110 W. College St. Florence, Alabama 35630
Indian Mounds; Indigenous Cultures; Archaeology; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The Indian Mound is the largest platform mound in the Tennessee Valley. The size and the shape of the earthwork are designated as Mississippian. However, artifacts and radio carbon evidence suggest that the mound is from the Middle Woodland period, A.D. 100 – 500, and is non-mortuary in purpose. The mound is located on the north side of the Tennessee River in Southern Lauderdale County. In 1914, Charles B. Moore drilled thirty-four trial holes in the mound hoping to discover what the purpose of the mound might have been. The Alabama Museum of Natural History explored the mound in 1932. The Mound, which had been part of the farm owned by Dutch Kachelman, was donated to the City of Florence in 1945 by the Dabney Family. Research undertaken in 1996 and 1997 suggests that the mound was used for tool production and use; and the preparation and consumption of food; and possible regional interaction and exchange.
Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
Futato, Eugene, editor. Journal of Alabama Archaelogy. The Alabama Archaeological Soceity, Volume 46, number 2, December 2000, p. 90.
Photographs courtesy of the Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Leaders of Alabama; Florence, Alabama Business Owners; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Louis Rosenbaum was born in Lublin, Poland on May 12, 1887. He, and his brother had "to flee" eastern Poland in 1893. He married Anna Block in 1910, and their only child, Stanley, was born later that year. The family lived in Caspar, Wyoming, Little Rock, Arkansas, Denver, Colorado, and Douglas, Wyoming before moving to Florence in 1918 during the building of the Wilson Dam. He opened the Princess Theatre on September 1, 1919. His business would grow to include movie houses in Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Athens. Louis Rosenbaum was a leader of Temple B'Nai Israel, a Civil Rights advocate, and a generous donor to the community and the arts. He served as the Temple's president during the fundraising and construction of Temple B'Nai on Hawthorne Street. He and his wife supported creating a State of Israel and they hosted Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife. His philanthropic works included donating $25,000 to help fund the building of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and giving land on West Alabama Street to create a park near E.C.M. Hospital. He had lived in Florence for over forty-three years upon his death on September 8, 1962.
Vertical Files, Rosenbaum Family. Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama. Temple B'nai Israel Cemetery, Obits Compiled by Scott Dawsky, 2005. Vertical files, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama.
From the Rosenbaum Papers, University Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Mildred Rosenbaum; Rosenbaum House and Museum; Historic Preservation; Frank Lloyd Wright; Architecture; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Mildred (“Mimi”) Bookholz Rosenbaum was born in New York City on June 30, 1917, the daughter of Isador and Gussie Bookholz. She attended the New York public schools, Hunter College, and Columbia Teachers College where she pursued degrees in music and art. She worked as a fashion model for the John Powers Agency where she was featured in Vogue magazine. Mildred married Stanley Rosenbaum, a Harvard graduate, who had returned to his hometown of Florence, Alabama to work in the family’s movie theatre business. Louis and Anna Rosenbaum gave the couple funds and upon which to build a house as a wedding gift. The couple “who didn’t want anything with a colonial connotation” because “neither of us could identify with it,” consulted their friend Aaron Green who suggested that they consider contacting Frank Lloyd Wright to design a home for them. The couple moved into the house in September 1940. The couple had four son– David Hillel (born 1941; died 1981), Jonathan Daniel (1943), Alvin Robert (born 1945), and Michael Joseph (1947). Mr. and Mrs. Rosenbaum enjoyed entertaining and the arts. They were also committed to the ideals of civil rights for everyone. Their home became a gathering place for artists who were visiting the South. Their visitors included: Beverly Sills, Mercedes McCambridge, Norman Cousins, Issac Stern, and John Mason Brown. After the death of Mrs. Rosenbaum’s husband in 1982, she became a “live in curator/tour guide” for the future stewardship of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and the preservation of the Rosenbaum house as a public space. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy recognized her work in pioneering strategies for protecting historic residential properties with the first Wright Spirit Award. In 1990, Mildred Rosenbaum hosted an open house for the general public – which was organized by Heritage Preservation, Incorporated of Florence , to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the completion of her home. Over 1,000 guest visited in a single day. From 1993 – 1998, Mildred Rosenbaum conducted tours of the house. Over 5000 people signed the guest registries helping to contribute to the maintenance of the house and its preparation as a public historic site. The National Trust for Historic Preservation published a book on the house and a documentary for public television. In 1999, Mrs. Rosenbaum and her family worked with Mayor Eddie Frost to reach a long-term stewardship agreement between the City of Florence, the Rosenbaum House in cooperation with the Rosenbaum Family, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House Foundation. Mildred Rosenbaum died on October 12, 2006 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Sheffield, Alabama.
From the Mary Lancaster Collection at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, Florence, Alabama. Fuqua. C.S. "Alabama's Only Frank Lloyd Wright House," Alabama Magazine, June 1990, p. 28. Gorham, Melinda. "Rosenbaum House," The Flor-Ala. Volume 47, Number 13, p 1. Times Daily Archives; "Mildred Rosenbaum," http://www.timesdaily.com/archives/mildred-rosenbaum/article
Photo courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama.
Rosenbaum House and Museum; Frank Lloyd Wright; Usonian Architecture; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
601 Riverview, Florence, Alabama The Rosenbaum House is the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Alabama. Louis and Anna Rosenbaum's wedding gift to their son, Stanley, and his wife, Mildred (known as "Mimi") was a two acre lot with a view of the Tennessee River and $7,500 to build a house. The Rosenbaums, who did not see themselves living in a "Colonial style" house, had read about Frank Lloyd Wright. After discussing their vision for a home with Aaron Green, they commissioned a Usonian style house (one of twenty-six pre World War II Usonian style houses designed by Wright). The house was built in an L-shape, using natural materials, cypress wood, brick and glass. It features low-rising steel cantilevered roofs on the house and carport. The original plan called for the house to be 1540 square feet. By the time the house was completed, with overruns, the house cost approximately $14,000. After the births of four sons in six years, the Rosenbaums approached Wright about adding an extension to the house. He agreed, designing a dorm space for the children. a larger kitchen for the family, a guest room, and a second carport, adding 1048 (a second L shape) to the house. The costs for the additions exceeded $40,000. The house was added to the National Historic Register of Houses in 1978. After Stanley's death in 1978, Mildred devoted her energies to giving tours of the house and preserving Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Mildred lived in the house until 1999 (longer than any other Wright clients) when she sold the house to the city of Florence with the intention that it would be turned into a museum. After extensive restoration and renovation, the house was opened to the public as a museum in 2003. John Sargeant describes the house as "the purest example of Usonian style."
Broach, Barbara Kimberlin, Frank Lloyd Wright's Rosenbaum House: The Birth and Rebirth of an American Treasure. San Francisco; Pomegranate, 2006. Rosenbaum, Alvin, Usonia: Frank Lloyd Wright's Design for America. Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1993.
Photograph Courtesy of Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Stanley Rosenbaum; Business; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Education; Frank Lloyd Wright; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Stanley Rosenbaum was born on October 1, 1910 in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Louis and Anna, moved to Florence, Alabama while Wilson Dam was under construction to open the Princess Movie Theatre. He enrolled in Harvard at the age of sixteen and graduated with honors in 1931. He earned his M.A. in English at the University of Denver in 1932. Upon graduation Stanley returned to Florence to work with his father in the movie theatre business. Stanley married Mildred (Bookholtz) on November 27, 1938 at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. After a honeymoon trip to Cuba and Denver, the couple returned to Florence. Stanley's parents gave the couple a lot and the financing to build a house as a wedding gift. Their friend Aaron Green suggested that they commission Frank Lloyd Wright to design their home. They moved into the house in September 1940. The couple's four children - David, Jonathan, Alvin, and Michael - were born over a six year period (from 1941 - 1947). Stanley and his father Louis participated in the formation of a local chapter of the Alabama Council on Human Relations, a bi-racial group that worked to solve discrimination issues without fanfare. The Rosenbaums were instrumental in consolidating the African-Amercan and white public libraries in Florence. Mr. Rosenbaum's employment at the Florence State College - now the University of North Alabama - was featured in the Times Daily on November 20, 1960. His specialties were British Literature and Linguistics. He retired from UNA in 1980. Stanley Rosenbaum died on December 1, 1988.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006
Photograph Courtesy of Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama
Trail of Tears; Waterloo, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
During the forced removal of the indigenous people from the eastern United States to Oklahoma, Waterloo was a stop for the Cherokees who came by boat, from Tuscumbia, after having walked from the homelands in the Appalachians in the winter of 1838/39. Approximately 17,000 people were removed. Though a few managed to escape, there were over 4,000 deaths.
Trail of Tears Marker, Waterloo, Alabama
Photograph of Waterloo, Alabama, c. 1900, courtesy of the Archives at Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Downtown Florence; Jewish Owned Businesses; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Kreisman's Women's Apparel, which was located at 103 N. Court Street, promoted itself as having "Nationally advertised Women's Clothing and Accessories." Kreisman's Menswear, located at 101 North Court Street, was owned by Mrs. H.K. Levin and Mrs. F. K. Brostoff. Their wares included "men's furnishings."
Diorama, 1965, (Florence State University, now the University of North Alabama yearbook), Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Pam Kingsbury . University of North Alabama
The John McKinley Federal Building and the United States Post Office
Federal Buildings; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The John McKinley Federal Building, which was built on the former site of the Florence Synodical Female College (which closed in 1893), occupies a city block. The main entrance to the building is on 210 North Seminary Street, a second, smaller, public entrance is on East Tombigbee Street, and entrances for employees and deliveries are the sides facing East Mobile Street and North Wood Avenue. The main post office for the city of Florence is located on the first floor and the United States District Court uses the remainder of the building (court rooms are on the second floor and offices are on the third floor). At one time, the building’s basement was designated as a civil defense fallout shelter with a capacity for approximately 1235 people. The United States Post Office and Courthouse was built and completed in 1913. The Times Daily, the local afternoon newspaper (at that time), praised the supervising architect James K. Taylor, for his use of Neo-Classical architecture, Georgia marble tiles, the oak that was used for the trim (inside and out), and the massive doors. The building was described as “the finest in the South.” In 1999, the 105th Congress of the United States renamed the post office to honor andcommemorate John McKinley’s contributions to the city of Florence. McKinley, who was born in Virginia and lived in Florence from 1821 – 1842, was Alabama’s first United States Supreme Court Justice. As befits a Supreme Court Justice, the sign in front of the post office was erected by the Alabama State Bar Association. Judge McKinley was part of the Cypress Land Company and one of the seven founding fathers of Florence, Alabama. His contributions to the area include; building one of the first schools in the state (Athens State University), building the First Presbyterian Church in Florence, and he is credited with being “the spiritual father of the Tennessee Valley Authority” for his work on behalf of the first Florence Canal. He became the 23rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court while he was living in Florence. The building remains in service as a post office and federal district court and it has seen several renovations since 1913. The building is a still vital part of downtown life in that it is within walking distance of several of the first churches in the city (First Presbyterian, First Baptist, First Methodist, Wood Avenue Church of Christ {no longer in an original building}, and Trinity Episcopal Church), the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, the University of North Alabama, Wilson Park, Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, the Shoals Theatre, and Wilson Park.
Historic Marker, 210 North Seminary Street, Florence, Alabama.
Locally Owned Businesses; Foodways; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Trowbridge’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop (nee Bar), located at 316 North Court Street, is a truly a Florence, Alabama landmark. Opened in 1918, Trowbridge’s is the oldest business still operating in its original location in Florence. Still owned by the Trowbridge family (third generation, Paul’s grandson, Don), the shop seats fifty, and the menu features sandwiches, chili, ice cream, milkshakes, and Wednesdays are bean day. An unassuming building and restaurant with large windows that face Court Street, the eight stools at the food counter allow customers to watch their sandwiches being assembled or their ice cream being dipped. Booths line the wall on the left and various artworks (photographs, newspaper clippings, and a few original pieces by local artists) are hung around the restaurant giving the customer an impromptu history of place; both Florence’s and Trowbridge’s. Locals of a certain age will recognize the waitresses of yesteryear in the oil painting on the back wall. Several small tables are scattered between the booths and the counter. The green vinyl padding on the stools and the chairs, alongside the 1950s style formica tables, give the place a completely unassuming retro feel. According to the Official Travel Site of Alabama, in 1917 Paul Trowbridge, who was on his way to a dairy convention in North Carolina, stopped in Florence and liked the area so much that he returned to Texas, packed his family and moved to Florence. A year later, he opened the Trowbridge Creamery where he developed the recipe for orange pineapple ice cream. He added hot dogs and chili to the menu in the 1940s. Trowbridge’s has long ceased making all ice cream by hand but the recipe for orange pineapple ice cream has become a Southern classic. It was named by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of “50 Reasons to Love the U.S.A. Now,” is included in the cookbook Alabama’s Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes (by Gay N. Martin, 2004), and is discussed and reviewed on websites as prosiac as Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Facebook; as Southern as Deep Fried Kudzu; and as commercial as Remax and Alabama Chanin’s Journal. Trowbridge’s, which has never been pretentious or had any aspirations to go more upscale, is a tradition for locals and a delight for visitors.
University of North Alabama; Willingham Hall; Historic Buildings; Preservation; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The site of Willingham Hall, which is located on the University of North Alabama’s campus in Florence, Alabama, and Willingham Hall (One Harrison Plaza) itself have many stories to tell. Willingham Hall is located on the site of what was once private property with a private home, and later, the site of Locust Dell Academy for Girls. The land on which the building is located was first developed in the early 1800s (pre dating Alabama’s statehood, 1819) by an anonymous Florentine. The house was purchased in 1830s by Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Marcelius Hentz, an educated couple who moved to Florence from the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area where he had been a Professor of Modern Languages at the University. Mrs. (Caroline Lee) Hentz was a writer. The couple opened the Locust Dell Academy for Girls, which was named for the locust trees on the property, in 1834. The Academy was closed “with the coming of the War for Southern Independence.” The Hentzs sold the house which was used as a private home by various owners until 1871. Major Henry Wood, for whom Wood Avenue is named and one of the first mayors of Florence, purchased the house in 1871. He owned the house for several years prior to the purchase of the home by the University of North Alabama (which was, at the time, the first state supported teachers college and first co-educational college south of the Ohio River). Shortly after the University acquired the house, (around the 1900s), it burned to the ground. Willingham Hall, which was located on Morrison Avenue, was built in 1939, with renovations in 1977, and 2007/08. The building was originally used as a dormitory for men and named for Dr. Henry J. Willingham, who was President of the University from 1913 through 1958, when the dorm housed women. The building, which houses the offices of the English, History and Political Science and Criminal Departments, is a three story, masonry, and steel structure.The building contains 20,464 square feet, 10,827 net assignable. Willingham Hall was constructed with funds and labor provided by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Work Projects Administration. At the time of construction the building was described as “a three-storied, fireproof building, ‘modern in every way’.” Willingham Hall is architecturally important to UNA’s campus because it is one of the oldest buildings on campus. The University – under a Green Campus Initiative – updated the building in 2007/2008. Willingham Hall is historically important to UNA’s campus because it was built on the site of one of the fine girls’ academies; it is architecturally important to the campus because it is one of the oldest buildings on campus and was built by the WPA; and it remains academically important because the English, History, Political Science, and Criminal Justice Departments are housed there.
Historic Marker, Willingham Hall, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Photograph, circa 1981, is courtesy of the Archives at the Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Chief Doublehead; John Chisholm; Lauderdale County, AL; Bluewater Creek
The Doublehead Company was a development agency that leased thousands of acres of land in the area between Elk River and Cypress Creek to more than fifty white settlers. The Company was founded by Chief Doublehead, his fellow Cherokee named Checkout, and John D. Chisholm who served as the company’s agent, legal counselor, and had Doublehead’s power of attorney. The area was not officially open for settlement and the sale or transfer of the land was not sanctioned by the Cherokee Nation. The lease holders started having problems with their claims after Doublehead’s death in 1807, and, by 1809, a petition to drive out the white settlers was circulating. The Cherokee Agent Meigs started evicting the intruders in 1811. According to documents in the W. S. Hooie Special Collections at the University of Alabama Library, the families were still attempting to recover their land or their investment as late at 1827.
McDonald, William Lindsey, "The Lore of Chief Doublehead and His Home at Muscle Shoals." William Lindsey McDonald papers. Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama. Florence, Alabama.
Rosenbaum Family; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Anna Block Rosenbaum, a native of Lithuania, was born on April 8, 1889, and was brought to the United States at the age of six months. She married Louis Rosenbaum in 1910 and they had one son, Stanley. After living in Denver, Colorado, Casper, Wyoming, and Little Rock, Arkansas, the family moved to Florence, Alabama during the Wilson Dam Boom. Louis opened The Princess Theatre in 1919. Mrs. Rosenbaum, along with her husband, were active in Temple B'nai Israel. They were part of a drive to support the new State of Israel through the purchase of bonds. The couple accompanied Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife when they came to tour TVA. She, along with the Sisterhood of the Temple sent clothing and food packages to its citizens. The Sisterhood also involved in helping the victims of Nazi persecution through the adoption of war orphans. Anna Rosenbaum died on August 9th, 1975.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906-2006, Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Sweetwater Creek, located between Huntsville Road and Florence Boulevard, was given its name by the indigenous people for the pure, clear water of the creek. The Sweetwater Mansion takes its name from the creek as did Sweetwater Mills. The area was also a popular swimming hole for the young men of East Florence.
Photographs courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Downtown Florence Businesses; Florence, AL; Jewish Owned Businesses; Lauderdale County, AL
The Florence Shoe Company, located at 122 North Court Street in Florence, was owned by Milburn Zeff (November 10, 1913 to April 2, 1989) and Morris Klibanoff (January 29, 1917 - December 13, 1996). Milburn was married to Bertha ("Betty") Klibanoff Zeff (1913 - 1965). He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana; lived in Cincinnati, Ohio; and moved to the Forence area after World War II. He was a former partner in the Bootery and Kaye's. The Zeffs and the Klibanoffs were active in Temple B'nai Israel and involved in community organizations.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama.
Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL; Jewish Owned Businesses
During the 1960s many of the individually owned businesses in downtown Florence were owned by Jewish merchants. Most were incorporated with family members as officers of the corporations. The opening of Regency Square Mall (in 1978) was a reason for some businesses to relocate or close. Best Jewelry Company, located at 100 East Tennessee Street, was owned by Melvin L. Korman and Dorothy Korman. The store specialized in "Keepsake diamonds, China, Crystal, and Silver." Brother and Sister Shop, located at 108 East Tennessee Street, was owned by Erwin M. Coleman and Mrs. Rebecca W. Sebulsky. They advertised "Quality Clothing for Children - Infants Through Teens," and "Smart in Style." They also owned Junior Deb which was located next door. The Gift Box, located at 224 N. Court Street, was owned by John J. Jacobson, Fred J. Jacobson, and Gertrude S. Jacobson. S.S. L., located at 114 and 116 Court Street, was owned by the Levinsons. D. Max Levinson, Helen O. Levinson, and the Olim Levinson Company built and managed the First Federal Savings and Loan on Court Street. Davis (owned by Coleman Brodsky) and Shirley's (owned by Irving Bertell) were located from Mobile and Court, going south, on the east side of Court Street. City Drug Store, which was owned by Dr. Samuel Lischkoff, was located at the northeast corner of Tennessee and Seminary streets on 127 N. Seminary Street. The Shoals Theatre, owned by Louis and Stanley Rosenbaum, was located at 123 N. Seminary Street. Shipper and Company, Inc., Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds, owned by Stanley Shipper, was located on 212 E. Alabama Street.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing, Florence, Alabama, 2006 Shoals Directory, 1967. The R. K. Polk Company, Detroit, Michigan.
Photograph courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama
Polk City Directory, 1965. R. L. Polk and Company, Detroit, Michigan.
Key Caves; Archaeology; Nature; Native Americans; Lauderdale County, AL
Several caves, located 1.5 miles apart, via Gunwaleford Road were included in archaeological digs in the late 1980s. It was believed that the artifacts of indigenous people had been stored in the area. At one time William Key owned the property, which included a slave cemetery, that has now been designated as Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge. The caves are closed to the public to protect their integrity.
Historic Marker. Gunwaleford Road, Lauderdale County, Alabama
Document courtesy of Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Florence Owned Businesses; Wilson Dam; Advertising; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Douglas and Virginia Lambert, owners of Lambert Transfer (which was founded in 1953), chose Wilson Dam as the backdrop for their advertising
Postcard courtesy of Duel and Imogene James
Movies; Florence Downtown Businesses; Louis Rosenbaum; Stanley Rosenbaum; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
Louis Rosenbaum, who moved to Florence from Douglas, Wyoming (in 1918) during the building of Wilson Dam and the TVA government plants, opened the Princess Theatre on September 1, 1919. He lived and worked in Florence for over forty three years. At one time, he and his son Stanley owned and operated nine movie houses in North Alabama: the Princess, Majestic, and Shoals in Florence; the Colbert and Ritz in Sheffield; the Strand and the Tuscumbian in Tuscumbia; and the Ritz and the Plaza in Athens. Jonathan Rosenbaum, who was a movie critic for the Chicago Reader, wrote about growing up in and around movie houses owned by his grandfather in Moving Places (1980). The Shoals Theatre, 123 N. Seminary Street, continues to be used for community events.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1996-2006. Privately Printed. 2006.
Photographs courtesy of the Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Judaism; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
A significant Jewish community has existed in the Shoals area since the 1840s. One of the earliest references to the Jewish community in Florence, Alabama was in September 1882 (Rosh Hashanah) in the Florence Gazette reminding readers that “our citizens of that belief generally observed by closing their places of business.” Various rabbis from Birmingham and Huntsville performed wedding ceremonies and funerals until the congregation decided the time had come to build a temple and to hire a Rabbi. The Florence-Standard Journal reported that Rosh Hashanah services had been conducted in the Masonic Hall on Court Street (which, in addition to the homes of various members, would appear to have been the usual meeting place for the group that became Temple B’Nai Israel. Many of the male congregants were Masons.) The Florence Herald reported in March of 1899 that “there were about twenty-five children who needed instruction in their faith.” In June of 1900, the Times reported that plans were being made to build a Temple in Florence. Mark Reisman and M. (believed to stand for Mose) Coplan led the building project. The Times reported, “some of our best citizens are Hebrews and they form quite a considerable portion of our community, they are law abiding and prosperous and always found on the right side of every question leading to the upbuilding and prosperity of the city’s growth.” In July of 1900, The Times reported that $800 had been raised toward the building of a Temple and that, a board of trustees had been elected at a meeting in the home of Morris Coplan: President, Mark Reisman; Vice President, A. E. Bresler; Secretary, H. Weinbaum (of Sheffield); Treasurer, H. Miller. Philip Olim, H. Goldman, A. Kreisman, and Joe P. May were elected as Trustees. On January 22, 1906, the Congregation incorporated in Colbert County under the name of Congregation B’nai Israel of the Tri-Cities. The first permanent meeting place of Temple B’nai Israel was in Sheffield, Alabama, (from 1906 until 1953) where the congregants were active religiously and socially. In January 1953, at the annual (business) meeting of the group, Louis Rosenbaum (then president) announced that the purpose of the meeting was to make a final decision on the new building. An architect had estimated that it would cost $3,500 to repair the old building, and an attorney opined that the old building could be sold. The group discussed a sketch of the new building and voted that lots on Hawthorne Street in Florence be purchased. It was agreed that the auditorium and the portion of the building that would house religious school rooms be built immediately with the auditorium serving as the sanctuary until that time. The sum of $10,000 was taken from the surplus Federation funds to place into a building fund. The Lt. Alvin Rosenbaum Foundation conveyed almost all of lots 1, 2, and 3 in Block 427 of the City of Florence to the Congregation B’nai Israel of the Tri-Cities. The Temple still stands at 201 Hawthorne Street. The cornerstone of the Temple was laid in 1953. An addition to the building, which added three classrooms and enclosing the arcade, were added in 1958. The building, in essence, remains the same today. Rabbi Joseph Gallinger of Birmingham, came to the Temple in 1957 and stayed for nineteen years, instituting many of the traditions that are still followed by the congregants. A twelve tribes memorial plaque, an etched glass memorial, and tree of life doors have been added to the interior of the building. The Temple B’nai Israel hosted a centennial celebration in 2006.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. Private Printing. Florence, Alabama. 2006.
Downtown Florence Businesses; Jewish Community in Florence, Alabama; Klibanoff Family; Lauderdale County, AL
The Bootery, which was located on 111 North Court Street, was a locally owned business and landmark for eight decades in Florence. (The last incarnation of the store was Kaye's Shoes in Regency Square Mall.) Owned by Morris Klibanoff and Melburn Zeff, the store specialized in "shoes, accessories, sportswear, and lingerie." Hymen Klibanoff (October 20, 1886 - June 10, 1947), who was married to Lillie A. Klibanoff (August 1, 1890 - February 13, 1969) founded The Bootery in 1918. Born in Russia, he came to the United States as a young man. Morris (January 29, 1917 - December 13, 1996) and Rosalyn Klibanoff (August 8, 1919 - December 6, 2003), worked together and were married for over fifty-six years. Morris Klibanoff, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, graduated from Coffee High School, attended Vanderbilt, and graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois with a degree in Business Administration and Commerce. Rosalyn Bookholtz attended Hunter College and moved to Florence, Alabama (the home of her sister Mildred Rosenbaum) in 1940 to marry Morris Kilbanoff. They were the parents of five children: Judy Klibanoff Engle, Ruth Klibanoff Berg, Henry ("Hank") Klibanoff, Deborah Klibanoff, and Danie Klibanoff. The couple was active in the community and Temple B'nai Israel. Mrs. Klibanoff was instrumental in founding two local theatre groups - in 1949, she was a founding member of The Little Theatre, and she worked toward founding the Zodiac Theatre (which was, at that time, located on Hermitage Drive).
From the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library Archives, vertical files. Temple B'nai Israel Cemetery Obituaries, Compiled by Scott Dawsey, 2005.
Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
Jean Schulman, artist and art teacher, has been working in clay and batik since the 1970s. Originally from Russellville, Alabama, she lives in Florence, and retired from teaching at Muscle Shoals. Her most recent exhibit was with Robin Wade.
Alexander Falk; Jewish Community of Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
Alexander Falk was born in Prussia on October 14, 1811. He moved to England at the age of fourteen, where he learned the jewelry business. After a brief trip to his homeland in 1841, he left for America. He arrived in New Orleans and lived in Vicksburg (where he married) before moving to Florence in 1843 where he became a well-respected businessmen. At his death (on or around July 21, 1871), the Board of Mayor and Alderman issued a tribute of respect. He is buried in the Florence Cemetery.
Coleman, Erwin M., "A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration: 1906 - 2006, p. 4-6.
John D. Chisholm; Lauderdale County, AL; Chief Doublehead
John D. Chisholm (1737 -1742?, d. 1818), who was Chief Doublehead's legal counsel and liaison, arrived in North America around 1777. He was involved in multiple land scams before and after his partnership with Chief Doublehead. After Doublehead's death, he and his Cherokee wife followed the Cherokee tribe to Arkansas.
University Archives, Collier Library, University of North Alabama.
Writers; Journalists; Civil Rights Movement; Jewish Community of Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
Hank Klibanoff, the former managing editor of the Atlanta-Constitution and the James M. Cox Jr. Professor of Journalism, was born in Florence, Alabama. Klibanoff, who co-wrote The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation, with former New York Times managing editor. The book - which won a Pulitzer in 2007 - covers specifically Alabama events, including: the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the threats against the first black student at the University of Alabama, the freedom riders, the Selma to Montgomery marches, the Birmingham church bombing, and George Wallace's "stand in the schoolhouse door."
Carvalho, John. "Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hank Kilbanoff to Neil O. and Henrietta Davis Lecturer April 15." Auburn HomePage: The Newsroom. April 4, 2015.
Writers and Critics; Jewish Community of Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
Jonathan Rosenbaum, who was the head film critic of the Chicago Reader from 1987 to 2008, has had a lifelong interest in movies and the arts. Born in Florence, Alabama on February 27, 1943, his grandfather and father ran a small chain of movie houses, an experience he chronicles in Moving Places (1980). His parents, Stanley and Mildred, commissioned the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Alabama which he associates with the sense "that a horizontal line is both dynamic and restful." A graduate of the Putney School of Vermont and Bard, he intended to be a writer. Moving to New York, where one of his first jobs was editing a collection of essays on film, led to his career as a film critic, essayist, and memoirist. Jean-Luc Godard, says of Jonathan Rosenbaum, "I think there is a very good film critic in the United States today, as a successor of James Agee, and that is Jonathan Rosenbaum. He's one of the best."
Smirnoff, Marc. "Film Critic of the Month: Interview with Jonathan Rosenbaum," Oxford American. June 5, 2009. Website
Writers; Architecture; Jewish Families in Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County, AL
Alvin Rosenbaum, who was born on January 14, 1945, has worked as a research scholar, conducted tourism and opportunity studies and workshops, and is the author of several books, including: A White House Christmas, The Complete Home Office:Planning for Maximum Efficiency, and A White House Christmas.
Cemeteries; Toonersville, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
The Harvey Cemetery, located in Toonersville, Alabama (which is near the Whitehead Community and the town of Rogersville) is located off of the Bettie Anne Highway (aka Highway 51). Go north on Highway 51 for approximately three miles; at the crossroads of Road 92 (approximately three miles: there are abandoned white buildings on the right and left), turn left. At approximately one half mile, turn right on Road 53. The cemetery is approximately three quarters of a mile at the end of the road.
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; WLAY-Radio; Muscle Shoals Sound
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.
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.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Oakwood Cemetery, Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Cemeteries
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.
Coleman, Erwin R., A History of Temple B'nai Iarael, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Mars Hill Bible School; Church of Christ; Private Schools
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.
Lauderdale County, Alabama; Florence, Alabama; Heritage Christian University; Church of Christ
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).
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Paul Kelly; Muscle Shoals Sound
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.
Jones, Roben. The Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios. University of Mississippi Press, Oxford, Mississippi. 2011. .
Photographs and notes courtesy of Jeffrey Z. Vaughn, Sr.
Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Newbern, Alabama; Andrew Freear; Rural Arts Studio
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.
Auburn University College of Architecture and Design www.ruralstudio.org
Photograph courtesy of the archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Hale County, Alabama; Marengo County, Alabama; Perry County, Alabama; Samuel Mockbee; Rural Arts Studio
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.
Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer and Hursley, Timothy, "Rural Studio:Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency." Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton Architectural Press, 2002.
Photograph courtesy of the Archives at the Ralph Brown Draughon Library at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Lexington Alabama; Lauderdale County Alabama; Post Offices
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.
Old Lexington Alabama Post Office; Corfman Chiropractic
Florence, Alabama; Lauderdale County; Alabama Chanin; Alabama fashion
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."
alabamachanin.com "Reviving A Southern Industry, From Cotton Field to Clothing Rack," National Public Radio Archives, October 10, 2014.
Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Athens Presbyterian Church; Historic Churches
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.
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.
Limestone County, Alabama; Tanner, Alabama; Harris-Pryor House; Antebellum Trail;
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Ritz Theatre; Louis Rosenbaum; Jewish Owned Businesses; The Arts
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.
cinematreasures.org Tennessee Valley Art Center
Photographs courtesy of Kaitlyn Corfman.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Sheffield Land, Iron, and Coal Company; Alfred Hugler Moses; Jewish Culture
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.
Coleman, Erwin M., A History of B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, 1906 - 2006.
Illustration courtesy of the Sheffield Public Library.
St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur, Alabama
Morgan County, Alabama; Decatur, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur ; Historic Churchs
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.
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Trenholm High School; African-American History
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.
Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Trinity School; African-American Education
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.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, Alabama; Veteran's Memorials; Bird Sanctuaries
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.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Wilson Dam; Nitrate Plants
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.
Tennessee Valley Historical Society, newsletter, fall 2011.
Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Libraries
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.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Temple B'Nai Israel; Jewish Culture; Friendship Community Church
Friendship Community Church, an Evangelical Church, is located at 800 North Atlanta Avenue in Sheffield, Alabama. Friendship Community Church is housed in what was once the first Jewish Temple in the Shoals area. Sheffield was the home of what became Temple B'nai Israel from 1906 until 1953. The original building had no indoor plumbing and the toilet facilities were outhouses. The temple was remodeled and updated in the 1940s when the choir loft and indoor toilets were added.
Coleman, Edwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006.
Colbert County, Alabama; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Henry Ford
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.
Swigger, Jessie. History is Bunk: Assembling the Past at Henry Ford's Greenfield Village. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2014.
Photo courtesy of the Huntsville Times archives.
Colbert County, Alabama; Sheffield, Alabama; Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, Alabama; Water Tower; Tennessee River
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.
Sheffield, Alabama; Tennessee River; public spaces
Limestone County, Alabama; Athens, Alabama; Tom Arlin Dean House; Architecture
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.
Volin, Cynthia (interview), September 18th, 2015.