By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
The preservation of history is important, as it gives us a glimpse into our past, teaches us how to learn from our shortcomings, and presents itself as a vital part of our culture.
The Old Autauga Historical Society is helping to preserve these pieces of our past that should have never been lost in the first place.
The idea to start the organization came to Larry Caver back in November of 2018, after the conclusion of the Autauga County Bicentennial Fair. The fair, which included the 200-year history of what was Autauga County, helped spark Caver and others to take action and discover some of that history on their own.
“After the Fair, myself and several others became very interested in preserving the history of Autauga County. Shortly after, we decided to name our group Old Autauga Historical Society. We wanted to build an organization that focused on the entire history of our county, no matter the why, when, who, or where,” Caver said.
Since November of 2018, the society has spent a lot of time preparing how to go about preserving the county, as well as trying to attract new members to join them. Currently, over 20 people are registered members with OAHS, but more are always welcome to join. Starting January 1, the organization will begin accepting more individuals at a $10 annual fee. 80 percent of the dues will be expended annually on specific historical projects around the county, while the other 20 percent will go to administrative expenses.
The OAHS needs the growth, as they are currently working on a project involving a cemetery in Prattville that has been neglected for years. The more members, the quicker the society will be able to preserve the graveyard.
“The cemetery is in a private patch of land up on a hill across from candlestick park. It’s one of the oldest black cemeteries in the entire county,” Caver said. “There’s generations of families there that date back to right after the Civil War. The owners of the land were generous to let us come out there and give it a look. The property is for sale as commercial, and the owners didn’t really know what to do with it,” Caver said.
Caver said the trek to the cemetery is nearly one mile into a heavily wooded forest, filled with potholes, snakes and other dangerous obstacles. Once they first reached the site, they noticed it was completely overgrown with weeds and vines, filled with trash, and decimated with trees that had fallen over. Due to this, Caver said it wouldn’t be wise to seek it out on your own; however, if you want to help in the effort to clean up, you can always contact him in advance.
Over the past several months, Caver and crew have routinely gone out the cemetery to help bring it back to what it once was. He says the OAHS has a long-term plan to help breathe new life into the location.
“We’ve got a three-year plan where we look to clean up the site, get some flowers and bushes planted around it, and box it in with a chain linked fence. Ultimately, we want to get a road built out to it so anyone can come to visit. We think it would be a great, educational spot for school field trips as well,” Caver said.
Beyond the cemetery, the OAHS is looking to work on preserving the Presbyterian Church in Vine Hill, which is located in West Autauga County. The church was built in 1887 and has been neglected for the past several decades. OAHS is already in talks with the land owners about coming out there and helping to rejuvenate that piece of history.
The OAHS is also very interested in helping to preserve Old Mallards Chapel, which was built in the early 1900s. It was the only black school in Mulberry, out past Autaugaville. It’s the only one room school house left in the county and much like the cemetery and Presbyterian Church, has been neglected for many years now.
“We’re very anxious to get these two projects started. Mallard’s Chapel actually has a church next door now that wants to help preserve it as well, so we’re very appreciative of all the support that’s been thrown our way,” Caver said. “We want to be proactive and hands-on in everything that we do – cemeteries, churches, homes, and just the history of the county in general.”
If you would like to be a part of the OAHS, or just simply want to help their current cemetery project, please contact Larry Caver at Larrycaverjr@yahoo.comor reach him at 334-318-2568.
The first quarterly meeting will be held on January 11 from 10 a.m. to Noon at Ivy Creek Methodist Church.
Thank you Larry and everyone else involved with the OAHS for preserving the history that is so near and dear to our hearts!
