Homegrown History

Athens-Limestone County Public Library

Discover Athens, Alabama and Limestone County from one who has studied it and one who has lived it. Rebekah Davis, Limestone County archivist, and Limestone County native, Richard Martin, recount stories and bring in special guests to talk about the rich history of Limestone County, Alabama.

  1. 05/11/2023

    Pryor Field and History of Aviation in Limestone County

    Rebekah and Richard welcome Pryor Field Airport Manager Adam Fox in a conversation about the history of aviation in Limestone County. They discuss Pryor Field's important role in both the past and future for aviation and other development in North Alabama.https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/https://flydcu.com/ Reference books mentioned in this podcast are available at the Limestone County Archives or Athens-Limestone Public Library Music from Pixabay

  2. 03/29/2023

    World War I and II: Limestone County Answers the Call

    Rebekah and Richard host Sandy Thompson, Director of the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives in Athens, Alabama. They discuss historic events of World War I and II and Limestone County's service both in action and on the home front. Entire families enlisted and many of their stories are told here. Richard remembers his father on the USS Alabama along with several uncles in active duty. Rebekah remembers her Great Aunt Jerene, the first Rosie the Riveter from Athens. The Veterans Museum has exhibits honoring many of these local heroes, including an exhibit on the German invasion of Westerplatte marking the start of WW II in Europe. https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/http://www.alabamaveteransmuseum.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_the_Second_World_War# Reference books mentioned in this podcast are available at the Limestone County Archives or Athens-Limestone Public Library Music from Pixabay

  3. 02/17/2023

    Women's Suffrage: First Female Voters in Limestone County

    Rebekah and Richard discuss the 19th Amendment and history of women's suffrage. A controversial subject, in Limestone County groups of women banded together to register for their right to vote. Rebekah and Richard identify some of these early women and men who championed the cause. Find out why the Tennessee legislature made a run for the Alabama border in a last ditch effort to thwart the amendment! https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/ Music from Pixabay

  4. 01/05/2023

    Pandemics in Limestone County: 1866 - 2023

    Epidemics and pandemics are nothing new. Rebekah recounts the history of infectious diseases in Limestone County and steps the community took (including armed border patrol) to stop the spread of disease. Richard remembers the polio scare in the 1950s. They are joined by Traci Collins, Athens-Limestone Hospital President, who describes the early days of Covid-19 from the very first case in LC and the hospital's ongoing measures to keep the community safe.    https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/ Music from Pixabay

    Pandemics in Limestone County: 1866 - 2023

  5. 10/18/2022

    Homegrown HAUNTED History_2022

    Homegrown HAUNTED History_2022 –  A 1893 tragic fire on the downtown Athens Square consumed two men and has since sparked stories of haunting visitations. Now, hear compelling new accounts of paranormal activity in an ALL NEW episode of ghost stories with Rebekah, Richard, local author Shane Black, and ghost hunter Jarred Miller. Linkshttps://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/https://www.visitathensal.com/ Shane Black's book, Spirits of Athens: haunting tales of an Alabama town, is available at the Athens-Limestone Public Library and the Limestone County Archives. Music and Sound Effects from Pixabay

  6. 09/23/2022

    Trinity School - Part 2

    For more than a hundred years (1865 - 1970) Trinity School served Limestone County's African American students in a time when their educational opportunities were less than ideal. How Trinity graduates from small-town Athens, Alabama went on to make major contributions in the world of arts and sciences, education, government, and medicine as well as civil and human rights is the topic of this episode. Richard and Rebekah are joined by special guests Charlotte Fulton, author of Holding the Fort: A History of Trinity School, and David Malone, 1966 Trinity High School graduate. They also discuss the preservation of the school's buildings and ongoing plans for an onsite museum and archive. https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/ Holding the Fort: A History of Trinity School in Athens, Alabama 1865-1870 by Charlotte FultonThis book is available for reference at the Limestone Archives and the Athens-Limestone Public Library Music from Pixabay

  7. 08/23/2022

    Trinity School - Part 1

    For more than a hundred years (1865 - 1970) Trinity School served Limestone County's African American students, and its history reflects a microcosm of the African American experience. Founded by Mary Fletcher Wells to educate newly freed slaves and their children, the first classes were held only weeks after the South surrendered. The story of Trinity and the determination to keep it open through fires, hardship, and community discord is the story of dedicated educators who taught much more than academics to generations of families in Limestone County. In this episode, Rebekah and Richard talk with David Malone, 1966 Trinity High School graduate, and Charlotte Fulton, author of Holding the Fort: A History of Trinity School.  https://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/ Holding the Fort: A History of Trinity School in Athens, Alabama 1865-1870 by Charlotte FultonThis book is available for reference at the Limestone Archives and the Athens-Limestone Public Library Music from Pixabay

  8. 07/21/2022

    The Civil War: Limestone County in Conflict, Part 2

    Rebekah and Richard host local historian of African American history, Peggy Towns, and Limestone County educator, Chris Paysinger, for Part 2 of the Civil War and its impact on Athens and Limestone County. Taking notes from personal diaries, genealogy research, and other historical records, they localize the history of the Civil War by sharing individual stories of people (including their own ancestors) withstanding the Union occupation of Athens. One former Limestone County resident of note has ties that link to a modern day princess! Linkshttps://limestonecounty-al.gov/departments/archives/ https://www.alcpl.org/https://archives.alabama.gov  Alabama Department of Archives and Historyhttps://www.visitathensal.com/richard-martin-trail.html Richard Martin Trail Books referenced in the episode are available at Athens-Limestone County Public Library and the Limestone County Archives:  "Duty Driven: the plight of North Alabama's African Americans during the Civil War" / Peggy Allen Towns  "Let the family circle be unbroken": the transformation of republican patriarchy, Athens, Alabama, 1818-1870 a thesis / by Christopher   Browning Paysinger  "Revolutionaries and Rebels" / by Jerry Barksdale   Music from Pixabay

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About

Discover Athens, Alabama and Limestone County from one who has studied it and one who has lived it. Rebekah Davis, Limestone County archivist, and Limestone County native, Richard Martin, recount stories and bring in special guests to talk about the rich history of Limestone County, Alabama.

Information

  • Creator
    Athens-Limestone County Public Library
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2023
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Athens-Limestone County Public Library
  • Show Website
    Homegrown History