History of the Greene County Historical Society of Alabama
In the fall of 1960. Dr. A.B. Moore, Executive Director of the Alabama Civil War Centennial Commission requested that Greene Cunty make plans to participate in the Centennial Commemoration of the Civial War planned for 1961. A newspaper ad was run in the Democrat calling on all interested parties to attend a meeting to discuss plans. A group of interested parties met and decided to establish an organization to be called The Greene County Historical Society of Alabama. The Society was officially organized on September 16, 1960 and a constitution was adopted on October 21, 1960.
The inaugral organizing members and elected officers were:
The Society started working in January of 1961 to prepare for the Commemoration planned for April of that year. Store windows in the downtown square were filled with a variety of Civil War relics - from powder horns to furniture from that era. The project was so successful organized, it gave impetus to the Society hosting the Alabama Historical Pilgrimage two years later on October 12, 1963. Excluding a brief pause during the COVID pandemic, the Society has continued an annual pilgrimmage each year in October - opening historic homes, public buildings, and churches for tours. Since its formation, the Society has proudly played a pivotal role to identify, preserve, and disseminate information on the rich history of the county.
Those who have served as President of the Society since its inception are: