Navy stone just one of Selma’s many markers
Published 12:00 am Friday, January 21, 2005
As one of Alabama’s most historic, and oldest cities, Selma possesses at least its share of commemorative markers, historic as well as In Memoriam.
How many and their location is perhaps unknown, but this is an excellent subject for a tourism brochure.
To assist with this yet unannounced project, each Friday until the detailing of such monuments is completed, The Times-Journal will the story of them, one at a time, in Slice of Selma.
Today, we begin with the large boulder marker on the grounds of Old Depot Museum, at the corner of Martin Luther King Street and Water Avenue. So stated:
“This boulder marks the site of the Selma Navy Yard and the Ordnance Works destroyed by the Federals in 1865.
It is placed in honor of the memory of hundreds of faithful men who made these great works a base for war material for the entire Confederate Army and Navy:
Capt. Catesby ap Roger Jones
Capt. David DeHaven
Lieut C.C. Sims
Lieut N.H. VanZant
Charles F. Fahrs, M.D.
James Thomas, M.D.
W.M. Ladd
Simeon Reardon
George Peacock
Simon Gay
A.E. Reimer
Here were cast some of the largest cannon ever made in America and here were built under the command of Commodore E. Farrand the battleship Tennessee and several gunboats which took part in the Battle of Mobile Bay, 1869.
Erected by Alabama Division United Daughters of the Confederacy AD 1917.”