The quilt exhibit on April 29th was a huge success thanks to the hard work of Cassie Blair. Blair, who has worked at the museum for over a year through the Falcon Scholar Program at the University of Montevallo, spent an entire semester preparing for the exhibit, titled “A Stitch In Time: A Tribute To Shelby County’s Quilting History.”
Continue reading ““A Stitch In Time” Quilt Exhibit Was A Great Success”
The Shelby County Historical Society honored seven graduates of the Shelby Sentinel Youth Ambassador Program during the society’s membership meeting on May 7th, 2017.
The Sentinel Program was established by members of the 2015 Leadership Shelby County class. Graduates from this year’s class are Cole Sullivan and Erin Acree, Oak Mountain High School; Emily Standige and Samantha Pearce, Helena High School; Olivia Railey and Cailyn Perry, Thompson High School; and Emma Harvey, Chelsea High School.
Continue reading “Shelby Sentinel Class of 2017 Graduates During May Membership Meeting”
One of the many cities in Shelby County includes Pelham, incorporated on July 10, 1964. Before this rather recent incorporation, the city of Pelham was often referred to as Shelbyville or Middleton before being named after the “Gallant Pelham” of the Confederate Army.
Major John Pelham fought in more than sixty battles during the Civil War before being killed in 1863 at Kelly’s Ford. His help with the victory of the Confederate Army at the Battle at Fredericksburg was enough to be mentioned in General Robert E. Lee’s official report.
Continue reading “Pelham Gets Its Name From A Very Gallant Man”
Within the Shelby County Museum & Archives, there is a simple black and white snapshot of Helena, Alabama. The small city doesn’t look like much, but it played a big role in Birmingham’s steel industry.
A steel mill was opened by Burwell B. Lewis and Rufus W. Cobb. Rufus Cobb eventually was appointed the Governor of Alabama in 1878. Along with steel, Helena is also known for its coal mines. In fact, the newly built high school rests on top of what once was a mine.
History classes teach students about the Civil War and the battles that were fought during it, but what did the soldiers do when they were not fighting?
Sometimes they would write letters home or rest but a majority of their recreation was spent gambling and smoking. The most popular game among the soldiers was “chuck-a-luck” and required six cards and two or three dice. Continue reading “A Roll Of The Dice”
The Chancellor House is a home located in the city of Harpersville that has been registered as a part of the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. Although the house is named after William Chancellor who owned the home from 1860-1908; a man named Mr. Fluker is the man who constructed the home. William Chancellor was originally from Scotland and came overseas with his dad at the age of twelve. The house is still in amazing condition and has been very well taken care of.
Today everyone has a phone. It can fit in a purse or pocket. It can be used in the home, car, store, and every place you could imagine. Currently the smart phone is the most popular but 100 years ago, another phone was the most desired: a Candlestick phone.
While hunting for thriving farm lands along with an easy access to water resources the families of Kidd and Harper settled in Harpersville around the year 1815. Not long after, the town became full of many different shops from basic stores to blacksmiths. In the 1800s it was typical of wealthy families to be buried near their plantation. This held true in the small town of Harpersville until the Harpersville Garden of Memories was established. The Garden of Memories is one of the oldest cemeteries in Harpersville. It is the home after death for many major families of Harpersville including the Kidd family. The families of Borum and Darby, who used to own the house that is now the Harpersville Public Library, are also buried in the cemetery.
Located at the edge of Harpersville, Alabama, in front of city hall, is a house no bigger than 500 square feet. By the townspeople of Harpersville, the house is know by the name the Darby House or the Darby-Borum House. The house was home for many- being know as a place for gathering by people in the Harpersville community.
Shelby County Museum & Archives 