Calendar of Events
See more events at
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Year-Round
Guided tours are offered by appointment only, Monday - Friday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00. Self-guided tours anytime Monday-Friday, no appointment needed. Guided Saturday Tours are offered at 9:00, 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00 (group reservation requested but not required).
Call Lisa Franklin,
Site Director, at
334-242-3188 for more information.
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Tuesday Evening Living History Tours. History comes to life as interpreters and historians dressed in period clothing demonstrate life at Mobile Point. Learn about Fort Bowyer and Fort Morgan from The War of 1812 until the end of WWII. For more information c
all 251-540-5257
.
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The 33rd Alabama Infantry will occupy the authentic reproduction barracks at Confederate Memorial Park. Stop by to learn more about the life of the Confederate soldier from our knowledgeable living historians. No cost to attend - donations to the museum are appreciated. For more information please call 205-755-1990.
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July 28
Now in its third consecutive year, this event will feature live jazz performed in the parlor of historic Belle Mont Mansion. Fried pies and sweet tea will be available for purchase. Admission waived in favor of donations to benefit the care and operation of the museum. This event is part of the annual W.C. Handy Music Festival in the Shoals area. For more information please call 256-381-5052 or 256-383-0783.
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A one day living history event commemorating the events that happened at Mobile Bay August 5-23, 1864. The Fort will come to life with drills and demonstrations. For more information c
all 251-540-5257
.
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From feuding families delivering street justice to colorful characters threatening to assassinate the President, Cahawba's corruption will be revealed on this one-hour guided walking tour. For more information c
all 334-872-8058
.
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The 33rd Alabama Infantry will occupy the authentic reproduction barracks at Confederate Memorial Park. Stop by to learn more about the life of the Confederate soldier from our knowledgeable living historians. No cost to attend - donations to the museum are appreciated. For more information please call 205-755-1990.
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Volunteers will dress in period clothing to re-enact the Battle of Burnt Corn followed by the Battle of Fort Mims. You can witness living history as well as enjoy period music, arts, crafts, covered wagons, tomahawk throwing, blacksmithing, concessions, dancing and 1800s cooking demonstrations.
Admission charged.
For more information please contact Claudia Campbell at 251-533-9024
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POW/MIA exhibit.
Call Lisa Franklin,
Site Director, at
334-242-3188 for more information.
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Alabama Historical Commission 2019 Grant Program
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The Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) will administer a $750,000 state-funded Grant Program in fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018 - September 30, 2019), for improvements as well as educational programming at historic sites in Alabama.
Grants will be awarded to public or private entities who own and operate historic sites in Alabama. Grants will be awarded to entities that reflect an education-based mission, concentrate on educational programming, and reflect the geographical diversity of the state. Preference will be given to publicly-owned battlefields or
structures constructed prior to 1840 that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and historic
school structures. Grant amounts will not exceed $20,000 for any one entity.
In fiscal year 2018, the Historical Commission received over 100 applications requesting more than $4.3 million in funding.
"Last fiscal year the Capital Enhancements Grant Program helped to facilitate several types of improvements, including roof replacements, window restorations, and exterior painting," said Lisa D. Jones, Executive Director of the Alabama Historical Commission. "The goal of the 2019 grant program is to assist historic sites throughout Alabama with both improvements as well as educational programming, which will help preserve them for future generations."
Applicants must complete an official 2019 Historic Sites Grant application available on the AHC website,
here.
Grant Application Guidelines are also available on the AHC website.
Applications must be hand-delivered or mailed to Tryon McLaney, Contracts and Grants, Alabama Historical Commission, by August 15, 2018. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted. AHC will announce the grant awards in October 2018. See additional guidelines on the AHC website.
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Alabama Historical Commission's Mobile River Shipwreck Project
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The Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) will partner with the National Geographic Society to conduct the Phase I archaeological survey of submerged portions of the Mobile River in Mobile County, Alabama.
The Historical Commission has also partnered with the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, and the Mobile County Commission.
"The Historical Commission is excited to collaborate with National Geographic as well as state and local organizations," said Lisa D. Jones, Executive Director, Alabama Historical Commission. "The National Geographic Society brings 130 years of experience to this project. This organization is a global leader in harnessing breakthrough technologies such as the maritime equipment to be utilized during this investigation. Our partners have a vested interest in documenting cultural resources in portions of the Mobile River as well as reconnecting the story of Clotilda to a national and international audience. This is a story with profound meaning in Alabama, and especially to the descendant community of Africatown."
In May, the Alabama Historical Commission announced a
project
to inventory shipwrecks and other cultural resources in submerged portions of the Mobile River, Mobile, County, Alabama. This project will ultimately result in a National Register Maritime Historic District and the possible discovery of the Clotilda.
The Historical Commission has contracted SEARCH to complete the Phase I remote-sensing survey to locate significant submerged cultural resources. Advanced maritime remote sensing equipment, including a marine magnetometer, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiler will be employed.
Upon completion of the Phase I, SEARCH will conduct an archaeological analysis of the acquired data. In addition, a description of the area's prehistoric and historic context will be included in the final report as well as a shipwreck inventory. After all cultural resources in the project area are inventoried, any that have characteristics matching the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to bring captives from Africa to the United States, will be investigated further in subsequent phases of the investigation.
In conjunction with local and state partners, the archaeological process will occur in phases with Phase I beginning in July. During this intense and focused archaeological survey, we respectfully ask the general public and media not to visit the site. Any disruptions during this process could result in a significant loss of information and time.
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Places in Peril Announced
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We are proud to announce that the Places in Peril program facilitated by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation is entering its 25th year. Over the years, the listing has featured bridges, caves, antebellum houses, and other structures that represent the history of Alabama. Places in Peril has elevated many historic places around the state, bringing preservation into the spotlight and showing us how important it is to save Alabama's history.
This year, these places represent the everyday lives of everyday people. They are all public spaces that played a part in the social, religious, economic, and legal lives of Alabamians across the years. Unfortunately, they all now stand threatened by vacancy and disrepair. Each building has its community behind it fighting to bring these buildings back from the brink and put them back into use again as educational and community spaces. Sound planning and a unified community effort can bring these buildings to a certain point, but public awareness can also provide options and resources from across the state.
This year's list includes two churches, an agricultural warehouse and store, a masonic lodge, a county jail, and the ruins of an equalization school (schools built for African Americans across the South after the Supreme Court outlawed segregation).
* Acmar Civic Center, Acmar, St. Clair County
* Ada Hanna School, Hamilton, Marion County
* Hamburg Building, Foley, Baldwin County
* Shoal Creek Baptist Church, Fruithurst, Cleburne County
* George W. Braxdall Lodge #28, Decatur, Morgan County
* The Old Hale County Jail, Greensboro, Hale County
The press release can be downloaded from our website.
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AHC Quarterly Commission Meeting & Sunset Review
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The Alabama Historical Commission held its Quarterly Meeting in the State Capitol Auditorium on Thursday, June 21. Immediately following the meeting, the Commissioners and AHC staff appeared before the Alabama Sunset Committee. The AHC was commended for our diligent efforts.
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Part 1
- Introduction to the benefits of historic window repair
For staff of the Alabama Historical Commission, it is exciting to walk in downtown Montgomery and see several of the larger buildings being rehabilitated using state and federal historic preservation tax incentives. Work on the Jefferson Davis Apartments on Montgomery Street is well underway, and the completed window repair project gives the building a fresh and handsome exterior. The team of window experts responsible for the transformation moved their operation down the block to the twelve-story Bell Building that is being rehabilitated for retail and apartment use. This project will keep them busy for several months, and the result will speak for the benefits of repairing historic windows.
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The AHC advocates for work on historic buildings following the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. These historic preservation standards provide guidance on retaining the character and materials of historic buildings. Windows are part of every rehabilitation project, and if they are historic, they must be repaired unless it is proven that they are too deteriorated to repair. By now, most applicants of state and federal historic tax credit programs know that historic windows must be repaired if possible, and the developer of the Bell Building was on board with this requirement and hired Old House Specialists (OHS) to repair the windows. At the helm of OHS is Hilda Dent who knew it would be a challenge with 144 windows per floor but was excited about the opportunity to restore beautiful, working windows for future tenants.
Dent and AHC staff are often faced with building owners who want to replace their historic windows, and we do our best to educate them on the importance of retaining them. Windows are important features on historic buildings and can tell a lot about a building from the period it was constructed to the type or style of building it is. Historic windows are also well designed and crafted of high-quality materials and contribute to the historic integrity of a building. The two primary reasons building owners want to replace historic windows is because they believe they are useless and rotten and that,
eve
n if they can be repaired, they are not energy efficient.
At first glance, owners see windows with flaking paint, failed glazing putty, and broken glass and think they are rotted and ready for the trash pile. A closer look with a more experienced eye reveals these windows suffer from lack of maintenance and sometimes require only basic repair and repainting. Extended deferred maintenance can require more comprehensive repair of certain parts of the window, such as a sill or a bottom rail, that were exposed to excessive conditions. But the effort is worth it. The old-growth wood and craftsmanship of historic windows mean that they can be repaired over and over again unlike new windows that are made of soft wood, glued connections, and plastic seals and parts. New windows are manufactured with parts and connections that can only be replaced when they fail. But once historic windows are repaired with tightened joints and new glazing putty, new primer and paint, and added weather stripping, they can perform as well, if not better, than they did a century ago. And continued maintenance of these windows can keep them intact for the life of the building.
The efficiency of historic windows is also often faulted, but it can be improved with basic maintenance to the sash and frame. Caulked window frames, intact glazing putty, hardware that keeps sash closed, and weather-stripping block air infiltration. Storm windows can also improve the performance of historic windows. In addition, studies show that windows are not the primary location of air infiltration or heat gain and loss. Attic floors need insulation and all cracks, gaps, and ope
nings around access points to the building need to be sealed against air infiltration.
Replacement windows do have a place in historic building projects when historic windows are missing, already replaced, or proven to be too deteriorated to repair. In those cases, it is important to install a quality window that closely matches the historic sash. If there are no historic sash to match, those that have very similar characteristics to historic windows, including the size, design, and light configuration should be chosen.
Thankfully, the windows in the Jefferson Davis Apartments and the Bell Building can be repaired, and thankfully, there are craftspeople who can make that happen. In the next newsletter, we will visit Old House Specialists on the building site and see up close what is involved in repairing historic windows.
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State & Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit Resources
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The Alabama Historical Commission recently made available shareable resources concerning the Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program and the
Federal Historic
Rehabilitation
Tax Credit Program.
Both resources present information on the incentives available for each program. There is also a tax incentive comparison sheet available which helps to explain the differences in the programs.
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Freedom Rides Museum's New Hours
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Winston Family Descendants Visit Belle Mont Mansion
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Descendants of Isaac and Catherine Winston, owners of Belle Mont for a century beginning in 1833, joined their extended family for the Winston Family Reunion, held June 8-10, at Belle Mont. The reunion was sponsored by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation and the Friends of Belle Mont with assistance from Colbert County Tourism.
A Gala Bicentennial Dinner was served on the courtyard of the mansion and on its adjoining lawn, where a festive tent, live music, good food and fellowship were enjoyed by a large company of cousins from all over the United States. Nearly 100 guests participated in the events, which also included tours of the historic Winston Cemetery, the William Winston Home (William was a brother of Isaac Winston) and other buildings and sites which were important to the Winston family in Tuscumbia.
A "History Harvest" was conducted, co-sponsored by Helen Keller Public Library and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, and the Tuscumbia Civitan Club. Family members shared photographs, old letters and other documents, which have now been catalogued for the Belle Mont archives and for research by the public. Special presentations were made on the genealogy of the distinguished family, who count among its important figures: Patrick Henry, Dolley Madison and two Alabama governors Robert Burns Lindsay and John Anthony Winston.
Dr. Caroline Swope presented a photographic exhibit of Winston Houses from Virginia to Alabama, compiled with assistance from Robert Gamble, Senior Architectural Historian, Alabama Historical Commission (Retired) and local historian Milly Wright, taken from their files and from various other resources. Dr. Robert England engaged the group with an entertaining discussion of "Family History vs. Genealogy" and Rose Winston, shared an informative Powerpoint presentation about the family via Skype from her home in Virginia.
A number of people attended worship service at First Presbyterian Church, home church of the family, where they were warmly welcomed. The family has played a significant role in the establishment and development of Tuscumbia, the Tennessee Valley and the entire state.
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New Alabama Register Listings
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The Alabama Historical Commission created the
Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
as a listing of historic resources (buildings, sites, structures, objects, districts, and cultural landscapes) in Alabama that are worthy of preservation. These properties may be of national, state, and local significance. The designation is honorary and carries no restrictions or financial incentives. It also does not carry automatic listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
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Bethany Primitive Baptist Church was listed for its association with religion and architecture. It was built by John Lindsey, who removed the trees from the property and used them to build the church building in 1912. The only changes that have been made is the addition of a shed bathroom in 1968.
Wilcox County---
Camden African American Historic District was listed for its association with African American heritage and the Civil Rights Movement. The homes in this historic district represent the African American community in Camden. The people who lived here attended church at Antioch Baptist Church and their children went to school at Camden Academy, the school for African American's before desegregation.
Residents included teachers at Camden Academy, business owners, clergymen, and the first African American city councilman in Camden. The neighborhood attended mass meetings, marched to city hall, and hosted
Summer Community Organization and Political Education (SCOPE) workers in their homes. They were often terrorized by the KKK, weren't allowed in white owned and operated businesses, and had no support of local law enforcement to protect them.
Dallas County
--- Clark Elementary School was listed for its association with education, African American heritage, and architecture. The site includes a building constructed in 1919 that consisted of six classrooms and an office. It now houses the Dallas County Board of Education.
The current building was constructed in 1965 as an equalization school and located across from the G.W. Carver Homes. Clark Elementary School was the location of the first organized teachers march during the Civil Rights Movement. Teachers from across Dallas County marched to the Dallas County Courthouse to try and register to vote, but they were met with resistance.
Morgan County---
The Crabb-Key House was listed for its association with agriculture, the territorial period, and architecture. The initial title for the property was established July 10, 1818 by Thomas D. Crabb, who was a prominent Morgan County resident. He was one of only two Morgan County legislative delegates to sign the constitution of Alabama and help to establish Alabama as a state in 1819.
Mr. Crabb was also the first sheriff of Morgan County (formerly Cotaco County). Since women were not allowed to own property, upon his death the property was placed in a court order administrative state until purchased by Histaspas Stewart in 1852. He owned the property from 1852 until his passing in 1864. Three of his deaf and mute daughters became administrators of the property via court order in 1864. The Stewart sisters sold the first parcel of the property to their nephew Nathaniel A. Key in 1902, for $100. Later, additional parcels of land were deeded by the sisters, at various times, to "Nat for his love and affection." The sisters remained in the home until their deaths and are interred in the family cemetery located on the property. In August 2015, the home was purchased by Janice and Robert Dotson, who began restoring the property.
Dale County
--- D.A. Smith High School was listed for its association with education, African American history, and architecture. The original building was constructed in 1939 with funds from the National Youth Administration and with labor from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), National Youth Administration (NYA), and Works Progress Administration (WPA).
The current building was constructed in 1952 with various stages of development between 1959 - 1973. Integration occurred in 1971, at which time the school became Ozark Junior High School. At the insistence of the African American community the schools name was returned to D.A. Smith Middle School, after long-time principle and educator.
Dallas County--- The Dr. F.D. Reese Home was listed for its association with African American history, Dr. F. D. Reese, and architecture.
Frederick D. Reese was born on November 28, 1929, in Dallas County, Alabama. He graduated from Alabama State University and Livingston University. He also studied at the University of Alabama, Southern University and Auburn University before receiving his doctorate of divinity from Selma University. In 1960, Reese began teaching science and math at R. B. Hudson High School and joined the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL), the major civil rights organization in Selma since the state of Alabama started actively suppressing the NAACP in 1956. Two years after joining the DCVL, he was elected its president. During that time, Reese signed and sent the DCVL's invitation to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to come to Selma to lend their support to the Selma voting rights campaign.
On March 7, 1965, with over 600 activists, Reese led the first teachers march during the Civil Rights Movement in Selma. The day would live in infamy as "Bloody Sunday" after protestors were beaten and sprayed with tear gas. Reese marched again on March 21, 1965, with Dr. King and more than 50,000 people from Selma's Brown Chapel AME Church to Alabama's state capitol.
Clay County--- Guthrie's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church and Cemetery was listed for its association with religion, funerary art, and architecture. Pinckneyville, founded in 1872 by John Hunter Guthrie, is located in a less populated part of east-central Alabama.
The first settlers began arriving in the area shortly after the Creek Indian Treaty of 1832 and the formation of Talladega County that same year. At the time, Pinckneyville was a thriving trading community situated on the Talladega - Tallapoosa county line. John H. Guthrie, a Civil War Veteran, was a resident of the community. He entered service as a private in Company C, 10th Alabama Infantry regiment.
By 1921 the church's congregation had grown to 165 members. Most of the members came from local residents representing 20 families living in the immediate vicinity. The cemetery was developed along with the church. The first known burial was in 1878 with the most recent burial being in 2009. There are 162 graves with 137 marked and 25 unmarked. Since the 1950's the chapel has been the site of a family "homecoming" of the descendants of the original members of the church. In 2018 the church building and adjoining cemetery, approximately 2 acres, was deeded to a caretaker association of descendants.
Jefferson County
--- Legion Field, also known as the "Old Grey Lady," was listed for its association with sports history and architecture.
Construction of the 21,000-seat stadium began in 1926 at the cost of $439,000. It was completed in 1927 and named Legion Field in honor of the American Legion. In the stadium's first event, 16,800 fans watched Howard College (now known as Samford University) shut out Birmingham-Southern College 9-0 on November 19, 1927.
Over the years, the stadium grew, but expansions didn't follow the designer's initial intent on the stadium becoming a monumental horseshoe-shaped amphitheater. Capacity was increased to 25,000 in 1934 and to 45,000 in 1948, and the bowl was enclosed. In 1961, a 9,000-seat upper deck was added to the east side of the stadium, increasing capacity to 54,600. In 1965, a new press box was built in the stadium and capacity was further increased to 68,821.
The city of Birmingham removed the upper deck in 2005 since the capacity was greater than the actual need. It was also determined that the stadium needed major renovation to bring it up to code. In 2015, renovations took place including general improvements and overall renovations including a new and larger video scoreboard along with a new and improved sound system.
Over the years, Legion Field has become a symbol for not just Birmingham, but sports fans from all over the world. It has held some of the greatest games in college football between in-state rivals, Olympic soccer games, NFL exhibition games, and other public events.
Dallas County
--- The Safford Community House was listed for its association with education, social history, and architecture. According to deed records, it was constructed in 1917 for a school in District 13 in Dallas County. The Safford Community House was most likely built using Rosenwald School plans, but the school was used for white students in the Safford community.
The school closed sometime between 1940 and 1945 when the property was sold to the Safford Community Club by the state of Alabama. From the 1940s to the 1960s the community sponsored a BBQ and horse show to help raise money for the center. It has been in continuous use as a general meeting place for the community and as a place for locals to vote.
Monroe County
--- The McCreary-Turnbull House and Cemetery was listed for its association with agriculture, territorial period history, funerary arts, and architecture.
The house was built of heart of pine around 1838 and was the plantation home of Sam and Mary McCreary, who
married on December 30, 1835 in Conecuh County. They moved to Turnbull and began farming and building their home. Their daughter Mattie, married Lieutenant Governor John E. Massey of Virginia and served as lieutenant First Lady during the reconstruction period. Their three sons served during the Civil War. When the oldest, Preston, became ill in Virginia, his father, Sam, went to look after him. Sadly, they both died and are buried in Culpepper County, Virginia. The two remaining brothers, Captain Jim and Captain John, returned home to run the plantation after the war.
Claude Hardee bought the heart of the plantation in the 1940s from Captain Jim's son, Frederick. Since then, the Hardee's have acquired more of the original plantation land. In 2000, Philip and Lynne restored the home and smoke house. Today, it serves as a guest house for family and friends.
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Black Heritage Council Update
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The Black Heritage Council welcomes Madison Hunter as our newest intern! Madison is a senior at the University of South Alabama majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and minor in Communications. Madison is excited to be a part of our team for the summer.
"People are probably thinking, why is an English major interested in working with the Alabama Historical Commission? My response to that would be a simple word: passion. Just as much as writing is one of my gifts, history is one of my passions. There are too many individuals unaware of how much today's events and influences are identical with many events of the past. I feel obligated to share the significance of history with my community. I hope to inspire my peers, to show them that learning about the past is more than just skimming through pages in a history book. History is also acknowledging what took place, how it is important to one's self and those that surround them, and how it affects one's future."
As a part of her internship, Madison will be researching historic African-American places, greeting visitors at the Freedom Rides Museum, learning about various preservation programs of the Commission, and getting a glimpse of the internal operations of a state government agency.
We welcome Madison and look forward to all of the energy and enthusiasm she brings to the Commission.
Black Heritage Council
Chair Frazine Taylor attended the Institute for Historical and Genealogy Research in Athens, Georgia.
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Where in the State are AHC Staff?
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Senator Arthur Orr and Lisa D. Jones, Executive Director of the Alabama Historical Commission, moderated a Historic Preservation Tax Credit Seminar in Decatur, AL. AHC staff, Lee Anne Wofford (Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer), Chloe Mercer (Federal Tax Credits and Alabama Ad Valorem), and Taylor Stewart (Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program Coordinator) presented information and were available for questions.
Amanda McBride, AHC Section 106 Program Head, did a presentation for a summer reading program at Bertha P. Williams Library in Montgomery, AL. They talked about prehistoric rock art and even made their own "cave paintings." There were about 25 kids in the attendance.
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Alabama Historical Commission Staff (
above) Mary Shell, CLG Coordinator, and (
below) Collier Neeley, National Register Coordinator, attended Your Town Alabama's workshop to celebrate the organization's 20th anniversary. AHC is one of the founding members.
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Dylan Tucker, Fort Morgan Site Historian, at Foley Public Library with the Baldwin County Genealogical Society. He presented info on burials and funeral processes for the enlisted men on the site of Mobile Point. The dates of burials range from 1812 through 1910 and vary with the inhabitants of the Point.
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AHC Archaeologists Eric Sipes and Will Lowe continue in the search to uncover Alabama's first statehouse at
Old Cahawba. So far,
several linear features have been uncovered.
The 33rd Alabama Infantry occupied the authentic reproduction barracks at
Confederate Memorial Park in June. If you did not stop by, mark your calendars for July 21, & August 18. Stop by to learn more about the life of the Confederate soldier from our knowledgeable living historians. No cost to attend - donations to the museum are appreciated.
Fort Morgan will continue their Tuesday Evening Living History Tours until July 31. Historica
l Interpreters portray soldiers that occupied the fort from various periods and tell about the lives of the soldiers during the Fort's most active years. Demonstra
tions of small arms drills occur throughout the evening as well as the firing of one of the fort's artillery pieces at the conclusion of the tour.
In preparation for upcoming events, AHC Historic Artisan's Jimmy Walker and Eric Montgomery installed new permanent signage at
Belle Mont Mansion.
Belle Mont played host on June 22 to its annual "Art of the Dish" - Antique and Vintage China Exhibit. Held as a Bicentennial event in conjunction with the 40th Helen Keller Festival in Tuscumbia, the china show is now in its third year. The event included a talk by George Terrell (pictured above) describing 19th century entertaining and hospitality. A full table was set in courses, including all the unique pieces of a set of Austrian china from the mid 1800's, a gift of Mr. Terrell to Belle Mont.
Some 30 - 40 individuals displayed examples of china, dating from the 1700's through the mid-20th century. Much of the exhibit featured family heirlooms with personal stories behind them. A chocolate set belonging to Ella Winston Henry Thornton, daughter of Isaac and Catherine Winston, and a shaving set belonging to her husband, Gustavus Henry, assumed places of honor at Belle Mont, displayed near oil portraits of their owners. The Winston silver tea service was exhibited on the sideboard in the dining room, where many family dinners and parties must have been held.
A box lunch was served to ticket holders on Belle Mont's courtyard, where tables were laid with white tablecloths and silver pitchers holding summer garden flowers, compliments of members of Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation and Friends of Belle Mont.
Among distinguished guests at the luncheon were Mrs. Larry Stutts, wife of Alabama Senator Larry Stutts, a sponsor of the event; Colbert County Commissioner Tommy Barnes (also a sponsor); and Tuscumbia Mayor Kerry Underwood. Additional sponsors were: Zoey Belle's, The Rock Christian Bookstore, Bendall Printing, Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, Colbert County Tourism, and Tuscumbia Parks and Recreation Department. Claunch Café, Tuscumbia, provided the catering. Approximately 70 people attended the luncheon and program, which was limited in seating. The display ran for three days, during which many more individuals visited Belle Mont.
Local families and fellow sorors of the Montgomery Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority gathered at the Freedom Rides Museum to honor Freedom Rider Joan Trumpauer Mulholland (pictured above with Dorothy Walker, Site Director of the Freedom Rides Museum) and her lifetime of fighting for justice. Below (center): Mulholland, in yellow, along with Black Heritage Council founder Louretta Wimberly and Friends of the Freedom Rides Museum President Dr. Valda Harris Montgomery.
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Happenings Around the State
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July 20 - The Lincolnite Club, Inc. is holding its 22nd Biennial Reunion to highlight the 151st Anniversary of the founding of the Historic Lincoln School in Marion, Alabama. A Heritage Preservation Symposium is planned to mark this event. For more information click
here.
August
August 22 -
At the 5th Annual aLABama Downtown Laboratory, all of the points of the Four Point Approach will Come Together in Eufaula. Topics covered will range from Embracing the Maker Movement to Supporting Minority Entrepreneurs and Fostering Inclusion on Main Street.
Registration is now open for the conference.
October
October 13-14 - The Old Claiborne Pilgrimage promises a rare glimpse into the settlement of the forgotten town of Claiborne and Monroe County. This event will feature docent tours of antebellum homes, churches, and sites of historic significance along the Alabama River in Monroe and Clarke Counties. For more information contact the Old Courthouse Museum in Monroeville at 251-575-7433 or visit their
website.
YEAR-ROUND
Interested in hosting
Making Alabama, A Bicentennial Traveling Exhibit from the Alabama Humanities Foundation (AHF)? As part of the Alabama Bicentennial celebration, Alabama counties and communities are invited to host the exhibition. To host the exhibit please apply
here.
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Want to Share Your News and Events to a Statewide Audience?
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Send news and event information to the Alabama Historical Commission.
Please mark as "Attention: E-News."
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