Issue 28, Spring 1993

General Overview: The image appears to be the cover of a magazine or journal titled “Alabama HERITAGE.” The main artwork features a person . Specific Elements or Objects: Magazine Title: At the top of the cover, in elegant cursive capital letters, we see the title “Alabama HERITAGE.” Subtitle Text: Below the title, there is smaller text that unfortunately isn’t clear enough to read. Main Artwork: The central focus of the cover is a classical painting. The depicted person wears historical attire, including a white wig and dark clothing adorned with white lace at the collar and cuffs. Additional Text: In the bottom left corner, we find additional information: “Spring 1996,” “Number 28,” and the price of “.00.”

Issue 28, Spring 1993

On the cover: Temperance Fitts Crawford of Mobile by Thomas Sully, painted in 1837. [Courtesy Alabama Department of Archives and History]

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Features

The image portrays a bronze-toned soldier statue adorned with detailed military attire. This solemn figure stands amidst fluttering American and Confederate flags. The urban backdrop features buildings with multiple windows, and an illuminated streetlight casts soft glows, adding to the historical and contemplative atmosphere. The juxtaposition of the soldier, the flags, and the surrounding environment invites reflection on the past and the complexities associated with military service.
Winston County’s unusual Civil War monument depicts a soldier, one-half Union and one-half Confederate. The county provided 239 Union and 112 Confederate soldiers to serve in the conflict. [Photo courtesy Robin McDonald]

The Free State of Winston

By Donald B. Dodd

With a Confederate draft imminent and Federal troops threatening an invasion of north Alabama, the leaders of Winston County called a meeting at Looney’s Tavern, near present-day Addison. More than 2,500 people from Winston and surrounding counties attended. The assembly simply announced their neutrality, but a remark made about “The Free State of Winston” spread quickly around the state, and the hill people of northwest Alabama gained a reputation as “traitors.” Author Donald Dodd, a native of Winston County, recounts the dual heritage of the northwestern county. Not only did Winston County have strong anti-secession beliefs, this area became a natural sanctuary for those whose enthusiasm for the war effort had waned.

The Diary of a Union Soldier from Alabama

By John R. Phillips

In this excerpt from his autobiography, John Phillips recounts his harrowing escapes from the Confederate army and his desperate flight to Union lines. Like many of his neighbors, Phillips opposed secession and hoped to remain neutral in the Civil War before he was conscripted into the Confederate army. He escaped, hid in the woods of Winston County, and eventually joined the First Alabama Cavalry, U.S.A. He records those troubled years in his autobiography, My Life Story, published in 1923: “We had a tough old time, our food gave out, and of all the tired, worn out, hungry set you could imagine, we were that…The raggedest, bare-footedest and most hatless set you ever saw.”

This vintage black and white photograph captures a moment frozen in time. Four individuals sit on an ornate wooden bench. The attire suggests an earlier era—possibly late 19th or early 20th century. First Person (from the left): Wears a light-colored blouse with dark trimmings at the collar and cuffs. The attire suggests feminine clothing of the historical period. Second Person: Appears to be a child based on size. Wears a frilly dress adorned with bows. Holds something unidentifiable in their hands. Third Person: Wears a checkered blouse or dress. Another attire indicative of historical fashion. Fourth Person: Wears dark clothing that contrasts with the others. Appears to be an adult, possibly male, judging by broader shoulders. However, due to the lack of facial features, certainty is elusive. The bench they occupy features visible patterns carved into its backrest.
Union soldier John R. Phillips (1837-1925) of Winston County left a detailed record of his Civil War years. He is pictured with his daughter, Martha Phillips Haley (1861-1943), who is seared next to him, and Martha’s daughter, Cora Haley Curtis, and Cora’s daughter, Thelma Curtis (Stockham). [From Winston: An Antebellum and Civil War History of a Hill County of North Alabama, 1972]
The image captures the interior of a well-lit, classic library with wooden bookshelves filled with books, reading tables equipped with lamps, and people engrossed in reading. A large and intricate mural adorns the wall above the bookshelves. Specific Elements or Objects: Mural: The mural depicts various figures representing different cultures or epochs. There are inscriptions beneath some figures like “HEBREW” and “ROMAN.” One prominent figure is seen offering a libation to a Pegasus-like creature. The mural is rich in color and detail, contributing to the room’s classical aesthetic. Library Interior: Wooden bookshelves line the walls, filled with numerous books indicating a vast collection. Two people are seated at separate tables, deeply engrossed in their reading material. Each table is equipped with a lamp providing ample light for reading. Lighting: Apart from table lamps, there’s an ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminating the room.
Sixteen murals representing scenes from major literatures of the world grace the Reading Room walls of the Linn-Henley Research Library, Birmingham. The murals were painted in the 1920s by New York artist Ezra Winter, who also decorated the ceiling with Italian Renaissance designs. [Photo courtesy Chip Cooper]

Ezra Winter’s Murals: Birmingham Public Library

By George Clinton Thompson

At the first opening of the Birmingham Public Library on April 11, 1927, much of the public’s awe focused on the work of New York artist Ezra Winter, one of the most respected American muralists of his day. Best remembered now for his murals in New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the Library of Congress and the U. S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D. C., Winter emblazoned the Birmingham, Alabama, library interior with elegant design and color. He painted fanciful characters in the Children’s Room, and a series of scenes from world literature in the Reading Room. This article is beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs of the mural subjects such as John Smith and Pocahontas, Lancelot, and Sigurd and Brynhild.

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Philip Henry Gosse: An Englishman in the Alabama Black Belt

By Harvey H. Jackson, III

In this engaging story, an English naturalist provides a rare and thoughtful view of plantation society in antebellum Alabama. Author Harvey Jackson writes “Alabama, (Gosse) was told, was a place where men of learning like himself were sought and prized” and with that, Philip Henry Gosse (1810-1888) set out on an adventure in Alabama, landing in Mobile, then on to King’s Landing, south of Selma. He worked as a teacher of the children of several elite families, living closely with these early settlers of Alabama and “document(ing) regional distinctiveness in its early stages of development.” He detailed the food they enjoyed, their topics of conversation, their humor, and social mores.

The image portrays a meticulously crafted illustration titled “The Green Anolis, on a Sassafras Leaf.” It exudes a vintage charm and showcases a harmonious blend of nature’s elements. Specific Elements or Objects: The Green Anolis Lizard: A focal point of the composition, the Green Anolis lizard graces the scene. Its body is adorned with intricate scales, and its texture is meticulously rendered. The lizard perches gracefully atop a sassafras leaf, its form slightly curved. Its head is raised, suggesting alertness. The tail extends along the length of the leaf, emphasizing the lizard’s balance and poise. Sassafras Leaf: The leaf beneath the lizard is a sassafras leaf, characterized by its unique shape. It boasts three distinct lobes, creating an appealing silhouette. Veins traverse the leaf’s surface, adding to its authenticity. The dark color contrasts beautifully with the lizard’s vibrant green. Branch and Buds: The sassafras leaf is attached to a slender branch. The branch itself is unobtrusive, allowing the focus to remain on the lizard and leaf. Near the top of the branch, several buds emerge. These buds symbolize growth, renewal, and the promise of transformation. The varying stages of bud development—some tightly closed, others partially open—hint at the cyclical nature of life. Text Annotation: Positioned at the bottom of the image, there’s a textual label that reads “The Green Anolis, on a Sassafras Leaf.” This annotation provides context and reinforces the subject matter.
“The Green Anolis, on a Sassafras Leaf.”
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Departments

Art in the South

Sully’s Portrait of an Alabama Beauty

By Robert O. Mellown

The little-known portrait of Temperance Fitts Crawford of Mobile, now hanging in the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, is a jewel. It was painted in 1837 by Thomas Sully (1783-1872), the most popular American portrait artist of his day. Although almost nothing is known of Mrs. Crawford’s life, this portrait gives observers a valuable window into history.

The central focus of the cover is a classical painting. The depicted person wears historical attire, including a white wig and dark clothing adorned with white lace at the collar and cuffs.
Temperance Fitts Crawford (1802-68). [Courtesy Alabama Department of Archives and History]
General Overview: The image captures a delicate white flower with long, slender petals and prominent stamens, set against a dark, blurred background that accentuates the flower’s brightness and detail. Specific Elements or Objects: White Flower: The flower is the focal point of the image, with its white petals extending outward and curving gracefully. It has six long, slender petals that are smooth and appear soft to touch. The stamens are prominent with yellow anthers at their tips which stand out against the white petals. Stem and Leaves: The flower is attached to a green stem that is partially visible in the image. There are green leaves clasping the stem below the bloom. Background Flowers: In the background, there are faint outlines of similar flowers which are not in focus, adding depth to the image. Background: It is dark and blurred which creates a contrast that highlights the bright white flower.
The Cahaba Lily is found near the Cahaba River. [L. J. Davenport]

The Nature Journal

Article Update: The Cahaba Lily (Revisited)

By L.J. Davenport

In May 1990, Alabama Heritage published an essay by botanist Larry Davenport on the Cahaba lily. Since then, readers have kept up a steady flow of questions and comments about this plant, and researchers have discovered new knowledge about the lily. L.J. Davenport provides an update on the flower.

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