Today, I rode to Moulton, Alabama, to join a group. We enjoyed hearing several people talk about Moulton sites.
Our First Stop was the Moulton Negro High School, also known as the Moulton Rosenwald School.
 Moulton Negro High School, also called Moulton Rosenwald School. |
| Near this site in the 1920s, a school was constructed with funds and labor from the African-American community, as well as funds from the Public and the Rosenwald Foundation. In the 1950s, new buildings replaced wooden structures. Most of the block laying, plastering, and mortar mixing was done by African American volunteers. Faculty, students, and their families provided much of the funding. The school closed in 1970 due to desegregation. The school exemplified the African-American community's educational pride. School Principals were Mrs. Maggie Truss, Mrs. Addie Irwin, Ms. Pearl F. Crenshaw, Mr. A.G. Petty, Mrs. Hazel A. Shelley, Mr. Samuel A. Shelley, Ms. Ora Smith, Mr. Noble Jones, Mr. James Poe, and Mr. C.C. Chunn. |
We listened to a woman speak about the school, once a Negro High School, now an elementary and junior high school for remote learning.
Next, we rode down the street to the Byler Road Church of Christ AME, where we listened to another woman talk about the church's history.
We then rode to the Freeman Tabernacle Church on Byler Road, where another woman talked about that church and its history.
In 2019, the Freeman Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary.
Isaac Owens donated the land for the church, and for a short time, the Baptists and Methodists worshiped together.
Reverend Freeman served as the church minister for over 35 years.
The Freeman Tabernacle Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary of service in 2019.
We stopped at the Old Moulton Cemetery and watched as several women discussed the notable individuals buried there. They were in period dresses.
Alicia Carpenter played Miss Lucy Downing, the daughter of James and Mary Downing.
When she was about four years old, her father died, and her mother went to work for the Post Office. She was appointed postmistress of Moulton and served for 17 years.
 |
| Mother Mollie Downing 1955-1933 wife of James Downing "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou." |
Lucy Downing, daughter of James & Mollie Downing 1886-1968
Lucy never married and followed in her mother's footsteps, becoming the postmistress of Moulton.
We stopped in front of the Smith Chapel CME Church and listened to a woman talk about the church's history.
 Smith Chapel C.M.E. Church |
| On this site, in 1871, former slaves constructed one of the first churches and schools for African Americans in Moulton. The Colored Methodist purchased most of the building materials. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Nabors Owen gave land for the Colored Baptist and Colored Methodist Church and School in Moulton. The congregations worshipped together until 1874. The course is named in honor of Rev. Andrew Smith, a former pastor |
 |
| Mural of Moulton |
I stopped to take a picture of the mural about Moulton's history, which was not quite finished.
My last stop was at The Hot Spot, where we listened to the history of the Hot Spot and Byer Road.
Byler Road
Pioneer Alabama's settled path to new lands, agriculture, transport, and commerce began in Northwest Alabama. The 140-mile corridor was designed by the state legislators on December 19, 1819. This was Alabama's first state legislative action. It started at the junction of Shoals Creek and Jackson Military Road, 10 miles northeast of Florence, AL, and ended at Warrior River Falls at the state capital crossing in Tuscaloosa, AL.
