Museum Dedication

[reddcorp]

On April 28, 2007 the Musuem at Confederate Memorial Park, Marbury, Alabama will have its Dedication and Grand Opening Ceremony. Living History and military demos will be conducted throughout the day as well as a formal dedication ceremony.
As many may know, Confederate Memorial Park was the site of a Confederate Old Soldier's Home which operated until the last of these CW veterans died in the 1930's.
It is now a memorial park containing some of the old buildings, cemetery and now, an excellent museum. More information and driving directions may be found on the Park at the Alabama Historical Commission's webpage www.preserveala.org under historic sites.
This ceremony will be an excellent opportunity to support historic, particularly Civil War, preservation; so please attend if you can.

Andy Redd
33rd Ala.Inf.

[Spinster]

Early this month, I went down to aid in dressing the display cases for this new museum. The collection holds a wide span of artifacts, from wartime uniforms and flags to the poignant artifacts of the last days of those old soldiers and their wives.

Bring a picinic--this is way out in the country, with the nearest food at the interstate exits note below. Enjoy a fine day walking and visiting at the graves of these old soldiers and their widows.

Y'all come.


Confederate Memorial Park is the site of Alabama's only Old Soldiers Home for Confederate Veterans. In operation from 1902 to 1939, the home cared for elderly veterans, and wives and widows of veterans. The site included 22 buildings consisting of cottages, a hospital, dairy barn, mess hall, an elaborate water and sewage system, and Memorial Hall, an administration building which held offices, a library, and a large auditorium. The home served between 650 and 800 residents. The majority of veterans served in Alabama outfits, but many were from other Confederate states and moved to Alabama after the war. The last veteran died at the home in 1934. The facility closed in 1939 when the five remaining widows were moved to Montgomery for better care.

Directions: The site is located in Chilton County east of Interstate-65 off Highway 31, 11 miles below Clanton. It is 9 miles south of Exit 205 and 13 miles north of Exit 186.

Kind Regards,