Westinghouse Electric Corporation PA1944
Pioneer in development of alternating current, permitting transmission of electricity over long distances. Founded 1886 by George Westinghouse, it first made AC motors, generators, transformers in a plant at Garrison Place and Penn Avenue.

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Lincoln Normal School - 609
On July 17, 1867, nine ex-slaves (James Childs, Alexander H. Curtis, Nicholas Dale, John Freeman, David Harris, Thomas Lee, Nathan Levert, Ivey Pharish and Thomas Speed) formed and incorporated the "Lincoln School of Marion." They soon found it difficult to recruit and pay teachers. On September 10, 1868, the trustees entered into an agreement with the American Missionary Association (AMA), an auxiliary of the Congregational Churches. The Reverend A. W. Steward, the first principal, also organized the First Congregational Church in the school in 1869. The school grew so rapidly the AMA could not finance it. In 1874 the State of Alabama was asked to take over the secondary department. It was formed into a normal school to train black teachers. A new building and more teachers were added; students came from all over the state; and William Burns Patterson became principal. An incendiary fire in 1887 destroyed the state school; it was moved to Montgomery where it became State Normal School, now Alabama State University. The people of Marion prevailed again upon the AMA to provide a school and the Patterson home was turned into classrooms. In 1897 the AMA decided to abandon the school because of the lack of funds needed to make it efficient, but the people rallied to support the new principal, Mary Elizabeth Phillips. Supporters raised funds and agreed to furnish the teachers food and fuel so the AMA agreed to keep Lincoln open. Under Miss Phillips' guidance Lincoln developed rapidly as was evidenced by the construction of new buildings. In 1902 Livingston Hall, the first brick academic building, was completed. Hope Cottage, a girls' dorm, was built by the boys in 1904 and this same year the shop was remodeled for a boys' dorm. The Patterson home was remodeled into a girls' dorm and dining hall in 1905 and renamed Phillips Hall. Douglas Hall, a boys' dorm, was built by the boys in 1908 and Van Wagenen Hall was built in 1909 for the elementary department. In 1919 a kindergarten and primary annex was added to Van Wagenen Hall and electricity was installed in all buildings. Woolworth Hall, which housed the science and home economics departments and some teachers' quarters, was completed in 1922. Ranny Hall, a dorm for high school girls, was erected in 1926. On May 30, 1939 Phillips Memorial Auditorium was dedicated to the memory of Mary Elizabeth Phillips Thompson who died in 1927. The 1920s were hard years for Lincoln. Dormitories were closed; the elementary department was discontinued, but a health program was started; cooperatives were organized in the county and the older buildings were remodeled. In 1943 the first black principal, Rev. E. A. Smith, was hired and all of the white teachers had to leave when the state agreed to operate the school. The state finally purchased the eight-acre campus and forty-acre farm from the AMA in 1960. During the integration process Lincoln School was formally closed in May 1970, after 103 years of service. (Erected 1992 by the Marion Lincolnite Chapter Mrs. Idella J. Childs, President) Location: Perry County Marion

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Merrimack Mfg. Co. & Village (1900-1992) - 381
In 1899, construction started on Merrimack Mill and village. The mill began operation in 1900. A second mill building, added in 1903, made it one of the largest in the South. Under Joseph J. Bradley, Sr., managing agent (1905-1922), the village grew to 279 houses, a hospital, school, company store, and other small businesses. In 1920, the steam-operated mills converted to electricity. Lowenstein fabrics bought the mill (1946), changed its name to Huntsville Mfg. Co., and the village became Huntsville Park. The mill continued to operate until 1989 and in 1992, Huntsville's last operating textile mill was torn down. Location: Madison County

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Pioneer Electric Cooperative - 65
The Butler County Electric Membership Corporation was formed as a rural electric cooperative in Greenville in July 1938. The first home receiving electricity from the cooperative was located near here. The Cooperative's original Board of Directors included Dr. C. Wall, president, W. M. Harrison, Dr. R. L. Jernigan, Arthur Bennett, E. L. Cunningham, D. P. Robbins, P. E. Youngblood, H. M. Hardy and T. J. Middleton. Edwin Wallace was first manager. In 1940, the Cooperative's name was changed to Pioneer Electric Cooperative and it expanded to provide service in Dallas, Lowndes and Wilcox counties as well as Butler. Location: Butler County Greenville

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Sidney Z. Mitchell, 1862-1944 (Industrialist and Electrical Pioneer) - 709
Born in Tallapoosa County, reared in Coosa County by his grandmother, Ann Jordan; educated at the United States Naval Academy. A pioneer in the generation of electricity throughout the world, his engineering and financial knowledge provided many of the guidelines for the production of the electric power we take for granted today. Location: Tallapoosa County

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The Lightning Route - 589
n 1886, Montgomery became the first city in the Western Hemisphere to convert an entire street railway system to electricity. The Capital City Street Railway Co. initiated electric trolley service on one mile of the street car line the year before. Civil engineer J.A. Gaboury supervised installation of the system developed by Charles Van de Poele. The car line, fondly known as the "Lightning Route," operated until 1936. Investors in the mass transit system also were involved in the development of the early suburbs of Highland Park and Cloverdale, as well as the first public recreation area at Oak Park. Location: Montgomery County

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