🚗 2015 ~ Wednesday, August 5, Day Trip to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park McCalla Alabama

We started the day by stopping at I-Hop in Athens to eat breakfast. I ordered a banana, and pecan waffle with whipped cream, Hubby ordered the short stack hotcakes, two eggs, two slices of ham, and two sausage links. 

We traveled south on I-65 to Birmingham and in Birmingham, we took I-59 west to Bessemer.

We stopped in Bessemer to fill up with gas and spent $31.20 for 13.629 gallons at Raceway 6816 1823 9th Avenue Bessemer, Al.  

It was twelve miles to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park where we toured the Iron & Steel Museum of Alabama. The cost to enter the museum for seniors was $2.00. The cost to enter the park was $6.00 for seniors. 

An Alabama Forge Build 1/2 scale

Confederate Salt Peter Pot

On the inside of a Blast Furnace

Cannon

Gaar Scott Portable Steam Engine 1869-1870

In the museum, we saw a machine shop that included a cannon lathe, Putman planer, Gaar Scott Portable Steam Engine 1869-1870, 1835 Dotter Steam Engine, Bloomer exhibit, and Civil War artifacts.

Behind the museum, we saw an 1880-1890 cast iron water pipe next to the May Plantation Cotton Gin House which dates back to 1858 full of artifacts.

cast iron water pipe

May Plantation Cotton Gin House which dates back to 1858 full of artifacts.

We walked 1/4 miles along up a hill on a path down a gravel hill in the 104 degrees to see the Roupes Valley Ironworks-Tannehill  Furnaces - William L. Sanders, Prop. 1862.

Although the walk was short, the heat made the walk seem like miles, we were dripping wet on our return walk.

It was worth the walk but I would advise others to wait for cooler weather.

We saw the furnaces, a blower house, the wheel that turned the water, a creek with ducks, a cabin, and a Civil War marker.

Civil War Site 1861-1865

Civil War Site 1861-1865

As the border states began to fall, Alabama iron became critical to the survival of the Confederacy. During the last two years of the war, Alabama’s furnaces were producing 70% of the entire southern iron supply.
That output invited federal invasion in the largest cavalry operation of the war. Known as Wilson’s Raid, a federal force of over 14,000 laid waste to Tannehill and a dozen other Alabama furnaces including the Selma Arsenal as the war came to an end.
The Tannehill Ironworks was attacked by three companies of the 8th Iowa Cavalry under the command of Capt. William A. Sutherland on March 31, 1865. Before leaving, they torched all the adjacent factory buildings, slave cabins, a large gristmill and tannery, and a storehouse of food and supplies. In the fire, Tannehill’s workforce of over 500 slaves and white mechanics was scattered and displaced. A mile downstream on Roupes Creek, the Williams & Owen Forge escaped detection.
Sutherland re-joined Brig. Gen. John T. Croxton’s main force of 15,000 cavalrymen proceeded to burn the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. En route on April 1, Croxton’s cavalry engaged CS troops commanded by Brig. Gen. William H. (Red) Jackson in the battle of Trion (now called Vance). 

While iron production ended at Tannehill in 1865, its main financier, John Alexander, continued to operate the cupola furnace producing products from iron scrap before the site was sold to the Thomas Iron Interests of Pennsylvania, a parent company of Republic Steel Corp., in 1868. 

I went back inside the museum where I purchased four postcards:

Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama Tannehill Historical State Park 

The Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama documents the development of the iron and steel industry in Alabama from the 1800s. 

The interpretive center exhibits rare foundry equipment, Civil War artifacts, steam engines, and tools.

Tannehill Iron Works Historical State Park 

John Scott Young Country Store 1905 

Relocated from near Brent in Bibb County, Alabama. This country store now serves as a souvenir shop and camper's store in McCalla, Alabama Southwest of Birmingham 

Tannehill Iron Works Historical State Park 

Tannehill Church 

1905 once the home of the Kimbrell Methodist church in McCalla was moved to the park in 1972 for preservation. Today non-denominational church services for campers and wedding services are conducted. McCalla, Alabama Southwest of Birmingham 

Tannehill Iron Works Historical State Park 

Tannehill Iron Works furnaces are one of the best-preserved 19th-century ironworks in America. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this is the birthplace of Birmingham's Iron and Steel District. The furnaces were a major producer for the Confederacy and are a Civil War Discovery Trail Site. McCalla, Alabama Southwest of Birmingham 

Old Country Church 1905 

Cane Creek Cemetery

My husband drove us around the park, he stayed inside the van, stopping for me to take pictures of the many historic sites. 

Old Country Church 1905 & Cemetery 

This is the Old Kimbrell Methodist Church relocated from the Kimbrell community in Jefferson County. After lying idle for 15 years it was donated to the state by J. C.  Hassell in 1972. The restoration was made possible through many individual donations including funds, materials, and services.

Cane Creek School House 1923

The successor to the first school built in Jefferson County in 1815, this building of 1923 origins served the residents of the Beltona Area until 1960. Purchased in 1963 by the Cane Creek Community Club, it was subsequently donated to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park for restoration in 1979. It was originally located about 3 miles west of Warrior.

The Collins House 
1834 built in the late 1870s near Vernon Alabama by Edward Francis Collins. Logs were cut from timber on the family farm and hand-hewed.

The house remained in the Collins family until it was moved to this site in the spring of 1984

It was given to the Tannehill State Park by Mrs. Cullen S. Collins and her family in Vernon.

The Jefferson Stewart House 
1858 Pioneer home of Charles Jefferson Stewart Sr., and wife Nancy Rachel Mayhan 1839-1910. Relocated from Abercrombie Community Bibb County 1986 a successful farmer the Stewarts had 13 children, all born in this house. donated by Wendell Stewart of Centerville, Alabama 

Woodward Post Office 

This was built by Woodward Iron Company in 1915. Donated for restoration by the Meade Corporation in 1978.

Fowler House 

Built near West Blocton, AL in 1860 by Winston Stewart, a local contractor. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler occupied the house from 1928 until her death.

Restored as a country School to be a part of the Learning Center in 1978 

Donated by the heirs of and in memory of Isaac M, Sallie Fowler 

Peel House

Peel House

cir 1888

Built by Dick Honeycutt 

Home of Tincey Peel and son, Ermon Peel from 1920 until the death of Ermon in 1984

Donated by U.S. Steel in 1985 and moved to this site...

Belcher House 1870

William Henry Belcher was born in 1848 in Randolph County.

This home was located 8 miles west of Centerville, where he raised four children.

Mr. Belcher was the son of A. Buford Belcher, who migrated to Alabama from Virginia in 1832.

Nail House

Built by Jules Nail in the Mt Olive Community of Jefferson County 

Mr. Nail lived in the house until the 1880s except for a period of service with the Union Army during the war.

Donated by Mack Lee and Thomas Nail...

Restored 1979

Williams House 1889

James Monroe Jim Williams married Martha Evaline George, 

Mr. Williams was a farmer and a coal miner at Gray Hill in Bibb County, AL

They raised ten children, of which seven were born in this house.

Donated by Mrs. Audry Williams, Restored 1976

Tapawingo Bridge 

Tapawingo Bridge 

This iron truss bridge was used by thousands of Birmingham area residents in the early 1900s while visiting Tapawingo Springs, once a popular swimming spot and tourist location in northeast Jefferson County.

The bridge was originally located across Turkey Creek near Pinson on Blountsville Road.

Relocated to Tannehill State Park by Jefferson County in 1975, it now crosses Mill (Cooley), Creek

Pioneer Farm Buildings 1870

1. Gear House

2. Smoke House

3. Corn Crib

4. Double Pole Barn

Donated by Mr & Mrs. Carthell Kornegay. 

These buildings were located on the George Stewart Farm in Bibb County and were restored in 1975.

John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin 

John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin 

The John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin operated on this site from 1867 to 1931, as the successor to one of Alabama's earliest grist mills located a mile west of Mud Creek.

Burned during the Civil War, Hall's Mill was moved to this location to begin a new life during Reconstruction. 

Rebuilt in 1976-1977 as part of the Tannehill Historical State Park development under a grant from the Linn Henley Charitable Trust.

Hall's Mill is an accurate copy of the old structure which did business here for 64 years

John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin 

John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin 

Our last stop in the park was at the John Wesley Hall Grist Mill & Cotton Gin where Hubby actually got out. 

It was an enjoyable ride to Decatur where we stopped at McCallum's for dinner they have the best catfish around.

I ordered a small plate of catfish which included two small whole catfish, slaw, onion, baked potato, and hushpuppies. My husband ordered the seafood platter which included shrimp, clams, crab-cake, two small catfish, hushpuppies, baked potato, and slaw. We ate until we could eat no more and brought a large plate of food home for my husband's lunch tomorrow at work. 

We still had time to get our pool water checked at CE Pools and get home before the rain started in for the night. Yea! Another great day trip!