Etowah County Historical Society

09/04/2026

Photos from Downtown Gadsden, 2002
Who would like to go back to the early 2000s?

09/02/2026

514 Broad Street

This building was constructed by Mr. William Worth Stevenson in the late 1890s. Stevenson was employed by the Gadsden Iron Company until the Panic of 1893 essentially put the furnace industry out of business. He then switched professions and began selling wallpaper and glass.

He built this property to serve as his warehouse. Unfortunately, Mr. Stevenson passed away in 1903 from typhoid fever at only 55 years of age, leaving behind his widow, Judge Standifer's daughter, and five children. His youngest child was only two years old at the time of his death.

A few interesting notes about the property: A creek, or what was referred to as a "ditch," once ran completely through the property. There was also a well located there in 1888. The ditch was covered and the well was removed by 1894. The building itself had been constructed by 1899.

Most of you will remember this building as the Downtown Tavern.

Research compiled by: Mollie Smith

08/18/2026

We'd like to extend a special happy birthday to Jerry Ramsey! Thank you for all you do for us!

08/17/2026

The McClendon Memorial Museum opened in 1966 in Duck Springs. It was established by Ralph and Mary (Eloise) McClendon in honor of their son, Yancey, who passed away from leukemia thirteen days before his 11th birthday. In his final days, Yancey asked his parents to create a museum for his items so they could be enjoyed for years after his passing.

The first museum the McClendon family established was in 1961, during the centennial commemoration, as a Civil War museum. After Yancey’s passing, it was reestablished to honor his dying wish.

After Mrs. McClendon passed away in 2002, the museum’s items were sold at auction.

08/04/2026

07/30/2026

We're looking for volunteers to help preserve the history of Etowah County! Volunteers will assist with scanning historic photographs and documents, organizing collections, entering information into our archives, and helping ensure our community's history is preserved for future generations.

Please complete the volunteer interest form: https://forms.gle/ZZr5s1XfW75Y7Eb39

07/20/2026

After years of meetings, lectures, and community events, our chairs are definitely showing their age. Consider donating to our "Sponsor a Chair" campaign. As a token of our appreciation, each sponsored chair will include a commemorative plaque recognizing your name, business, organization, or a loved one in honor or memory.

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Chair donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/support-the-historical-society

07/16/2026

Please join us in congratulating Mollie Smith on five years of dedicated service on our Board of Directors.

Over the past five years, Mollie has devoted countless hours to preserving and sharing the rich history of Etowah County. Her passion for local history, genealogy, cemetery preservation, historical research, educational programs, and community outreach has helped strengthen our organization and expand our services. She has been a steadfast advocate for preserving our community's heritage for future generations.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the Etowah County Historical Society. We are grateful for all you have accomplished over the past five years and look forward to many more.

07/13/2026

Do you have the courage to walk the haunted streets of Downtown Gadsden?

We're giving away two tickets to our Downtown Gadsden Haunted History Tour on Sunday evening, October 11!

To enter:
Share this post (make it public!).
Tag who your plus one would be in the comments!
Make sure you "like" our page!

Winner: Kim Gentry Montgomery!

This tour is ages 13+.

Ticket Link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/haunted-history-tour-downtown-gadsden--2026