Month: August 2009

This is the monument of Daniel S.E. Starr and his wife, Sophronia. Mr. Starr was against the War (War Between the States) and was taken from his jail cell (where he was being held before his trial for writing what was believed to be an abolition manuscript) and hanged. He’s believed to be the only citizen of Montgomery – although he was originally from Connecticut – to die for this position.

William Burr Howell, Varina Davis’ father (Varina was Jeff Davis’ wife):

Christian Kreutner, who manufactured guns for the Confederacy:

Confederate section:

Mary Hill’s monument:

She and seven of her children died from the scarlet fever epidemic and they are all buried here:

“Buried here are 78 officers and men of the Royal Air Force who lost their lives whilst training in Montgomery, Alabama during the Second World War. Nearly 1000 men who died during that war or the First World War when serving with the forces of Britain or the other Commonwealth countries lie buried in cemeteries throughout the United States of America. Their graves and this cross of sacrifice which commemorates them are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.”

Audrey and Hank Williams’ monuments:

A metal monument:

Federal soldier section:

Sayre family:

Zelda and Scott are not buried with them but they have this marker there:

Samuel Wreford, 1866. His mausoleum was built to include eight family members but he is the only one here. His casket was a cast iron canoe.

John Schockler – this monument reads in part: “…rest my remains. Was born in N. Orleans the 22nd of Nov. 1844 was brought up by friends; not taking their advice, was drowned in this city in the Ala. River the 27th of May 1855; now I warn all young & old to beware of the dangers of this river, see how I am fixed in this watery grave. I have got but two friends to mourn.”

Next to that is this monument, “In memory of my only friend, Mrs. Caroline Schockler…”

This unmarked space is where James Chastaine is buried. He attended all the high society functions of Montgomery – was considered a real dandy – and later burglarized the homes he visited. I believe this was mid-to-late 1800s.

For each grapefruit half, mix together a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar. To that, you add a few pecan pieces (a little or a lot, depending on your mood). Combine it all together in a bowl and spread on top each half, then broil on high – usually somewhere between two and three minutes is perfect. Yum!

This is the home that Thomas Carver built there in 1850 near a natural boiling spring. I’ve seen it mentioned that the home was built on top of one of the mounds. Last weekend, we drove out to see the house and area. It’s only about a mile from the Oxford stone mound that is the subject of so much controversy. In this picture you can see the elevation that the house is on:

This is a bit better view of it:

The main ceremonial mound on the farm was almost 40′ high (it’s now only about 5′). The Davis Farm was put on the Alabama Historical Commission / Alabama Preservation Alliance / University of West Alabama 2005 ‘Places in Peril’.

From the home, this is the view of the stone mound (Signal Mound):

This bridge nearby goes over the Choccolocco creek, along which was the historical town that DeSoto visited. Over this bridge – which you can no longer cross via car, there’s a barrier up – were more mounds.

Pat Snow was generous enough to share these photographs below, and this description:

That mound is not the only mound in the area, but is the last to be disturbed. Across the street sits a house on Boiling Springs Road. The house I believe pre dates the civil war and that house is built on top of another Indian mound. The mound has an artesinal well coming out of it. Also while there was farming in the area you could see the remain of more mounds in the area. These mounds were part of a complex of dwellings and mounds that followed on the western bank of the Chocolaca (sp) Creek all from the Signal Mound all the way to the present day airport. While I was in high school I would go to the farm land in the spring after the fields had been turned and the first rain had come and would look for artifacts. I would find arrow points, shards. I would also find other artifacts like game pieces, hoes, grinding stones and decorative stones. I also found remants of post holes for circular dwellings.

Yesterday, the Anniston Star published a report that a landowner has come forward saying that dirt from his land will be used for the Sam’s site rather than the city continuing to use the hill/mound. Also, a sinkhole has developed on the Sam’s site. The article reads in part:

Channel 13 in B’ham did a ‘Fact Finder’ report on the destruction of the mound that ran on their news yesterday:
http://vp.mgnetwork.net/viewer.swf?u=49544828df22102cbc4d001ec92a4a0d&z=VTM

On Sunday, August 30, a protest and reconsecration ceremony has been scheduled at the mound from 2p-5p.

—

This Saturday the 22nd is the annual Dothan Artifact Show.

Tonight at 7p Central on HBO2, “In A Dream” – the documentary about Isaiah Zagar and his mosaics in Philadelphia will debut.

The NY Times wrote in part:

There’s another place on Fairview Avenue close to I-65 – I think it’s just called the Fairview Farmers’ Market – where they will just about kill you with kindness! CanIHelpYou?CanIHelpYou?CanIHelpYou? That one’s a lot smaller and for whatever reason I never find anything there I just have to have.

My favorite-favorite, though, has to be the Montgomery Curb Market (1004 Madison Avenue). We’ve gotten everything from gigantic mums to cakes, rolls, scuppernong jelly, all kinds of produce, even homemade wreaths. This is the kind of place where you meet the actual people who grew or made whatever it is. Last time, I noticed this sign:

Under the “watching you” sign is the Luke 11: 2-4 prayer (Father, hallowed be Your name…) and under *that* is a little sign about being forgiven.

Not sure how many other cities have historical signs for people locally famous for feeding others, but in Montgomery, there’s Georgia Gilmore. This was her home:

These windows are by Cappy Thompson who specializes in transparent enameling of glass: