By Brian Corrigan MSNHA consultant When I was a child growing up in the nearby Shoals, Decatur was synonymous with the Point Mallard water park. But it turns out the River City has a rich and storied history, having survived occupation and near-total destruction by Union troops during the Civil War. During the 1930s, after […]
By Jordan Collier Assistant Genealogy and Local History Librarian Florence-Lauderdale Public Library Here’s a Civil War trivia question for you: Which (in)famous Union general crossed the Tennessee River at Waterloo in November 1863? (Hint — He became famous later in the war for “[making] Georgia howl” (those are his own words). Answer: William Tecumseh Sherman […]
By Terrence “T.J.” Johnson MSNHA program coordinator My introduction to the Tennessee River came on my first evening in the Shoals (and the South). Driving along the Natchez Trace, I passed over the Tennessee River by Colbert’s Ferry at sunset. I had never seen so much water outside of along the Pacific coast. The river’s […]
By Carrie Crawford MSNHA director In February, I traveled to Washington, D.C., for the annual Alliance of National Heritage Areas meeting. (Well, it was an annual meeting in Washington until COVID-19. We took a break from in-person for a few years, meeting over Zoom instead.) This trip is one of my favorites that I get […]
By Jessie Todd Johnson MSNHA graduate student Alabama does Helen Keller a disservice. We overlook how interesting and witty she was by focusing only on her “Miracle Worker” roots. I remember first learning about Keller during fourth grade at Valley Intermediate School, and — surprise — we discussed her hometown and teacher. Our school taught us […]
By Jessie Todd Johnson MSNHA graduate assistant Colbert is a well-known name in northwestern Alabama — for most people, “Colbert County” is the obvious connection — but how much do know about him? To be completely transparent, I knew next to nothing — even nothing – about him until this past semester when I took […]
By Clayton Davis MSNHA historic preservationist When driving across the O’Neil Memorial Bridge to cross between Florence and Sheffield, observers will notice an old iron railroad bridge sitting off to the side. Long since decommissioned for everyday use, the remaining portion of the bridge extending from the southern bank of the Tennessee River is just […]
From Terrence Johnson MSNHA programs coordinator Alabama’s two National Heritage Areas and two Rotary Districts are working together to protect pollinators. On April 19, leaders from Rotary Districts 6860 and 6880, Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, and Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area signed a joint Pollinator Resolution that simply states two […]
By Jessie Todd Johnson MSNHA graduate assistant The Tennessee Valley Historical Society was established in 1923 by Frank R. King, a native of Leighton, to tell & protect Muscle Shoals-area history. The society safeguards historical landmarks, installs historical markers, hosts speakers & shares information on Facebook. TVHS also published The Journal of Muscle Shoals History […]
By Jessie Todd Johnson MSNHA graduate assistant Welcome back to part No. 2 of my look into the Journal of Muscle Shoals History! In part one I discussed the history of the Tennessee Valley Historical Society, which publishes the journal, and my process of digitizing all 19 volumes. This second installment focuses on an article […]
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