National Register of Historic Places ; Wilson Park; Architecture; Florence, AL
The National Register nomination covers three houses facing Wilson Park, the only remaining houses from what was once a prominent Florence neighborhood. The houses were built between 1890 and 1918 and represent typical upper middle class residential architecture of the time. The original plans for Florence, as surveyed and plotted by Ferdinand Sannoner, set aside a city block as a “public walk”. This allotment was adjacent to the lot designated for a school and which was subsequently developed as the Florence Synodical Female College, the “public walk” became the City Park complete with gas lighting, cedar plantings, and a bandstand. Building lots around the park became highly desirable for residential development. During the city’s economic boom from the 1880s through the 1920s, fashionable upper-middle class homes were built around the remaining three sides (north, east, and west) of the park. Over time the college was demolished and the post office and larger park footprint expanded on to the site of the Florence Synodical Female College. Commercial structures took the place of the late 19th early 20th century residential structures to the east and west leaving only three houses on the north side as a reminder of the earlier neighborhood. The house at 209 Tuscaloosa Street was constructed around 1890 and in 1894 became the home of local pharmacist, Charles Morton Southall. The Southall Drug building on Court Street is also on the National Register. The two and a half story asymmetrical frame house has Queen Anne and Shingle style features including a hipped roof, projecting front gable with Tudor revival detailing, a second story clad in wood shingles, and a one story wrap around porch supported by paired round columns on brick piers. The two story brick Georgian Revival house at 217 Tuscaloosa Street was built for James Josephus Douglass about 1910. Douglass was a prominent local businessman and farmer. The house passed to his son Hiram Kennedy Douglass, an Episcopal minister and genealogist, who left the house and the adjacent Wright – Douglas House to the city of Florence in conjunction with the Kennedy-Douglass Trust for public use as an Arts Center. The Wright-Douglas House (223 Tuscaloosa Street) was purchased by Hiram Kennedy Douglass in 1939. The one and half story frame Victorian house is currently part of the Florence Arts Center. The National Register nomination for the Wilson Park houses was written in 1978 and lacks much information that would be required of a current nomination. It is advised that this nomination be updated.
Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
Floyd, Warner W. and Sally Moore. “Wilson Park Houses – National Register of Historic Preservation Nomination,” Montgomery: Alabama Historical Commission, 1979.
National Register of Historic Places; Education; Church of Christ
Theophilus Brown Larimore constructed the two story frame house in 1870 to serve as a home and school. The house is significant for its association with religion, education, and social history. Larimore served as headmaster and Church of Christ minister until 1887. Larimore then closed the school and focused on his ministry in the area. The house passed to his son Virgil Larimore until it was acquired in 1946 and returned to its use as a religious school. Originally called Lauderdale County Bible School the name was changed to Mars Hill Bible School under which name the school has continued to flourish. The house/school is a simple frame two story hipped roof structure sited on a full brick raised basement. A one story porch extends the full width of the house and serves as a veranda from the second floor accessed by a central door leading from the upstairs hall. Of note are the simple wooden sash interpretation of Gothic Revival styling on the first floor windows. The current porch configuration differs from the description and photos taken for the 1974 National Register nomination. Due to the exterior changes and age of the National Register nomination it is suggested that the nomination be updated. All information for this Omeka entry was obtained from the nomination and an exterior survey of the property.
Floyd, W. Warner. National Register Nomination. “Larimore House (Mars Hill Bible School)”. ((#74000416) (11/21/74).
National Register of Historic Places; Gothic Revival; Architecture; Education; Civil War
Nashville architect Adolphus Heiman designed the Gothic Revival building and Zebulon Pike Morrison, a native of Virginia, who migrated to Lauderdale County constructed the building. Wesleyan Hall was reportedly his finest work. The three story masonry building was built in 1855 as the new home of Methodist church affiliated LaGrange College. When the school, under the leadership of Dr. R.H. Rivers, moved to Florence the name was changed to Wesleyan University. The college operated under the Methodist Conferences of Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi until the Civil War. Mass enlistment forced the school to close and the grounds were periodically used by troops. After the war the Methodists found they did not have enough funds to reopen. The building was offered to the state and the building became the State Normal School in 1872. The Alabama State Normal School was the first state supported teachers school in the south and a legislative Act in 1873 included the education of women, another first for the region. The building is now part of the University of North Alabama. The 1974 NR nomination lists the significance of Wesleyan Hall in terms of architecture, as one of the few surviving Gothic Revival buildings in the area, and in terms of education for its role in the education of Alabama’s teachers. All information and pictures for this Omeka entry were found in the National Register nomination.
Floyd, W. Warner. National Register Nomination. “Wesleyan Hall” (#74000417) (6/20/74).
National Register of Historic Places; University of North Alabama; Governor Emmett O'Neil; Civil War; Architecture
Courtview was built as the two story brick townhouse of successful planter and businessman George Washington Foster. The 1854-55 Greek Revival house faces the Tennessee River (southwest) down the length of Court Street in Florence. According to the NR nomination Foster had to get a special act of the Alabama State Legislature to block the street. The NR nomination lists multiple areas of significance for this prominent house. It is significant for architecture, of particular note and in keeping with the buildings Greek Revival style are the 4 full height fluted Ionic columns, the broad entablature and low hipped roof along with the symmetry of both the house and the landscape. The house is also significant for its ties to political and military history. The grounds were used by both Federal and Confederate troops during the Civil War and the house itself briefly served as headquarters for General Sherman’s officers. After the war and the death of owner George Washington Foster the house was inherited by his daughter Sarah Independence Foster and her husband Capt. Sterling Payne McDonald. In 1900 the house was sold to Emmett O’Neil who was elected governor in 1910. Thomas Rogers obtained the house in 1922 and extensively restored the property. The Rogers family sold the house in 1948 to Florence State Teachers College which later became the University of North Alabama. The house continues to be an important part of the University. The property was documented by the Works Progress Administration in 1935 and is part of the Historic American Building Survey that can be found in the Library of Congress. The property was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The nomination could use additional research.
Floyd, W. Warner. National Register Nomination. “Courtview : Rogers Hall”(#74000415) (6/13/74).
National Register of Historic Places Usonian Architecture Jewish History Museum
National Register property – Rosenbaum House The Rosenbaum house was built for Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum in 1940 from a late 1930s Usonian design by Frank Lloyd Wright, the only house designed by Wright in the state of Alabama. Usonian houses were designed as an affordable home for the everyday man. The design for the Usonian house was much smaller than most of Wright’s residential plans and were able to be altered for different settings. In keeping with Wright’s ideals the house is strongly horizontal with deliberate blank walls facing the street and large open windows towards the private family spaces to the rear of the house. Frank Lloyd Wright designed a large addition for the growing Rosenbaum family in 1948. This was the only addition Wright designed for a Usonian house. The house was restored by the Talisen Foundation in 1966. The house remained in the Rosenbaum family until 1999 when it became a city of Florence museum. This property is well known and well documented and is a significant part of Florence’s architectural heritage. The 1978 NR nomination is quite brief and could benefit from additional documentation and research. All information and photographs for this Omeka entry are from the National Register nomination. Rosembaum, Stanley ; Mildred Rosenbaum; and Ellen Mertins. National Register Nomination, “Rosenbaum House” (#78000492) (12/18/78).
National Register Nomination (#78000492)
National Register of Historic Places; Native American History; Early Settlement; Transportation; National Parkway
The 1976 NR nomination documents a 400 foot unpaved section of the original Natchez Trace not covered by the Natchez Trace Parkway. The original Natchez Trace was a network of trails established by Native Americans that stretched roughly from what is now Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. The trails whenever possible avoided creek and swamp crossings and followed watershed divides. The trails shifted with weather conditions and as population centers changed. The trails appeared on French and British maps in the 1730s and 1770s and were labeled with names such as the Chickasaw Trace and the “Path to the Choctaw Nation”. White trade was documented along the trace as early as 1785. When the Mississippi Territory was formed in 1798 settlers called for improvements to the trace which was authorized by President Jefferson in 1801. Between 1800 and 1830 the Trace was used as a post road and numerous inns and stops were established along the route. Andrew Jackson and his troops traveled the Trace in 1812 to protect New Orleans from a threatened British invasion. In 1938 the National Park Service established the Natchez Trace Parkway extending 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez bypassing this small section of one of the original trails. The Park Service interprets the Trace for its significance to Native American history, European settlement, transportation, commerce, military history and local flora and fauna. The National Register nomination for this small section of the Trace, less than one acre, was written in 1976 and like most nominations from that time period could be improved by additional research. All information and photos for this Omeka entry were taken from the nomination.
Cox, William E. National Register Nomination. “Old Natchez Trace (no. 310-2A)” (#76000156) (11/7/76).
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)
Sweetwater Plantation (Governor Robert M. Patton House)
National Register of Historic Places ; Political History; Architecture
The 1976 National Register nomination of the Robert M. Patton house states that the property is significant in terms of architecture as a classic example of a North Alabama Georgian plantation house, and for political history as the home of the first elected governor of Alabama after the Civil War. The house also known as Sweetwater Plantation originally sat on 4,000 acres with elaborate landscaped grounds surrounding the house. The two story brick house is the common double pile plan, four rooms divided by a wide central hall on each floor. Small room alterations have been made including a kitchen, side entrance, and second floor bathrooms. The exterior massing is a symmetrical rectangle with simple Georgian detailing seen most clearly in the low hipped roof, one story porch detailing, and ornamental delicate sidelights and transom surrounding the double front doors. The owner Robert M. Patton inherited the partially built house from his father-in-law and completed the house in 1835. Patton served in the Alabama legislature almost continuously from 1837 until the Civil War. He represented Lauderdale County at the State Conference and the Charleston Convention in 1860, which passed the secession ordinance that started the war. In 1865 he served in the State Constitutional Convention and became governor in 1866 until he was replaced by the Reconstruction government in 1867. Patton was then involved with the railroads and various colleges and universities throughout the South. The house remained in the family at the time of the NR nomination in 1976. The nomination needs to be updated. All information and photos for this Omeka entry are from the NA nomination.
Floyd, W. Warner, National Register Nomination. “Sweetwater Plantation (Governor Robert Patton House)”, (#76000335) (6/17/76).
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.
Ford, Gene A. National Register Nomination “Florence Wagon Works Site” (#96000596) (6/13/96).
2010: Montgomery, Union Station Train Shed
Montgomery, AL; Union Station; Railroad Stations; Montgomery County, AL
Looking west towards the old Union Station train shed in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, AL; Riverfront; Union Station
2005: Heber Valley Railroad, Heber Creeper
Heber City (UT); Wasatch Mountain Railway; Steam Locomotive;
Heber City Utah's Heber Creeper, No. 618 Steam Locomotive
Heber City; Utah; Wasatch Mountain Railroad
Chicago (Ill.); Local transit, Illinois, Chicago, Loop
Oral interviewed recorded by Christy Anderson, Montgomery County Historical Society at Pintlala Baptist Church on Saturday, April 29. You can listen to the entire interview here.
Viking Longship Sea Stallion Arrives in Dublin
Viking ships were marine vessels of particular designs used and built by the Vikings during the Viking Age. The boat-types were quite varied, depending on what the ship was intended for, but they were generally characterized as being slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel. They were clinker built, which is the overlapping of planks riveted together. Some might have had a dragon's head or other circular object protruding from the bow and stern, for design, although this is only inferred from historical sources. They ranged in the Baltic Sea and far from the Scandinavian homelands, to Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Newfoundland, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Africa. For more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_ships
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Viking Ship
2005.36.101: N Reynolds to Tom, 1859 November 23
1859; Transcription; Mother; Mrs. Watts; Col Watts; Kate; Alick; Dr. Framer; Mrs. Gennie Smith; Col Young; John Wes; Greenwood; Bereavement; Cotton Crop; Smoking; Images; Pastor
A letter to Tom from his mother-in-law (?) about the death of her daughter, Kate. She mentioned the cotton crop, a visit from his mother, She discussed Alick, who is working for Dr. Framer and asked Tom to have him stop smoking. She mentioned that she sent him a likeness of Kate and that there were other copies.
P.M.B. Young Collection, Bartow History Musem
2005.36.101: N. Reynolds to Tom, 1859 November 23
Transcription; 1859; Mrs. Watts; Col Watts; Alick; Dr. Framer; John Wes; Mrs. Ginnie Smith; Death; Mourning; Cotton; Employment
A letter from a mother-in-law to her son-in-law about the death of her daughter. She referenced a good cotton crop. And someone named Alick who was employed by Dr. Framer. She sent him a picture of Kate and referred to another photo that she had. Four handwritten pages.
P.M.B Young Collection, Bartow History Museum
Aerial photograph of Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. Date and creator unknown. From the Metro Cincinnati description: "The now-demolished concourse is shown at the upper right, and is now the site of an intermodal rail yard. A new concourse for commuter, regional, and high-speed rail service is proposed for the location. The taxi, bus, and streetcar ramps are seen on either side of the central rotunda. - See more at: http://metro-cincinnati.org/?page_id=138#sthash.3ZToTBtG.dpuf"
Metro Cincinnati
Black and white photograph of the Women's Lounge in the Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. Date and creator unknown. From the Cincinnati Museum Center description: "Union Terminal opened in March of 1933, nine months ahead of schedule. Described as a "Temple to Transportation" by the local and national press, Union Terminal was in many ways a dream come true for Cincinnati. For 50 years, various plans had been put forward for a unified rail station in Cincinnati. Finally it had arrived, and it was undoubtedly one of the finest stations ever built." About this image: "The Women’s Lounge featured hand cut wall paper and hand cut, hand painted linoleum murals by Pierre Bourdelle."
http://www.cincymuseum.org/union-terminal/train-station
Cincinnati Museum Center
Temple to Transportation, 1933-1972
Obituary for Cathryn's aunt, grandchildren of Elex McGinnis
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).
1942-11-08: In Our Opinion radio program: roundtable discussion of gasoline rationing in Detroit
World War, 1939-1945, Consumer rationing--United States--1940-1950
This sound recording captures a radio discussion of gasoline rationing in the Detroit, Michigan area, and its effect on war workers and war production. The speakers heard are John R. Richards, Supervisor of Gas Rationing, Office of Price Administration (OPA); Raymond Berry, Chairman of the Detroit Board of Commerce; Royce Howes, Detroit Free Press; and George Cushing, WJR moderator. The discussion is preceded by and followed by a bulletin announcing the Allied invasion of North Africa.
Office of Price Administration; Radio station WJR; Detroit Free Press
National Archives Records of the Office of Price Administration, 1940-1949: Sound Recordings Relating to Price Controls and the War Effort, 1941-1947
http://research.archives.gov/description/2205856
Poem by Oliver Goldsmith, where Auburn gets its name from
Newspaper Clipping, Kirk Newell's History of "War Eagle"
1944 Opelika-Auburn Newspaper Article on Kirk Newell's perspective of where and how "War Eagle" originated for Auburn University.
Capt. P.B. Young; Cartersville Georgia; Georgia Military Institute; 1857; Mr. Magget; Ruff; Persons; Heubert; Boyd; Mutiny; Trial
A short letter about a "sort of mutiny" at the school, with 30 cadets dismissed. One handwritten page and one envelope
P.M.B. Young Collection, Bartow History Museum
2005.36.329: P.M.B. Young to Colonel W. J. Hardee, 1860 May 04
1860; Pierce Manning Butler Young; P.M.B. Young; W.J. Hardee; West Point; New York; Guard Duty; Mess Hall; Observation
A report by P.M.B. Young to his commanding officer, Colonel W.J. Hardee, informing him that he “observed” no infractions while on guard duty. 1 handwritten page.
2005.36.167: P.M.B Young to Mother, 1854 March 25
1854; Georgia Military Institute; Marietta; Georgia; mother; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Pierce M.B. Young; sickness; death; religion; transcriptions
A short letter from Young to his mother discussing the death of a “brother cadet” at the Georgia Military Institute. Young comments on the cause of death, which was pneumonia, and how symptoms such as pleurisy induced a very painful death. Young also expresses sadness toward the fact that no family members of the dead cadet were present before his death and that few are aware of his death. Young calls on God to have mercy on his soul despite the fact that the dead cadet is not a Christian.
2005.36.156: P.M.B. Young to Father, Dr. R. M. Young, Unknown July 15-16
West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Sickness; Politics; Family Matters; Visiting; Cartersville; Georgia; George; Bob; Mom; sister, Dr. R.M. Young; Transcription
Pierce M.B. Young writes a letter from West Point to his father, Dr. R.M. Young at the Young's family home in Georgia. In it, he details the tough life he is having at West Point, providing information on military drills and a recent sickness he has had. He also discusses Georgia politics, family matters, and expects a visit soon. 4 handwritten pages and one envelope
1857; West Point; New York; United States Military Academy (USMA); Camp Putnam; Cadet life; Family relations; Emotions; Military life; George; Jim Lewis; Social Relations; Homesickness; Living conditions; Personal affairs; Camp-life; Soldier activities; transcriptions
Young is writing to his mother describing homesickness, his thoughts of resignation from the United States Military Academy, pertinent day-to-day activities for cadets, and his future. He expresses a desire to come home, but also the importance as a Southerner to remain committed to the USMA. There is mention of how Northerners are more prepared for the academy than Southerners because of their levels of education. He mentions the discussions cadets have concerning assignments. He also describes how New York City is a “fussy” place, but how his mother would enjoy the beautiful landscape, river, and academy parade ceremonies.
1859; P.M.B. Young; Sister; Louisa; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; School Work; War of 1812; Mexican War; Graduation; Banquet; Transcription
P.M.B. Young writes home to his sister (specific one unknown) his recent examinations, banquets for soldiers returning to campus, and graduation of a class and the ceremony that went along with it. 2 handwritten pages
2005.36.145: P.M.B. Young to Mother, 1856 March 8
1856; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Classes; Family Matters; Visiting; Appointments; Award; Local Georgia Politics; George; Robert; Sister; Mother; Father; Lumpkin; McConnel; Bob Stiles; Marietta; Transcription
P.M.B. writes home to his mother, and he talks about cadet life, his classes, and what he has been doing with his little spare time. Meanwhile, he talks about a merit appointment that he believes he should have been recommended for. 3 handwritten pages
2005.36.363: P.M.B. Young to Father, 1860 September 16
1860; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Busy; Cadet Elections; Plums; Horse; Literature; Class; Mother; Ben Foster; Breckenridge; Lane; Douglas; Johnson; Bell; Everett; Linen; Hamlin; Transcription
PMB Young writes to his father, asking him for comments on a piece about horses that he wrote that an instructor is using in class. He sends home seeds from a plum he enjoyed, describes the events of a cadet election, and promises to write his mother soon. 2 handwritten pages
1860; Tom Jones; Ohill; Elliot; Herris; Mother; Father; General Lane; John Breckenridge; West Point Military Academy; Cadet Life; Sister’s Marriage; Husband Options; Travels; Vacation; 4th of July; Money; Camp; Politics; President; Transcription
P.M.B. Young writes to his sister, disapproving of her choice of Tom Jones as husband and urging her to think carefully about her decision. He mentions 4th of July celebrations at West Point and that he wants money to travel to New York soon. His mentor, Gen. Lane, will be traveling to Georgia and staying with his family. He also writes of Gen. Lane's disillusionment with the U.S. Presidential race. 3 handwritten pages.
2005.36.182: P.M.B. Young to Caroline Elizabeth Jones, Date Unknown
P.M.B Young: Caroline Elizabeth Jones; West Point; School; Breakfast; Handwriting
P.M.B. Young writes a quick note to his mother about West Point, breakfast, and school. 2 handwritten pages.
2005.36.167: Letter from P.M.B. Young to Elizabeth Caroline Young, 1856 March 25
1856; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Georgia Military Institute; Christianity; Death; Sickness; Religion; Suffering
A short letter from Young to his mother discussing the death of a “brother cadet” at the Georgia Military Institute. Young comments on the cause of death, which was pneumonia, and how symptoms such as pleurisy induced a very painful death. Young also expresses sadness toward the fact that no family members of the dead cadet were present before his death and that few are aware of his death. Young calls on God to have mercy on his soul despite the fact that he is not a Christian.
2005.36.176: P.M.B. Young to Mother, 1858 October 31
West Point, New York; Illness; Winter; Fort Solomon; Promotion; Marriage; Robert; Brother; Mother; P.M.B. Young
A letter from P.M.B. Young to his Mother. Young discusses his health, and overcoming a recent illness. Additionally, Young outlines his views on marriage and graduation, as well as events at Fort Solomon.
2005.36.691: P.M.B. Young to his mother, 1865 June 10
1865; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Charleston; South Carolina; Civil War; Robert E. Lee; Uncle John; Spartanburg; Augusta; Georgia
Pierce is writing to his mother to see how she is adjusting to the outcome of the Civil War. He names several options for her to consider if she decides to relocate. He also reminds her to remain strong and optimistic despite the defeat.
2005.36.376: P.M.B Young to mother, 1860 March 1
1860; West Point; New York; P.M.B. Young; Elizabeth Caroline Young; Cartersville; Georgia; United States Military Academy; Robert Young (Brother); Sister; New Port; New Orleans; Home relations; Social conditions; Homesickness; Weather; Environmental conditions; Soldier conditions; Soldier training
Pierce is writing to his mother to express his happiness toward receiving letters from her and his brother Robert. Pierce discusses his sister's travel arrangements too. He also goes into details expressing his love of home and how it should remain paramount in the hearts of all.
Falkville, Alabama; Morgan County, Alabama; Jewish Settlement in Alabama
Louis M. Faulk, who was born in 1839 in Prussia, who died in 1871, and who is buried in Cincinnati, Ohio, established a store and named the town for himself. Falk's brother, Alexander, is the only Jewish individual buried in the Florence, Alabama Cemetery.
Erwin M. Coleman, A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama: Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Privately Published.
Samuel J. Israel; Colbert County: Jewish Philanthropists
Samuel J. Israel immigrated from Lithuania moving to Sheffield, Alabama in 1909. His first venture was a wholesale grocery. He eventually founded Paper and Chemical Supply of Sheffield. He was known throughout the community for his charitable works and kind nature. He served on multiple committees on behalf of local charities, fraternities, and the Temple. His most notable contribution to the area was donating the land and organizing the fundraising for the construction of the Northwest Alabama Rehabilitation Center in Muscle Shoals. He also worked tirelessly to promote adult literacy in the state of Alabama. When he died, Senator Howell Heflin (Democrat of Alabama) paid special tribute to Mr. Israel's contributions to the area and the state on the floor of the United States Senate. He married Bessie Kreisman (whose parents were prominent businesspeople in Florence). Their daughter, Beatrice, married Jack Muhlendorf. He first marriage to Bessie lasted from 1912 until her death in 1912. His second marriage was to Hilda Shipper. He died in 1990 at the age of ninety-three. The Israel and Muhlendorf Family have a section of graves at the Jewish Cemetery in Oakview Cemetery in Sheffield, Alabama. The three acres of the cemetery were put aside for Jewish use before a temple existed.
Samuel J. Israel, unpublished manuscript, local history room, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North 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.
Sheffield Public Library -- Alfred Huger Moses Room
Sheffield,. Alabama; Colbert County; Afred Hugler Moses; Jewish Settlement
The Alfred Huger Moses Room, which is located in the annex of the Sheffield Public Library (on Montgomery Avenue ), was made possible, in part, by funding from the descendants of Alfred Huger Moses (founder and first mayor of Sheffield). The room was dedicated 104 years after the founding of Sheffield. Adeline Moses, one of Alfred's daughters, married Carl Loeb, founder of Loeb Rhodes in New York City. Her children and grandchildren were in attendance at the dedication of the room.
Samuel J. Israel, Unpublished Autobiography
Samuel J. Israel; Sheffield, Alabama; Jewish Community; Philanthropy
Samuel J. Israel, who moved to Sheffield, Alabama in 1909 from Lithuania, wrote his memoirs at his daughter's (Beatrice Muhlendorf) request. The manuscript -- which is over thirty pages long -- is titled "From Northern Lithuania to Northern Alabama."
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, local history room, file 3-2.
Unpublished Manuscript -- Stanley Rosenbaum
Stanley Rosenbaum, who was a Florence, Alabama businessman, philanthropist, Civil Rights advocate, member of the University of North Alabama's English Department, and original owner of the Stanley Rosenbaum Frank Lloyd Wright House, was interested in and encouraged creative writing. An unpublished one act play, titled "When I Am Thirty," is housed in the archives of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. The play has three characters, one setting, and has detailed stage directions. Stanley Rosenbaum and his father gave the funds to establish the library and Stanley Rosenbaum served in various positions as a volunteer for over thirty years.
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, archives, file 3-2 in the local history room.
WQLT Transmitter Site: Elvis the Generator
Sam Phillips; Colbert County; Big River Broadcasting
The generator for WQLT Radio station, which is owned by Big River Broadcasting - founded by Sam Phillips and now under the management of his sons and grandchildren -- is, whimsically perhaps, painted gold and named Elvis for Elvis Presley, who Sam Phillips is credited with discovering.
Tuscumbia, Alabama; Colbert County; Jewish Settlement
Jacob and Isaac Friedman, brothers who moved to Tuscumbia from Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1840s, established a dry goods store on the main street of Tuscumbia.
Florence, Lauderdale Public Library, Local History Room, History of Temple B'nai Israel files, 2-3.
Special Collections, Sadie Schrader Collection, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence. Alabama.
The Hallejuah Trail; St. John's Episcopal Church of Tuscumbia, Alabama
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church; The Hallejuah Trail; Historic Churches
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.
Jewish Community in Florence; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Founded by Luke Abroms (December 1, 1897 - April 26, 1981), Abroms, located at 118 North Court, specialized in women's clothing. Luke and his wife Reba (February 28, 1901 - August 31, 1984) were members of Temple B'Nai Israel. Their son, Adolph, and his wife, Sybil, ran the business until it closed.
Photograph courtesy of the UNA Archives, Collier Library.
Chief Doublehead; Cherokee Tribe; Lauderdale County, AL; Bluewater Creek
1774 – 1807 Doublehead, who was also known as “Talo Tiske” (meaning two heads) and sometimes “Autowee,” was a member of a prominent Cherokee family. “Tassel” or “Old Tassel” was a beloved statesman and principal chief of the Cherokee Nation whose name became synonymous with integrity and truth. One of his sisters, Wurteh, married Nathan Gist, who was white and who married into the tribe, choosing to live with the Cherokees. Gist acted as an intermediary on behalf of the Cherokees in their dealings with the white. Wurteh and Nathan Gist were the parents of Sequoya. John Watts, who at one time was counted as the Chief of Chiefs among all Cherokees, was Doublehead’s nephew. Doublehead was without any noted influence in his family until around 1790, the year he established a town near Muscle Shoals. He later moved his town to the north bank of the Tennessee River near the mouth of Blue Water Creek in Lauderdale County. There are legends, and some evidence, that Doublehead lived in other places in Lauderdale County before settling at Blue Water Creek, which is located near Center Star. (Tahleitoiskee, his brother-in-law, had lived there). Tahleitoiskee’s people had made the land inhabitable for farmers. Approximately forty “mostly cast-offs from other Cherokee and Creek villages,” moved to Blue Water with Doublehead. Though the original settlers were “infamous in Tennessee history as “the ravagers of the Cumberlands,” in time, they were joined by other Cherokees. For over two hundred years, the area Doublehead claimed kept as a hunting reserve for both Chickasaws and Cherokees. Doublehead’s settlement was thought to be a test to see if he could regain title to the lands. With the death of Old Tassel in 1788, Doublehead’s position in the tribe started to rise within the Cherokee tribe. He attended important conferences and exerted “considerable influence in the treaties between the United States government and the Indian Nations.” Doublehead, taking twenty-eight members of a “hunting party” with him, set out to avenge Old Tassel’s – his brother’s death – seeking revenge upon the whites who had ambushed Old Tassel and two others. Doublehead and his band would spend six years leading excursions designed to carry out retaliation against the whites. In June of 1794, Doublehead became a delegate to a party of chiefs visiting Philadelphia; there, he met President George Washington and Secretary of War Henry Knox. It is believed that Doublehead and the other chiefs negotiated between $1,500 and $5,000 each in annuities from the newly formed government. It is believed that John D. Chisholm, a half-breed Cherokee trader and Doublehead’s newly acquired wealth, made Doublehead determined to live more like the whites. Doublehead built a story and a half log house on the hill overlooking Blue Water Creek. He emerged as a spokesman for the Cherokee nation, living a quieter life after the wars that raged between 1791 through 1796. Doublehead and other Cherokee leaders met with Secretary of War Henry Dearborn on January 7, 1806; a large tract of land was reserved for Chief Doublehead. The end of Doublehead’s life was marked by violence. There were conspiracies to assassinate him as a traitor to his people and there were personal animosities against Doublehead for his underhanded business dealings. Doublehead died as he had lived. Several of his enemies ambushed and killed him but not without a fight. There has been speculation by historians and legends handed down from generation to generation that the Doublehead’s death was evidence of a growing sense of unity among the Cherokee. After Doublehead’s death, it came to light that he and Colonel Meigs had colluded to include much more land than had been ceded by the Cherokee.
McDonald, William Lindsey. "The Lore of Chief Doublehead and His Home at Muscle Shoals." The WIlliam McDonald Lindsey Collection. Archives, Collier Library. University of North Alabama.
Archives. Collier Library. The University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Photograph. Courtesy of Collier Library.
Methodist Churches; Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Community; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The First United Methodist Church, located at 415 N. Seminary Street in Florence, Alabama, almost fell victim to the Great Depression. A devastating fire in 1920 caused the congregation to have to design, reconstruct, and refinance the church. The doors of the church were reopened on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924. Economic changes in the community – construction of Wilson Dam was completed, the iron furnaces over east Florence were closed, and the cottons mills were closing – caused economic uncertainty. By 1937, the United Methodist Church – in arrears for five years due to the construction of the building – was in serious financial trouble. The holder of the mortgage had instigated court action and the Methodist congregation was faced with losing its place of worship. The congregation tried various campaigns and programs to raise money but to little avail. While the money did help, it was not enough to pay off the debts. The First United Methodist Church was faced with foreclosure and a public auction of the building. Louis B. Rosenbaum, an influential businessman and member of Temple B’nai Israel, contacted the church leaders offering to help negotiate with the mortgage holder. Mr. Rosenbaum called the National Bank of New York asking the bank officials to give the congregation another opportunity to raise the money to catch up on their mortgage. The congregation worked very hard during the grace period to raise the remaining funds to pay down their burdensome debt. When the First United Methodist Church was unable to raise the money, Mr. Rosenbaum stepped in, writing a check on a private loan to the congregation to save the building. William Lindsey McDonald, a local historian, described the occasion “as one of the most beautiful accounts in the annals of Christian and Jewish relationships.”
Coleman, Erwin M. A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration:1906-2006. Privately Printed. Florence, Alabama, 2006.
Photograph Courtesy of University of North Alabama Archives, Collier Library, Florence, Alabama.
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.
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.