Richard Sheridan on the FDR Visits to Sheffield

Richard Sheridan, Sheffield City Historian, spoke Sunday, March 30, 2008 at the Helen Keller Library located in Tuscumbia, AL on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's two visits by train and auto motorcade which occurred in 1933 and 1934. Mr. Sheridan has lived in Sheffield for 48 years and is retired from TVA. His vast knowledge of Shoals' area history is remarkable and he shares photographs, memories, facts, entrancing audiences wherever he speaks.

Today, Mr. Sheridan referred to Franklin D. Roosevelt as the most outstanding man in the 20th Century.

In 1910, Teddy Roosevelt visited by train and met a Sheffield businessman, engineer Mr. Worthington, who was instrumental in the development of the Tennessee River valley.....and getting the Federal government involved with this monumental task.

Sheffield (rather than Chattanooga, TN) was chosen for the Nitrate Plant built in 1918 and subsequent dams in the Shoals. On January 21, 1933 yet-to-be elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Nitrate Plant # 2 and Wilson Dam arriving in Sheffield by train. Shortly after that trip, Mr. Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States of America and soon the TVA Federal Act was passed.

In 1934, President Roosevelt returned by train to inspect Wheeler Dam. Tupelo, MS was the first city to utilize TVA power and he went by train to Tupelo for this event.

President Roosevelt was elected to four consecutive terms as President of the USA. He died April 4, 1945 at Warm Springs, Georgia. The commemorative monument is now under construction and is located at the foot of Montgomery Avenue at First Street, the site of President Roosevelt's speech announcing his support for the TVA bill. The monument will be graced by bronze plaques with the bas relief likeness of Mr. Roosevelt.

May 18, 2008 is the 75th anniversary of TVA, and the monument's dedication is tentatively scheduled for that week. FDR's grandson James Roosevelt announced that there will be a Roosevelt present at the ceremony.

*Richard Sheridan on the FDR Visits to Sheffield*

	Richard Sheridan, Sheffield City Historian, spoke Sunday, March 30, 2008 at the Helen Keller Library located in Tuscumbia, AL on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's two visits by train and auto motorcade which occurred in 1933 and 1934. Mr. Sheridan has lived in Sheffield for 48 years and is retired from TVA. His vast knowledge of Shoals' area history is remarkable and he shares photographs, memories, facts, entrancing audiences wherever he speaks. Today, Mr. Sheridan referred to Franklin D. Roosevelt as the most outstanding man in the 20th Century. In 1910, Teddy Roosevelt visited by train and met a Sheffield businessman, engineer Mr. Worthington, who was instrumental in the development of the Tennessee River valley.....and getting the Federal government involved with this monumental task. Sheffield (rather than Chattanooga, TN) was chosen for the Nitrate Plant built in 1918 and subsequent dams in the Shoals. On January 21, 1933 yet-to-be elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Nitrate Plant # 2 and Wilson Dam arriving in Sheffield by train. Shortly after that trip, Mr. Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States of America and soon the TVA Federal Act was passed. In 1934, President Roosevelt returned by train to inspect Wheeler Dam. Tupelo, MS was the first city to utilize TVA power and he went by train to Tupelo for this event. President Roosevelt was elected to four consecutive terms as President of the USA. He died April 4, 1945 at Warm Springs, Georgia. The commemorative monument is now under construction and is located at the foot of Montgomery Avenue at First Street, the site of President Roosevelt's speech announcing his support for the TVA bill. The monument will be graced by bronze plaques with the bas relief likeness of Mr. Roosevelt. May 18, 2008 is the 75th anniversary of TVA, and the monument's dedication is tentatively scheduled for that week. FDR's grandson James Roosevelt announced that there will be a Roosevelt present at the ceremony.	FDR speaking from the rear platform of his railroad car in Sheffield, January 21, 1933. (From Sheffield, City on the Bluff, Friends of Sheffield Public Library, 1985) Part of the vast crowd who heard FDR's speech announcing his support for TVA at Sheffield, 1933. (From Sheffield, City on the Bluff, Friends of Sheffield Public Library, 1985) FDR's motorcade to view Wilson Dam, 1933 (From Images of America--Muscle Shoals, by Laura Flynn Tapia and Yoshie Lewis, Arcadia Publishing, 2007) FDR viewing Wilson Dam, 1933 (From Images of America--Muscle Shoals, by Laura Flynn Tapia and Yoshie Lewis, Arcadia Publishing, 2007) See also: The FDR Monument story in the Sheffield Brag Book The Wilson Dam Affair
	Richard Sheridan with Tuscumbia Mayor Bill Shoemaker and his wife, Pat, and part of the attendees at the Sunday afternoon lecture R-L: Linda Methvin Smith, author of this article, and new friend, Carole Driskell, Administrative Assistant to Mayor Anderson of Sheffield and the one who alerted us to the lecture, at Mr. Sheridan's talk.