Alan J. Pitts
Re: Interstate Vs. History
Tue Jun 5 12:20:16 2001


Thanks for the kind words. Just after college I worked for Don Moseley at the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission. Among other tasks, the BRPC created and published an inventory of all historical sites in its area, which comprised the counties of Jefferson, Walker, Cullman, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby. The inventory established documentation and photographs of each site, as well as a narrative describing the historical significance of each site. Most sites were homes; I'm almost certain no sites of skirmishes or actions in the area were included.

There appears to be some documentation for most existing 19th-century home sites, but little or nothing on most Alabama ACW battle sites. There should be at least a highway markers near each established site. I'd like to collect documentation on each one and publish it so that the public will be aware of what's in their area.

Interest organizations such as Sons of Confederate Veterans, ACW Roundtables, local historical societies, reenactor associations &c. should get involved once they know. For that matter, descendants of our Yankee invaders are interested: the Iowa Historial Society placed a marker at Tannehill State Park (near Birmingham) to commemorate the 8th Iowa Cavalry's destruction of the Confederate foundary there. Often it's enough for people to know what's there.

There really should be a public agency for the Tennessee Valley (State or Federal) with oversight authority in this area. Failing that, I'd suspect we need to contact the Alabama Historical Commission. They know the steps to this dance. In any case, they need solid documentation such as you have on Fort Rose to establish the historical significance of each site. This should include 1) what used to be there, 2) what's there today, 3) who owns the site and 4) what kind of development endangers the site. There's probably more, but I forget after all this time.

You mentioned that the corridor will be a mile wide. Of course after the interstate is complete, most of that will remain undeveloped right-of-way. That can be helpful when a private owner threatens to develop a site or sell to a developer. Unless the State of Alabama, the county or some municipality purchases the site (highly unlikely), there's always the possibility that site owners -- present and future -- will develop. As long as the interstate doesn't run smack over your site, it's really not bad for the site to be included in the fringes of the right-of-way. It's off limits to private developers just as if it was part of a national park.

Just a few ideas on the subject -- I'm sure other message board readers have other good ones.