This Federal Courthouse was built in 1911, though its construction period is from 1909 to 1911. On June 30th, 1906, $40,000 was allocated for the purchase of a site for a new U.S. Courthouse and Post Office. In June of 1907, a plot of land was acquired and additional funds were set aside for the building. In 1910 an additional $25,000 was appropriated for the project and in 1911 the building was completed with a total cost of $85,000. Underneath the guidance and supervision of James Knox Taylor, government architects designed the building in the popular Classical Revival style that dominated federal buildings at that time.In its later history, the building received a one-story addition to the rear of the building in 1952, featuring a Post-War Modernist style. The Federal Building would continue to serve as a Courthouse and Post Office until the new Dothan Post office was constructed in 1964. Eventually, the building was added to the National Record of Historic Places on December 31st, 1974, and had a historical marker installed on the building in the same year.

U.S. Federal Building and Courthouse circa 1974

More info on the Federal Building from the U.S. General Services Administration

More Info

This historic federal building located on West Troy Street in Dothan Alabama stands as one of many early 20th century Classical Revival style government buildings that were created between 1900 to 1929. This building was built in 1911 at a construction cost of $85,000 as part of the national effort to install federal buildings in many developing cities. From its inception, it served as a Courthouse and Post Office until the new Dothan Post Office was built in 1064. In 1974 a historical marker was added and later that year on December 31st the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

This 1.7 mile walk makes a loop around downtown Dothan and includes a variety of historic and notable buildings and other landmarks starting with the Dothan Opera House, Federal Building, G. W. Carver Interpretive Museum, and Dothan Dixie Standpipe. The tour ends with the city's historic rail station, Howell School, Cherry Street AME Church, Wiregrass Museum of Art, and several historical markers. 

Historic Downtown Dothan Walking Tour

Built-in 1915 this municipal opera house and city office building was constructed during a period of massive growth in Dothan. In the period leading up to its construction, the city of Dothan had grown from 3,275 residents in 1900 to 7,106 in 1910. With the recent addition of a larger passenger station, Dothan was receiving a larger amount of traveling artists and was more connected to the wider south, allowing for remote performers to travel to Dothan. Mayor Buck Baker envisioned the Dothan Opera House as a building to host many events and musical acts, particularly for traveling vaudeville, symphony, and opera acts. His plan was to build the Opera House and then ask traveling acts that came through Dothan to perform at the house in return for room and board. The building was first proposed as a municipal center in 1913, with discussions on Dothan needing more city offices and a municipal auditorium. By the summer of 1914, a contract had been signed with local construction firm Brown and Flowers to build the building according to plans designed by Atlanta architecture firm Morris and Morris. The following year the municipal auditorium, soon named “The Opera House,” was completed at a final cost of $44,000 and opened to the public on October 8th,1915. Over the course of its lifetime, the three-story-high municipal auditorium and offices saw many acts and events within its walls. This building has been host to city offices, orchestras, boy scout graduations, hospital nursing graduations, stage plays, musicals, vaudeville acts, dance performances, and concerts. In its early years, the Opera House saw acts such as the Sam Shubert show as well as the minstrel shows of Al G. Fields and Silas Green. During WW2 the Opera House was booked for USO shows to entertain troops from nearby Napier Field.  In commemoration of the building’s history, a hidden mural was added to the Opera House. Behind the main stage backdrop inside the building stands one of Dothan’s many murals, depicting the opera house under construction and featuring portraits of Buck Baker, a Boy Scout presentation, and a scene from the Southeast Alabama Theatre production of “Lost in Yonkers” and cowboy actor Johnny Mack Brown. The Opera House was used partially as city offices until the new Dothan Civic center was built in 1974. Before the offices moved they were located in the front of the Opera Hall as well on the second floor, while the third floor served as commission chambers for the municipal government. In 1971 the building was completely renovated and restored, reducing the seating inside the building from 800 to 600. Surprisingly despite the recent renovations, once the city offices moved there was talk of demolishing the Opera House, prompting a push from local preservationists to protect the building. On December 16, 1977, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the following year a historical marker was erected by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.

This opera house has been a cultural center of Dothan Alabama since it was constructed as a municipal auditorium and office building in 1915. Originally constructed by Mayor Buck Baker at the cost of $44,000, this building has seen many different types of events throughout the past century. From being home to city offices and hosting performances,  graduations, and concerts, this building has been the setting for many of the significant events in Dothan’s history. In 1977, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 1978 a historical marker was dedicated by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.

Dothan Opera House

This Federal Courthouse was built in 1911, though its construction period is from 1909 to 1911. On June 30th, 1906, $40,000 was allocated for the purchase of a site for a new U.S. Courthouse and Post Office. In June of 1907, a plot of land was acquired and additional funds were set aside for the building. In 1910 an additional $25,000 was appropriated for the project and in 1911 the building was completed with a total cost of $85,000. Underneath the guidance and supervision of James Knox Taylor, government architects designed the building in the popular Classical Revival style that dominated federal buildings at that time. In its later history, the building received a one-story addition to the rear of the building in 1952, featuring a Post-War Modernist style. The Federal Building would continue to serve as a Courthouse and Post Office until the new Dothan Post office was constructed in 1964. Eventually, the building was added to the National Record of Historic Places on December 31st, 1974, and had a historical marker installed on the building in the same year.

Located in a former Greyhound bus station, the George Washington Carver Interpretive Museum's mission is to educate all visitors about the contributions African Americans have made throughout the country's history. The original Greyhound station was built sometime in the 1940s, before 1948. In its original configuration, the building reflected the segregation period it was built in. The building was structured to have two entrances, two separate restrooms, separate drinking fountains, and waiting areas, much like other segregation period buildings. The museum was founded in 2000 by Dr. Francina Williams after being purchased by the African American Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. The museum opened in 2002, now featuring several exhibits: the science-themed Discovery Zone; Designing the World We Live In; Black Scientists, Inventors and Explorers; Social Progress Heroes Timeline; and the Dr. Carver Room, which chronicles the life of the museum's namesake, George Washington Carver. Also, the museum has a mural of Dr. Carver painted by Wes Hardin, the artist who painted the other 11 murals of Dothan.

G.W. Carver Interpretive Museum

Built on April 5th, 1897, the Dothan Dixie Standpipe is situated in the center point for what used to be Dothan’s original downtown center. Constructed by Guild and White of Chattanooga Tennessee, the tower is built with industrial age steel and thousands of rivets that hold the tower together. It stands at 100 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter, able to hold a maximum of 180,000 gallons of water. Beneath the tower is the well that supplies the town with fresh water, dug by C.A. Ray of Providence of Rhode Island the well is 625 feet. To construct the tower Mayor J. R. Young needed to raise funds for costs. Mayor Young sold around $20,000 in municipal bonds, each bond being sold at increments of $1,000. This large increment size is notable since Mayor Young had to negotiate large buy-ins from wealthy members of the local community. After funds were raised there was concern about the upkeep of the new water tower and the Mayor set aside $4,775 to establish a Water Supply and Fire Protection Fund to staff the tower and keep it maintained. Once constructed the tower became a part of the first water service in Dothan and to this day still provides water for the city. In 2013 the Dothan utility company gained an award for the tower in 2013, the nationally-ranked “Steel Water Pipe Century Club” award for maintaining the Dothan Dixie Standpipe for more than 100 years. This award, when given, made Dothan one of just 24 cities or utility companies to receive the award and made it the first in Alabama to receive the honor. Later in 2017, the City of Dothan placed a historical marker next to the tower. On December 13, 2016, the Dothan Dixie Standpipe was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

This 100-foot tall metal pillar that stands near the center of Dothan Alabama is now over 120 years old and can hold a maximum of 180,000 gallons of water coming from a natural spring under Dothan. This tower, called the Dothan Dixie Standpipe, was built in April of 1897 by the City of Dothan to help the young city grow with a stable clean water supply. Constructed of industrial age steel and thousands of riveted bolts this tank is a prime example of early industrial engineering. To build the tower the mayor at the time, Mayor J. R. Young sold municipal bonds to fund construction. This is notable because Mayor Young sold the bonds in increments of $1,000, meaning that he could only sell the bonds to wealthy investors, having to negotiate large buy-ins. On December 13th, 2016, the Dothan Dixie Standpipe was added to the National Register of Historic Places.


Dothan Dixie Standpipe

When the Atlantic Coastline Passenger Station was constructed in 1907 by the Atlantic Coastline Railroad, Dothan had already undergone a massive population increase. The railroad had already been in Dothan since 1889, causing a boom in economic and social activity in Dothan. Before this depot was constructed there was previously a smaller freight and passenger station that serviced Dothan and helped it see a massive increase from 247 residents in 1890 to 3,275 residents in 1900. With the increase in population and demand for railway access, the Atlantic Coastline Railroad constructed this passenger station, connecting the town to Montgomery Alabama, Tallahassee Florida, and Thomasville Georgia. Thanks to the established station in Dothan, the city became the central economic hub of the Wiregrass region, making it the largest city between Montgomery and Tallahassee with a population of 7,106 by 1910.  During the 1960s the waiting rooms within the depot were rearranged to comply with Segregation. Previously there were two waiting rooms, one for whites and one for Blacks. After complying with Segregation, the white waiting room on the east end of the building became the common waiting room, while the Black waiting room on the western end became a freight room.  The depot continued to see passenger use until 1979 when the final train departed Dothan and the station was closed to passenger traffic. The Atlantic Coastline Railroad continued to use the building as an office until the building closed in 1985. Eventually, in 1989, the building was purchased by the City of Dothan to prevent its destruction. On December 13th, 1993 the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2007 the building was renovated by the Wiregrass Transit Authority to serve as its new headquarters. In 2008 a historical marker was placed near the building by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Dothan Landmarks Foundation, and the Wiregrass Transit Authority.

Constructed in 1907 by the Atlantic Coastline Railroad, this Passenger Depot stands as a reminder of Dothan’s early growth and success as the center of the Wiregrass Region. The station was built during a period of economic growth and this structure replaced a smaller depot that was constructed shortly after the Atlantic Coastline Railroad first arrived in Dothan in 1889. Dothan was incorporated in 1890 with 247 residents, but the town grew quickly in part due to the railroad which connected Dothan to Montgomery Alabama, Tallahassee Florida, and Thomasville Georgia. By 1900, the population in Dothan had grown to 3,275 residents and by 1910 the town was home to 7,106. The depot served passengers until 1979 when the last passenger train departed from this station. The railroad used the building as an office until 1985 and four years later, the City of Dothan to prevent the historic building to preserve the structure. The former depot is now the headquarters of the Wiregrass Transit Authority. On December 13th, 1993 the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 2008 a historical marker was added near the building by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Dothan Landmarks Foundation, and the Wiregrass Transit Authority.

Atlantic Coastline Passenger Station (Wiregrass Transit Authority)

Before the Howell School building had been constructed between 1901-1902 Dothan already had a grammar school building built-in 1898. This previous grammar school had cost the city $15,000 but was burnt down in 1901, only three years after its construction. The new building was built for $40,000 with funding gathered by municipal bonds. Designed by architect J. W. Baughman, the school building has a blend of styles featuring Late Victorian, Romanesque Revival, and Renaissance Revival Styles. When the building was first constructed, Baughman installed a Mansard style tower to cap the building which had a fire escape slide. In the original design and configuration, the building had two floors of classrooms on either side of a hallway that was in the center of the building which ran the entire length. Once the building was built it was most likely named the “Dothan College Grammar School.” A 1907 version of the Sanborn map refers to the school as  “Dothan College,” no other record of this name exists, and other editions of this same map from 1920, 1924, and 1932 list the building as “Dothan College Grammar School”. Despite all this, in 1916 the school was renamed the Howell School after the passing of Dr. John Robertson Graves Howell. Dr. Howell was a physician who had moved to Dothan to establish a practice in 1887. Once a resident of Dothan, Dr. Howell served as mayor of Dothan when the first grammar school had been built. Howell School served as Dothan’s primary grammar school for white children while it was still a school, never seeing a desegregated school thanks to its closing in 1942. A second grammar School, the Rose Hill School was constructed in 1911. In 1915 Howell had 428 students enrolled, Rose Hill had 156, and the local high school had 180. In 1942 the Howell School building closed as a school thanks to its replacement by Minnie T. Heard Elementary School. During WW2 the building was converted for use by the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Club. It operated exclusively for soldiers to provide them with sleeping and shower facilities. The organization spent $2,500 to convert the building for this use, with the organization planning on spending another $2,500 on beautifying the building and repairing its condition. Following the war on Dec 31st, 1946, the Dothan Chamber of Commerce took out a full-page advertisement in the Dothan Eagle with the title “Let’s look at the future.” In the ad, the Chamber announced that nine new manufacturing plants would soon be built, totaling an investment of $4,000,000 and would bring employment to 2,000 people. The companies that were announced moving into Dothan included:<ul><li>Huntingburg Furniture Co. (furniture)</li><li>The Nurre Companies Inc (mirrors)</li><li>Indian River Textile Co. (pajamas, shorts)</li><li>Covington Planter Co. (farm implements)</li><li>J. E. Howell Lumber Co. (veneers and plywoods)</li><li>King Furniture Co. (furniture)</li><li>An expansion of the Dothan Silk Hosiery Mill (hosiery)</li><li>Kingan Packing Co. (meat products)</li></ul> On January 21st, 1947, the Dothan Eagle announced that production would begin at the new plant in the Old Howell School Building. The building had been converted into a textile factory that year for the Indian River Textile Company. The renovations were part of the Dothan Chamber of Commerce’s active promotion of the city as a place of industrial development following WW2. The building’s interior was converted with the first and second floors being cleared into viable factory floors, with machines and an automated sprinkler system installed among other amenities. Once complete the plant employed around 100 people. The 1948 update for the Sanborn map shows the building listed as “Indian River Textile Co.” manufacturers of Cotton Garments. When the map was published it listed the building as still having the “watchman with clock,” referring to the original tower. It also listed the building as having electricity, steam heat, and a cutting room on the first floor, a sewing room on the second, and a pressing room at the first-floor auditorium, and supply rooms on the second floor. The plant closed not long after in February 1949. In June of 1950, Ozark Industries reopened the facility as a pajama factory. The factory produced 250-275 pairs of pajamas daily and employed around 200 men and women. Ozark had bought the building for $45,000 and spent $10,000 on its renovations to change the plant to its specifications. From 1951 to 1953 the plant was listed in the city directories as Ainsbrook inc, clothing manufacturers. Ainsbrook was based out of New York City and was organized on July 26, 1950. The building after this point rapidly changed hands between successive owners until it was eventually given to the Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority in 2009. The plant was owned by the Dothan Manufacturing company who produced pajamas there from 1953 until 1991. The Dothan Manufacturing Company was organized December 16th, 1952 in New York City with Max Scharf serving as an incorporator and company president. The company operated out of the Howell School building in 1953 but didn’t acquire the property from the City of Dothan until May 1956. The company continued to operate the factory until 1997 when it finally ceased operations. In March of 2003, the holding company of the building sold the property to the Southern Alabama Regional Council on the Aging. The building was then re-acquired by the City of Dothan in May of 2008 and then transferred to the Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority in 2009. Efforts to renovate the now aging and empty building began in 2008 but were delayed until 2014 thanks to multiple contractors backing out of the extensive project. The project was able to begin after Rob Coasts of the Banyan Foundation agreed to help in 2014. Construction was also delayed considerably thanks to the building being located in the Newton-Burdeshaw-Cherry-Appletree-Range National Historic District. In 2013 on June 26th the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its historical architecture and local significance to the industry in Dothan. The developers of the renovation project had to get approval from: the Historic Preservation Commission, the National Park Service, and the Alabama Historical Preservation thanks to the Howell School being such a historic building for the area. Before renovations the building had been vacant for 21 years, making the renovations and repairs to the building expensive. The project cost around $14 million with $1.5 million being given by the city for the project. Today the building is now a 23-25 unit senior living facility and opened in October of 2020.

This two-story brick educational building has had a long and storied history. It was built-in 1902 to be the new grammar school for the City of Dothan after the previous grammar school burned down in 1901. The school building features a stylistic blend of Late Victorian, Romanesque Revival, and Renaissance Revival Styles. The building was originally named the “Dothan College Grammar School” before 1916 when the building was renamed in honor of recently deceased Dr. John Robertson Graves Howell. Dr. Howell was a transplant to Dothan who relocated to establish a physician practice in 1887, he also served as the Mayor of Dothan when the first grammar school had been built in 1889. The Howell School served as Dothan’s primary grammar school for white children until it was replaced by Minnie T. Heard Elementary School in 1942. During WW2 the building was converted for use by the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Club to house soldiers. On Dec 31, 1946, the Dothan Chamber of Commerce advertised that new investments in the industry would bring 8 new companies to Dothan and provide 2,000 new jobs. The school building was converted into a textile factory for the Indian River Textile Company, employing 100 people. The building and factory would shift hands several times over the next two decades, eventually coming into the hands of the Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority in 2009. In 2014 after years of searching for contractors and gaining approval from various preservation authorities, work started to renovate and restore the building turning it into a senior living facility. The new senior living home opened in October of 2020 and is now an occupied building after having been vacant for 21 years.


Howell School

Established in 1877, Cherry Street AME Church is one of the oldest AME churches in Alabama. The original plot of land that the church was built on was donated by Ms. Elivira Guilfor, a local Black landowner and member of the congregation. The original church was a small wooden chapel originally known as Gaines Chapel Church in honor of Bishop W. J. Gaines. In 1891 and 1901 additional land was purchased by the congregation in preparation to eventually expand their church. In 1903 the pastor of the church Revered William Hightower raised $8,000 from the local community to fund the construction of a new church building that would be more sturdy than the previous wooden structure. However, when Rev. Hightower went to purchase bricks for the building from brickyard owners the various owners refused to sell him bricks. In response, the congregation children and members banded together to scavenge bricks from around Dothan, from white construction sites, and from abandoned buildings to assemble the bricks required. According to church oral history, the school children of the congregation took bricks from construction sites on the way home from school and other activities, earning them the name of “Brick Carriers.” In 1908 the church was finally complete and dedicated as Cherry Street AME Church. In 1979 the Historic Chattahoochee Commission and the Dothan Landmarks Foundation placed a historical marker next to the church in recognition of its long history.

Cherry Street African Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed in 1908 by its members. The congregation was founded in 1877 and built its first meetinghouse on a small plot of land donated by Ms. Elivira Guilfor. In 1903, pastor Rev. William Hightower raised $8000 for the construction of this new chapel. After the brickyard owners in Dothan refused to sell the congregation bricks, members of all ages and their extended families in the region gathered unused bricks from abandoned buildings until they had enough to complete this church. In 1979, a historical marker was erected by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission and the Dothan Landmarks Foundation.

Cherry Street AME Church

Originally built between 1912 and 1913 by W.F. Thornton Consulting Engineering, this building was constructed to provide power for the rapidly growing population and industry in Dothan Alabama. Between 1910 and 1920 the population of Dothan grew by 48% to 10,030 people, and industry was rapidly moving into the city. In response, the Dothan Municipal Light and Water Plant was constructed to provide for city needs. The plant was built at a cost of $100,000 and was the first only coal-generated power plant in the Wiregrass Region. The power plant had three coal-fired generators totaling 4,500 kilowatts and a million-gallon groundwater storage tank tied to a large water pump that had a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons of water per day. Originally the power plant consisted of: a powerhouse, garage and tool shed, prison yard, cooling pond, coal yard, two pump houses, a machine storage building, a small tool shed, a covered reservoir, substation, auxiliary reservoir, underground gasoline tank, two scales, a well, and two small office buildings. Today only the powerhouse remains of the Dothan Municipal Light and Water Plant. Unfortunately, by 1928 the power plant design was already outdated and had become increasingly expensive to operate and maintain. Dothan residents soon paid higher electricity rates than anywhere else in the state and the city still needed yet more funds to build schools and pay off city debts. This was in spite of the massive revenue that the Dothan power plant was bringing in. Combined totals from electricity and water services at the time were $58,284 in 1918, $73,672 in 1920, and $155,832 1925. Due to rising costs to maintain the plant and after heated debates about what should be the city’s next step the city began purchasing power from the Alabama Power Company. Five years later when the contract with Alabama Power was up the city improved the Dothan plant and attempted to resume utilizing local power. In 1942 Dothan once again started buying power from Alabama Power and by 1949 all of the city’s power was being provided by AP, leading to the shutdown and removal of the city generators. In 1986 a national magazine made a list of some of the worst places to live in the US, Dothan was included in this list, citing the city’s lack of a museum. In response, Mayor Larry Register created a 13 person committee to address the feasibility of establishing a museum for Dothan. The committee was given $50,000 to begin the process of planning the museum and in 1988 the design for the new museum was unveiled. Designed by local firm Joseph L. Donofro and Associates the new museum design was expected to cost a projected 2.8 million dollars. The City Commission was obviously concerned over such a bulk cost for the project and the Museum Board submitted a revised plan to divide the project into 4 phases which the City Commission accepted. To date, only 3 of the 4 phases have been completed. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 3rd, 1991, and a historical marker was added to the building commemorating the event. Today the Wiregrass Museum of Art hosts more than 500 pieces alongside works of local, state, and national artists.

What now stands as the Wiregrass Museum of Art was once the Dothan Municipal Light and Water Plant in the early 20th century. Constructed of red brick, this small two-story building was constructed by W. F. Thornton Consulting Engineering in 1913 to be a power plant and water provider for early and growing Dothan. Once constructed it was the only coal-generated power plant in the Wiregrass region. Originally the power plant complex was much, much bigger than this single building. The building that exists here is just the main powerhouse of the plant, the plant previously had: a powerhouse, garage and tool shed, prison yard, cooling pond, coal yard, two pump houses, a machine storage building, a small tool shed, a covered reservoir, substation, auxiliary reservoir, underground gasoline tank, two scales, a well, and two small office buildings. Due to the outdated design of the plant by 1928, it had become prohibitively expensive to maintain, leading to the city purchasing power from the Alabama Power company and shutting down the plant. The city would once again attempt to provide their own power in 1933 but would eventually shut down the plant for good in 1949. In 1986 the building that housed the power plant was selected to be the location for the new Wiregrass Museum of Art and on October 3rd, 1991 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.


Wiregrass Museum of Art

The community of Poplar Head has its origins around the 1830s when settlers from larger cities in the south moved west to find suitable farming land. The community was named Poplar Head after the poplar trees that encompassed the glade that served as the original water source for the village, Poplar Head Spring. The village’s population would grow and shrink through the Civil War, eventually gaining a large enough population to attempt to incorporate in 1885. When the community of Poplar Head requested a post office to incorporate into a town, their request was denied due to there already being a Poplar Head in Alabama. According to the marker here, the postal authorities gave the town the temporary name Dothan so that the community could still have a post office. Early records testify that the town’s name initially had two spellings, Dothen and Dothan. When the community officially incorporated on November 10th, 1885, the community still needed to decide on a final name. A minister of the community suggested the spelling of Dothan from the Bible passage “For I heard them say ‘Let us go to Dothan’” (Genesis 37:17). The town voted on the new name, accepting the name Dothan and officially incorporated. In 2001 the historical marker here was erected the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, the Wiregrass Museum of Art, the Houston County Kiwanis Club, and The Downtown Group. The Joseph statue nearby this marker is a 10-foot tall bronze statue that depicts the Bible verse that gave the town its name. It stands as the centerpiece of the small park that encompasses the marker and statue, Millennium Park, which was a project of the City of Dothan on May 30th, 2011.

This historical marker and bronze statue are placed here in recognition of the City of Dothan’s origins and the creation of its name. The marker here tells the story of how when the small trading community of Poplar Head requested a post office in 1858, they were rejected due to there already being a Poplar Head in Alabama. According to this marker, the postal authorities at the time granted the Poplar Head community a post office under the temporary name of Dothan. Other sources claim that the origin of the name comes from a minister who recommended the name Dothan when the community voted to incorporate in 1885. The name Dothan comes from the Bible passage “For I heard them say ‘Let us go to Dothan’” (Genesis 37:17). This historical marker was erected in 2001 by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission and the Wiregrass Museum of Art, the Houston County Kiwanis Club, and the Downtown Group. The statue was erected as part of Millennium Park in 2011.


Joseph Statue and The Naming of Dothan Historical Marker

Marvin Holman was a mule trader based out of Dothan Alabama in the early 20th century. At the time mules were the primary work animal for the Wiregrass region. In the late 1800s, mules ended up replacing oxen in the Dothan area and were therefor central to Dothan’s economy, in agriculture and the logging industry and the turpentine industry. Across the street from this historical marker is the spot that Holman constructed his mule stable in 1917. Holman’s mule stable and place of business was a red brick, 27,000 square foot building, making it one of the largest mule stables in the south. This building became a popular gathering place for farmers and townsfolk of Dothan. Holman installed a “Mourners Bench” next to his business for traders’ comfort and consolidation. To supply his mule stable Holman traveled around the country to purchase mules and ship them back to Dothan via train to eventually be sold to Houston county farmers. As the age of tractors started getting underway, Holman kept with the times and began a Tractor sales company, pivoting to new methods of farming while keeping his mule business. As part of starting this business, Holman offered a deal to farmers where they could trade in their mules for a tractor, letting the farmers make a down payment with their old mules. As this tractor business grew, the company moved into a new building, leading to the eventual demolishing of the Holmes Mule Stable. Marvin Holman is actually the brother of J.D. Holman, another prominent businessman in the Wiregrass region. J.D. Holman’s home is on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in Ozark AL. J.D. Holman was also a mule trader and decorations within his home reflect how he got his start in business. In 1981 this historical marker was erected in memory of Marvin Holman by Edith Holman Jones and Maxwell E. Jones.

This historical marker shares the story of Marvin Holman, a mule and tractor salesman who operated one of the South's largest stables in Dothan. Holman's stables were located near the marker, and the 27,000 square foot red brick structure was a center of trade and also a gathering place for local farmers and townsfolk. Mules were vitally important to the agricultural sector, as were the tractors Holman sold following the construction of a new building at this location in 1917. While the 1917 building was demolished long ago, this historical marker was dedicated in 1981 by Edith Holman Jones and Maxwell E. Jones.

Marvin Holman Historical Marker

Long before American settlers entered this region, the freshwater spring just near this marker served as the meeting point between the Alibamu Indians of the Chattahoochee River basin and the Creeks of the Choctawahatchee River Basin. Native Americans have had a long history in the area, with the Creek War occurring in this region between 1813 and 1814. The Alibamu and the Creeks used this spring as a place to trade with one another before American settlers arrived in the early 1830s.  Settlers arrived in the early 1830s traveling in covered wagons all the way from Charleston, Savanna, and Jacksonville. Once they arrived and settled for camp at this spring, many of the travelers chose to move on, deciding that the sandy dirt and thick pine forests would make farming difficult. The families that stayed behind eventually formed the small community of Poplar Head, which by 1858 consisted of nine families. Originally the community consisted mainly of Lumber and Turpentine craftsmen, making the community a small trading village.  Once the Civil War started, however, the community was practically abandoned and barely survived. As the Civil War went on, communities in the south were terrorized by deserters and draft evaders who rode freely around the region, raiding communities and travelers. In 1863 the Confederate forces attempted to stop these raiders by launching a campaign down Cowarts Creek to their secret headquarters just across the Florida state line. Initially, the raiders repelled the Confederate forces but were defeated at the battle of Newton in 1865. In 1881 only 3 families still lived at Poplar Head. However, by 1885 the population had grown as more families had settled in the area once again, giving the community enough individuals to meet the minimum size needed to incorporate into a town. When the community attempted to petition for a post office and become a town, however, they were informed that another community in Alabama had already taken the name Poplar Head. A minister of the community helpfully suggested the name Dothan. Through a special election, on November 10th, 1885, the Poplar Head community became Dothan. In 1978 a historical marker was erected by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission to honor the starting point of Dothan.

Near this historical marker is the Poplar Head Spring, a small freshwater spring that served as the starting point for Dothan. Before Dothan existed and white and Black settlers came to the region, Alibamu Indians of the Chattahoochee River basin and the Creeks of the Choctawahatchee River basin met at these springs to trade. The first settlers arrived in the early 1830s, these families came in covered wagons from Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville. Once these travelers arrived at the springs and camped, many decided to move on due to the sandy soil and dense pine trees making it difficult to farm. Those that remained here formed the small community called Poplar head and by 1858 the community called Poplar Head had nine families. The community only barely survived the Civil War and by 1885 had enough families settled in Poplar Head to meet the minimum size needed to incorporate. In 1885 the community became the town of Dothan and nearly 100 years later in 1978, a historical marker was erected here by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission to commemorate the origin point of Dothan.



Poplar Head Spring Historical Marker

Born in Dothan on September 1st, 1904, Johnny Mack Brown was an actor and athlete who starred in 165 film productions. Born to John Henry and Hattie McGillivray Brown, Johnny Mack Brown was one of nine children in his family. Their original family home is located not far from this marker. In high school, Brown excelled as an athlete and was the halfback of the team. Nicknamed “The Dothan Antelope,” Brown earned a football scholarship to the University of Alabama alongside four of his brothers and helped the university rise to fame.  During the 1926 Rose Bowl, his performance pushed the Alabama team to a victory over the University of Washington and put the school in the football spotlight. The resulting media attention caught the eye of Hollywood director and producer King Vidor. Vidor gave brown the opportunity to participate in a Hollywood screen test. Brown participated and won the test, signing a contract with MGM Studios that year. Johnny Mack Brown was in his first film “Slide Kelly, Slide” in 1927, followed by “Bugle Call” shortly after. He started in light comedies and romances before eventually finding his way into westerns in the mid-1930s. Brown would appear in thirty films at MGM and leave in 1933, signing on with Supreme Pictures for a time before eventually joining Universal Pictures. In 1940 Brown began a decade-long run as a cast member in the radio show Under Western Skies. Later in 1943 Brown left Universal and joined Monogram Pictures where he would stay the rest of his career. From 1943 to 1953 he was a cowboy star to millions of children and was among the top ten money-makers in B westerns of the era. Eventually, his career ended along with the end of the B Western bubble in 1953. After ending his career Brown resided in a home in Beverly Hills for a time before moving into the less costly Park La Brea Apartments. Once his career was over, however, awards in recognition of his acting came his way. Johnny Mack Brown would gain recognition from the National Collegiate Football Hall of Fame in 1957, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1969, the Alabama Stage and Screenwriters Hall of Fame in 2004, the World Cowboy Gun Spinners Hall of Fame in 2003, the Golden Boot Award in 2004, and gained recognition in the Oklahoma Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s hall of fame in 2008. Johnny Mack Brown died in his home in California at the age of 70 on November 14th, 1974. In 2005 this marker was erected in honor of his memory by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, the Dothan Landmark Foundation, and the City of Dothan. This marker stands in front of one of Dothan’s many murals, this particular one depicting Johnny Mack Brown and featuring him riding a horse as well as a portrait of him. Today the city of Dothan celebrates Johnny Mack Brown and the Western genre with the Johnny Mack Brown Western Festival, held each May in Landmark Park.

This historical marker was erected in memory of Johnny Mack Brown, a Dothan native, college athlete, and a cowboy western movie star. Brown was born in Dothan on September 1st, 1904, to John Henry and Hattie McGillivray Brown and was one of their nine children. In high school Brown excelled as an athlete, gaining a football scholarship to the University of Alabama. During his time at the university, he helped push the team to win over the University of Washington in the 1926 Rose Bowl, thrusting him into the football spotlight. Resulting from this, the media attention that he had garnered gained the attention of Hollywood director and producer King Vidor. Brown participated in and won a Hollywood screen test, scoring him a contract with MGM Studios. The following year in 1927 Johnny Mack Brown debuted in his first film “Slide Kelly, Slide” followed by the film “Bugle Call.” Brown would play parts in light comedies and romantic films at first, eventually moving into westerns in the mid-1930s. Between 1933 and 1943 Brown would change studios multiple times, eventually finding his way to Monogram Pictures. From 1943 to 1953 Brown was a top cowboy star and one of the top ten biggest money-makers in B westerns of the era. Johnny Mack Brown’s career would end along with the B Western Film bubble in 1953, having acted in a total of 165 movie productions. Brown died in his California home at the age of 70 due to heart failure on November 14th, 1974. This marker was erected by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Dothan Landmark Foundation, and the City of Dothan in 2005. Today the city honors Brown’s memory with the Johnny Mack Brown Western Festival, held in May in Landmark Park.


Historic Downtown Dothan Walking Tour

Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information