News & Updates | July 2021 | |
AHC announces Historic Sites Grant Program | |
AHC accepting applications for Hurricane Michael Recovery Grants
AHC, with assistance provided by the National Park Service and the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund, is accepting applications from historic properties that sustained damage from Hurricane Michael.
Hurricane Michael Recovery Grants are designated for stabilization and repair of properties that are listed in or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The maximum award is $250,000. Projects must be complete by August 2023. Part 1 of the two-step application requests information about the property that will be used by AHC to determine National Register eligibility.
The deadline for Step 1 applications is October 1, 2021. For approved properties, the second step requires documentation of damage and repairs either made or proposed. AHC staff will provide assistance with both steps.
In conjunction with this project, beginning in August a comprehensive survey of historic architectural and cultural properties in Geneva, Henry and Houston Counties, as well as Dauphin Island in Mobile County, will begin. This project aims to document historic properties 50 years old or older and identify properties that may be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The survey is an effort to document historic properties in areas impacted by 2018’s catastrophic Hurricane Michael.
Visit our website for more information and application.
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Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit extended for 5 years | |
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The Alabama Legislature recently extended the Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program to 2027. The program had been set to expire on December 31, 2022.
The new legislation bolsters the program for rural areas, extending the amount of time tax credits are specifically set aside for less populated counties from six to nine months. The amended legislation will also remove primary and secondary residences from program eligibility beginning in 2023.
Under the current program, more than $13 million in tax credits has been claimed for eighteen completed projects. These projects represent an investment of more than $76 million in actual expenses.
Alabama is one of about 30 states in the U.S. with its own historic tax credit program. The Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit is a 25% refundable tax credit available for taxpayers who substantially rehabilitate historic properties that are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and are 60 years old or older. The tax credit provides jobs, increases the tax base, and revitalizes existing buildings and infrastructure, while preserving and rehabilitating Alabama's historic properties.
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Nominations are open for
Places in Peril 2021
If there is an irreplaceable historic building or site in your area that is threatened by demolition or neglect, this is your opportunity to help save it!
Places in Peril is a listing of some of the state’s most endangered historic properties and focuses on bringing state and regional attention to these places in an effort to create meaningful solutions to the threat faced by historic buildings across Alabama, generating support for their preservation.
Nominations will be accepted through October 31. Each submission will be evaluated for its significance and level of threat. Visit our website for more information or to nominate a place.
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Alabama welcomes three new cities into CLG program | |
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The AHC is happy to announce that the cities of Prattville, Atmore and Montgomery are the newest Certified Local Governments in Alabama.
A Certified Local Government (CLG) is a town or city that demonstrates its commitment to preserving what is important from the past for future generations through a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC).
A town or city becomes a CLG by enacting a special historic preservation ordinance, enforcing the ordinance through a local preservation commission, and meeting minimum standards for certified local governments as determined by the National Park service and the Alabama Historical Commission. Only cities and towns with a comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance can adopt a preservation ordinance, one of the cornerstones of the CLG program.
The CLG program was established in 1983 by the National Park Service in response to the 1980 amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. These amendments recognized the value of local preservation programs and created a partnership between the NPS, state historic preservation offices, and local governments with an active preservation program. Together these groups work toward high quality survey documentation of resources throughout the community, training local preservation commission members, and public involvement.
CLGs can compete for annual matching grants provided by the AHC to assist with preservation planning and documentation projects.
CLG grant applications and revised instructions for the 2022 fiscal year will be available in the fall. For more information, visit our website.
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Alabama properties added to National Register | |
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The Alabama Historical Commission is announcing recent additions to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worthy of preservation. The National Register is an honorary designation that places no restrictions on property owners and includes a wide variety of properties, including buildings, structures, outdoor sculpture, historic districts, and archaeological sites. More than 1,200 Alabama properties have been listed in the National Register. The following Alabama properties were recently listed:
Atmore Commercial Historic District, Escambia County
Listed on June 18, 2021
The Atmore Commercial Historic District illustrates the town’s development into an important commercial center in Escambia County between 1900 and 1970. The collection of industrial and commercial buildings in the Atmore Commercial Historic District represents locally significant examples of national architectural trends.
Edmonton Heights Historic District, Huntsville, Madison County
Listed on June 21, 2021
Located in Huntsville, near Alabama A&M University, the Edmonton Heights neighborhood is the only post World-War II planned suburb in Huntsville created for African Americans. The neighborhood reflects nationally popular architectural styles and suburban landscape designs and is typical of suburbs designed by Folmar & Flinn.
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Magnolia Hall, Greensboro, Hale County
Listed on June 25, 2021
Constructed in 1857, Magnolia Hall in Greensboro is architecturally significant at the national, state and local levels as an outstanding example of Greek Revival style architecture. It is a rare surviving example of the Amphiprostyle form, in which both the front and back of the building have identical columned porticos that resemble Greek temples.
Water Avenue Historic District – Boundary Increase and Additional
Documentation, Selma, Dallas County
Listed on June 25, 2021
An update to the Water Avenue Historic District in Selma expanded the boundaries and recognized the area’s significance in the African American Civil Rights Movement and in the Civil War. The nomination update also added historic and archeological resources that are related to the district’s significance as Selma’s waterfront commercial and warehouse district.
Nominations to the National Register are submitted from each state by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). In Alabama, the SHPO is the Executive Director of the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC). The AHC administers the National Register.
Final authority to list properties in the National Register resides with the National Park Service.
Learn more at our website.
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National Register nomination process underway for Clotilda
The Alabama Historical Commission held a virtual meeting with Clotilda descendants and Africatown residents regarding the National Register nomination for Clotilda. The participants emphasized the importance of telling the stories of the people, in addition to the ship itself. They also expressed a desire for the nomination to highlight the resiliency of the men, women, and children who survived captivity aboard Clotilda and went on to thrive in Africatown.
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Explore the Historic Preservation Map | |
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The Alabama Legislature established the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) in 1966 to foster the understanding and preservation of Alabama’s heritage. In fulfilling its mission, the AHC has collected valuable information on Alabama’s man-made environment including historic houses, churches, schools, bridges, cemeteries, commercial buildings, farms, etc. These architectural survey files include paper survey forms; photographs (i.e. prints, contact sheets, slides and negatives); maps; measured drawings; blueprints; and accompanying materials.
While great strides have been made to maintain and organize these paper files, they have only been accessible by visiting the AHC’s main office. In addition, these files are unique and no back up existed for them. There is no way to replace a file if it is lost or damaged.
With the generous support of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, the AHC has been diligently working to convert paper files associated with Alabama’s historic architectural resources into a web-based system utilizing GIS technology to increase the information’s accessibility to the public and to ensure their long-term preservation.
The new Alabama Historical Commission Historic Preservation Map Initiative will enable the public to explore these resources virtually and understand why these resources are culturally important to Alabama, particularly in the communities in which they exist.
Our GIS map includes maps for all of the Alabama Historical Commission's many historic preservation programs.
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What is the Alabama Register and how can I nominate a property? | |
Freedom Rides Museum debuts renovated historic Greyhound bus for 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides | |
Special events for the 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides included marking the time at the Freedom Rides Museum at 10:23 a.m. on May 20, the date and time Freedom Riders arrived in Montgomery in 1961. Pictured above are honored guests Freedom Rider Catherine Burks-Brooks (seated) and, standing from left, Civil Rights activist Bob Zellner and Freedom Riders Rip Patton and Bernard Lafayette. | |
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As part of a day of events commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides, on May 20 the Freedom Rides Museum hosted special guests from the film “Son of the South,” and broadcast a live-stream presentation featuring discussions with the filmmakers, Freedom Riders, activists and actors.
“Son of The South” is a film written, directed, and edited by Barry Alexander Brown, based on the memoir, “The Wrong Side of Murder Creek.” The story follows the life of a young Bob Zellner, the grandson of a Klansman, as he makes the decision to become a civil rights activist. A pivotal scene in the film occurs when Freedom Riders arrive at the Greyhound Bus Station in Montgomery on May 20, 1961 and are violently attacked by a waiting white mob. The scene was filmed in Montgomery at the bus station, which now houses the Freedom Rides Museum, a historic property of the Alabama Historical Commission.
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New interpretive signage installed at Fort Mims
New interpretive signage was added at Fort Mims Historic Site in Baldwin County in March. These signs offer visitors a more complete understanding of the battle of Fort Mims, which took place on August 30, 1813.
“Our hope in providing new interpretive signage at Fort Mims is to bring a greater understanding of the complex relationship of all the peoples who struggled to create the territory that was becoming Alabama,” said Eddie Griffith, Alabama Historical Commission Chairman.
Nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, Fort Mims is an important part of the story of Alabama’s development as a state and the United States as a nation. The site is open to the public daily.
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Artifacts from Gaineswood and Magnolia Grove
featured in Pieces of History Exhibit
A quilt from Gaineswood is included in an exhibit displayed at The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC), a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. The exhibit is titled Pieces of History: Ten Years of Decorative Arts Fieldwork. According to program notes, “Decorative arts objects – furniture, home furnishings, and the tools of daily life – carry the stories of the people who made and used them. The exhibition Pieces of History showcases the Decorative Arts of the Gulf South (DAGS) project’s efforts to preserve and share these stories.” The exhibit is on display through Sept. 5 at THNOC, located at 520 Royal Street in New Orleans. Additionally, curators plan to catalog part of the collection at Magnolia Grove this summer, and the exhibit will travel to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts after its run at THNOC. For more information or tickets, visit THNOC online.
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Alabama Frontier Days returns in 2021! | |
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After a hiatus last year due to COVID-19, Alabama Frontier Days returns to Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, November 3-6, 2021. Celebrated as one of Alabama’s largest and most authentic living history events, Alabama Frontier Days brings the early 18th century frontier to vivid life.
This event puts into focus the south as it transitioned from Creek Indian lands to military forts and civilian homesteads from 1700 to 1820. Using Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson as a historical backdrop, the public can experience living historians who will bring the fort to life through military reenactments with booming cannon fire and captivating demonstrations of frontier crafts and trades.
The park will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children. Children younger than 5 are admitted free. We will be sharing much more information in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
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Visitors returning as pandemic restrictions ease
It is important to continue our mission to share Alabama’s history with visitors even when limited by pandemic restrictions. As mandates begin to lift, our historic properties are seeing more visitors and scheduling events with precautions in place as we ease back into full swing.
Pond Spring
- Miss Annie’s Plant Sale was held in April with phone orders and car-side delivery to facilitate social distancing.
- Pond Spring partnered with Joe Wheeler State Park for the first time to present an expanded 2-day Nature Walk program, Daniella’s Spring Stroll.
Confederate Memorial Park
- Civil War Walking Tour was held on May 15.
| Canon fire at Confederate Memorial Park | |
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Old Cahawba
- Bird Walk for Beginners, Civil War Walking Tour and a Cemetery Preservation Workshop were held in March, April and May.
- On June 12, the park offered free admission to all visitors courtesy of the Masons of Alabama for their 200th Anniversary celebration.
- July 10 visitors enjoyed "If Bugs Could Talk" walking tour of artesian wells
Fort Morgan
- The Fort has enjoyed a record number of visitors as people visit the Gulf Coast for safe, socially distanced vacations.
Belle Mont Mansion
- Hosted renowned Celtic musicians Scooter Muse and Jil Chambless for an outdoor concert on May 22.
- “Art of the Dish” June 24-26 showcased historic and vintage china and tableware.
Click here for a map of AHC properties
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Pardon Our Progress: Fort Morgan works to repair hurricane damage
Fort Morgan withstood the brunt of two hurricanes in 2020. The most serious damage occurred when slow-moving Hurricane Sally made landfall as a Category 2 storm, bringing high water and winds. Mitigation crews were on site quickly to address any water damaged interiors and place tarps on damaged roofs. We are working diligently to protect and preserve these historic structures and restore them as soon as possible.
Signage has been added to let visitors know about our progress and caution them in areas that may be under repair. Our architect is finalizing the plans and scope of work for building repairs based on discussions with the insurance adjuster and the Division of Construction Management and we anticipate beginning those repairs soon.
It is our mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. This is a responsibility we take very seriously.
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Historical Marker placed at site of New Pilgrim Baptist Church
Black Heritage Council members attended the historical marker dedication in Birmingham on Thursday, June 24 for the New Pilgrim Baptist Church. The church was integral in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham but has since been torn down. The marker features a BHC seal. BHC members pictured are, from left to right, Vice Chair Elvin Lang, District 6 Representative Debra Love, Chair Lateefah Muhammad and District 5 Representative Ethel Alexander.
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Pictured are, from left, Dorothy Walker, Site Director for the Freedom Rides Museum, and Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center and youngest child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. | |
Historical Marker placed at
Black Bricklayers Hall
City, community and civil rights leaders gathered June 5 for the unveiling of a historical marker outside the Bricklayers Hall along Union Street in Montgomery, Alabama.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Those in attendance for the unveiling included Martin Luther King's daughter, Dr. Bernice King, along with Mayor Steven Reed and civil rights icons such as Sheyann Webb Christburg and Doris Crenshaw.
Source: Montgomery Advertiser
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AHC welcomes two new Commissioners
The Alabama Historical Commission has welcomed two new Commissioners this year. Dr. Meghan Buchanan joined us in March. Dr. Buchanan is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Auburn University and will represent the Alabama Archaeological Society on the Commission.
Professor Alex Krumdieck joined us in June. He is Director of the Urban Studio in Birmingham and Associate Professor of Architecture, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University. He will represent Auburn University on the Commission. Our Commissioners provide essential support for our mission to preserve our state’s valuable historic resources through our various programs.
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Members of Black Heritage Council attend WCM, HBTSA meetings, programs commemorating Tulsa Massacre | |
Photo Courtesy of BHC Vice Chair Elvin Lang | |
The World Conference of Mayors, Inc. (WCM) and Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance (HBTSA) presented Tuskegee to Tulsa, a Centennial Commemoration of “Black Wall Street,” May 27 through June 3. The program marked the anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre, which took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921, when mobs of White residents, many of them deputized and given weapons by city officials, attacked Black residents and destroyed homes and businesses of the Greenwood District – known as “Black Wall Street” – in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Members of the Black Heritage Council attended commemorative program events held in Tuskegee, Alabama.
The program included visits to the Tuskegee History Center, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and the Oklahoma Historic Black Towns/Settlements and Indian Territories. Activities included a Memorial Day Service at Greenwood Cemetery in Alabama and a Candlelight Vigil in honor of survivors of the Massacre in Oklahoma.
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Congratulations to Betty Gardner
on her retirement!
Betty Gardner worked at the AHC for more than 20 years. She started her career at the Goat Hill Museum Store. Since May 7, she worked in the Historic Preservation Division and assisted in organizing the Architectural Survey files for our digitization project. Betty says she plans to enjoy her retirement with travel and spending time with her grandchildren. We are sorry to see her go but wish her all the best!
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Staying tip-top at Confederate Memorial Park | |
Alabama Historical Commission artisans Eric Montgomery and Jimmy Walker (top) assist Dalton Baldwin and Mark Patterson (below) in preparing the Marbury Methodist Church for painting at Confederate Memorial Park, June 2021. | |
AHC welcomes new employees | |
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Dalton Baldwin
Dalton Baldwin is the newest staff member at Confederate Memorial Park. Dalton previously worked under the Department of Finance Service Division performing maintenance on other State buildings including the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the Alabama State House. In his spare time, Dalton enjoys raising chickens and spending time with his family.
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Nathan Black
Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park welcomes Nathan Black as the newest member of the park staff. Nathan officially joined us on April 16; however, he has been a part of the Fort Toulouse family for more than 10 years serving as a campground host and staffing the front gate. We are grateful to have dedicated individuals like Nathan Black working at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park.
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Kayla Carr
Kayla Carr is the newest staff member at Alabama State Capitol/Goat Hill Museum Store. Kayla graduated from Troy University recently and joined us in June 2021. Kayla enjoys spending time with her family and listening to music.
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Chevy Jones
Chevy Jones joins AHC as the IT Systems Technician. He is an experienced technician with expertise across most system platforms and devices. He studied computer science and graphic design at Trenholm and Auburn University, and has worked for Amazon, Microsoft, Sony and Geek Squad. Chevy enjoys building custom computers, cooking and car shows.
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Wendi Lewis
Wendi Lewis joins AHC as the Marketing & Public Relations Manager. Her background includes journalism and corporate communications, including writing, editing and content management. She is responsible for sharing AHC's mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama's historic places.
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Rebekah Reader
Rebekah Reader joins AHC as the GIS Coordinator and the Alabama Register Coordinator. She first started here as an intern in Fall of 2017 and is very excited to be able to continue working as a full-time employee.
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Warrent Reese, III
Warrent Reese is a Parks Worker at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park. In 1819 Cahawba was carved out of the wilderness to be the state's first capital. Today, Old Cahawba is an important archaeological site and gateway to natural wonders. We are pleased to add Warrent to our team!
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Paige Thomas
Paige Thomas is the Certified Local Government (CLG) Coordinator for AHC. Her background includes five years working in preservation for two Certified Local Governments in the state of Alabama, where she built solid relationships with constituents, developers, government leaders, and other preservation
professionals.
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Tina Ward
Tina Ward joined AHC in June as Property Manager. She has six years of experience in property management, having worked for ALEA and ACCS prior to joining AHC. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her grandson, watching her son play baseball, and quilting and crafting.
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Pamela Williams
Pamela R. Williams joined AHC in February as an Accountant in the Finance Division. She graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) Accounting Specialization degree and will begin the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree program in August 2021. With over 32 years of state service, her paraprofessional accounting work began in January 2018 as an Accounting Technician with ADHR.
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Lyndsey Wilson
Lyndsey Wilson is the newest staff member at Pond Spring-General Joe Wheeler Home. Lyndsey joined us this past spring and she enjoys educating visitors on the broad history of the site. She is a half-time employee who also works as a paralegal in Moulton, Alabama. Lyndsey is the current Secretary of the Lawrence County Veterans Park Board and President of the East Lawrence Youth Cheer League.
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