 The Mon Luis Island Schoolhouse Renovation Project, which is ongoing, has thus far resulted in the relocation of the schoolhouse to the Dauphin Island Parkway, and the restoration of the exterior. (Photo Courtesy of Robin McDonald) | In the winter 2019 issue of Alabama Heritage, the article “Mon Louis Island: A French Land Grant, A Creole Village, and a Seafood Community” featured a sidebar about the Mon Louis Island schoolhouse. As the founder and president of the “Mon Luis Schoolhouse Renovation Project,” (our group uses the spelling “Luis”), I realized that I needed to correct some misinformation about the schoolhouse and project that often has been presented in publications over the years. Correcting the record is important so that this structure will be recognized in its full significance. |
 The daily grind of the publishing world is continually evolving with a variety of tasks required that keep our jobs from remaining stagnate--whether we are fielding calls from customers with great story ideas, fulfilling subscription sales, researching the history behind a small 1800s home, photographing said home, working with the media, or planning our next big conference, event, or editorial calendar. Just this month, however, the staff at Alabama Heritage can all add an additional skillset to our resumes: bulk mailing (a.k.a. “where the magic happens” or “from where your magazine gets shipped to you.”)
 Elise, Debbie, and Scott Chandler at a Talladega Race. (Photo Courtesy of Elise Chandler) This month, the Talladega Superspeedway is celebrating fifty years of racing. Fifty years ago track construction began for the Alabama International Motor Speedway, which is now called Talladega Superspeedway. A year later, the first race was held on September 13, 1969. Even though it is called Talladega Superspeedway, you will actually find the race track in the small town of Lincoln, Alabama. The track was built on the former Anniston Air Force Base that had been abandoned, and the purpose for building the track was to have a more central racing location for the Southeast. With the Alabama International Motor Speedway being built, there was less travel involved for race fans. Traveling plans may have been an issue at the time, but now people travel from all over to get a taste of what racing is like in the Talladega Superspeedway.
 A tree on Government Street, chock full of stray Mardi Gras beaded necklaces in 2010. (Photo Courtesy of Library of Congress) Mardi Gras in Mobile continues to be a large part of Alabama and Gulf Coast culture and still generates a great deal of tourism as people flood in to see the grand parades and other celebrations held in honor of Fat Tuesday. While in Mobile, be sure to catch the relatively family-friendly parades (they are much tamer than those of New Orleans) and try your luck catching beads, toys, candy, and moonpies, a signature treat in Mobile’s Mardi Gras.
 Wearing the Navy Cross and a Purple Heart with Gold Star that Eleanor Roosevelt has just pinned to his newly issued khaki uniform, Hugh Miller shakes hands with the First Lady as Admiral William Halsey (to Hugh’s immediate right) looks on. The ceremony—held at the naval hospital in Nouméa, New Caledonia, on September 15, 1943—was conducted at the foot of the bed occupied by Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Willard G. Langley, the sole known survivor of Strong’s forward engine room. (National Archives. Courtesy Mr. Stephen Harding) The USS Strong (DD 467), a WWII destroyer sunk by a Japanese torpedo in July 1943 in the Battle for Kula Gulf, has been located on the Pacific seafloor by the Research Vessel Petrel. The wreck serves as a watery grave for at least 46 U.S. Navy Sailors. Its discovery has rekindled a uniquely American story of remarkable resiliency, grit, fearlessness and resolve.
 Behind the post office in Alabaster, Alabama, there used to be an old silo. It stood by itself in the field, out of place as the backdrop of a road that included a car wash, a shopping center, and a Domino’s Pizza. In my 18 years growing up there, that silo seemed to be the closest thing the town had to a historical landmark, sitting on land that used to be part of Kent Dairy Farm, which operated since the late 1920s.
My father, Edward Lake Todd Sr., was the first Tuscaloosan injured in the Korean War. I have all the letters he wrote my grandparents during his time in the military, including the first letter they received from him after he was injured (which my grandmother wrote in pencil outside the envelope so all would know in which order his letters appeared).
 When the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham was built in 1927, a trip to the movies was an extravagant affair. With touches of gold and red velvet, the theatre was reflective of the “picture palaces” of its era. Unlike other buildings of its time, the theatre was building using a combination of steel and concrete rather than wood.
 It has been said, “Only the veteran can write from experience of the sights, sounds, smells and emotions of combat.” I believe that exposure to my father gave me license to write about those Alabama men of the Rainbow Division and the memory of them. He was a very experienced combat soldier, a wounded veteran of multiple World War I battles and he was troubled; In the end he was an alcoholic veteran whose good wife left him.
Since I started speaking and writing about what was first called the Great War, I have tried to do so in the voice of a soldier. I have tried to honor the memory of World War I veterans in a dignified way, in the same way that I remember those I served with in Korea in 1952 and 1953. Some in all our wars have failed to deserve much honor and some were not very high class, admirable or successful individuals but I respect the sacrifices and service of them all. The men and women who raised their hands to volunteer in dangerous situations, even those who simply did their duty, are special. They helped this country remain free. Following is a list of commemorations and events -- both in America and abroad -- honoring the Alabama Rainbow Soldiers.  The University Club (Courtesy Library of Congress) University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is lined with iconic structures from the President’s Mansion to Bryant-Denny Stadium and the homes on Caplewood Drive Historic District. But an equally beautiful, Greek Revival-style building has been on the corner of University Boulevard and Queen City Avenue for nearly 185 years and has quite a history.
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Alabama Heritage BLOG
At Alabama Heritage, we owe many of our successes and smooth operations to our fabulous student interns. We hope that with this blog, written mostly by our interns, our readers will have an opportunity to get to know the students who bring so much to the table with their enthusiasm, hard work, and expertise! If you're interested in our internship program, check out the details here. Archives
January 2020
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