Historical marker describes small Wilcox County town with unique name

The 'Pine Apple Historic District' historical marker.

This week’s featured historical marker is the “PINE APPLE HISTORIC DISTRICT” marker in Wilcox County, Ala. This marker is located at the intersection of State Highway 10 and Ruthven Cutoff in Pine Apple, Ala.

This Alabama Historical Commission marker was erected by Pine Apple Promotions in 2005. There’s text on both sides of the marker, but both sides are the same. What follows in the complete text from the marker:

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“PINE APPLE HISTORIC DISTRICT: PINE APPLE, ALABAMA: Founded in 1825, the town of Pine Apple became a regional commercial center due to its strategic location as the end of the Selma to Pensacola Railroad line from 1871 to the 1890s. The progressive spirit of Pine Apple during the centennial period, 1850 to 1950, is reflected in its historic commercial, residential, civic, educational and religious architecture, namely the Bank of Pine Apple building, Pine Apple Water Tower and Waterworks building, Moore Academy, Matheson Community Library, Pine Apple Methodist Church and Friendship Baptist Church. Residential architecture ranges from 19th century cottages and early 20th century bungalows to more academic application of the Creek Revival, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles.

“In contrast to the surrounding relics of a sleepy antebellum plantation south, the historic buildings of Pine Apple spark images of a bustling Deep South mercantile and educational center at the turn of the 20th century.

“In all, the Pine Apple Historic District, entered into the National Register of Historic Places on Feb. 26, 1999, includes 73 properties from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.”

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As mentioned on the marker, the Pine Apple Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. This district encompasses 3,350 acres and 55 buildings and structures. The district is roughly bounded by Adams Drive, Banana Street, Broad Street, Wilcox County Road 59, County Road 7 and County Road 61.

Pine Apple has only one other listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the Col. J.R. Hawthorne House, which was added to the register on March 7, 1985. Built in 1854 by Ezra Plumb for North Carolina native Joseph Richard Hawthorne, this house was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on Nov. 9, 1992. This house is located on the west side of Broad Street, about four-tenths of a mile north of Pine Apple Town Hall.

I’ve often wondered how Pine Apple got its name, and according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, the origin of the town’s name is uncertain. A community called Friendship was located in the area as early as 1820, but when it came time to name the town’s new post office in 1851, they had to pick another name because there was already another town in Alabama called Friendship. Some think that residents picked the name Pine Apple because this fruit symbolizes friendship. However, others think they chose the name because of all the apple and pine trees in the area.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another 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.