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.

🚋🚋🚋🚋2016 November 12, Saturday, Pathway to Prayer Trolley Tour

I ran back to the van for my jacket and camera and at 11 AM I jumped aboard the open-air trolley for a tour of Pathways to Prayer by Lee Freeman.
A tour of downtown Florence's houses of Worship.
I sat in the section with no windows so I could take pictures.
We stopped at St Mark's's MB church built around 1859, the second oldest black church in Florence.
Looked like they were having a yard sale in the parking lot.

St Marks MB Church 

St Joseph Catholic Church

Bethel CP Church

We travel down the road to Bethel CP Church built around 1897 also a black church.
Our next stop was St Joseph Catholic Church built around 1878, their priest was Benedict Manges.
This church overlooks the very large Florence Cemetery. My neighbor's kids went to school at St Joseph's.
Our next stop was at the First Baptist Church on Wood Avenue next door to the Florence Library. This church purchased the old Florence Library and uses it for classrooms. Their parking lot is full during events at Wilson Park and First Fridays downtown.

 First Baptist Church

Also on Wood Avenue, we visited Wood Avenue Chruch of Christ once called Popular Street Christian Church, built around 1886. It is located across the road from the Florence Library and faces the Florence Library.

Wood Avenue Church of Christ 

We rode passed many old historic homes on Wood Avenue.

Our next stop was 201 East Hawthorne St at the Temple B'Nai Israel built in 1906 by Reformed Jewish families.

Temple B'Nai Israel 

Our next stop was Calvary Fellowship of the Church of the Shoals located at 424 E Tombigbee St it is a non-denominational Church.

Calvary Fellowship of the Church of the Shoals

The First Presbyterian Church is located on Mobile Street across the street from the US Post Office, Ledgens, and Shoals Theater. It was built around 1818 the oldest church in Florence. Its pastor was Rev Gideon Blackburn

First presbyterian church 

We rode past Regions Bank which was built as a replica of the Forks of Cypress

Regions Bank Greek Revival building with a two-story colonnade composed of 24 columns. 

Across the street was the First Methodist Church built around 1822 it is the second oldest church. Founded by John Coz and John Kerr.

First Methodist Church

Trinity Episcopal Church third oldest church built around 1824 by Rev William Spencer Wall.
In front of their church was a sign that read: We are P.A.W.S. RESCUE ADOPT FOSTER
Our mission: Creating a more humane and caring environment for animals in Northwest Alabama. Partnering with local animal control & law enforcement for community assistance to help homeless, unwanted, and abused pets.

Trinity Episcopal Church

Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center was our last stop

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