Some of the 850 historical sites surveyed in Cleburne County were presented Monday night in a special program sponsored by the Cleburne County Historical Society and Cleburne County Chamber of Commerce. David Schneider, who recently completed the survey, made a presentation including color slides, maps and a book of the collected information. For the past year Schneider has been busy traveling throughout the county looking at buildings and sites 50 years old and older. Some of the highlights include Shoal Creek Church, New Hope Church, the Burttram House and the old Oak Level School. Schneider said he saw “several really good examples” of old log farmhouses scattered about. In Heflin Schneider said he found several historic homes and a “nice little district downtown.” Among the sites are Kojacks and homes along Evans and Blake Streets such as the Duke-Elliott House as well as the Roberts home and what is now the Kiddie Castle. “Edwardsville has a nice little collection of buildings. The smaller ones are starting to fade so this is a collection worthy of documentation,” he added. Schneider said homes in Heflin, Edwardsville and Fruithurst might, as a group, make up historic districts rather than pinpointing individual houses. “Fruithurst is amazing and the church there is one of the nicest country churches I’ve ever seen,” he said. The town also has, he noted, a small collection of late Victorian buildings. And Muscadine also has several structures of note. Looking at the northern, central and southern sections of the county, Schneider said there is more agricultural land in the south that provides good evidence of farming and farm homes. In that area he cited the Stone Hill School, now an antique shop, Beason’s Mill and the building used during Halloween as the “Hightower House of Horrors.” Schneider said the Judge Curry farmhouse is a good example of a home that began as a log house and improved upon over the years. In addition to homes and businesses the survey also looked at the 75 cemeteries in the county along with many old bridges - many of which are iron truss construction. Copies of the survey will be made into book form as well as on compact discs and made available to the Cleburne County Courthouse, Lucile Morgan Library and each school in the county. Schneider said the county is lucky to have gotten in on state grants to do the project before the budget cuts began in Montgomery. The society will also be starting Phase III of their paver sales during the week of February 9. Anyone wishing to purchase a paver or pavers to be placed in the walkway of the Cleburne County Courthouse can place an order at the Lucile Morgan Library in Heflin during their hours of operation during the sales week. The society is also urging anyone having family histories to please make a copy and donate to the library that is in the process of developing a genealogy section.
About Wayne Ruple
Cleburne News editor Wayne Ruple is a native of Ashville. Before coming to Heflin, he worked for three years as a computer systems manager in Birmingham. Ruple has worked for The Sand Mountain Reporter in Albertville, and was the editor of The Independent in Robertsdale. He has also worked for the Shades Valley Sun, the St. Clair News-Aegis and The Daily Home in Talladega.
