Shelby County Museum & Archives
subject: Shelby County; Museum; Archives; Courthouse; Shelby County Historical Society Inc.; Genealogy; Maps; Deeds; Marriage Records;
description: Our extensive and growing collection of research materials includes books, periodicals, microfilm, microfiche, family folders and much more. We have the index and records from 1957 through 1994 of the Bolton Funeral Home located in Columbiana, Alabama. We maintain the original old Shelby County Alabama courthouse records, including such records as (1) Probate Estate Files through 1915, (2) Probate Minute Books and Will Books, (3) Marriage Records through 1982, (4) Divorce Case Files through 1950, (5) Chancery Court Records, (6) Circuit Court Records, and much more! We have all up-to-date published counties of the Heritage of Alabama Book Series. For easy research, we have on microfilm and/or CD such items as (1) Shelby County Newspapers dating back to 1866, (2) Shelby County Deed Books through 1899, (3) 1908 through 1959 Alabama Death Certificate Index, (4) 1950-1979 Alabama Obituary Clippings, (5) 1907-1908 Alabama Confederate Soldiers Census, (6) Alabama Confederate Pension Applications, (7) Shelby County Alabama World War I Draft Registrations, (8) Shelby County Alabama World War I Service Records, (9) 1936 through 1969 Alabama Marriage Record Index, (10) 1950 through 1959 Alabama Divorce Record Index, and (8) 1820 through 1940 Shelby County Alabama Census Records, with index for each. We have equipment for you to view and copy these microfilm/microfiche and CD items. For your convenience, we also have on microfilm Alabama County Marriage Certificates for (1) Bibb, 1818-1929, (2) Chilton, 1870-1935, (3) Clarke, 1890-1930, (4) Coosa, 1834-1925, (5) Madison, 1809-1820, (6) Perry, 1820-1929, (7) St. Clair, 1819-1933, (8) Talladega, 1833-1929, (9) Tallapoosa, 1830-1911, and the Jefferson County 1818-1940 Marriage Index, including the Bessemer Annex. In addition, we have Death Index for the following states (1) Arkansas, 1914-1950, (2) Mississippi, 1912-1943, (3) Tennessee, 1908-1954, (4) Texas, 1903-1963, and Pre 1900 Georgia Death Certificates. Our library also offe…
creator: Liz Clayton, Shelby County Historical Society
source: Shelby County Musuem & Archives Website
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resources Survey
date: Original Courthouse built in 1854
contributor: Shelby County Musuem & Archives Website
format: Text, JPEG
language: English
type: Text

Shelby Hotel
subject: Shelby County; Hotel; Private Property
description: What remains of the Shelby Hotel, adjacent to Shelby Iron Works, is closed to public and on private property. It is believed to be the first in Alabama to have running water and electric lights. Originally built in 1863, it was totally destroyed by fire in 1898, and rebuilt in 1900. Shelby Hotel by Bobby Joe Seales on Rootsweb Article about Shelby Hotel by Strange Alabama (Beverly Crider) on AL.com
creator: Liz Clayton, Shelby County Historical Society
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
format: Text
language: English
type: Text

Shelby Iron Works Complex
subject: Shelby County; Civil War; Iron Industry; Iron; Ware, Horace; blast furnace; Historic Shelby Association; industialization
description: Shelby Iron Works began when Horace Ware purchased land south of Columbiana, Alabama from Green B and Sarah Seale on December 29, 1842. Ware acquired other properties in the area with available timberland and hematite ore. The Shelby Iron Works Company was started with the building of a cold blast iron furnace. The lone furnace stack was built out of brick and stone and only stood 30 feet high. During The American War between the States the iron works was useful in outfitting the CSS Tennessee, CSS Huntsville and the CSS Tuscaloosa. A detachment of Union General Emory Upton's division of Wilson's Raiders attempted to destroy the ironworks on March 31, 1865. The ironworks was rebuilt and continued to operate until 1923 when production stopped. The majority of the Ironworks was dismantled for scrap in 1929. Shelby Ironworks Website
creator: Liz Clayton, Shelby County Historical Society
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resources Survey
format: Text
language: English
type: Text

Shelby Springs Hotel & Confederate Cemetery
subject: Shelby Springs; Mineral Springs; Hotel; Resort; Hospital; Cemetery; Civil War
description: Shelby Springs Resort Hotel is believed to have been built sometime around 1839 providing accomodations to tourists coming to avail themselves of the mineral waters. In about 1856 Mr. Jasper J. Norris of Selma leased the property consisting of 2,700 acres of wooded land, including the springs, hotel and cottages. During the Civil War, the facilities were used as a training center for the young Confederate soldiers. In 1862 Shelby Springs was known as Camp Winn. Several students in the University of Alabama Cadet Corps were sent there to drill troops for the Army. In 1863, the Confederate Army as a hospital and a soldier's home used the hotel and cottages. Father Leray and the Sisters of Mercy staffed the hospital after fleeing Civil War destruction in Vicksburg, Mississippi. They brought with them by train many wounded and sick Confederate soldiers. The Shelby Springs Confederate Cemetery became an extension of an existing cemetery located on a ridge overlooking the springs. Copied from the Shelby County Historical Society Quarterly magazine, dated March 2002: Shelby County Reporter, Thursday, June 10, 1976 Letter to the Editor: With very much interest I read the letter in the "Reporter" about the old cemetery located near, at that time, the old Summer Resort at Shelby Springs. Fifty years ago the Nelson Realty Co. purchased the Shelby Springs and their plans were to build a big Hotel and Club House to be named the "Yamakita Club" but somehow it never materialized. Then a man named Irby procured it and from that the present owner acquired the property, Howard Hall. Since the last two owners acquired it, there were no more good times, such as picnics et cetera at Shelby Springs. People for miles around would come there especially on the 4th of July ball games et cetera, plenty of water of which there were five kinds, three artesian springs of sulphur water. It was meeting place for all the neighbors. Gone is all that now, an iron fence surrounds the old springs "lot"…
creator: Liz Clayton, Shelby County Historical Society
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
format: Text
language: English
type: Text

Sheyann Webb
subject: Selma student
description: Appears in Eyes on the Prize. Wrote a book about Selma civil rights movement.

Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament
subject: Cullman County, Hanceville, Religion, Catholicism, Monastery, Mother Angelica
description: Construction began on the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama in 1996. The Our Lady of the Angels monastery was consecrated in 1996. Mother Angelica, who also founded the Eternal World Television Network, established the shrine and the monastery. According to its website, the shrine is modeled after the great Italian churches of the 13th century. Visitors walk across the piazza before entering the church in order to reflect upon the separation between faith and secularism. The church doors are adorned with Seven Joys and Sorrows of the Virgin Mary.
creator: Makayla Melvin
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/m-3425 http://olamshrine.org/about/
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu
type: Text

Simpson House-Irvine Place-Coby Hall
subject: Education; University of North Alabama; Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: Coby Hall is located on North Court Street in Florence, Alabama. Funds for its purchase in 1990 were provided by Mr. David Brubaker. Brubaker purchased what was then Irvine place for $375,000. At a ceremony on December 7, 1990 Brubaker donated the house to the University of North Alabama under the new name, Coby Hall, in honor of his late wife, Coby Stockard Brubaker. After many years of heavy use and lack of maintenance funding, Coby Hall had fallen into disrepair. Dissatisfied with the condition of the house, Brubaker donated a sum of money for repairs which sparked a “Campaign for Coby” which set out to raise money for more repairs. At the end of the campaign enough money had been raised for a total rehabilitation. Many repairs took place at this time but the most significant were the addition of a full copper roof, gutters, charger, and downspouts. The same was done for the carriage house. The result was a fully restored Coby Hall, which now houses the University of North Alabama Office of Admissions. There is a historic marker is located on Court, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Built by John Simpson in 1843, on the site of his earlier home, this residence was occupied at various times by both armies during the Civil War. Purchased in 1867 by George W. Foster, builder of Courtview, for his daughter, Virginia, and her husband, James B. Irvine. Their daughter, Virginia, left the home to her great-niece Harriett Rogers King in 1939. Mrs. King and her husband, Madding restored Irvine Place in 1948. Acquired in 1990 by David Brubaker, and donated to the University of North Alabama in memory of his wife, Coby Stockard Brubaker. Listed: National Register of Historical Places." David Brubaker, in presenting his gift to the University of North Alabama, stated: "Coby Stockard Brubaker was a giver, a lady who lived her life the same way she faced her death- with humor, honesty, courage, and the devout conviction that her experience was part of God’s plan…
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama Brian Peden, University of North Alabama
source: “Simpson House-Irvine Place-Colby Hall Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/ Prelude, History of Simpson House-Irvine House-Coby Hall On the Campus of the University of North Alabama, Archieves/Special Collection, Collier Library,University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama Section Four, Coby Hall- 1990-2005, History of Simpson House-Irvine House-Coby Hall On the Campus of the University of North Alabama, Archieves/Special Collection, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

Single Lock Records
subject: Music; Culture; Florence, AL
description: Between the 1950s and 1980s the success of Shoals recording studios, such as FAME Recording Studio and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, earned the Shoals region’s music industry national attention. Artists such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin recorded top charting hits at Shoals studios. During the twentieth-first century the Shoals music industry has continued to thrive. One reason for this is due to the success of Single Lock Records in Florence, whose name derives from the Wilson Dam, which at time of construction was the largest single lock dam in the world. Established in 2013 by John Paul White (The Civil Wars), Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes and The Bear), and Will Trapp (a Shoals native and financial advisor), Single Lock Records is an indie label that focuses on local talent. Bands and musicians that have signed with Single Lock Records are The Bear, Belle Adair, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Dylan LeBlanc, and Donnie Fritts. The record label uses Sun Drop Studios in Florence and hosts concerts at their small venue located at 116 East Mobile Street, Florence, Alabama.
creator: Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
source: Text: Greg Carmalier, Muscle Shoals: The Incredible True Story of a Small Town with a Big Sound, DVD, Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2014. Single Lock Records,” Alabama Chanin Journal, May 28, 2013, http://alabamachanin.com/journal/2013/05/single-lock-records/ (accessed May 1, 2015). Single Lock Records, “About Us,” Single Lock Records, http://www.singlelock.com/ (accessed May 1, 2015).
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 2013-present
format: file

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church
subject: Jefferson County, Birmingham, Religion, Baptist, Civil Rights Movement, African American, National historic landmark, Ku Klux Klan
description: The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, located in Birmingham, became a national symbol during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. Having been built in 1873, the church was the first Colored Baptist Church. In the early twentieth century, the church would become a fixture in the African American community and would host many notable figures including W. E. B. Dubois, Mary Mcleod Bethune, Paul Robeson, and Ralph Bunche. As the church moved on in to the twentieth century, it became a center for African American activism. Rallies and demonstrations were held frequently at the church to support integration and equal rights; however these rallies would also be responsible for increasing racial tension dramatically in the neighborhood. On September 5, 1963, the tension culminated in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church right before the 11 a.m. service. The blast killed four young girls and injured twenty-three other churchgoers. This incident would shock the nation and help propel landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The FBI would investigate and find four men affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan responsible for the bombing; however, charges would not be filed until 1977 against one man, 1997 for the second, and 2002 for the third. The fourth would die in custody before charges could be filed. In 2006, the church became a national historical landmark. In 2013, the four girls who died were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the United States highest civilian honor.
creator: Makayla Melvin, Auburn University
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1744.
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu

Skirmish at Lamb's Ferry
subject: Civil War, Rogersville, Lambs Ferry, skirmish
description: Lamb’s Ferry was one of the oldest ferries crossing the Tennessee River in Lauderdale County. The ferry was built by John Lamb from Giles County Tennessee in 1809 four miles south of where the town of Rogersville is now located. The traffic involved in cross river trade on the road to Lamb’s Ferry was instrumental in the founding of Rogersville in 1827. The Ferry was the site of a skirmish between Union and Confederate forces on May 10 and 14 1862. On May 9 1862, the brigade of Confederate Colonel John Adams crossed the Tennessee River at Lamb’s Ferry to harass the Union forces. On May 11, Colonel Adams took a force of 850 men on an attempted raid of wagon trains traveling the road from Pulaski to Elkton in Tennessee. Meanwhile, Union forces under Colonel Lytle crossed Elk River from Athens and met with forces under the command of General Negley, moving down form Pulaski. The two forces converged on Rogersville with Colonel Lytle moving on Lamb’s Ferry south of the town. The main body of Confederate forces retreated across the river. Colonel Lytle’s cavalry opened fire on a ferry load of Confederates, killing several men and horses. Confederate forces on the opposite bank returned fire, wounding one man and killing 2 horses. The Confederate forces were driven off the opposite bank by the arrival of artillery under the command of Lieutenant Sypher. One ferryboat was destroyed by artillery, one was burned by Union forces and the third was commandeered and turned into a gunboat for the Union.
creator: Michael Williams, University of North Alabama
source: McDonald, William Lindsey. A walk through the past : people and places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama. n.p.: [Killen, Ala.] : Bluewater Pub., 2003., 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015). McDonald, William Lindsey. 2003. Civil War tales of the Tennessee Valley. n.p.: Killen, Ala. : Heart of Dixie Pub. (1812 CR 111, Killen, Ala., 35645), [2003], 2003. UNA Library Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed April 30, 2015). Crane, Gregory R. n.d. "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862. ." Perseus Digital Library. Accessed April 14, 2015. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0057%3Achapter%3D45. Government, Lauderdale County Alabama. 2011. "The History of Lauderdale County." Lauderdale County Online. Accessed April 19, 2015. http://lauderdalecountyonline.com/New_Website/About_LauderdaleCounty/index.html. Wallace, Harry E. n.d. "Lauderdale County, Alabama History." algw.org. Accessed April 14, 2015. http://www.algw.org/lauderdale/historyshoals4.htm.
date: May 9-14, 1862
rights: Photo from following websites: http://www.civilwararchive.com/RESEARCH1/1863/Chickamaugausa4.htm Photo from following websites: http://www.rdonmcleod.org/brigadeer-general-john-adams.html

Skyline Farms Commissary (Rock Store)
subject: Jackson County, Skyline, New Deal, National Register of Historic Places
creator: Blake Wilhelm
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-15461934- http://focus.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=f45c8e40-c386-48d2-af26-286d5bce5ef9 http://library.mtsu.edu/tps/lessonplans&ideas/Lesson_Plan--Skyline_Alabama.pdf
publisher: Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
date: 1934-present

Skyline School
subject: Jackson County, Skyline, New Deal
description: Skyline Farms was an effort to build a “new world” in rural America. It would be a world in which tenant farmers, hit hard by the Depression, would become self-sufficient landowners and live in an idyllic village. The program was started by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in 1934 and operated later by the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration. Skyline Farms, carved out of the mountain wilderness, was one of some forty “farm communities” established during the Franklin Roosevelt Presidency. The federal government acquired some 18,000 acres of land for Skyline Farms, initially called “Cumberland Mountain Farms”. The program was intended for out-of-work tenant farmers and participants were carefully screened in regard to character and work records. Families were to have a new start in life by acquiring a home and eventually their own 40-acre farm. The program also provided work for the unemployed in the area through construction of roads and buildings. Additionally, the government built a small factory at Skyline, and then leased the facility to a private company. As with other farm community programs, Skyline Farms was controversial. Detractors labeled such programs as socialistic and compared them to communes, even though the government was trying to transform the participants into independent entrepreneurs. The programs were charged with waste and mismanagement and despite the good intentions of the project; few of the selected families were able to acquire their units. Most families could never make the one-fourth down payment and finally, under pressure from Congress, the Farm Security Administration ended its farm community programs and units at Skyline were sold to private buyers. Sadly, Skyline Farms families who could not make their down payment were forced to leave their homes. Skyline Farms did have its benefits. It carried many families through the worst part of the Depression and people received adequate health care, …
creator: Blake Wilhelm
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-15461934- http://focus.nps.gov/nrhp/AssetDetail?assetID=f45c8e40-c386-48d2-af26-286d5bce5ef9 http://library.mtsu.edu/tps/lessonplans&ideas/Lesson_Plan--Skyline_Alabama.pdf
publisher: Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
date: 1934-present
contributor: Photograph by Jimmy Emerson

Slaton's Academy
subject: Education; Lee County, AL; Slaton's Academy; Antebellum Era; Auburn, AL; Oak Bowery Academy; Slaton, William F.; East Alabama Male College; Methodist Church; Religion
description: In 1857, this institution opened on the corner of what is now Tichenor Avenue and North Gay Street. Slaton’s Academy functioned as a preparatory school for young men pursuing admission to East Alabama Male College. William F. Slaton, a local Methodist, founded the school and served as its headmaster. Slaton was previously the headmaster of Oak Bowery Academy in Chambers County, but was persuaded by Auburn’s residents to relocate after plans for the men’s college were announced.
creator: Taylor McGaughy
source: Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lissoy/sandbox2 Text Source: Ralph Draughon, Jr., Delos Hughes, and Ann Pearson, Lost Auburn: A Village Remembered in Period Photographs (Montgomery: NewSouth Books, 2012), 48.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 2014-11-26
contributor: Taylor McGaughy
format: JPEG and Text
language: English
type: Still Image and Text

Smith's Station School
subject: Education; Lee County, AL; Smith's Station, AL; Antebellum Era; Smith's Station School; Smith's Station Elementary School; School Consolidation; Mott's School; Oak Grove School; Prince School; Lee Bullard School; Salem Senior High School
description: This academic institute, one of the county’s oldest, started out as a log cabin in 1826, near where Smith’s Station Elementary School currently stands. This school never had more than thirty students. Much like the consolidations in the Beulah and Beauregard areas, the one-room schools in the Smith’s Station area began to amalgamate in the late 1910s. The merged schools included Smith’s Station School, Mott’s School, Oak Grove School, Prince School, Lee Bullard, and Salem Senior High.
creator: Taylor McGaughy
source: Text Source: The Heritage of Lee County Book Committee, The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000), 69-70.
publisher: Lee County Cultural Resource Survey
date: 2014-11-26
contributor: Taylor McGaughy
format: Text
language: English
type: Text

Snipe Hunting
subject: Events; Red Bay, AL; Franklin County, AL
description: A popular sport among the children of Red Bay was "snipe hunting." The hunts would always take place at night on a new moon. The "hunter" is armed with a tow-sack. This weapon is used to catch the "snipe" once it escapes the safety of its domicile. Groups always invited someone who had never been snipe hunting and the victim was left out in the woods looking for the elusive (and imaginary) snipe!
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: Boswell, Lurlie Wren. "Do You Recall." Outlaw Press, 1986.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1900s
type: Text

Soldier's Rest - 1862 Marker
subject: Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County
description: This historical marker is located on South Magnolia Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "This area is the military cemetery for Confederate Soldiers. After an 1862 skirmish in the streets of Florence, it was used to bury casualties until the end of the Civil War. Many unknown Confederates and a few unknown Union soldiers rest here. After the war it was reserved for Confederate veterans and their families. In 1977, the historic plot was deeded by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to insure its preservation and perpetual care."
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “Soldier's Rest - 1862 Marker”. Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/9/2015
type: Text

SoulStock
subject: Festivals; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
description: SoulStock is an annual outdoor Christian music and worship event that happens at Point Mallard. The event is free for the general public. SoulStock is sponsored by churches, businesses, and individuals mostly in the surrounding area. The festival usually occurs the second week in May annually.
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “SoulStock.” Accessed July 16, 2015. http://www.northalabama.org/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: Mid-1900s
type: Text

Southall Drug
subject: National Register of Historic Places; Florence, AL
description: Southall Drug is significant to the history of Florence for its architectural style and as a leading business in the downtown area owned and operated by the same family for over 50 years. The 1900 building is a prime example of a late 19th century Italianate commercial structure as constructed in small Alabama towns. Italianate styled buildings were introduced in the northeastern United States as early as the 1840s and quickly spread to other cities across the country becoming one of the most popular styles by 1860. The trend continued more slowly into the less populated areas of the country and remained popular through the early 20th century. The Southall Drug building is sited on a dominant commercial corner in downtown Florence and exemplifies the Italianate architectural style with heavy reddish-brown brick walls laid in running bond with matching mortar and arched windows separated on the second floor by brick pilasters. Though the two original heavy metal cornices, located above and below the pilasters, are missing the building still retains the feel of an Italianate structure in part because the parapet located around the front corner of the building is reminiscent of the typical Italianate tower. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1980 and more information on the property can be obtained in the National Register nomination. All information and photos for this Omeka entry were found in the nomination.
creator: Missy Brown, University of North Alabama
source: Mertins, Ellen and Harvie Jones. National Register Nomination. "Southall Drugs" (#80000699) (8/21/80).
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1900
format: image

Southall Drugs Marker
subject: Historic Marker; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: This historic marker is located at the intersection of North Court Street and East Mobile Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "Charles Morton Southall (1864-1952) constructed this Commercial Italianate style building in 1900 of the finest materials for his wholesale/retail drug business. The elegant interior by Charles Hester, New York City, contained the area's first rubber tile floor. In addition to health wares: window glass, paints, seeds, musical instruments and other sundries were dispensed. The building remained a pharmacy until 1979. In 1982 it was renovated by the Southall family and Byron Bower for combined commercial/residential use with John Mott, AIA, Ft. Smith, Arkansas, architect. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980."
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “Southall Drugs”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

Southeastern Bible College
subject: Religion, Christianity, Jefferson County, Birmingham, Education, College, Edgar J. Rowe
description: Southeastern Bible College (SBC) was organized in 1933 as a four-year, nondenominational, evangelical institution. The school was created by northern fundamentalists as a training school in Christian ministry. Classes began in October 1934. Originally the college served Baptist and Presbyterian congregations but eventually spread to several independent churches. In 1927 Southern Baptist Edgar J. Rowe, his wife, and several friends attended a Bible conference led by fundamentalist teacher Harry A. Ironside. He inspired them to launch a Baptist institution in Birmingham. Rowe investigated the structure of schools and in 1933 wrote a prospectus to approximately 30 local pastors and laymen. With their support, Rowe laid the foundation for the SBC. Currently all SBC graduates receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Bible and theology. The Department of Education also offers a dual major in Biblical studies and elementary education. The Department of Biblical Studies allows students to minor in biblical studies, Christian ministries, pre-seminary, and world missions. There is also a church education major.
creator: Makayla Melvin
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1034
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu

Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker
subject: Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: This historic marker is located on Seymore Avenue, Florence, Alabama. The text on side one of the marker reads: "The Southern Female University located in this vicinity was created in 1889 by Florence businessmen led by Judge William B. Wood and Alabama Baptist led by Rev. Dr. J.B. Hawthorne. The church connection was discontinued by a vote of the Alabama Baptist Association prior to opening date. The SFU was housed in a five-story Renaissance style building 220 feet long and 121 feet wide. It contained a chapel that could seat 750 people, sixteen recitation rooms, fifty bedrooms, a gymnasium, and thirty-eight classrooms. SFU opened on September 15, 1891, with 19 faculty members and about 125 students drawn from most Southern states. The students were offered five academic programs, three of which led to degrees, and two to certificates. Despite a successful first year, the University began the second year with major problems. It was located about one mile from downtown. Streets and sidewalks from Seven Points were unpaved, no streetcar service existed and the water supply was inadequate. On October 14, 1892, the University left Florence and moved to Birmingham which had offered significant support to encourage the move." The text on side two reads: "The SFU building stood vacant from 1892 to 1908. In the spring of 1908 N. C. Elting, Florence banker, announced that the Florence University for Women with a music conservatory would be established. The building was refurbished. A faculty was employed and a catalog was issued announcing that classes would begin in September. Fifty students enrolled the first day. The curriculum was a blend of old and new courses. Young ladies who wanted to prepare for the traditional role in the home could study classical and modern language, literature, music, art, elocution, history and science along with dressmaking, sewing, cooking, and household economics. Students who wanted to train for employment outside the home could take cour…
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “Southern Female University/Florence University for Women Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

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

Southern Union State Community College
subject: Education; Lee County, AL; Southern Union Community College; Bethlehem College; Hodge, John M.; Southern Christian Convention of Congregational Christian Churches; Piedmont Junior College; Southern Union College; Southern Union State Junior College; Opelika State Technical College; Alabama State Board of Education; Brown, Robert
description: Southern Union State Community College began its institutional life as Bethlehem College on June 2, 1922. John M. Hodge, a Wadley banker, donated forty acres to the Southern Christian Convention of Congregational Christian Churches as a site for the campus. From 1923 to 1964, Bethlehem College remained under religious auspices, operating as Piedmont Junior College (1928-1929), Southern Union College (1930-1933), and The Southern Union College (1933-1964). On October 1, 1964, the State of Alabama took possession of Southern Union State Junior College, which became part of a new organization of two-year colleges under the governance of the Alabama State Board of Education. The Alabama State Legislature created Opelika State Technical College in 1963 in order to fill a vocational and technical educational niche in one of Alabama’s heavily industrialized areas. The Lee County Commission donated 63 acres for Opelika State Technical College’s campus, and the college opened on January 10, 1966. Robert Brown served as its first president, heading the technical college until 1992. On August 11, 1994, the Alabama Board of Education decided to assimilate Southern Union State Junior Colleges three campuses in Wadley, Valley, and Opelika, with Opelika State Technical College in Opelika. The community college still operates on campuses in Wadley, Valley, and Opelika.
creator: Taylor McGaughy
source: Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Union_State_Community_College Text Sources: “Southern Union State Community College,” Encyclopedia of Alabama, http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-2946 The Heritage of Lee County Book Committee, The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama (Clanton, AL: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000), 80.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 2014-11-26
contributor: Taylor McGaughy
format: JPEG and Text
language: English
type: Still Image and Text

Southern Union State Community College Diploma
description: Graduation diploma for Linda Day Saxon from Southern Union State Community College
date: May 9, 2002
contributor: Linda Day Saxon
format: Diploma
language: English

Southern Union State Community College Diploma
description: Associates diploma in Child Development from Southern Union State Community College for Linda Day Saxon Class of 2002
date: August 3, 2020
contributor: Linda Day Saxon
format: Diploma

Southern Union State Community College Diploma
description: Diploma for n associates degree in Office Management awarded to Linda Day Saxon from Southern Union State Community College class of 2017
date: December 18, 2017
contributor: Linda Day Saxon
format: Diploma
language: English

Spielberger Family
subject: Sheffield, Alabama; Colbert County; Jewish Settlement
description: Jacob Spielberger, who was born in Hungary in January of 1856, came to Alabama around 1888. He opened a dry goods store and clothing store, Spielberger and Sons, at 217 and 219 Mongomery Avenue in Sheffield. His three sons, Jacob, Harry, and Ben worked with him as young men. The Spielbergers figure prominently in the development of retail in Sheffield, in the building of Temple B'nai Israel, and in fraternal organizations.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'nai Israel, Florence, Alabama; Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006. A History Of Sheffield, Sheffield Public Library, privately printed.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: The family was active in business in Sheffield from 1888 to the mid-1970s.
rights: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Text and photograph.

Spooner Oldham
subject: Center Star, Lauderdale County, FAME Studios, Rick Hall, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Dan Penn, R&B music, Soul music, Rock and Roll Hall of fame, Alabama Music Hall of Fame
description: Spooner Oldham (June 14, 1943 - ) The writing credits of Spooner Oldham read like a jukebox selection. From Percy Sledge to Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett to Janis Joplin, Spooner is at the heart of what has come to be called “The Muscle Shoals Sound.” Born June 14, 1943, in Center Star, Alabama, a community so small it hasn’t been listed on the U.S. census rolls since 1880, Dewey Lindon Oldham, Jr., comes from a family with a musical background. His father played in a band when Spooner was young child, and, per Spooner, he would just “sit over in the corner and watch them,” as his father and bandmates would practice out on the porch. It was also as a child when Spooner “accidently” acquired his nickname. Reaching for pan on the stove, he was left blind in his right eye when it was injured by a spoon. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began playing piano for local bands while in high school. After graduation, Spooner briefly attended the University of North Alabama in Florence, but dropped out soon after realizing he was skipping more classes than he attended, preferring to Rick Hall’s FAME Studios to learn his trade against that of an official classroom. It was there that Spooner started on his journey to becoming one of the premier sidemen in music. In this role, Spooner played keyboards on some of the most successful songs to come out of, first FAME Studios, then Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. Songs like Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1966), Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally” (1966), and Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You” (1967), all saw Spooner on keyboard. Spooner also played on Franklin’s signature song, “Respect” (1967), recording at Atlantic Records Studio in New York City in 1967. Shortly afterwards, Spooner headed west to Memphis, where he connected with a songwriting partner he had met while at FAME, Dan Penn. Together they had written the James & Bobby Purify hit, “I’m Your Puppet” (1966), while both were still at F…
creator: John Griffin, University of North Alabama
source: Spooner Oldham Biography http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2510/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Spooner Oldham discography http://www.allmusic.com/artist/spooner-oldham-mn0000155405/discography/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Dan Penn-Spooner Oldham interview http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music-good-ol-boys-in-the-hood-1123527.html Accessed December 2, 2016 Spooner Oldham bio - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/spooner-oldham/ Accessed December 2, 2016 Dan Penn-Spooner Oldham interview http://www.furious.com/PERFECT/pennoldham.html/ December 2, 2016 All images courtesy of Mr. George Lair and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, unless otherwise noted.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1943-2016
format: image, .jepg, web, video

Spring Hill College
subject: Religion, Catholicism, Catholic, Bishop Michael Portier, Mobile County, Mobile, Education, College, American Civil War, Desegregation, Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”
description: In 1830, Spring Hill College was founded by Mobile’s first catholic bishop. Originally most of the students were male from wealthy families in the Mobile, Pensacola, and New Orleans areas. However most of the students were not catholic. In 1954, Spring Hill College was the first college to desegregate in the Deep South. Bishop Michael Portier originally intended for it to be a boarding school that housed students under the age of 12. However the age restriction was soon relaxed and by 1832 there were almost 130 students. During the American Civil War, high officers of the Confederacy sheltered their sons from the draft at Spring Hill. Eventually the college formed two military companies. After the war, Spring Hill recruited among sons of Central American and Cuban leaders. Latin American culture was introduced to the mostly American student body. In the 1920’s the school expanded to include high school ages, yet the high school was closed in 1935. In 1932, the college opened Saturday classes for adults and began admitting women. The first two women, Marie Fidelis Yeend and Genevieve Cordilia Jarvis, graduated in 1937. In 1953 was the hiring of the first full-time female faculty member, Ella Morris, who lectured in biology. The school desegregated the following year, and in 1956, Fannie Motley became the first black graduate of a previously white college in Alabama. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote about Spring Hill in his “Letter from the Birmingham jail” mentioning the school’s moral significance. Currently the school has a diverse student body with approximately 1.450 students. The school offers degrees in the liberal arts along with master’s programs in business, education, nursing, and theological studies.
creator: Makayla Melvin
source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1029
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu

Spring Park
subject: Spring Park; Colbert County; Tuscumbia, Alabama; walking; spring
description: Spring Park is in downtown Tuscumbia. The main feature of the park is the spring and waterfall. The waterfall is made of natural limestone rocks. An fountain show is put on during certain times of the year. The area is often used for festivals and events in the area. The park is very family oriented with a playground, a mini roller coaster, and a unique little train that travels around the park. A statue is located in the park to pay tribute to the region's Native American heritage. The park includes pavilions and stages to host entertainment. There is year round trout fishing in the spring, however there is a fee to fish here. Restaurants are also located around the park.
creator: Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
source: Langley, John. 2015. 'Spring Park'. Springparkal.Com. http://www.springparkal.com/.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 1, 2015
format: image

Spring Park
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Native American; Early Settlement
description: In 1815, Michael Dickson and a group of white settlers sailed in a keel-boat down the Tennessee River and up Spring creek, settling where Spring Park is now. Dickson purchased this land from the Indian chief Tashka-Ambi for two pole axes and five dollars in cash. Tuscumbia, formally known as Ococoposa, was renamed in 1822 in honor of the Indian Chief. Spring Park was originally named Big Springs, but was renamed in the 1920’s. In 1817, Spring Park had 3 dwellings, a mill, and a store. Today, the park contains a two story open air shelter, several single story shelters, a large playground, a train, a carousel, a python roller coaster, and a splash pad. The largest man made natural stone waterfall is also located here, standing at 40’ tall and 80’ wide. 4,320,000 gallons of water pass over the falls a day into the lake. The lake also features a fountain in honor of Princess Im-Mi-Ah-Key, wife of Chief Tashka-Ambi. The fountain contains 51 jets, 1 shooting 100’ in the air in the middle and the 50 others shoot 40-50’ high. It is also choreographed to lights and music each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night at dusk. The water from the spring supplies the town of Tuscumbia, AL. It steadily stays at a temperature of 36 to 38 degrees year round. Many events have taken place at Spring Park and still do today. Federal troops camped on these grounds during the Civil War, and Jimmy Carter initiated his campaign to run for a second term at Spring Park on September 1, 1980. Today the Oka Kapassa festival is held at Spring Park. Oka Kapassa is a Native American gathering dedicated to celebrating the culture and traditions of the Native Americans who thrived in North Alabama. Other events include the Labor Day Festivities, Muscle Shoals Street Rod Run, and the annual Tuscumbia Fair.
creator: Katie McVey, University of North Alabama
source: Mary Jane McDaniel, Historic Muscle Shoals: Buildings and Sites (Tennessee Valley Historical Society), 29. “Know Your State- Tuscumbia,” The Benjamin News, October 31, 1948. Thomas F. Hill, “Tuscumbia’s Big Spring.” Google. http//www.google.com/springpark.html Brent Moore. Flickr.com, “Cold Water Falls- Tuscumbia” Picture, Tuscumbia, Alabama, June 16, 2012.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 4, 2015

St. Florian Historic District Marker
subject: Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: This historic marker is located at the intersection of Old Jackson Hwy and Co Rd 47, St. Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Father A. J. Houser, Director of the Homestead Society of Cincinnati, Ohio founded St. Florian. He subdivided the land for German immigrants who became independent landowners, built homes and reared their families. Many of the descendants from that small group of immigrants still live in the community, some in the original homes. Other descendants are scattered throughout the United States. The St. Florian Historic District was included in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in September 2007."
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “St. Florian Historic District Marker”. Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur, Alabama
subject: Morgan County, Alabama; Decatur, Alabama; St. John's Episcopal Church of Decatur ; Historic Churchs
description: St. John's Episcopal Church, in Decatur, was built in 1890. The original structure was constructed for approximately $2,000. Through the years the building and the congregation have grown. Descendants of the first parishioners still worship at St. John's. The oldest part of the building is included in the Hallelujah Trail. St. John's is located at 202 Gordon Street SE.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: stjohnsdecatur.dioala.org
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

St. Joseph Catholic Church
subject: Church; Religion
description: Prior to 1898 the Catholic population in Florence, Alabama, traveled to Tuscumbia’s Our Sacred Heart. The pastor of Our Sacred Heart, Father Bassen, characterized Florence as a mission of the Catholic Church. As a result, St. Joseph Catholic Church was established in 1898 in Florence. Before the congregation had the funds to build a structure, they conducted mass in the home of Joe Beckman. During the 1880s, Mrs. Lena Peters donated property on Laughton Heights for the congregation to build a little framed church, which was erected in 1889 and also served as a school. The church’s construction was done by St. Florian resident Mr. Stumpe. The first pastor of Saint Joseph Catholic Church was Reverend Gamblert Brunner (an original member of Sain Bernard Abby in Cullman,Alabama), who served at St. Josephs from 1889 to 1907. During his time as pastor, Brunner constructed a rectory that served as the pastor’s home until the 1970s. Bishop Edward Allen dedicated the church on June 8, 1902. Throughout its history, the church has had numerous pastors and renovations. Three during the 1930s were Rev. Henry Watson, Father Alfred Trottman, and Father Anselm Spitzer. During the years of World War II, Father Isidore Fussnecker made efforts to reach out to the black population in the area. In the late 1950s Father Paul Koehler became the pastor of the church. Koehler implemented renovations to the church. For instance, he added additional wings to the school, a Parish hall, and a modern convent. The greatest renovations happened during the 1970s. The old church, considered too small, was demolished and a new church erected in 1974. The new church building is made of brick and consists of a tower, a statue of Saint Joseph the Worker, and a huge cross. Today, the church is one of the chief religious and educational centers for Catholics in northwest Alabama.
creator: Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
source: Text: Rose Gibbons Lovett, excerpt from Catholic Church in the Deep South (The Diocese, 1980), in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “A Brief History of St. Joseph’s Parish Florence, Alabama,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
format: file

St. Luke's Church
subject: Baldwin County, Point Clear, Religion, Protestant, Church, St. Francis at the Point Church, Mrs. Ben Hamel, Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church, Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
description: St. Luke’s church, commonly known as St. Francis at the Point Church, was constructed in 1898. The building was modeled in a vernacular interpretation of the late Gothic Revival style. St. Luke’s church was the first Episcopal Church on the eastern shore of Mobile bay. St. Luke’s congregation assembled in 1896, two years before the church was built. The church was active until 1947. The congregation had diminished during WWII so the church was vacant from 1947 to 1956. In 1957, Mrs. Ben Hamel bought the building and converted it into a gift shop. Eventually the Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church acquired the property and religious services resumed in 1984. St. Luke’s Church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1997.
creator: Makayla Melvin
source: http://preserveala.org/ARdigital/Baldwin/AL.BaldwinCounty.StLukesStFrancisatthePointTraditionalEpiscopalChurch.pdf
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu

St. Marks Missionary Baptist Church
subject: African-American history
description: The site of St. Mark's missionary Baptist Church has been in continuous use by the African-American community of Florence since 1859. Originally, the church body met under a brush arbor. The current church building was built in 1901.
creator: Ashley Pentecost, University of North Alabama
source: University of North Alabama archives; Dr. Carolyn Barske, Images of America: Florence.
publisher: Alabama cultural resource survey
date: 1859

St. Michael's Catholic Church
subject: Church; Religion
description: Established in 1872, St. Michael’s Catholic Church was the first Catholic Church in Lauderdale County. The church was organized in St. Florian, Alabama, a community founded by German Catholic settlers. A prominent Catholic minister in the southwest region of Tennessee, Reverend J. House, bought over two thousand acres of land in north Alabama. It was on this land that St. Florian was founded and the Catholic Church was erected. Consisting of a large frame, the first church was completed in 1872 on the south side of Military Road and was pastored by the German priest Father Michael Merz until 1876. Merz’ sister, Annie, attended St. Michael’s Catholic Church and became the first teacher at the church’s sponsored school. Due to the town’s cultural background, the school regularly taught classes in German. In 1878 the congregation relocated the church across the Military road, at which is still the current location. Due to growth in attendance the congregation needed a larger church, so the construction process to erect a new church structure began in 1914. From 1914 to 1918, parishioners voluntarily contributed to the erection of the new church. Stones from Shoals Creek were carried to the construction site and a local Shoals stone mason, Casper Haeger, laid the foundation. Also, members of the congregation cut down trees in wooded areas and took them to the local sawmill owned by Ed Rasch. Today, one of the most astonishing sights at the church is the nineteen stained glass windows--twelve large and seven small. These windows, made in Munich, Germany, were purchased in 1924 as a memorial for the early settlers of St. Florian.
creator: Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
source: Text: Jill Garrett, “First Catholic Church in County,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. “Church Started in 1872,” in folder “McDonald Collection: Church Information-Vol. 7: Other Denomination-Catholic, Churches 7.2,” Box 37, Bill McDonald Collection, Archives/Special Collections, Collier Library, University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: Late 1880s 1900s
format: file

St. Michael's Catholic Church Marker
subject: Historic Markers; St. Florian, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: This historic marker is located on Church Road (County Road 30) west of Old Jackson Highway (County Road 61), St Florian, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In 1872, Catholics of German ancestry settled on the former Wilson Plantation and established the town of St. Florian. St. Michael's Church was built south of the road, moved to the present site in 1878, and replaced the present building in 1916. The stained-glass windows, ordered from Munich, Bavaria, weren't installed until the 1920's. The rectory was built in 1872, burned and was rebuilt in 1934. The first pastor, Fr. Michael Merz, a German priest, died in 1876. He was replaced by Fr. Gabriel Guester, O.S.B. from Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Benedictine priest have served the parish since that time."
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: “St. Michael's Catholic Church Marker”. Accessed 11/06/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

St. Paul African Methodist Church
subject: Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; St. Paul African Methodist Church; African American History; African American church
description: St. Paul African Methodist Church was established in the early 1840s. A group of African Americans from a congregation called First Methodist left to form what is now known as the St. Paul African American Methodist Church. The original name of the group was Church Springs. The first iteration of the church was located in an old cowshed located near South Street. A pastor named Robin Lightfoot, who would later die during the Civil War, led this church. The church was later established as the St. Paul African Church in 1879. The congregation would later be relocated to in 1895 before relocating again in 1968 to Court and Alabama Streets.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 158
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 1, 2015
format: text

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker
subject: Historic Markers; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: This historic marker is located at the intersection of Burrell Street and White Street, Florence, Alabama. The text on the marker reads: "In early 1840s about 14 African-American members from First Methodist formed own congregation “Church Springs” near South Court Street. In 1857, a nearby brick cow shed was converted for its use under Rev. Robin Lightfoot who became a martyr during the Civil War. Site of American Missionary School after Emancipation. Organized as St. Paul AME in 1879. Relocated to Court and Alabama Streets in 1895. Charles B. Handy was early pastor and William W. Handy was early leader (father and grandfather to W.C. Handy.) St. Paul relocated again in 1968 to present site."
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: ”St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Marker". Accessed 11/09/2015. http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 11/09/2015
type: Text

St. Paul's Church and St, John's Episcopal Church
subject: Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
description: Formed in 1867, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church served the people of Decatur until 1930. Located in Old Decatur, the church served a thriving population who prospered from the trade that the Tennessee River generated. However, in 1888 two events worked to change St. Paul’s immensely. First, a yellow fever epidemic hit Decatur and many survivors left the community. Second, St. Paul’s burned to the ground and the congregation split over where to build the new church. Many parishioners wanted to keep the congregation in Old Decatur, while others wanted to build in New Decatur. The advocates for building in New Decatur decided to withdraw from the congregation and formed St. John’s. However, the two congregations remained closely tied together. In fact, in 1892, Dr. Erasus Wooster Spalding came to Decatur to serve both churches. By 1893, the congregation of St. John’s raised enough money to build a church, which still serves the congregation today. St. Paul’s continued to serve Old Decatur until 1930.
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory Morgan County Archives http://stjohnsdecatur.dioala.org/
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1889
type: Text

St. Paul's Lutheran Church
subject: Buildings; Churches; Decatur, AL; Morgan County, AL
description: St. Paul's Lutheran Church was founded on October 9, 1898. The congregation originally met in homes, and later in 1901, they built a house of worship at 4th Avenue and Sherman Street. Reverend W. G. Hussman was the first pastor for a congregation of 25. The church is now located at 1700 Carridale S. W.
creator: Dylan Tucker, University of North Alabama
source: Decatur Historic Neighborhood National Register Inventory
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1900s
type: Text

Staggs Grocery
subject: Downtown Businesses
description: A place of business in the Sweetwater area that still exists and serves the community today is Staggs Groceries. Originally, Staggs Grocery was founded as Taylor Wylie’s Meat Market at the turn of the twentieth century. Taylor Wylie moved to east Florence to Sweetwater when Mountain Mills moved from Barton, Alabama to Florence to become the Cherry Cotton Mill. The original Wylie’s Meat Market burned to the ground and Wylie's son-in-law, L.D. Staggs, Sr., continued the business down the street on Huntsville Road. Staggs Grocery’s present location is where it has been since 1937. When L.D. Staggs, Sr. became proprietor of the grocery, he had his brother, Web Staggs, and his sons, L.D. Jr., Jack, and Billy Staggs become working members of the grocery. Staggs, Sr.’s family descendants run the operation today and have made the transition from grocer to restaurant. Staggs Grocery has a reputation for having one of the best hamburgers in all of Florence.
creator: M.C. Fesmire, University of North Alabama
source: Text Sources: McDonald, William Lindsey. "Sweetwater: The Story of East Florence." Florence, Ala.: Florence Historical Board, 1989. Barske, Carolyn. "Images of America: Florence." Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2014. Picture Source: UNA Archives & Special Collection. William L. McDonald Collection. “Staggs Grocery.” Florence, Alabama, Box 12: Florence Industry, 12-11.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: Late Nineteenth Century-Present
format: Image

Stanley Rosenbaum
subject: Stanley Rosenbaum; Business; Philanthropy; Civil Rights Movement; Education; Frank Lloyd Wright; Florence, AL; Lauderdale County, AL
description: 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.
creator: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
source: Coleman, Erwin M., A History of Temple B'Nai Israel, Florence, Alabama, Centennial Celebration, 1906 - 2006, Private Printing, Florence, Alabama 2006
publisher: Alabama Resource Center Survey
date: 1910 - 1988
contributor: Pam Kingsbury, University of North Alabama
rights: Photograph Courtesy of Collier Library Archives, University of North Alabama
type: Still Image and Text

State Normal School
subject: Education
description: The State Normal School began in 1872 after Florence Wesleyan University closed and the building was deeded to the State. This university was the first normal school south of the Ohio River. The college consisted of a two year program to train teachers. A year after the school was opened female students were admitted, but non registered, making the State Normal School the first coeducational institution in the state. Tuition was only $11 a year. In 1887 the college's name was changed to State Normal College.
creator: Claire Eagle, University of North Alabama
source: University of North Alabama, "Brief Look at University of North Alabama History." Florence, Alabama, 2005.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 1872-1887
format: Text

Stephano's Southland
subject: Historic Businesses; Historic Restaurants; Fifties Diner; Sheffield; Tuscumbia; Colbert County; Alabama
description: Southland, located at 1309 S. Jackson Highway in Sheffield was founded in 1950 primarily as a BBQ place and evolved over the years to offer a more diversified menu. In 2012, the building that housed Southland was bought by Steve Gaskins who now owns and operates Stephano's. However, the original Southland sign still remains. Stephano's offers a wide variety of dishes and combinations, ranging from popular Italian dishes, to local favorites like BBQ and freshly-made desserts. Stephano's has kept many of the same dishes and combinations from Southland's menu.
creator: Jacob Grandstaff, University of North Alabama
source: Steve Gaskins, owner, December 7, 2015.
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: December 7, 2015

Sterling High School
subject: Colbert County Alabama; Sheffield Alabama; African American History; African American School; Sheffield Colored School; Sterling High School.
description: Sterling High School was another prominent school for African Americans in Colbert County. The origin of the school is in a Baptist Church on East 20th St. Originally, the school only served five students and a man named Henry Hopkins was hired as their teacher. Due to a fire, the school was forced to relocate to another church. Sheffield Colored School was then built in 1918 and served as an elementary school for African American students. It was during this time that the school’s eventual namesake Benjamin J. Sterling served as a teacher and principal for the Sheffield Colored School. In 1921, the school expanded to teach high school level children. At first only grades one through eleven were offered until 1922 when grade twelve was offered. In 1942, the name of the school was officially changed to Sterling High School. Sterling High school established an athletics program that included basketball, track, and football. They even went up against Trenholm High School during the season. The school was eventually closed in 1968 due to integration. The building was finally destroyed ten years later in 1978. The location of the school can be found at E 19th St in Sheffield Alabama.
creator: Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
source: Curott, David. Colbert & Lauderdale County History Written on Signs of the Past. Bluewater Publishing, 2011. 155 Colbert County Heritage Book Committee (Colbert County, Ala.). 1999. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, AL: Heritage Pub. Consultants. 64-65
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: November 30, 2015
contributor: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
format: text

Stevenson Railroad Depot and Hotel
subject: Jackson County, Stevenson, Transportation, Railroads, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places
description: Stevenson's importance as the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad predates the Civil War. The town and its railroad junction were of strategic importance during the war for both sides. Stevenson was occupied by the Union army for much of the war and was a particularly vital location in the Chickamauga campaign. The original depot building was destroyed by fire during or shortly after the Civil War. The depot and hotel structures that stand today are indicative of many similar structures that were built in Appalachia in the late 19th century. The hotel and depot were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
creator: Blake Wilhelm
source: Secrist, Philip L.. "Stevenson Historic District." National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form. Southern Tech, Marietta, GA, September 13, 1978. West, Carroll Van. "Stevenson Depot and Hotel." Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
publisher: Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
date: circa 1872-present
contributor: photo by Jimmy Emerson
format: text and photograph

Stone Street Baptist Church
subject: Mobile County, Mobile, Religion, Baptist, African American, National Registrar of Historic Places
description: The original congregation of the group of Baptist was organized in Mobile in 1835 settling in a plain brick church building. This group disbanded in 1840 before immediately reorganizing under the name St. Anthony Baptist Church. This group moved to a building at the corner of Chestnut and Tunstall Streets. In 1870, the property was transferred to the trustees of the Stone Street Baptist Church. Over the next one-hundred and fifty years there have been many changes made to the church including in 1846 the creation of a separate African Church branch. The Baptist congregation has been a continuous black congregation in Mobile. One of the church’s most influential pastors was Rev. M. C. Cleveland who was also on the Selma University Board of Trustees as Chairman. Cleveland instituted a program for rebuilding the church in the early-20th century. By 1931, the new modern brick church was completed. In 1979, Stone Street Baptist church suffered damage from Hurricane Frederick and while in the process of rebuilding the roof, also built an educational building. Currently Stone Street Baptist Church is one of the most influential black Baptist churches in Alabama. The church building itself represent the achievement of laymen who utilized resources available to them to build a lasting and supportive congregation. Stone Street Baptist Church is on the National Registrar of Historic Places.
creator: Makayla Melvin
source: http://focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/nrhp/text/85001749.pdf
publisher: Makayla Melvin; MSM0041@auburn.edu

Stroud Cemetery
subject: Cemeteries; Lee County, AL
description: Located in Smiths Station at County Road 179 and Lee Road 246. Coordinates: 32.5504161, -85.1643831
creator: Heather Scheurer
source: http://alabama.hometownlocator.com
publisher: Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
date: 2014-12-6
contributor: Heather Scheurer
format: Text
language: English
type: Text