924; died on May 25th, 1997) was a broadcast engineer, who built and maintained many of the studios and radio stations (notably WLAY and WQLT, which was owned by Sam Phillips) responsible for the Muscle Shoals Sound. Kelly was also affiliated with Chips Moman at American Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Jones, Roben. The Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios. University of Mississippi Press, Oxford, Mississippi. 2011. .
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1924 - 1997.
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photographs and notes courtesy of Jeffrey Z. Vaughn, Sr.
type: Still Image and Text

Tennessee Valley Museum of Art
subject: Museums, Art Museums; Shoals; Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama; Tuscumbia; Tennessee Valley; Tennessee River; Native Americans; Petroglyphs
description: 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.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Tennessee Valley Art Association,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.tvaa.net/.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Heritage Christian University
subject: Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Heritage Christian University; Church of Christ
description: Heritage Christian University, located at 3625 Helton Drive, in Florence, Alabama, is a private Bible college affiliated with the Church of Christ. Founded in 1971 as International Bible College. the school is co-educational, has approximately ninety students, and is overseen by a Board of Directors (all of whom must be active in the Church of Christ).
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: www.hcu.edu
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Mars Hill Bible School
subject: Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Mars Hill Bible School; Church of Christ; Private Schools
description: Mars Hill Bible School is a private preparatory day school for boys and girls in Florence, Alabama. The school begins at pre-kindergarten goes through the twelfth grade. Mars Hill Academy was opened by Thomas Brown Larimore in 1871. The academy, which was later called Mars Hill College, operated as a boy's school for sixteen years. The college was closed in 1888. Mars Hill Bible School is located at 698 Cox Creek Parkway in Florence, Alabama. In 1947 several local churches of Christ reopened the school. Mars Hill Bible School is affiliated with the Church of Christ and is completely autonomous.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

Temple B'nai Israel at Oakwood Cemetery
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Oakwood Cemetery, Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Cemeteries
description: 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.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Coleman, Erwin R., A History of Temple B'nai Iarael, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

WLAY-AM
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; WLAY-Radio; Muscle Shoals Sound
description: WLAY-AM (1450 -AM) was one of the first broadcast radio stations in the Shoals. Licensed in 1933 (as WNRA), the station stopped broadcasting in 2014. The station's original broadcast was a variety format featuring gospel, country, and "race music" by African American artists. Sam Phillips worked as a disc jockey at WLAY in the 1950s. As the "Muscle Shoals Sound" developed in the 1960s, WLAY debuted many of the local recordings, many of which are now known worldwide. Paul Kelly built the studio which is now housed at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The Alabama Historical Society named the station a Historic Landmark in 2007. The station was located on Second Street in Muscle Shoals during its heyday.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photographs courtesy of Kevin Self. The photograph of the sign is from the 1950s. The photographs of the buildings are from the 1990s. The reproduction of the logo is circa 1970, courtesy of Kevin Self.
type: Still Image and Text

Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals
subject: Muscle Shoals; Colbert County; Alabama; Museums; City Hall; Muscle Shoals Music; Muscle Shoals Sound; FAME Studios; Natchez Trace Parkway; Shoals; Tennessee River; Wilson Dam; Tennessee Valley Authority
description: “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 documents and photographs. Admission is free and it is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m Monday-Friday.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Natchez Trace Parkway,” Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.scenictrace.com/pathways-walk-through-the-history-of-muscle-shoals/. “Muscle Shoals Music,” Muscle Shoals Area, Alabama, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.colbertcountytourism.org/index.php/2012-11-08-15-06-08/2012-11-12-01-58-07. “Pathways: Walk through the History of Muscle Shoals,” Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, Accessed November 17, 2015, http://msnha.una.edu/plan-a-visit/?a=18.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Cherokee Public Library
subject: Public Libraries; Cherokee; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 first left on Church Street. The library is on the corner of First and Church Streets. It offers over 14,000 books and periodicals as well as 7 computers with DSL internet access for the general public and wifi access. The library is open 12 pm - 6pm Monday, 12 pm – 5 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 am – 2 pm on Fridays. It is closed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: “Cherokee Public Library," Accessed Novermber, 16, 2015, http://webmini.apls.state.al.us/apls_web/cherokee/?q=home. http://thermasavetech.com/?attachment_id=482
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

The Franklin House
subject: Historic Businesses; Historic Hotels; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 hotel was June 1, 1837. It was advertised as the “house on Railroad Street.” It was 3 stories high with sixty rooms designed to accommodate two hundred guests. Board and lodging per year was $150, per month was $15, and per week was $5. A tornado destroyed the roof and top floor of the Franklin House in 1874. The hotel was remodeled during repairs and became the main offices of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in 1875. The telegraph was also moved here. In 1878, the hotel was renamed the Parshall House by Mr. Schuyler who bought the building. Electric lights were added in 1905. The hotel burned on October 11, 1915 from a fire started on the top floor. The building pictured sits on the site of the Franklin House today.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 8.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Planter's Hotel
subject: Historic Businesses; Historic Buildings; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 north of the hotel on Main Street. Fire destroyed the inside of the building in the early 1950s and the third story was not rebuilt when the bulding was restored. The building still stands today, but is not a hotel.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 8.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Palace Drug Store
subject: Historic Businesses; Drug Stores; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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. The soda fountain was established in 1906 and appeared much the same as it does today. Early in the 20th century, it became a favorite meeting spot for Deshler High School students and was even owned at one point by Tuscumbia's own David Deshler. Harvey Robbins frequented the location with fellow Deshler students in the 1950s and it is where he also met his future wife, Joyce McKinney. In later years, dismayed at the idleness and dilapidation of their former hang-out spot, they purchased the store and remodeling began in 2000. It opened for business in 2001, restored to its former 1950s look and offering the same fast food, shakes, and ice cream sodas that were served there in decades past.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 7.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 7, 2015

Old Opera House
subject: Historic Businesses; Sheffield, Colbert County; Alabama; Old Opera Houses; Historic Buildings
description: 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 supported by large columns on the west side. The roomy second floor was used as a show room for Mr. Young's carriages. This business was known as 'Young's Coach Shop” and sometimes the “Old Carriage House" until the 1880s when it was purchased by A. J. Lloyd who had moved to Tuscumbia from Kentucky. Mr. Lloyd used the first floor to house the local post office and the second floor he used for an opera house. From then on, the building was referred to as “The Old Opera House.” In addition to locals who performed plays and minstrel shows, the theater was also used by traveling theater companies and vaudeville troops. General Tom Thumb, the circus midget, was possibly the most famous to visit The Old Opera House. In 1897, the new Tuscumbia library which had been meeting at the Deshler Female Institute purchased the building through a third party. In 1897, the theater was closed for renovations and reopened two years later. The library occupied a portion of the first floor while the rest was rented to local businesses. The upstairs continued to serve as the town performance center. In 1908, the Colbert County Courthouse burned and the library offered the upstairs as the temporary court house until a new one could be built because the theater was not used during the summer. The county offices ended up remaining here until a new court house was built. The Old Opera House also housed the post office from 1915-1936 for which the U.S. Government rented part of the building. When the post office moved out, the library moved downstairs. In order to afford its new building on the corner of N. Main and N. Commons Streets, the library was forced to sell the Old Opera House building. The library hoped it would be preserved as a public…
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: Journal of Muscle Shoals History. Tennessee Valley Historical Society 9 (1981). Young's Coach Shop Image courtesy of: "Florence Times," May 22, 1960.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

Kirkland's Dress Shop
subject: Historic Businesses; Historic Shops; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
description: 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 Conner, and Gurnee & James Trimble were early store operators in Mechanics Row.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: The Heritage of Colbert County. Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999, 6, 7.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 27, 2015

LaGrange Cemetery
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Leighton, Alabama; LaGrange Cemetery; LaGrange College; University of North Alabama; Cemeteries
description: LaGrange Cemetery in Colbert County is located on the site of Alabama's first college, which was established by charter in 1830, and served as a military academy in the years leading up to the Civil War. In 1854, most of the LaGrange College faculty and student body followed president R.H. Rivers to nearby Florence in Lauderdale County, and formed a new institution which later developed into the University of North Alabama. During the war, in 1863, the original college site on LaGrange Mountain was burned by Union troops under the command of Colonel Florence M. Cornyn. Today, visitors to the cemetery are greeted by a marble statue, the Abraham Ricks Monument, sculpted on the site by an Italian artist who was brought to the United States by the Ricks family. A complete list of those buried in LaGrange Cemetery can be found at the USGenWeb source linked below. The college cemetery are listed on the Alabama Historical Register of Landmarks, and the cemetery has recently been restored by the LaGrange Living Historical Association. To reach the college site and cemetery from Muscle Shoals, head southeast on Highway 172 for 8 miles, turn right onto LaGrange College Lane, veering right almost immediately onto LaGrange College Road. The college site and cemetery are on the right.
creator: Brian Corrigan, University of North Alabama
source: "LaGrange College Site Park," LaGrange Living Historical Association, http://www.lagrange-collegesitepark.org/index_1.html (accessed November 21, 2015). "LaGrange Cemetery, Colbert County, Alabama," USGenWeb Archives, http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/colbert/lagrangecem/lagrange.htm (accessed November 21, 2015). "LaGrange Cemetery," RootsWeb, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maury/AlabamaCemeteriesWeb/ColbertCounty/LaGrangeCem/LagrangeCollegeCemList.htm (accessed December 5, 2015).
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 26, 2015
format: text, image