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The 125th Anniversary Project
Celebrating the big 1-2-5

On Aug. 18, 2008, The Anniston Star, the descendant of The Hot Blast, celebrated its 125th birthday. In honor of this anniversary, The Star has created this special section examining The Model City's history and its future.

We believe a community can't know where it's going until it's sure of where it's been. In this section, we see how ordinary men and women faced the challenges of their day, and we look forward to Anniston's future, inviting the community to act as boldly and as publicly-minded as the city's founders did in their day.

Part I (1883-1928)
Bob Davis: A blast from the past
Henry Grady was the circuit preacher of the post-Civil War New South. He is credited with giving this newspaper its maiden name, The Hot Blast. The inspiration, we're told, came when Grady, in Anniston for a visit to this model city, noted the sparks shooting out from the company town's foundry. 'Hot Blast' seemed like a nifty handle for a paper covering this northeast Alabama community.
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Daniel Tyler
The other founder
Buried in a hillside grave in east Anniston, Daniel Tyler keeps watch over the city he and Samuel Noble founded more than 125 years ago. While Noble's name is prominent in Anniston, less is known about his partner, Tyler, who was a West Point graduate, acclaimed soldier, world traveler, friend to U.S. presidents, wealthy investor and big-hearted dreamer of what he hoped would be 'the model village of the South.'
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William Levi Dawson and the Tuskegee Institute Chapel Choir. Photo: Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Anniston's music man
William Levi Dawson began composing his life's symphony in the Model City. Each accomplishment a note in the melody, Dawson would become an authority in his field — performing for U.S. presidents and earning a spot in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
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The Anniston Opera House. Photos/Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Sibling cities
In the late 19th century, two industrial towns sprang up in mineral-rich parts of Alabama. One town, Anniston, was founded upon utopian ideals. The other, Birmingham, sprang up as a company town with absentee owners. This early nurturing (or lack thereof) made a difference when troubles arose during the civil rights era.
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Model By Tosha Jupiter, Photo By Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star
Overview of the 'Model City'
In its early days, Anniston nestled neatly between soft hills on its east side and a bed of mineral deposits and ore on the west. It was a company town, with company employees as its majority residents and company owners as its overseers.
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Part II (1929-1970)
Entrance to Camp McClellan, 1917. Photo: Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
A-ten-tion Paid
From the Spanish-American war onward, Anniston has fostered an enduring relationship with the U.S. Army. In exchange the community received prosperity, cultural diversity and, at times, disappointment.
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Ties that bind
They knelt together with hands joined in prayer. In the office of Phil Noble, then pastor of Anniston's First Presbyterian Church, were two black preachers — one Methodist, the other Baptist — along with Noble, who was white.
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Ruth Elder. Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Anniston's aviatrix
She was daring, glamorous, and personified the 'Roaring 20s' image of celebrity. Anniston native Ruth Elder, 'Miss America of Aviation,' was a barnstorming aviatrix who captured the imaginations of Annistonians and the nation at large.
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Parker Memorial Baptist Church, 1888. Photo: Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Faithful intersections
From its beginnings, Anniston has been blessed with numerous houses of worship, from mainline Protestant to Roman Catholic to a synagogue and, of late, a mosque. Over the decades, the faithful have leaned on them during times of trouble.
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Col. George F. Baltzell. Photo: Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Baltzell's finale
Col. George F. Baltzell — of Baltzell Gate fame — was a decorated officer of the Army who helped to develop the military school system.
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Part III (1971-2008)
Farley Berman in Africa. Photo: Image Courtesy Anniston Museum of Natural History
Anniston's James Bond
When Farley Berman died at age 88 in 1999, he left a legacy that continues to draw people to Anniston.
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Graduating class, Noble Institute for Girls, 1890s. Photo courtesy/Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Legacy of learning
Anniston's city fathers placed a premium on 'education' for all, teaching the offspring of the well-heeled as well as the working man. The result was a bountiful garden of top-notch schooling choices. Sadly, in recent decades many of the blooms have fallen from the roses.
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Who's who in political history: Just outside Calhoun County
Just outside Calhoun County one can find a number of Alabamians of towering political influence.
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Who's who in Calhoun County's political history
The men from Calhoun County who served in the U.S. House early in the 1900s were all Democrats. For most of that time the current 3rd congressional district was known as the 4th.
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John B. Knox. Public Library of Anniston and Calhoun County
Hill politics
The politics of Anniston and its surroundings is different from other regions of Alabama.
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Part IV (The Future)
Healthcare
Aging baby boomers, a shortage of family doctors and rising healthcare costs affect every corner of the United States. Anniston’s medical community says the area’s healthcare industry is shifting to meet the growing demand on its services.
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Environment
Anniston’s founding as The Model City was grounded in a progressive mindset that cobbled together ideas from many sources. City leaders will have to be equally innovative and visionary to set its course toward environmental responsibility.
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McClellan
McClellan’s thousands of acres represent a challenge and an opportunity. The city’s future is tied to the former Army base — but unlocking its potential will take teamwork and commitment.
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Anniston’s center is a little off-center
Have you ever been walking along the west side of Noble Street in Anniston, looked down and asked yourself, ’Hey, what’s this round, flat, metallic button, a couple of inches in diameter, doing here embedded in the concrete near the southwest corner of the intersection with 17th Street?’
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Bob Davis: Beating back Pottersville
For the past three weeks, The Star has looked backward. We’ve marked the 125th anniversary of Anniston and this newspaper. Each section noted success and sadness, high points and low ones.
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Archival Audio
Now Playing:
More audio files: (Click to listen)
Anniston's Attic
Audio Slideshow
Anniston: Then & Now
Video
Tosha Jupiter's Model City
Landmark Lore
Landmark Lore (1883-1928)
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An interactive map of Anniston's historical landmarks from 1883-1928.
Landmark Lore (1929-1970)
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An interactive map of Anniston's historical landmarks from 1929-1970.
Landmark Lore (1971-2008)
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An interactive map of Anniston's historical landmarks from 1971-2008.
Timelines
Anniston Timeline (1873-1924)
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A timeline of Anniston's history from 1873-1924, narrated by Anniston Star commentary editor Phillip Tutor.
Anniston Timeline (1915-1963)
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A timeline of Anniston's history from 1915-1963, narrated by Anniston Star commentary editor Phillip Tutor.
Anniston Timeline (1960-2008)
Aug 10, 2008 |  0 comments | 27 27 recommendations | email to a friend
A timeline of Anniston's history from 1960-2008, narrated by Anniston Star commentary editor Phillip Tutor.
Quizzes
Quiz 1: Test your knowledge of Anniston's history
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All questions are from items in the first installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 1 answers
Jul 27, 2008 |  0 comments | 28 28 recommendations | email to a friend
All answers can be found in the first installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 2: Test your knowledge of Anniston's history
Aug 03, 2008 |  0 comments | 31 31 recommendations | email to a friend
All questions are from items in the second installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 2 answers
Aug 03, 2008 |  0 comments | 27 27 recommendations | email to a friend
All answers can be found in the second installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 3: Test your knowledge of Anniston's history
Aug 10, 2008 |  0 comments | 28 28 recommendations | email to a friend
All questions are from items in the third installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 3 answers
Aug 10, 2008 |  0 comments | 27 27 recommendations | email to a friend
All answers can be found in the third installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 4: Test your knowledge of Anniston's history
Aug 17, 2008 |  0 comments | 31 31 recommendations | email to a friend
All questions are from items in the fourth installment of our 125th anniversary series.
Quiz 4 answers
Aug 17, 2008 |  0 comments | 28 28 recommendations | email to a friend
All answers can be found in the fourth installment of our 125th anniversary series.

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