Others Remember Sheffield

Dr. Earl Tilford,

Class of 1964,

OTHERS, LIKE US, EXPERIENCED SHEFFIELD

     In my research on the Internet, I have come across writers who have talked about SHS or Sheffield in articles they have written and published on the "Net."  They tell of this small town from which they hail in warm and positive musings.  These writings speak of small town, America, as a wonderful place to grow up, a place that, despite the distance that separates these authors from it, remains the place where they call home or are glad they called home once upon a time.

     I've asked you, my classmates of the SHS Class of 1956, to write little stories about your high school days in order to give us little vignettes of what others like ourselves felt or were going through during that time in our lives.  These are recorded elsewhere on this website.  The stories here tell of the experiences of others who came before or after us in this little north Alabama town.  Some of these sons and daughters of Sheffield are quite notable, but none of them were known to me and, I'll bet to most of you.  

I've picked these stories to present to you the indelible importance of the hometown experience in the lives of ordinary people and in the lives of those who have achieved much in their field.  Some of these stories tell of the indomitable spirit of those who have overcome the most difficult social conditions--poverty and institutionalized racial restriction--to achieve status and even fame.   These are inspiring examples of how limitless opportunities abound in even the unlikeliest of places.  But, even in these stories, the sub-story of a small town, like Sheffield, is one which puts emphasis on family and neighborhoods that support their youth and offer mentoring opportunities rather than neglect. 

    As I discover other works that speak of personal experiences living in or growing up in Sheffield and as you tell me about books, major media sources, songs, or websites that highlight or feature the personal side of Sheffield now or in times past, I will post links to them here.

.

Sheffield

A very early account

Source: Northern Alabama Historical and Biographical. Illustrated.  Smith & DeLand, Birmingham, Ala. 1888.

SHEFFIELD & COLBERT COUNTY HISTORY

     Sheffield's history is somewhat unique in that it was originally planned by a notable figure in American history, a man who became president.  It was not put on the map until the industrial revolution when it was created from the get-go to be an industrial center and did not undergo the typical rural, agricultural first beginnings that most towns in Alabama went through.  This deserves some attention, too, and you will find a path to Sheffield's history and, in some instances, a bit of the more interesting history of Colbert County here.  

In this regard, the Tennessee Valley Historical Society is a wonderful active current resource for the history of our area, offering not only books and articles on the rich history of the Shoals area, but also lectureships and seminars in ongoing programs of research and reporting of our past.

Satellite Maps of Sheffield

Google's color image of the Shoals

TerraServer aerial photos with zoom

Although the Google maps are in color and give amazing close-up photos of the bigger cities in Alabama (down to Huntsville size), the Shoals images are relatively low magnification.

Help Wanted!