Delmar, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Delmar is a small, rural
, unincorporated community
in west-central Winston County
, United States
. Delmar is located six miles north of Natural Bridge
five miles south of Haleyville
and 15 miles west of Double Springs
, the county seat
of what was once the "Free State of Winston."
Delmar has an elevation
of 881 feet above sea level
.
Level." Presumably, the community was called Frog Level because of the swamp
y land that existed around the area at the time. In the 19th century, the citizens of Frog Level asked the U. S. Postal Service to open a post office
in their community, since the nearest post office was in Ark (where Needmore, Alabama is currently located). Their request was denied because there was another Frog Level, Alabama (now Fayette, Alabama
) and it already had a post office. In order to get a post office, the citizens of the Frog Level in Winston County had to change their town's name. Around 1887, the town began to be known as "Delmar."
The exact origins of the name "Delmar" are unknown. A popular belief holds that a construction engineer with the railroad had a retired race horse
by the name of "Delmar" or "Del Mar" (Spanish
for "from the sea"). The horse was well known and loved by the community. When work on the railroad was completed around 1887, the community was renamed after the race horse.
Another popular belief is that Delmar was named for a different reason. When you spell Delmar backwards, you get the name, "Ramled." Many believe that this was named for all of the wild rams that were found in the Delmar woods in the late 19th century. Either way, no one is exactly sure how the name was formed.
After notifying the U. S. Postal Service of its name change, Delmar's first post office was opened on September 1, 1887. Newton L. Powell was the first Postmaster
of Delmar. The current post office building was erected in 1971, during the service of Postmaster Mrs. Martha Roberts Stewart.
Today, the name of the town of Delmar is pronounced "Delmer."
, Delmar was not always the sleepy little community it is today. During the Coal Mining
boom of the 19th century, there were several saloons
in Delmar. Reportedly, Delmar was as lively as a town out of the Wild West
, complete with drunken bar room brawls.
Byler Road was completed through Winston County in 1820. The historic highway, which ran through parts of what are today Delmar, Natural Bridge
, Lynn
, and Haleyville
, connected the towns of northern Alabama with Tuscaloosa
, which at the time was the capital of Alabama.
When Alabama seceded
from the Union
in 1861, the people of Winston County did not want to fight their Northern or Southern brothers and wanted to remain neutral in the Civil War
. They decided that if a state
could secede from the nation
, then a county
could secede from a state, and formed "Free State of Winston."
The people of neighboring counties called the people of Winston County Tories (Northern sympathizers).
During the closing phases of the Civil War
, Union troops made their way through Winston County on parts of what today are Winston County Road 17. Union troops set up their camps on the side of the road. Today, the road is better known as "Yankee
Trace Road."
After the Civil War, a rail line
was built from Sheffield, Alabama
to Delmar by the Northern Alabama Railroad. After several years, a rail line was built from Parrish, Alabama
to Delmar. This allowed rail service from Birmingham to the Shoals area. Today, Norfolk Southern Railway
still runs cargo
trains through Delmar.
On the night of April 3, 1974, Delmar was struck by a deadly tornado
, as were communities in 12 other states and Canada
during the Super Outbreak
. One person died
in Delmar as a result of the tornado. Several homes and other structures were destroyed. Many homes that suffered little or no direct damage were withoutelectricity, telephone
, and water
service for several days.
In January 1993, the people of Delmar decided to establish a volunteer fire department
for their community. Currently, the department has 30 firefighters, two pumpers and two tankers and a brush truck. The current Fire Chief is Keith Tolkacevic.
In 1998, MSR Forest Products built a large plant in Delmar. Today, it employs over 100 people.
On January 27, 2000, Delmar received its first visit from a U.S. Senator
when Richard Shelby visited the small Winston County town.
Like so many small towns and communities in Alabama, Delmar has experienced times of economic boom and bust over the past 100 years. Today, Delmar is experiencing somewhat of an economic upturn with several businesses opening in and around Delmar.
raiding party. Reportedly, his body was thrown over a cliff. He was buried in the Union Grove cemetery
in Delmar.
PFC
John Hoggle was Winston County's hero in World War I
. He was an engineer
in Company D of the 123rd Infantry who received the Distinguished Service Cross
on April 8, 1919 for bridging the Meuse River
near the France-Belgium border on November 4, 1918. He was also cited for bravery while he was in the St. Mehiel offensive in September, 1918 and in the Meuse Argonne offensive in October, 1918. He was killed in 1947 and is buried in the Hoggle Cemetery just west of Delmar.
Perhaps the most famous person from Delmar is Federal Judge
Frank Johnson, Jr. Although Johnson was born in Delmar in 1918, he was reared and attended school in nearby Haleyville. He served in World War II, after which he began a law career. In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
appointed him to a federal judgeship in Alabama. Almost immediately, Johnson was hearing important cases of the civil rights era. In a ruling involving the Montgomery Bus Boycott
, he ruled that racial segregation
of public transport
ation was illegal. Johnson often locked horns with Alabama Governor George Wallace
over racial issues. In 1965, Johnson ordered Wallace to allow civil rights protesters to march from Selma, Alabama
to Montgomery, Alabama
. He was often targeted because of his rulings. In 1967, his mother's house was bombed. In July, 1999, at the age of 80, Johnson died at his Montgomery residence. He was buried in the Winston Memorial Cemetery near Haleyville.
There are five churches in the Delmar area. Delmar Baptist Church, Union Grove Baptist Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Bethel #2 Baptist Church, and Botush Freewill Baptist Church.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
, unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in west-central Winston County
Winston County, Alabama
Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858.Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Delmar is located six miles north of Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge, Alabama
Natural Bridge is a town at the southwest edge of Winston County, Alabama, United States, located near the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and Alabama Highway 13. The population was 28 at the 2000 census...
five miles south of Haleyville
Haleyville, Alabama
Haleyville is a city in Winston and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. Most of the city is located in Winston County, with a small portion of the western limits entering Marion County. Haleyville was originally named Davis Cross Roads, having been established at the crossroads of Byler...
and 15 miles west of Double Springs
Double Springs, Alabama
Double Springs is a town in Winston County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,003. The city is the county seat of Winston County.- Geography :Double Springs is located at .According to the U.S...
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of what was once the "Free State of Winston."
Republic of Winston
The "Republic" of Winston was one of several places in the Confederate States of America where disaffection during the American Civil War was strong...
Delmar has an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 881 feet above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Origins of the name "Delmar"
Delmar was originally called "FrogFrog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
Level." Presumably, the community was called Frog Level because of the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y land that existed around the area at the time. In the 19th century, the citizens of Frog Level asked the U. S. Postal Service to open a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in their community, since the nearest post office was in Ark (where Needmore, Alabama is currently located). Their request was denied because there was another Frog Level, Alabama (now Fayette, Alabama
Fayette, Alabama
Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Alabama, United States. The 2000 census lists the population as 4,922. The city is the county seat of Fayette County.-Geography:Fayette is located at .According to the U.S...
) and it already had a post office. In order to get a post office, the citizens of the Frog Level in Winston County had to change their town's name. Around 1887, the town began to be known as "Delmar."
The exact origins of the name "Delmar" are unknown. A popular belief holds that a construction engineer with the railroad had a retired race horse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
by the name of "Delmar" or "Del Mar" (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "from the sea"). The horse was well known and loved by the community. When work on the railroad was completed around 1887, the community was renamed after the race horse.
Another popular belief is that Delmar was named for a different reason. When you spell Delmar backwards, you get the name, "Ramled." Many believe that this was named for all of the wild rams that were found in the Delmar woods in the late 19th century. Either way, no one is exactly sure how the name was formed.
After notifying the U. S. Postal Service of its name change, Delmar's first post office was opened on September 1, 1887. Newton L. Powell was the first Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Delmar. The current post office building was erected in 1971, during the service of Postmaster Mrs. Martha Roberts Stewart.
Today, the name of the town of Delmar is pronounced "Delmer."
19th century history
According to legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
, Delmar was not always the sleepy little community it is today. During the Coal Mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
boom of the 19th century, there were several saloons
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
in Delmar. Reportedly, Delmar was as lively as a town out of the Wild West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, complete with drunken bar room brawls.
Byler Road was completed through Winston County in 1820. The historic highway, which ran through parts of what are today Delmar, Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge, Alabama
Natural Bridge is a town at the southwest edge of Winston County, Alabama, United States, located near the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and Alabama Highway 13. The population was 28 at the 2000 census...
, Lynn
Lynn, Alabama
Lynn is a town in Winston County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 597.-Geography:Lynn is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, and Haleyville
Haleyville, Alabama
Haleyville is a city in Winston and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. Most of the city is located in Winston County, with a small portion of the western limits entering Marion County. Haleyville was originally named Davis Cross Roads, having been established at the crossroads of Byler...
, connected the towns of northern Alabama with Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, which at the time was the capital of Alabama.
When Alabama seceded
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
in 1861, the people of Winston County did not want to fight their Northern or Southern brothers and wanted to remain neutral in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. They decided that if a state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
could secede from the nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, then a county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
could secede from a state, and formed "Free State of Winston."
Republic of Winston
The "Republic" of Winston was one of several places in the Confederate States of America where disaffection during the American Civil War was strong...
The people of neighboring counties called the people of Winston County Tories (Northern sympathizers).
During the closing phases of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Union troops made their way through Winston County on parts of what today are Winston County Road 17. Union troops set up their camps on the side of the road. Today, the road is better known as "Yankee
Yankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
Trace Road."
After the Civil War, a rail line
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
was built from Sheffield, Alabama
Sheffield, Alabama
Sheffield is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States, and is included in The Shoals MSA. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 9,652. Sheffield is the birthplace of notable attorney, actor, former senator and presidential contender Fred Thompson...
to Delmar by the Northern Alabama Railroad. After several years, a rail line was built from Parrish, Alabama
Parrish, Alabama
Parrish is a town in Walker County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,268.A long-track EF3 tornado struck Parrish on April 24, 2010. The rotation later crossed into Cordova, and Empire, a town northeast of Sumiton on Highway 78...
to Delmar. This allowed rail service from Birmingham to the Shoals area. Today, Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
still runs cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
trains through Delmar.
20th century and recent history
In the late 1960s, Marshall Durbin built its regional headquarters in Delmar.On the night of April 3, 1974, Delmar was struck by a deadly tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
, as were communities in 12 other states and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during the Super Outbreak
Super Outbreak
The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period, just behind the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, 2011...
. One person died
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
in Delmar as a result of the tornado. Several homes and other structures were destroyed. Many homes that suffered little or no direct damage were withoutelectricity, telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, and water
Water industry
The water industry provides drinking water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy. The water industry includes manufacturers and suppliers of bottled water...
service for several days.
In January 1993, the people of Delmar decided to establish a volunteer fire department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
for their community. Currently, the department has 30 firefighters, two pumpers and two tankers and a brush truck. The current Fire Chief is Keith Tolkacevic.
In 1998, MSR Forest Products built a large plant in Delmar. Today, it employs over 100 people.
On January 27, 2000, Delmar received its first visit from a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
when Richard Shelby visited the small Winston County town.
Like so many small towns and communities in Alabama, Delmar has experienced times of economic boom and bust over the past 100 years. Today, Delmar is experiencing somewhat of an economic upturn with several businesses opening in and around Delmar.
Notable residents
Tom Pink Curtis was the Probate Judge of Winston County when the Civil War started. He was one of the main supporters of Winston County's withdrawal from the state. On January 26, 1864, he was robbed and killed by a ConfederateConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
raiding party. Reportedly, his body was thrown over a cliff. He was buried in the Union Grove cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Delmar.
PFC
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
John Hoggle was Winston County's hero in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
in Company D of the 123rd Infantry who received the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
on April 8, 1919 for bridging the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
near the France-Belgium border on November 4, 1918. He was also cited for bravery while he was in the St. Mehiel offensive in September, 1918 and in the Meuse Argonne offensive in October, 1918. He was killed in 1947 and is buried in the Hoggle Cemetery just west of Delmar.
Perhaps the most famous person from Delmar is Federal Judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
Frank Johnson, Jr. Although Johnson was born in Delmar in 1918, he was reared and attended school in nearby Haleyville. He served in World War II, after which he began a law career. In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
appointed him to a federal judgeship in Alabama. Almost immediately, Johnson was hearing important cases of the civil rights era. In a ruling involving the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and social protest campaign that started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, intended to oppose the city's policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. Many important figures in the civil rights movement were involved in the boycott,...
, he ruled that racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
of public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
ation was illegal. Johnson often locked horns with Alabama Governor George Wallace
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...
over racial issues. In 1965, Johnson ordered Wallace to allow civil rights protesters to march from Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
to Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. He was often targeted because of his rulings. In 1967, his mother's house was bombed. In July, 1999, at the age of 80, Johnson died at his Montgomery residence. He was buried in the Winston Memorial Cemetery near Haleyville.
There are five churches in the Delmar area. Delmar Baptist Church, Union Grove Baptist Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Bethel #2 Baptist Church, and Botush Freewill Baptist Church.
External links
- Delmar is covered by the Northwest Alabamian Newspaper.
- Delmar's Website
- Delmar Volunteer Fire Department