In the quaint pages of an 1818 newspaper, a vision was cast upon the fertile lands of Lauderdale County, Alabama – the birth of a town named Havannah. Fast forward to the present day, and we find ourselves reflecting on…
R.W. Drane, a prominent local merchant and the proprietor of a cigar store and pool room, and Mr. George (Will) Young, a prominent furniture merchant, were thrust into a harrowing drama that played out in downtown Florence on East Tennessee…
Murder, cigars, McFarland Bottoms, toys, and more! Robert Wesley Drane was born on October 25, 1886, in Lauderdale County, Alabama. He is best known for the Drane-Young Tragedy, in which he was charged with the murder of G.W. Young. On…
Florence, Alabama boasts a vibrant past that extends beyond its river heritage and even its musical roots. One intriguing chapter in its history revolves around Robert Wesley (R.W.) Drane, who ignited a revolution in the South’s tobacco and cigar industry.…
The Idea Billed as the biggest opportunity North Alabama ever saw, Allentown was to become a new industrial development powered completely by hydro-electric power from two dams built on Cypress Creek. The “City Without A Chimney”, read a tagline used…
Sweetwater Mansion in Florence, Alabama (also known as Sweetwater Plantation, the Weeden Home, or the Gov. Robert Patton House) is a plantation house designed by General John Brahan of the Alabama Militia. The 8-room home was built of bricks manufactured on the…