Throughout Lauderdale County’s industrial history, the story of the Cherry Cotton Mill stands as a testament to the economic challenges faced by the textile industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1893 on Sweetwater Avenue in…
The Sheffield Hotel was a five-story brick hotel located at the corner of Fifth Street and Montgomery Avenue in Sheffield, Alabama. With 163 rooms at its peak, it was the largest hotel in the Shoals area and among the largest…
An Ideal Location for a City — Florence* In the beginning of the world, so the Cherokees said, a beautiful water sprite, the Goddess of the Tennessee, was imprisoned by the Great Spirit beneath the rushing waves of Muscle Shoals.…
Florence Ice & Coal Company opened in early 1903 and was located on Aetna Street in East Florence near Sweetwater Creek and Huntsville Road. In 1922, an unusual thing happened: their night watchman was stolen! Let me break the story…
Robert Cloud was born on May 4, 1844, in Marshall County, Mississippi. At the age of sixteen, Cloud went to Arkansas and enlisted in Company E, Tenth Arkansas Regiment. He was quickly afterwards taken out of service by his father…
Hey folks, Remember Burrell Normal School? Maybe not, but for us who grew up in Florence in the early 1900s, it was a cornerstone of the community, especially for our Black neighbors. This school, originally from Selma, came to Florence…
Today, we delve into the fascinating, but ultimately tragic tale of the Jefferson Hotel, once a prominent landmark in Florence, Alabama. From City Hall to Grand Hotel (1903-1923) In 1903, the Florence City Council embarked on a unique venture. They…
Early Days and Traveling Troupe: Wyoming Frank, a charismatic figure of the late 19th century, first came onto the scene in 1888 alongside his brother, “Wyoming Ed.” The duo traveled through Kentucky and Ohio, selling “patent medicines” and performing with…
A Helping Hand in Hard Times Unearthing the past reveals a time of hardship in Florence, but also a beacon of compassion: the Florence Benevolent Association. Founded in the early 1890s, and dedicated to aiding residents facing misfortune, this organization…
Zebulon Pike Morrison was a cornerstone of Florence, Alabama, for over half a century. From 1840 until his death in 1895, he left an indelible mark on the town through his various roles as a businessman, contractor, and public servant.…