Florence Historical Commission: Part III - The Usual Suspects

 

Several have asked just who comprise the Florence Historical Preservation Commission. They are:

Rod Whatley

Doug Evans

Jim Hillis

Scott Lovelace

Kayla Sloan

Katie Randall

Jen Kennedy

Deborah Stubblefield

Billy Ray Warren - City Historian

Brian W. Murphy - Chair

The appointed commission meets monthly at the Indian Mound Museum on South Court Street. The next gathering will be September 21st at 5:00 p.m.

It was August's meeting that provided some interesting surprises. Today we'll address just one of them. Either Mr. Warren or Brian Murphy will be meeting...or attempting to meet...with Susan Smithson. Ms. Smithson is the Atlanta businesswoman who is in charge of the Sweetwater Plantation trust.

At last reports, the old manor house was still for sale for nine million dollars. The home has been on the market for around a decade with no serious lookers that we know of. The last mentioned caretaker was Robert Simone, the owner of Ghost Hunters of Southern Territories in Muscle Shoals.

By all accounts, the property is quite rundown, and Mr. Warren would like the old home added to Alabama Places in Peril. This is certainly a good idea; however, it was unclear to us if Mr. Warren or Mr. Murphy would be approaching Smithson. We don't envy either one the task.

However, having a sense of humor, we do hope it's Murphy. That should go well.

He walked down the alley with his short sleeves on. (Apologies to John Prine.)