Friday, January 17, 2020

Alabama History & Culture News: January 17 edition




Here's the latest batch of links to just-published Alabama history and culture articles. Most of these articles are from newspapers, with others from magazines and TV and radio station websites. Enjoy!

New York Public Library's 10 most checked-out books of all time
Millions of books have been borrowed from the library's numerous ... themes of racial injustice and classism, the book is set in a small town in Alabama ...
[Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is one of them]

Book Bag: 'Africaville' by Jeffrey Colvin; 'How Yiddish Changed America and How America ...
AFRICAVILLE. By Jeffrey Colvin. Amistad Press/HarperCollins. jeffreycolvin.com. Born and raised in Alabama but now living in New York City, Jeffrey ...

Alabama artist's sculpture on display in Chicago park
Most of the sculptures in the program are placed in front of the city's fieldhouses, structures that range from modern athletic centers to ornate historic ...


Landmarks Foundation names Collier Neeley its full-time leader
... Old Alabama Town each year, and Landmarks is working on ways to offer them and all of its visitors a more inclusive picture of Alabama's history.


Alabama Music Hall of Fame celebrates 30 years in 2020
TUSCUMBIA, Ala. — The Alabama Music Hall of Fame located on Highway 72 in Tuscumbia has been preserving the musical history of the state of ...

What is the real story of Burnt Corn, Alabama?
Burnt Corn is one of Alabama's oldest settlements, although these days, it's more ... When you visit Burnt Corn today, you can take photos of historical ...

What is the real story of Burnt Corn, Alabama?
Burnt Corn is one of Alabama's oldest settlements, although these days, it's more ... When you visit Burnt Corn today, you can take photos of historical ...


Alabama one of few statehouses to feature memorials to historical women
Currently, all statues of historical figures outside the Statehouse are of men, including Christopher Columbus, President William McKinley (a former ...

Year-long celebration of women of the Voting Rights Movement begins Saturday
The Selma to Montgomery National Historical Trail (NHT) will kick off a year-long ... and the first woman to run for a congressional seat from Alabama.

LC Historical meeting to feature author Rickey Butch Walker
Rickey Butch Walker, a local historian and author of the Cotton was King Alabama Plantation Series, will speak at the Lawrence County Historical ...

Gadsden Library's Alabama City branch to be converted to all-genealogy branch
... Historical Association, located inside the Elliott Community Center, and the historic Nichols Library, run by the Northeast Alabama Historical Society.

George Wallace's daughter to discuss memoir
Her memoir, written with her husband, former Alabama Supreme Court ... It mingles amid history for the sake of truth, gives rise to the inspiration that ...


Amistad Murals have new home at Talladega College
It is the latest stage in one of the largest expansions in the history of Alabama's oldest historically black college. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held ...


Petition to rename historic Selma, Alabama bridge after Congressman John Lewis
ATLANTA — A petition is calling for a famous Alabama bridge to be renamed in honor of Rep. John Lewis. The Edmund Pettus Bridge located in ...


New exhibit celebrates women's suffrage in Alabama
“Our exhibit takes a long view of the history of voting rights in Alabama. It profiles 19 different women who impacted voting rights in the state, from the ...

Opinion | Methodists have dominated high offices in Alabama history
Even though there are more Baptists than Methodists in Alabama, historically Methodists have held more of the prominent political posts in the Heart of ...

Historic redo: More than 180 years after opening, a new chapter for Alabama's first public ...
Andrew Jackson was U.S. president and the state of Alabama was 11 years old when school commissioners in Mobile began trying to find dollars to ...
[Barton Academy in Mobile, Alabama's first public school]


New book of Zora Neale Hurston stories is out this week
New book of Zora Neale Hurston stories is out this week ... Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama, in 1891 and moved with her family to Florida at ...

Robertson Bank donates city history painting to historical society [UPDATED]
... celebrate its 150th year serving the citizens of West Alabama, the bank has donated the painting to the Marengo County County Historical Society.

75 million-year-old sea turtle fossil in Alabama a key discovery
75 million-year-old sea turtle fossil in Alabama a key discovery ... Parham, former curator of paleontology at the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
Oops they did it again! UAB robins shatter Alabama natural history record with 3 more babies
A family of American robins nesting at a UAB courtyard in January 2020. The latest confirmed nesting of robins in Alabama was September 2nd, ...
Falcon Theatre to present 'Blues for an Alabama Sky' to ring in new year; opens January 24
Falcon Theatre's third production of its 30th anniversary season is Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky. The play is a brutally honest and candid ...

The History of the Boll Weevil and Enterprise athletics
Higginbotham would go on to become the head football coach at Enterprise High School, where he would lead the Wildcats to an Alabama Sports ...

Cain's Chapel celebrates 200 years
While Stringfellow highlighted the physical history of the church's buildings, ... The church will also erect an Alabama Historical Association roadside ...

"Mobile Under Siege: Surviving the Union Blockade" By: Paula Lenor Webb
Publisher: History Press. Pages: 142. Price: $ 21.99 (Paper). When I commenced reading “Mobile Under Siege,” I believed it would be the story of the ...

The 'self-flushing' latrine at this 1821 Alabama fort was ahead of its time
Fort Gaines, a military fortification built in 1821 at the tip of Dauphin Island, is known to many history buffs as the place where Admiral David Farragut, ...


Four decades later, Alabama 'red-headed angel' hurricane victim gets ... a concrete slab at Odd Fellows Cemetery, no headstone marking the site.

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Tuesday, January 14, 2020

USS Birmingham and Early Flight

The U.S. Navy has commissioned three ships named after the city of Birmingham. The first, a light cruiser, was in service from 1908 until December 1, 1923, when she was decommissioned. The vessel was sold for scrap on May 13, 1930. 

 In the early years the first USS Birmingham participated in activities in the West Indies and along the South American coast She also served with the Atlantic fleet as a flagship in 1914 and 1916. When the U.S. entered World War I the Birmingham patrolled the U.S. Atlantic coast and then became part of the escort for the first troop convoy to France. She continued operating in European waters until the war's end, and then spent the rest of her service based in San Diego.

 The USS Birmingham has two claims to important events in the history of flight. On November 14, 1910, a civilian pilot named Eugene Ely made an airplane flight from the deck of the ship. He piloted a Curtiss Model D biplane designed by Glen Curtiss in making the first airplane takeoff from a warship. In April and May 1914 the Birmingham operated in Mexican waters looking for mines. On April 25 off Veracruz one of a pair of Curtiss Model F flying boats made the first U.S. military mission of a heavier-than-air aircraft from the deck. 

 Another important event on the Birmingham took place on November 4, 1910. Seaman G.H. Kephart fell overboard into freezing water off Hampton Roads, Virginia. Chief electrician William E. Snyder jumped in and rescued Kephart. Snyder was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. 

 I've also done posts on "The 1898 U.S.S. Alabama Battleship" and "USS Alabama Charter Member: "Good for FREE Admission".



USS Birmingham in 1908 perhaps during a trial run

Source: Wikipedia



Pilot Eugene Ely takes off from USS Birmingham, Hampton Roads, Virginia, 14 November 1910

"The airplane plunged downward as soon as it cleared the 83-foot platform runway; and the aircraft wheels dipped into the water before rising. Ely's goggles were covered with spray, and the aviator promptly landed on a beach rather than circling the harbor and landing at the Norfolk Navy Yard as planned."

Source: Wikipedia


On January 11, 1911, Ely again made aviation history when he took off from a racetrack in San Bruno, California, and landed on a platform on the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania. According to his Wikipedia entry, "This flight was also the first ever using a tailhook system, designed and built by circus performer and aviator Hugh Robinson."

Ely continued exhibition flying until his death in a crash in Macon Georgia, on October 19, 1911, aged 24. In 1933 Congress awarded him a Distinguished Flying Cross for his contributions to civilian and naval aviation.








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Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Alabama History & Culture News: January 8 edition




Here's the latest batch of links to just-published Alabama history and culture articles. Most of these articles are from newspapers, with others from magazines and TV and radio station websites. Enjoy!
EJI says 'Just Mercy' among books banned by some prison systems
"Just Mercy," based on the book by Equal Justice Initiative executive director Bryan ... It does not report that Alabama prisons banned the book.

Alabama's Princess Theatre continues to charm audiences
Alabama's Princess Theatre continues to charm audiences ... The bright neon marquee, preserved façade and historic lobby – featuring tiles made of ...


Grant to help Brindley Cemetery restoration effort
The cemetery, located on County Road 747 about a mile north of Highway 69, has historic ties to Cullman County and to the state of Alabama. Sixteen ...

Fort Mims' Massacre, Battle of New Orleans, & General Andrew Jackson
The Alabama historical marker reads: ​. "FORT MIMS - Here in the Creek Indian War 1813-14 took place the most brutal massacre in American history ...


Ancient sea turtle fossil found in Alabama named new genus, species
Ancient sea turtle fossil found in Alabama named new genus, species ... of Paleontology at the Alabama Museum of Natural History James F. Parham, ...
School named after George Washington Carver officially named historic landmark
School named after George Washington Carver officially named historic ... to be the first school named in honor of the scientist in the state of Alabama. ... A historical marker was unveiled outside and that brought smiles to many ...


Visiting the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama with the Cape Gazette
It is a very sobering depiction of our history that so many of us do not know. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how many people were at the ...


What Is The Connection Between The Classic Novel 'To Kill A Mockingbird' And 'Just Mercy'?
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is the Pulitzer Prize winning book written by Harper Lee, published in 1960. ... setting: They take place in and around Monroeville, Alabama, the New York Times reported in a review of Stevenson's memoir.

Born Into Slavery, This Centenarian Learned to Read at 116, Becoming the Nation's Oldest Student
Walker was born in Union Springs, Alabama, in 1848 and lived in bondage ... Hubbard, who has penned award-winning books for both children and ...

These 2 Alabama actors had roles in 1970's 'Aristocats'
“The Aristocats,” which will be 50 years old on Christmas Eve 2020, was the last animated film approved by Walt Disney before his death and the first ...

BICENTENNIAL BASH: Pike County completes celebration of 200 years in 2019
Pike County joined in the statewide three-year Alabama Bicentennial ... The Brundidge Historical Society has been telling stories of the people, places ...


The city of Enterprise continues to persevere
In the late 1800s, boll weevils marched from Mexico, destination Alabama. ... “This puts history in perspective,” says Diane Napoli, Depot Museum ...

Peggy Wallace Kennedy leads readers down The Broken Road of reconciliation
As the daughter of former Alabama governor and presidential candidate ... Now in a new book titled “The Broken Road,” Wallace tells her side of the ...

8. Bicentennial exhibit sees greatest contributions from Lawrence County
The exhibit presented by The Alabama Humanities Foundation featured interactive displays commemorating key events in Alabama history.

Looking back at a year of living history in Tuscaloosa
Looking back at a year of living history in Tuscaloosa ... Blind Boys of Alabama, Moon Taxi and other musicians originating from our fair state: 2019 ...

Historic West End is where Birmingham's Magic was Born
To say that West End has historical significance is an understatement. ... Bear Bryant, University of Alabama football coach; Mary Anderson, inventor of ...

Florida professor was in right place for historical tribute to civil rights icon Rosa Parks
Florida professor was in right place for historical tribute to civil rights icon ... at the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University in Montgomery, Alabama.

Hank is buried next to his wife, Audrey Williams in the Oakwood Cemetery Annex located in Montgomery. Hank's funeral was one of the largest events ..


Bullock County Historical Society quarterly meeting to be held
Bullock County Historical Society quarterly meeting to be held ... An article in the Ledger-Enquirer East Alabama by Virginia Smith dated May 20, 1870 ...

UA and Tuscaloosa: Two centuries together
... said Hubbs, the author of the book “Tuscaloosa: 200 years in the Making,” a history of ... The University of Alabama System estimates UA's economic impact on the ... driver for the city of Tuscaloosa and the entire state of Alabama.”.


Walk through 200 years of Alabama history at Bicentennial Park
More than 30 bronze plaques on the monuments provide a rich, concise summary of Alabama history from the perspectives of the famous and from ...
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Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Something about Fairhope & Fort Morgan ca. 1950

The items in this post are taken from a scrapbook at mom's and probably come from the honeymoon they took after their wedding in Haleyville on September 10, 1950. Both were students at Auburn and would not have had either time or money for an extensive trip. Apparently they did make it to the Fairhope and Fort Morgan areas of Alabama. 

 In that period Gulf Shores and Orange Beach were not much of a thing in tourism. Until completion of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway in 1937,  Gulf Shores was largely inaccessible beach and wetlands. A poor road led to the first beach hotel,, opened in the early 1940's and the first post office in 1947. The town was incorporated in 1958. Orange Beach had a similar development. The first hotel appeared in 1923, a paved road came in 1947, electricity the following year and telephone service in 1958. Some vacation cottages were also built in both towns.

 Gulf State Park opened in 1939 and by this time organized tourism efforts began to appear in printed pamphlets and Mobile newspaper articles. World War II brought civilian workers and military personnel to the coast from Mobile to Panama City. After the war the tourist trade picked up and continues today. An excellent history of this area is Harvey Jackson's 2012 book, The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera: An Insider's History of the Florida-Alabama Coast. 

Mom and dad apparently chose a more developed place, Fairhope. I would imagine dad's interest in history led them to Fort Morgan. By that time the Dixie Graves Parkway had been built out to Fort Morgan, so roads were pretty good to both places.

 I have so far been unable to find any information on the businesses noted below where mom and dad must have eaten and stayed. More information on two individuals named here is at the end of the post. 

 If you have information about these places, leave a note in the comments. 














I wonder what's on this spot today. I can find the intersection of South Church Street and Fairhope Avenue on Google Maps or Earth, but with no address I don't know which of the four corners was the one. 






A Robert K. Summersell turns up in Mobile in the 1930 U.S. Census working as a punchman; in the 1940 census he was a salesman. His Find-A-Grave entry is here.







Ras Crenshaw in the 1938 Murphy High School yearbook

Source: Ancestry.com 

According to his Society Security record, Captain Ras Crenshaw was Erastus Sylvester Crenshaw, Jr., born on October 11, 1920, in Bayou La Batre. He died on August 30, 1993.





From a "Welcome to Gulf Shores, Alabama" postcard packet ca. 1960

 Source: Alabama Dept. of Archives and History Digital Collecitons




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