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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October 3-27
"A Century of Quilts"
, taken from the collection of Glenn Rikard and community members, will be displayed at Belle Mont Mansion, 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Wed., Oct. 3 through Sat., Oct. 27. The museum is open Wednesdays - Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Special programs will be presented each Friday (Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26) at 1:00 p.m. by Glenn Rikard. Bring examples of quilts in your possession (heritage or contemporary) for "show and tell" during these special programs. Regular admission costs apply: Adults - $6, Students, Seniors & Military - $5, Youth (6-18 yrs.) - $3. Sponsored by Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. For more information: 256-381-5052 or 256-383-0783.
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Ghosts at Gaineswood: a Haunted Historical Tour - Join us for a nighttime tour through the mansion as the 'ghosts' of the Whitfield family and friends gather to tell the stories of their place in the history of the mansion and the town of Demopolis. Tours will begin on the half hour. Admission for the event is $5 per person and space is limited. Please call 334-289-4846 for reservations and details.
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A guided tour of the known deaths and burials at Mobile Point from 1813-1910. Bring your flashlight.
Fee $12 per person. Limited to 100 people
. For more information c
all 251-540-5257
.
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The Ugandan Kids Choir will perform on the Capitol Steps. For more information c
all Lisa Franklin,
Site Director, at
334-242-3188.
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Alabama's most famous ghost town is rarely open to nighttime visitors, but a few lucky people will experience Old Cahawba after dark. Reserve one of a limited number of tickets, and you will be transported to Cahawba's most haunted locations where authentic historical accounts of ghosts attached to each place will be shared. Then the Alabama Paranormal Research group will step in with their ghost hunting equipment so you can participate in a mini investigation. After the formal tour, you can swap ghost tales around a bonfire, chat with a paranormal investigator, or learn more about Cahawba's mysterious history. Seats for this 90 minute tour and investigation are limited and advance tickets are required. This is a deluxe wagon tour but some walking is necessary. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Tour Times: 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30 & 9:00 p.m. For more information c
all 334-872-8058
.
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French & Indian War and War of 1812 Re-enactment
Admission - $2/adult &$1/child
For more information please call 334-567-3002.
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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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A public meeting concerning the selection of potential historical properties to be listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage will be held in the Carriage House at the Historical Commission at 10:00am. For more information please contact Hannah Garmon, AHC Alabama Register Coordinator, at
334-230-2644 or
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Alabama Arts Alliance exhibit, People of Alabama.
For more information please call Lisa Franklin,
Site Director, at
334-242-3188.
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75th Anniversary of the Battles of Tarawa and Makin Island. For more information c
all 251-540-5257
.
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November 3
Experience glorious Gothic Revival architecture from the inside out during this program designed to inspire. Investigate the social, political and religious reasons the Gothic Style stirred the Victorian denizens of Cahawba. A special presentation will illustrate the various Gothic architectural elements represented in St. Luke's Episcopal Church. For more information c
all
334-872-8058
.
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Alabama Frontier Days
This snapshot of frontier life includes Creek Indians, French soldiers and their families, British traders who lived among the Creeks and American soldiers who fought in Andrew Jackson's army during the Creek War. Additionally, there will be period entertainment featuring an 18th century magician, strolling balladeers and musicians as well as merchants selling quality reproductions of items used on the frontier. Saturday is Alabama Frontier Days Family Day, a great day for families to experience the event and see the forts. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for children (6-18 years old) and free for children under six. Vendors will be selling food onsite throughout the event.
For more information please call 334-567-3002.
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Presentation on the Fort's role in WWI. For more information c
all 251-540-5257
.
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Gaineswood invites you to "step back in time" by visiting the National Historic Landmark during the annual Candlelight Tour. For more information c
all 334-289-4846.
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 NEWS
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Alabama Archaeology Month
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How will you celebrate
Alabama Archaeology Month
?
Check out the list below to see what's happening in your area
(
Note: Events are through October and more will be added. Stay up-to-date on the AHC Facebook page
)
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Archaeology Month poster made possible by the Alabama Historical Commission, University of Alabama Museums, and Alabama Bicentennial Commission. |
October 10 - 21
- Quilt Show, Landmark Park in Dothan
October 13
- Cemeteries: A Genealogical Dead End, Foley Public Library
October 13 - Living History and Wildlife Demonstrations, Blakeley State Park
October 17
- Who Haunts the Fort, Fort Morgan
October 19-21 - Fall Alabama Bicentennial Ramble, Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, Gadsden
October 20
- International Archaeology Day Fair, Lowe Mill from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. This event will feature archaeology, preservation, and education organizations with activities including flintknapping demonstrations, artifact identification, atlatl lessons, artifact exhibits, crafts, and information tables. Jan Simek will be giving a talk on Southeastern rock art at 7:00 pm at Wilson Hall at University of Alabama Huntsville.
October 20
- International Archaeology Day Celebration, University of South Alabama's Archaeology Museum from 12:00 - 4:00 pm. This event will feature a fun-filled afternoon of archaeology activities for all ages. Particiapte in various crafts, try your hand at native games and spear throwing, learn about forensic archaeology, tour the museum and native plant garden, and enjoy flintknapping demonstrations.
October 20 - Russell Cave Mystery Dig, Bridgeport
October 20 & 27 - Haunted History Tours, Old Cahawba, Orrville
October 20 - North Alabama Architectural Institute of America and the Alabama Archaeological Society Archaeology Fair, Lowe Mill Dock and Lawn, Huntsville
October 20 - North Alabama Architectural Institute of America and the Alabama Archaeological Society, Dr. Jan Simek of the University of Tennessee will give a talk, "The Sky Above, The Mud Below: Pre-contact Cave art & Rock Art in the North American Southeast", Wilson Hall, University of Huntsville
October 20 - Camp of Instruction, Confederate Memorial Park, Marbury
October 20 - Re-enactment, Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson, Wetumpka
October 20 - Who Haunts the Fort, Fort Morgan Who Haunts the Fort, Gulf Shores
October 20 - Super Saturday: Introduction to Orienteering, Burritt on the Mountain, Huntsville
October 21 - Archaeology Day hosted by the Guntersville Museum
October 21 - 10th Annual Walk Through Time at Forrest Cemetery, Gadsden
October 21 - Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll, Huntsville
October 21 - 2nd Annual Jacksonville City Cemetery Stroll
October 22 - North Alabama Architectural Institute of America and the Alabama Archaeological Society, Dr. Eric Cline of George Washington University giving two talks on the Bronze Age: "1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed" at 2:40 PM in Wilson Hall 168 and "Excavating Armageddon: New Discoveries and Old Debates at Megiddo," Wilson Hall, University of Huntsville, 7:30 PM
October 25 -
Lost Mobile, presentation by Tom McGhee, University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum, Mobile
October 27 - Fall Pilgrimage, Alabama Historical Association, Camden
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Alabama Properties Approved for Federal & State Tax Credits
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On August 20, 2018, the Emanuel Building (also known as the Staples-Pake Building) in Mobile, Alabama, was approved by the National Park Service for the twenty-percent federal rehabilitation tax credit program and by the Alabama Historical Commission for the twenty-five percent state rehabilitation tax credit program.
The Emanuel Building, built in the 1850s by Mobile cotton broker, Jonathan Emanuel, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 for its architectural and commercial significance. Constructed as a three-story office building typical of the late Federal architecture in Mobile, the Emanuel Building was remodeled in 1903 for use as the Bank of Mobile by George B. Rogers, a prominent Mobile architect.
The current owner rehabilitated the building for commercial use on the ground floor and residential apartments in the upper levels. Exterior work included repair of stucco, windows, storefront doors and windows, new signage for the corner retail space, and courtyard improvements. Existing historic doors and storefronts were retained, and two commercial bays received compatible storefronts. Interior work included retention and repair of historic tile and wood floors, repair or recovering of walls, and installation of ceilings to conceal systems. The entry lobby retains the mosaic tile floor, plaster walls and ceilings, and wood trim. The historic wood spiral stairs that lead to all three levels were retained.
On August 16, 2018, the Jefferson Davis Apartments (formerly the Jefferson Davis Hotel) in Montgomery, Alabama, were approved by the National Park Service for the twenty-percent federal rehabilitation tax credit program and by the Alabama Historical Commission for the twenty-five percent state rehabilitation tax credit program.
The Jefferson Davis Hotel, built between 1927-1929, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 for its architectural significance. Rising ten stories, the Jefferson Davis Hotel was Montgomery's fourth major hotel and was among the earliest reinforced concrete structures in the city. It was designed by architect Frederick Ausfeld and built by the Hugger Brothers Construction Company. The combination of its early twentieth century commercial style and its Classical and Sullivanesque (a style created by Louis Sullivan) details characterized the decade's prevailing moods of modernity and lavishness. Located in the heart of downtown, only a few blocks from the State Capitol, the hotel became an important social and political gathering place.
The current owner rehabilitated the apartment building for continued rental-residential use. Exterior work included replacement of the modern storefront entry system; repair of historic windows; removal of a non-historic drive-through addition and non-historic canopy; and site work included a sidewalk, parking lot, and pavilion. Interior work included minor cosmetic improvements to the communal area and similar work to upper level corridors and apartment units. Bathrooms and kitchens were refurbished, walls and ceilings painted, and new floor coverings installed.
The Alabama Historical Commission manages the program for the National Park Service in the state of Alabama. The Commission administers the federal restoration guidelines so the historic materials and look of the building remain.
The 2017 Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit is a 25% refundable tax credit available for private homeowners and owners of commercial properties 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.
To learn more about the Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program, visit
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The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a nationwide program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archaeological resources.
The following Alabama property was recently listed:
American Legion Post 199 Building, Fairhope, Baldwin County
The American Legion Post 199 Building, formerly known as the meeting house for the Mobile Business Women's Club, was erected in 1913 on a bluff overlooking Mobile Bay near Fairhope, Alabama. The design is credited to famed Mobile architect George B. Rogers. The three-story timber frame structure was altered in 1963 when the gallery was enclosed.
The building is listed in the National Register for its recreational and architectural history. The fact that the structure was constructed for the purposes of female camaraderie and fellowship in the name of economic self-sustainability is unique and rare for the period and location. In 1963 the space became the meeting hall for a local American Legion post, which reflected the post-World War II spike in veterans organizations across the country. The original 1913 architectural features of the grand timber structure, the period of alterations in the name of progress, and a change in function in 1963 contribute to its architectural identity. Both periods contribute to a unique Gulf Coast Vernacular that incorporated a thoughtful timber design, careful to capture the importance of the geographic location and local climate.
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New Signage at the Alabama Historical Commission
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The AHC main office in Montgomery recently installed new signage. Stop by and check it out!
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Vote for Your Main Street
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Partners in Preservation is returning to Main Street, as we at the National Trust for Historic Preservation have once again joined American Express, National Geographic, and Main Street America for Partners in Preservation: Main Streets.
This year, Partners in Preservation will award $2 million in American Express-funded grants, as decided by your votes, to 20 Main Street sites in need of preservation support across America. Our focus: places that have contributed to our nation's diversity. When we support these local historic sites and districts, they help us learn the stories of our collective past and create spaces for community empowerment for generations to come.
From September 24 through October 26,
you can vote for up to five Main Streets once a day to receive a share of the funding at VoteYourMainStreet.org.Â
You are also invited to share your experiences and celebrate your favorite Main Street sites on social media using #VoteYourMainStreet. And once you vote, don't forget to enter National Geographic's sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for two to Washington, D.C.
What better way to support your favorite Main Streets? #VoteYourMainStreet today!
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Black Heritage Council Update
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The Black Heritage Council of the Alabama Historical Commission hosted the Community Preservation Forum in Huntsville, Alabama, on September 21-22, 2018 at the Clyde Foster Auditorium on the Alabama A&M University Campus.
The theme for the program was Preserving and Promoting Madison County's African-American History. The Forum focused on assisting individuals and groups in the area with documenting, preserving and promoting historic places that reflect the community's history and heritage.
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Where in the State are AHC Staff?
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Eric Sipes, AHC Senior Archaeologist, gave a presentation to the East Alabama Chapter of the Alabama Archaeological Society in Loachapoka. He spoke
about a "Tale of Two Cemeteries: Bioarchaeology and Cultural Resources Management at the Citadel" - a discussion of a 2004 cemetery recovery project at the Johnson-Hagood Stadium in Charleston, SC, which he contributed to through GIS analysis.
Dorothy Walker, AHC Site Director of the Freedom Rides Museum, participated in Congresswoman Terri Sewell's webinar on
how to prepare and apply for civil rights grants. The Alabama Historical Commission was awarded two major grants in 2018 to help preserve the historic Greyhound Bus Station and Moore Building. Improvements to these sites will help us continue to share the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides in innovative ways.
Pictured at left: Kaia Greene,
Grants Coordinator / Constituent Services Representative,
U.S. Representative Terri A. Sewell (AL-7).
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The Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery, AL, hosted the POW / MIA display and Recognition Day.
Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores, AL, installed new interpretive signage made possible by the
Baldwin County Legislative Delegation and the Baldwin County Commission
The Goat Hill Museum Store (located inside the Alabama State Capitol at the Union Street entrance) installed new signage.
Pond Spring, the General Joe Wheeler Home, Hillsboro, AL, held the annual Birthday Celebration for General Wheeler.
Image below (left to right)
: Lisa D. Jones, AHC Executive Director; Kara Long, AHC Site Director of Pond Spring;
Lucy LeGrand Walser, direct descendant of General Joe Wheeler; and Dr. Angelo Mancuso.
At Belle Mont Mansion, Tuscumbia, AL, Brian Murphy and Seth Armstrong put the finishing touches on the installation of UV protective film on windows. The film screens 99% of damaging light from the museum spaces. A grant from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage area made the project possible.
Glenn Rickard, curator of the Belle Mont Quilt Show, discusses an entry in the exhibit with a guest at the museum. The exhibit , which runs Oct. 3-27, will feature approximately 50 quilts dating from the early 1800's through the early 1900's. Some contemporary quilts will also be included.
Members of the Fort Morgan staff worked with other agencies and local volunteers to remove 2,718 pounds of trash from the Fort Morgan Peninsula. Pictured (left to right): Heather Tassin, AHC Site Director of Fort Morgan, Wendy Hyatt, Social Media Coordinator, and Dylan Tucker, Site Historian.
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Happenings Around the State
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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.
October 14
- The Elmore County Museum will host Wil Elrick, author of
Alabama Scoundrels
and
Alabama Folklore,
at 2:30pm at the Jeanette Barrett Civic Room (297 Wharf Street) in Wetumpka. Both books will be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
October 19-21
- Save the Date for the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation's 2018 Bicentennial Ramble in Gadsden. This 3-day event will feature a lecture by noted architectural historian and former AHC staff member Camille Bowman, a living history tour, and more!
October 24 - Main Street Alabama is pleased to bring Great American Main Street Award Winner, Renaissance Covington's Executive Director, Katie Meyer, to Monroeville. Katie will be showcasing one of their vibrant placemaking programs, CURB'D, a parklet program that aims to support local businesses by promoting walkability and connectivity while showcasing the region's design talent through quasi-temporary public installations.
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.
For more information, contact AHF Director of Operations Laura Anderson at
[email protected] or call (205) 558-3992.
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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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