Issue 151, Winter 2024
Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis) on the Tensaw River. [Photo by Brody Joe Thommasen]
Features
The Tensaw River Delta: Alabama’s Hidden Heritage Corridor
By Mike Bunn
A true natural wonder, the Mobile-Tensaw Delta boasts a remarkable level of biodiversity, as well as a wide range of cultural history. In fact, the area’s flora and fauna are so diverse and unique that the region has been referred to as “Alabama’s Amazon.” It boasts more turtle species than anywhere else on the planet, as well as numerous species of amphibians, mollusks, and even prized trees. It also has archaeological evidence of some of the earliest residents in what would become the state of Alabama. Taken together, all these make the Tensaw Delta a genuine treasure, and a delight to all who visit.
Additional Information
- This article is based on the author’s upcoming book The Tensaw River: Alabama’s Hidden Heritage Corridor, University of Alabama Press, scheduled for Fall 2024 release.
- To learn more about the Tensaw Delta, see this Encyclopedia of Alabama article: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/mobile-tensaw-delta/
The Life and Times of Jackson County’s Lucille Benson
By Annette Bradford and David Benson Bradford
Television afficionados may fondly recall a sitcom from the 1980s in which a young Tom Hanks and a fellow opportunist routinely trick their landlady. But they might not realize that the landlady in question was played by Alabama native Lucille Benson, an accomplished stage and film actress. Born in Stevenson, Benson departed Alabama for New York at the earliest opportunity, determined to make it as an actress. And indeed she did, leaving a legacy of skillful performances.
Editor’s Note: In the printed edition, Huntingdon College was misspelled as Huntington College. It has been corrected in the digital feature.
Familiar Nightmares: Michael McDowell’s Alabama Influences
Tim Burton films are noted for their quirky characters and dark themes—many of them influenced by the writer Michael McDowell. In addition his frequent collaboration with Burton, McDowell penned numerous books, prioritizing a prolific publication rate. A Harvard graduate, McDowell rarely returned to Alabama, though his childhood experiences in the state marked his writing throughout his career.
The Lost Town of Baltimore
By Robert S. Davis
Not long after Alabama received statehood, a group of prominent men began plotting an area for which they had grand ambitions. Standing on a fork of the Black Warrior River, Baltimore, as it came to be known, was designed to capitalize on the river’s proximity, but navigating the tricky shoals thwarted this idea. For a time, though, Baltimore had a prominent role in the new state. Today, it is a veritable ghost town, marked only by a cemetery recording the presence of some of short-lived town’s few inhabitants.
Department Abstracts
Portraits and Landscapes
The Forgotten Statesman
James Rapier, one of Alabama’s first Black congressmen, was a significant presence in his time; however, over the hundred-plus years since his death, his legacy has been largely forgotten. Thanks to the City of Florence Walk of Honor, though, more and more people are now learning about Rapier’s work in the areas of civil rights and politics.
Additional Information
- For more information about Rapier, see the Encyclopedia of Alabama article about him: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/james-t-rapier/
From the Archives
History Lives on: Preserving Alabama’s Rosenwald Schools
By Sam Christensen
Thanks to Julius Rosenwald, Alabama was graced with many Rosenwald Schools, edifices designed to support educational needs of Black students throughout the state early in the twentieth century. A new exhibit at the Alabama Department of Archives and History celebrates these schools, their impact, and attempts to preserve the buildings. Visitors can see the exhibit through August 2024 and can learn more at www.archives.alabama.gov.
Additional Information
- Alabama Department of Archives and History: https://archives.alabama.gov/
Reading the Southern Past
New Southern History
In recent years, academics have shifted their approach to histories of the South. Stephen Goldfarb surveys those changes, marked by texts such as A New History of the American South (University of North Carolina Press, 2023), edited by W. Fitzhugh Brundage with Laura F. Edwards and Jon F. Sensbach and Reinterpreting Southern History: Essays in Historiography (Louisiana State University Press, 2020), edited by Craig Thompson Friend and Lorri Glover.
Additional Information
- A New History of the American South: https://www.amazon.com/History-American-South-Ferris-Book/dp/1469626659
- Reinterpreting Southern History Essays in Historiography https://www.amazon.com/Reinterpreting-Southern-Histories-Essays-Historiography/dp/080717256
