12 Alabama sites added to National Register of Historic Places in 2023. See what made the list

Each year, the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)—a program of the National Parks Service—identifies historically significant sites across the country. Read on to learn more about the 12 Alabama sites added to the NRHP last year.

12 Alabama sites added to the National Register of Historic Places

Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s NRHP is a Federal list meant to, “identify, evaluate and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.” To qualify, a property must meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, which examines the property’s age, significance and integrity. Generally, the property must be at least 50 years old—although there are some exceptions.

In 2023, 12 sites in Alabama met those qualifications and were added (or expanded) to the NRHP.

1. Automobile Alley Historic District (752-54, 756, 762 St. Louis St., Mobile) — In June, the NRHP expanded the boundaries of Mobile’s Automotive Alley Historic District, which was originally selected in 2016. The district is located within a portion of the oldest section of downtown Mobile, and the buildings in the area are excellent examples of an early- to mid-century commercial district.
2. Noojin House and Belleve-Mineral Springs Hotel Site (326 Bellevue Dr., Gadsden) — Located atop Lookout Mountain in Gadsden, the Noojin House was built on the site of the Bellevue Hotel, a historic, 100-room hotel that burned down in the early 1900s.
3. St. Paul Baptist Church and Armstrong School (14650 City Road 2, Tuskegee vicinity) — Halfway between Tuskegee and Union Springs off City Road 2 is the 124-year-old St. Paul Baptist Church. Just south of the Church is The Armstrong School—the earliest known one-room schoolhouse designed by the first African-American architect, Robert Robinson Taylor.
4. Campsite 3: The Gardner Farm (2342 Frederick Douglass Road, Lowndesboro vicinity) — In 1965, participants in the historic Selma to Montgomery voting rights march camped on the farm of Robert Gardner, a black resident in Lowndes County.
5. Selma University Historic District (1501 Boynton St., Selma) — Founded in 1878, Selma University was the first private black Baptist college in Alabama. The university allowed black residents to seek academic opportunities that were denied at other institutions in the state.
6. Talladega County High School (181 Magnolia St., Lincoln)
7. Glenwood Cemetery (2300 Hall Ave., Huntsville) — Established in 1870 by the City of Huntsville, Glenwood Cemetery was a historic cemetery for black residents in North Alabama. The cemetery is the final resting place of distinguished veterans, local politicians and other community leaders in Huntsville.
8. Federation of Southern Cooperatives Rural Training and Research Center (575 Federation Rd., Epes vicinity) — Located between Gainesville and Epes, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Rural Training and Research Center was established in 1967 to create opportunities for black farmers and rural communities.
9. Simpson’s Florist (902 6th Avenue SE, Decatur) — First opened in Decatur in 1957, Simpson’s Florist was nominated by the Decatur, Alabama Historic Preservation Commission as one of the earliest surviving Post-World War II era commercial establishments in the city, representative of the unique “Googie” architectural style, which originated in Southern California.
10. Campsite 2: Rosie Steele Property (5892-5876 Highway 80 W, White Hall vicinity) — At the end of the second day of the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march, marchers camped at the property of Rosie Steele, a 78-year-old black resident of Lowndes County.
11. Jenkins Farm and House (29040 Jenkins Farm Rd., Loxley) — Constructed in 1935, the Jenkins Farmhouse was the residence of the Jenkins family, whose farm grew to be one of the most successful black-owned farms in Alabama. The NRHP expanded the boundaries of this site in November.
12. Gadsden Coca-Cola Bottling Plant (644 Walnut Street, Gadsen) — Dating back to the early 1900s, the Gadsden Coca-Cola Bottling Plant was one of the first places to bottle and sell Coca-Cola in Alabama. Although the historic structure was under threat of demolition in 2021, it was saved and added to the NRHP in 2023.

Excited to see these places added to the NRHP? Tag us @thebamabuzz to let us know!