
![]() Constructed in 1848, the old Lodge 863 (formally Tuckabatchie Lodge 96) in Crawford is one of only seven pre–Civil War fraternal halls surviving in Alabama. It is also the most notable structure remaining from 1839–1868, when Crawford served as the seat of Russell County. Several years ago, the lodge was almost lost when the Masons decided to replace it with a new building. As the demolition date approached, a local philanthropist intervened and moved the structure a short distance to its current location. It escaped destruction once, but today it again faces an uncertain future. In addition to being used by the Masons, the lodge also served the community as a meeting hall, school, and church. However, despite its varied uses, since being photographed in 1935 by the HABS, the building has undergone few changes. Th e two-story, temple-front building retains its four original tapering square columns and outside “dog-leg” stair. Th e original weatherboarding and wood shake roof are intact beneath asbestos siding and asphalt shingles. Today, the building stands vacant and deteriorated, with neither a contemporary use nor funds to maintain it. Intervention is desperately needed to save this structure.
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Alabama's Endangered Historic LandmarksEach year since 1994, Alabama Heritage has highlighted threatened historic sites throughout Alabama. The “Places in Peril” list has identified more than 215 imperiled historic resources throughout the state, and is compiled by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation. The locations highlight the results of deferred maintenance, perceived obsolescence, development pressures, and lack of funding—forces that now more than ever threaten our cultural legacy. But awareness is a powerful force, too, and can cultivate a renewed determination to be responsible stewards of our heritage. For more information, visit the AHC or the ATHP websites. Alabama Heritage is proud to bring to you a selection of the places designated as perilous. Please keep your comments to information relevant to the featured place in peril. Alabama Heritage reserves the right to delete any comment that we deem inappropriate. Archives
May 2023
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