Governor Robert Burns Lindsay and daughter Maud McKnight Lindsey Historic Markers

Maud Lindsey's home as it looks today

 Governor Robert Burns Lindsey, July 4, 1824- Feb 13, 1902 

A native of Lochmaben, Scotland, Robert Burns Lindsey was Alabama's only foreign-born governor. He immigrated to North Carolina in 1844 and relocated to Tuscumbia in 1849, where he worked as a teacher and studied law, eventually obtaining admission to the Alabama Bar in 1852. The following year, residents of Franklin County elected him to the Alabama House of Representatives. In 1854, Lindsay married Sarah Miller Winston, sister to John Anthony Winston, who served as governor from 1853 to 1857. The couple had nine children, four of whom survived to adulthood, among them educator and author Maud McKnight Lindsey (see other side). 

In 857, Lindsay won the election to the Alabama Senate. In 1861, he joined Colonel Philp D. Roddey's Fourth Alabama Cavalry, CSA. At war's end, voters returned him to the Alabama Senate. In 1870, Lindsey became the first Democrat elected governor of Alabama since the end of the Civil War. His turbulent two years in office amidst Reconstruction were beset by economic and political difficulties, compounded by the failure of a state-supported railroad venture. Declining to run for reelection in 1872, Lindsey returned to Tuscumbia, where he continued a limited law practice, hampered by ill health, until his death. 

Sponsored by the Maud Lindsay Study Club, The Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, and the Alabama Historical Association, 2022.

Maud McKnight Lindsay
May 13, 1874-May 30, 1941

International educator and author Maud Lindsay was born at this home, then a frame structure, in 1874. She was the daughter of Governor Robert B. Lindsay (see other side) and Sarah M. Winston Lindsey. 

In 1898, after working in a private kindergarten in Tuscumbia, "Miss Maud" crossed social barriers and established Alabama's first free kindergarten program in the working-class cotton mill district of East Florence. 

She remained the teacher and principal of the school for more than four decades. In 1900, Milton Bradley Company published Lindsay's first book. Mother Stories. She subsequently authored sixteen additional works, many of which reflected her childhood experiences in Alabama. Although she had no formal higher education, Lindsay became a sought-after speaker.

She lectured on the art of storytelling at New York University. Rebuffing many offers to teach elsewhere, including an invitation from renowned Italian educator Maria Montessori, Lindsey chose to remain in Alabama. Her childhood friend Helen Keller described her as "one of the truly progressive women of the southland and an example of Alabama's true wealth and greatness." Lindsay was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1995. 

Maud Lindsey Kindergarten, Florence, Alabama 

Maud McKnight Lindsey 
The Florence Free Kindergarten 

Singing River Sculpture in Florence

Singing River Sculpture 

Singing River Sculpture in Florence 

Dedicated to the world-renowned musicians, recording executives, writers, producers, and performers who made Florence and the Muscle Shoals area the "Hit Recording Capital of the World" in the 1960s and 1970s, and those who continue that legacy.

2020 
Legend of the Singing River 
The Yuchi and other early Native Americans who lived along the banks of the mighty Tennessee River long held the legend of a Spirit Woman who lived in the river, sang her song, and protected them. She sang to them loudly if the drive was angry, softly and sweetly when the river was peaceful, and sometimes in the calming hum of a lullaby. In her honor, they named it the Singing River.
Some say that all they heard was the high waters' mighty rush and roar over the mussel shoals or the calm, low waters babbling through the river rocks. 
Others say she is honest and over the waters, as she did many years ago. So goes the legend of the Singing River. 

The World-Changing Music Shoals Music 
From the latter half of the 20th century, artists, musicians, songwriters, and music industry professionals from the Muscle Shoals area have contributed significantly to shaping the world's expansive musical heritage. 

Few styles of music were untouched by Muscle Shoals music, and local contributions have been made in all areas of the complex industry, including production, recording engineering, songwriting, music publishing, and music business interests.

Many of the world's most outstanding performers began their ascent to stardom in Muscle Shoals. Artists such as Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Bob Seger, and many others quickly created a legacy that earned the area the title "Hit Recording Capitol of the World."

The warning in Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" got the attention of the Rolling Stones. The Beatles heard Alexander's song "Anna," and each band acknowledged their respect for Alexander by recording their own version of the song on their debut albums. 

The songwriting tradition remains one of the most substantial facets of Muscle Shoals music, with area songwriters penning songs such as "When a Man Loves a Woman," "I Swear," "Blown Away," "Before He Cheats," and hundreds of other hits over the decades. 
The area grew into a music center by drawing together people of all races and religions. In the 1960s, despite racial segregation enforced outside the studio, soul classics were created in the studios, with musicians contributing their innate musical talents. The collaborations created some of the most widely loved music of the 20th century, including "When A Man Loves A Woman," "Mustang Sally," "Tell Mama," "Patch," "Respect Yourself," and many others. 

The heart and soul of Muscle Shoals music have always been the players and singers. Four Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section members were immortalized in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song Sweet Home Alabama. The lyric, "Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers, and they've been known to pick a song or two, "honors Barry-Beckett, Jimmy Johnson, David Hood, and Roger Hawkins, owner of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, and studio musicians who produced and played on hundreds of hit records at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios from the late 60s until the mid-70s.

Florence's Contribution to this Golden Era
Florence has long had a rich and varied music culture and heritage. Building on the foundation of blues and spiritual music laid by Florence native W.C. Handy, known as the father of the blues and the composer of "Beale Street Blues," "St. Louis Blues," and other notable works, that legacy continues today. 
The roots of what became known as the Muscle Shoals sound are found north of the Tennessee River in Florence, AL. They were planted by pioneers such as James Joiner, Tom Stafford, and Rich Hall, as well as the many talented musicians and songwriters who recorded in Florence studios before 1960.
Other notable music personalities from Florence include Sam Phillips, Buddy Killen, Billy Sherrill, and Kelso Herston, who found significant success in Memphis and Nashville. 

In 1956, Joiner wrote and produced the area's first regional hit, "A Fallen Star" by Bobby Denton. He, Kelso Herston, and his partners established "Tune Records and Publishing Company," the first in Alabama, and published the classic Country song "Six Days on the Road" by Earl Greene and Carl Montgomery. 


Stafford, Hall, and Billy Sherrill created Florence, Alabama Music Enterprises (FAME) above the City Drug Store, which was owned by Stafford's family. The studio attracted young talents such as David Briggs, Norbert Putman, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, Jerry Carrigan, Earl "Peanutt" Montgomery, Donnie Fritts, Arthur Alexander, Bobby Denton, and others who would go on to be legendary musicians and songwriters. 


In 1964, at John Lennon's request, four members of the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section —Norbert Putnam, David Briggs, Jerry Carrigan, and Terry Thompson —backed the opening acts for the Righteous Brothers and Tommy Roe at the Beatles' first US concert in Washington, D.C. 

In 1976, Wishbone Studio owner and producer Terry Woodford cofounded the University of North Alabama Commercial Music Program, which prepared many for success in the music industry, including Randy Poe, President of Leiber & Stoller Music Publishing/music biographer; Walt Aldridge, songwriter/producer; Nancy Lee, V.P. Music Industry Business, Manager Higham Management Ince.; Mark Narmore, Songwriter/singer/keyboardist; John Briggs, V.P. ASCAP (Retired); V.P. Entertainment and Pro Sports, Tower Community Band; and Kevin Lamb, V.P. Peer Music (Retired).

Photos: William Christopher (W.C)Handy
Photo courtesy of W.C. Handy Foundation Inc. 

Photo: James Joiner  and Kelson Herston (L) 
Photo editing courtesy of Glenn Bevis 


Joiner's Bus Station 
Site of Joiner's first recording studio 
Photo courtesy of the Joiner Family 

Photo: Tom Stanford 
Enigmatic mentor to many young Muscle Shoals musicians 
Photo courtesy of David Briggs

Photo: The Original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section 
Terry Thompson, Norbert Putman, Jerry Carrigan, and David Briggs 
Photo completion courtesy of Will C. Roberson and Trevor J. Joiner 

Photo: Terry Woodford 
With guest speaker Glenn Frey of the Eagles in the UNA Commercial Music class 
Photo courtesy of Terry Woodford. 

The City of Florence, Alabama 
Mayor Steve Holt - Eric Nubbe, Sculpture 
A special thanks to former Mayor Mickey Haddock and former Mayor Bobby E. Irons for their early and unwavering support and encouragement.
Historical commentary by Dick Cooper, David Anderson, Bill Matthews, and Sandra Vetters.

Singing River Sculpture 

2024 April 19, Visitor Center, Kennedy Douglas Art Museum, Coffee Cemetery with AVA

 Today, we rode into town to pick up Hubby's medicine at Walgreens. 

We rode to the Blue Door Thrift Store/SCOPE 310 and bought AVA a game. 

Ate lunch at Culverts. 

Hubby and I split a plate of shrimp, fries, cole Slaw, and Chocolate moose yogurt.  

We bought an AVA hamburger, fries, and chocolate yogurt.

We stopped at the nearby Walmart to pick up a few items. Then, Ava and I walked across the street to the Coffee and Slave Cemeteries. 

A  large old tree at Coffee Cemetery

Ava wanted to visit a museum, so we rode to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center. There, we saw AROY Artistic Rendering of Youth, featuring artwork created by students from 7th through 12th grade at 15 schools. Outside, we stopped to take pictures of the statues. 

AVA and the outdoor art

We walked across the street to Wilson Park, and the mist from the fountain seemed to reach the clouds.

Overflowing Fountain at Wilson Park 

Color is the music of light. 
Frank Lloyd Wright 
(This marker is on the sidewalk at Wilson Park.)

We watched a barge go up the Tennessee River 
men fishing 

Ava enjoyed the playground area at McFarland Park. Our last stop was the Visitor Center, where they saw several displays. 

Large and small-mouth bass
Bass fishing & tournaments are significant on the Tennessee River in Florence.
Ava enjoyed the one with the big and small-mouth fish. 

WC Handy Statue in Wilson Park 
WC Handy 
Father of the Blues 
1873- 1958 
Born in Florence, Alabama 

Display of WC Handy's music at Florence-Lauderdale Visitor Center.
Handy played the Cornet (pictured here) 
Handy's first hit was "The Memphis Blues".

The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held annually in Florence, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues." The non-profit Music Preservation Society was formed in 1982 with the mission to preserve, present, and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama.

The 2024 Handy Festival will take place from Wednesday to Saturday, June 12-15, in Florence, Alabama. 

2023 November 4, "Walking with the Saints" a Saints Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Florence House of Worship

Today, Hubby and I went on a walking tour with a group led by Lee Freeman at 10:00 A.M. at the Florence Library. 

We visited the former Popular Street Christian Church, now the Wood Avenue Church of Christ (established in 1970), located across the street from the Florence Library. 

Wood Avenue Church of Christ 

Cavalry Fellowship Church

424 E Tombigbee St Florence, AL 

From the library, we walked to Tombigbee Street and Poplar Street. 

We stopped at the Cavalry Fellowship (former Popular Street Christian Church)

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church 630 N Poplar St
Florence, AL

From the Cavalry Fellowship, we walked several blocks up Poplar Street to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (1938), located at 630 N. Poplar Street.

First Baptist Church 209 North Walnut St.

We walked back up several streets to Walnut St., the Baptist church, across from the Florence Library. 

We stopped at the Gothic-style First Baptist Church (1888), located at 209 North Walnut St.

First Presbyterian Church 224 E Mobile St

Next, we walked to East Mobile Street, where the First Presbyterian Church is across the street from the Florence US Post Office. 

We stopped at First Presbyterian Church (1818), 224 E Mobile St. The Oldest Christian Church is the "Mother Church," Florence's oldest church. 

Tennessee Valley Community Church AME
119 N Pine St, Florence, AL 

 

We walked down Mobile Street, a one-way street, to Tennessee Valley Community Church AME on Pine Street. As you can see in the picture, construction is happening near this church. 

Trinity Episcopal Church 410 N Pine St Florence, AL 

We walked up Pine St to Trinity Episcopal Church (1824), Florence's third-oldest Christian congregation. This church is located a few blocks from Tennessee Valley Community Church, which faces Pine Street and North Seminary Street. We walked up a few blocks to the United Methodist Church.

First United Methodist Church 415 N Seminary Florence, AL 

Our last stop was First United Methodist Church (1822), located at 415 N. Seminary, the second-oldest church in Florence. 

Wilson Park Fountain 

Wilson Park is near the United Methodist Church and across the street from the Florence Library. 

We stopped to take a few pictures of the fountain at Wilson. The wind blew the fountain water, wetting us as we walked by.

A couple of children were enjoying the sprinklers from the fountain.  

Also took pictures of the Florence Library and the Kennedy Douglas Art Center. 

We ate lunch at St Florian Pharmacy Soda Shop. We sat at the bar and watched as they took orders for dipped ice cream and made sandwiches. 

My Hubby ordered a ham and cheese sandwich with chocolate and a strawberry milkshake. 

Reuben Sandwich with chips

I ordered a Reuben with Sun Chips, whole-grain Harvest Cheddar, and Diet Coke. 

After lunch, we headed home, but we encountered a traffic jam on Highway 72 due to extensive construction. 

We took Middle Road to the Old Jackson Highway, then to US 43. 

 

Growing up in the Shoals

Earline in Story-Land was enjoyed by many children in the Shoals Area, including myself, for over 22 years.
All I remember about Earline Burns was her television show and where she lived.
Both my grandparents lived in Sheffield, and one of my grandparents went to Church not too far from Earline's house.
We moved to Florence in 1962. Sometimes, when we would travel to Sheffield, we would go by  Earline's house on Hatch Blvd., but most of the time, we would travel down Second Street.
I remember seeing her blue Cadillac Convertible sitting in front of her small pink house, which had been torn down.
My parents lived in downtown Sheffield when they married and moved to Tuscumbia when I was about 2 1/2.
Entertainment was watching a movie on the big screen, either at the Theater or a Drive-in.
I saw many movies at the Colbert Theater, Tuscumbia Theater, Norwood Theater, Shoals Theater, Wilson Drive-In, and Joy-Land Drive-In.
My siblings and I would walk to the Shoals Theater during the summer months and watch a movie for ten cents.
I was always small for my age and could get into the theater for the cost of a child long after I had passed that age.
I remember Buck's night at the Drive-In.
We would go around the neighborhood, filling the car full of neighborhood kids.
We could all get into the movies for one dollar a carload.

I don't remember listening to the radio, but we did own a black-and-white TV.
Dad worked for Mr. Hensley Jarrett, hauling large power poles. Our TV Antenna was atop one of those tall poles. I remember the pole had spikes, and Dad climbed to the top to install the antenna, with wires running into the house to the rabbit ears sitting atop the TV.
We could pick up all the local channels.

We watched shows like Gunsmoke, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Bob Hope Show, Calling All Cars, The Cisco Kid, Death Valley Days, Dragnet,  & The Lone Ranger.
Since I never listened to the radio, I did not know that many of the television shows that I watched were once live radio shows.

Many famous people came to the Shoals in those early years, but growing up there, they were just another face in the crowd.

When I was a teenager, just turned sixteen,  I worked at Shockley's Pancake House, which was across the street from Holiday Inn, where many of the famous entertainers stayed when they were in town.

I served the Four Seasons, and I  had no clue who they were.
As a working girl who never listened to the radio, I had no clue who came into our restaurant.

Now that I am older, I am learning so much about the Shoals Area that I have been a part of.

I walked the streets of Florence, Sheffield, & Tuscumbia, and  I spent many hours at Spring Park.

I remember Dad bringing home a trunk he had gotten from the Helen Keller Home, which had been thrown away.
It had several books inside the trunk; one was a Blue Hardback Brothers Grimm's Fairy Tale Book.
I read that book many times.
When we moved to Florence in the early 1960s, the Fairy Tale Book must have been thrown away because I never saw it again.

I remember going to Spring Park, riding the train, and playing on all the playground equipment, which was like an amusement park.
There was a swimming pool just up the street, and inside the park was a large wading pool.
The park fell into disarray for many years, and its glory days are gone forever.

I remember the Liberty's & A & P Supermarkets where mom shopped, they gave S & H Green Trading Stamps, Plaid Stamps, and Top Value Stamps just for shopping at their stores.
When collected into multiple books, we would take them to the Trading stamp store for merchandise.

So many things we no longer have as time changes.
We now have cell phones, no sharing party lines, and phones hanging on the wall.
We no longer use an outhouse; we now have portlets.
We no longer have to heat the house up to cook; we have a microwave and convection ovens.
We no longer use glass; everything comes in plastic.

Gasoline is no longer 100% and costs 25 cents a gallon.
A new Corvette fully loaded costs over 80,000 dollars.

In the next twenty years, many will be living in Space.

One hundred years sounds like a lifetime.
When I was a kid, I thought 30 was old. Now, one hundred doesn't sound that old.