William Lindsey McDonald papers, 1927-2009 | UNA Archives and Special Collections

By Dixie Norwood

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Collection Overview

Title: William Lindsey McDonald papers, 1927-2009

Primary Creator: William Lindsey McDonald papers, 1927-2009

Extent: 60.0 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: The Collection arranged into series.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The William Lindsey McDonald Collection (1927-2009; eighty-one boxes) is part of the research collection of William Lindsey McDonald, alumnus of the University of North Alabama, Florence City (AL) historian, and author. Research includes notes, correspondence, ephemera, scrapbooks, duplicated manuscripts, organizational minutes, artifacts, and numerous photographs. Most of the materials relate to the history of the Shoals area. Research articles related to Alabama and surrounding states also are part of this collection. Some materials are personal in nature, particularly those related to family history.

Biographical Note

William Lindsey (Bill) McDonald (June 7, 1927- June 20, 2009) was a native of Florence, Alabama. A lover of history since he was a young boy, bill McDonald was known for his in-depth knowledge of the area's history. A tireless researcher, he served as the Florence City Historian beginning in 1989 and authored or co-authored fifteen books and innumerable articles in magazines, newspapers and periodicals. After serving in World War II, Dr. McDonald received a degree in business administration from Florence State Teachers College (now UNA) in 1952. He was a member of the first graduation class of the new ROTC program and after graduation from college he left to serve as a Second Lieutenant in the Korean War. after reitirng as Army Reserve Colonel with thirty-eight years of sevice, Dr. McDonald had assignments on the staffs of the Provost Marshal General and the Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel at the Pentagon. In addition to his Florence State degree, Dr. McDonald graduated from the Army's Command and General Staff College (1974), the Industrical College of the Armed Forces (1975); and pursued seminary studies in the United Methodist Church.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical],
[Series 2: Organizations],
[Series 3: Correpondence],
[Series 4: Speeches],
[Series 5: Writings],
[Series 6: Sermons],
[Series 7: Research Articles],
[Series 8: Historic Sites],
[Series 9: Historic Sites--Lauderdale County],
[Series 10: Lauderdale County History],
[Series 11: East Lauderdale],
[Series 12: West Lauderdale],
[Series 13: Cloverdale],
[Series 14: Green Hill],
[Series 15: Pickwick],
[Series 16: St. Florian],
[Series 17: Waterloo],
[Series 18: Florence History],
[Series 19: Florence Lauderdale Public Library],
[Series 20: East Florence],
[Series 21: Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital],
[Series 22: Colbert County/Muscle Shoals],
[Series 23: Gilbert Plantation Records],
[Series 24: Wilson Dam/TVA],
[[information restricted]],
[Series 26: University of North Alabama],
[Series 27: Factories and Mills],
[Series 28: Churches],
[Series 29: Lauderdale County Families],
[Series 30: Families],
[Series 31: Prominent Persons],
[Series 32: John Coffee],
[Series 34: Patton and Weeden Families],
[Series 35: Black Residents in the Shoals],
[Series 36: Veterans],
[Series 37: Indian Collection],
[Series 38: Civil War Materials],
[Series 42: Journals],
[Series 39: Alabama],
[Series 41: Maps],
[Series 33: Jackson Family],
[Series 40: Tennessee],
[Series 43: Image Collection Index],
[All]

Series 22: Colbert County/Muscle Shoals

Box 28

Folder 1: "Scientific Age" by Nancy Beard
Folder 2: History of Florence, Lauderdale, Wilson Dam, & N. TRHTS Plants (c. 1925) "The Power City at Wilson Dam Muscle Shoals": Edited by AJ Wilste, Advertising by R.R. Humphries
Folder 3: "Reflections of Muscle Shoals History" Vol VI
Folder 4: Colbert County--Leighton, AL
Folder 5: Colbert County--Miscellaneous
Folder 6: Colbert County History--Miscellaneous
Folder 7: "History of Muscle Shoals, Pictures of Wilson Dam" by W.R. McKerall
Folder 8: Muscle Shoals Reconsidered
Folder 9: Muscle Shoals Reconsidered
Folder 10: Brief History of Franklin and Colbert Counties
Folder 11: "Addenda on Mussel vs. Muscle" by Ralph W. Dexter
Folder 12: Robbery of the Muscle Shoals Canal by Jesse James
Folder 13: Colbert County--"North Alabama Railroad Club Transportation Museum" (Sheffield, Ala,)
Folder 14: Colbert County--"Welcome to Cherokee Alabama" (1990)
Folder 15: Colbert County--Mrs. Rosa Stine's Reminiscences (Tuscumbia)
Folder 16: Historic Sites--Colbert County--Miscellaneous
Folder 17: 1820 Census of Franklin (Present Day Colbert County) and Official Register (1817-1819)
Folder 18: Distinguished Men, Women, and Families of Franklin County, Alabama
Folder 19: Notes on Historic Homes in Cherokee, Leighton, and Colbert County Part 1 & 2
Folder 20: Sheffield of Today
Folder 21: Sheffield--City on the Bluff (1885-1985
Folder 22: "An Industrial Actuality--Muscle Shoals" (Pamphlet)
Folder 23: "Brown Funeral Homes and Insurance Co., Inc." (Pamphlet)
Folder 24: Census of Sheffield, Alabama--City Cemetery (1933)
Folder 25: "Introduction to Colbert County, Alabama"
Folder 26: FAME Studio
Folder 27: Colbert County History
Folder 28: Colbert County History
Folder 29: Colbert County History--Tuscumbia, Courtland, and Decatur Railroad

Box 29

Folder 1: Colbert and Franklin Geneaologies
Folder 2: Colbert and Franklin Geneaologies
Folder 3: History of Tuscumbia by James Jackson (1972)
Folder 4: LaGrange Cemetery
Folder 5: Ethel Davis and Arts News Clippings
Folder 6: Early History of Tuscumbia, Alabama
Folder 7: Tuscumbia's 70 Years Fued Emerges into a Violent and Deadly Gunfight, Late 1800's
Folder 8: Wintson, Mary C. Diary (Tuscumbia, Ala. 1852-1854)
Folder 9: Muscle Shoals
Folder 10: Early Muscle Shoals--Schools, Religion, Homes, etc.
Folder 11: West Colbert County Wills
Folder 12: Soil Survey--Colbert County, Alabama (1939)