Historical marker describes old school at Perdue Hill, Ala.

This week’s featured historical marker is the “PERDUE HILL INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL” marker between Perdue Hill and Claiborne in Monroe County, Ala.

This marker is located between the communities of Perdue Hill and Claiborne on the north side of U.S. Highway 84, about one mile west of the intersection of that highway and Monroe County Road 1. The marker is located in front of a small park area that includes a covered pavilion where reunions are held periodically. The GPS coordinates for the marker are 31° 31.514′ N, 87° 30.131′ W.

There’s printing on both sides of this marker, both sides are identical. This marker was erected by the Alabama Historical Association in 1996. What follows is the complete text from the marker:

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“PERDUE HILL INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL: The Perdue Hill Industrial School was founded by Patrick J. Carmichael after he moved to this area in 1918. Carmichael acted as both the principal and teacher during the early years of the school, which was originally a one-room structure serving 11 students. The State of Alabama provided $75 annually towards school operating costs, and students paid a tuition of $25 each year. When money ran short for the African American children that the school served, tuition was often paid with chickens or cans of syrup. Over the next 46 years, Carmichael was instrumental in the growth of the school, which ultimately reached 12 rooms which provided educational space for 250 students and 10 teachers. The school closed in 1964, and Carmichael was honored in 1968 by the Alabama State Senate for ‘outstanding accomplishments and contributions to humankind.’”

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For those of you unfamiliar with Perdue Hill, it’s an unincorporated community in western Monroe County. It’s the current home of the oldest building in Monroe County, the Old Masonic Lodge No. 3 building, which was originally located at Claiborne. Claiborne is another unincorporated community in western Monroe County, just a few miles west of Perdue Hill. It’s the quintessential “ghost town.” At it’s peak, in the early 1800s, it was the home of between 5,000 and 6,000 residents. Due to the decline in riverboat traffic, the rise of the railroads and yellow fever, the town dried up over the years. Today, the community is sparsely populated.

The historical marker mentioned above is in the vicinity of a number of other historical markers. There are two markers at Perdue Hill and also a couple at Claiborne. The two at Perdue Hill describe the Old Masonic Lodge No. 3 and the home of William Barrett Travis, the ill-fated hero of the Alamo. The markers at Claiborne describe the old military fort that was located there in the early 1800s and the town that was once located there.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another local historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.