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

Today, hubby and I did a walking tour with a group at (10:00 AM) at the Florence Library led by Lee Freeman. 

We visited the former Popular Street Christian Church, now Wood Avenue Church of Christ (1970), which is 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 Tombigee St and Popular Streets. 

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

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church 630 N Poplar St
Florence, AL

From Cavalary Fellow Ship, we walked several blocks up Popular St to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (1938)630 N. Popular St.

First Baptist Church 209 North Walnut St.

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

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

First Presbyterian Church 224 E Mobile St

Next, we walked to East Mobile Street 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 the one-way street of Mobile St to Tennessee Valley Community Church AME on Pine St. There is construction going on near this church, as you can see in the picture. 

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 church, which is a couple blocks from Tennessee Valley Community Church. This church faces Pine St and faces North Seminary St. We walked up a couple blocks to the United Methodist Church.

First United Methodist Church 415 N Seminary Florence, Al 

Our last stop was First United Methodist Church (1822) 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 was blowing the water from the fountain and wet us as we walked by.

There were a couple of children enjoying the sprinkles 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. 

Hubby ordered a ham and cheese Sandwich with Cheetos 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 for home, but there was a traffic jam on Highway 72, where there was a lot of construction going on. 

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

 

2019 Mar 23, 🚎Faith of our Fathers Trolley Tour of Tuscumbia, Alabama

March 23, 2019 

Everyone met at Coldwater Books and began boarding the trolley at 9:30AM.

Lt. Col. Arthur Graves talking to a couple of tourists

The trolley was taking a group on a “Tour of the Faith of our Fathers” Historic Churches of Tuscumbia.

Ron Hudson said that the Georgian Gothic-style First Presbyterian Church was Alabama's oldest house of continual worship and where the Keller Family worshiped for over a century.
Helen Keller was a Baptist here.
Notable Tuscumbians that attended her were Brig. Gen. James Deshler, CSA; Alabama Governor Robert Burns Lindsay; Judge John Anthony Steele, delegate to the State Secession Convention; and Thomas Limerick, first mayor of Tuscumbia and original trustee of the church. 

We explored the architecture and history of the First Presbyterian Church, Lesley Temple, and First Baptist Church, three of Tuscumbia’s oldest churches, and how the faith of our fathers impacted the growth of Tuscumbia. 

Lesley Temple (built around a log cabin, the original building)
Mr. Graves is a devoted member of Lesley Temple C.M.E. Church, where he is proudly the oldest male member of the church.  He serves on the Steward Board and is a Sunday school teacher.  He is also the host of his Sunday morning radio program on WZZA.

Lesley Temple (original light fixture from Presbyterian Church 

Our tour guides were Ron Hudson and Lt. Col. Arthur Graves, the oldest member of Lesley Temple, very knowledgeable about the history of Tuscumbia.