The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-24
UNWILLING OF Sf. STEPHENS BOlIDER SET FOR THJRSDAY
Prominent Speakers Will Be Present at Marking of His toric SBOt-MiIler to
 AGt for State

Montgomery, September ss.-tspe- aL)-Th>e site of old St Stephens will be dttingly marked next Thurs day with a boulder to denote it's great Importance in the early his- tory of Alabama. Distinguished speakers will be present at the un- veHing of the monument which has been made possible through the ef- forts of the Alabama centennial commission and the patriotic citi- zens of Washington county.
 Hundreds of citizens from ecsth Alabama and elsewhere are expected to be present at the dedication. Mrs. Marie B. Owen. secretary of the conn., mission, and director of the depart \ ment of archives and History. will preside. Judge B. D. Turner of chatom will deliver the dedicatory address. The presentation of the site will be formally made by J. M. Pel- ham. Lieut.. Gov. Nathan L. Miller will receive the boulder in the name of the state.
 Others who viii participate in the speaking will be Congressman John McDuffie. who will have the subject, Our Port and Rivers" and Mrs. Bibb Graves, member of the Ala bama centennial commission. who will review the work of the commits sion since its creation by the iegis- Iature The invocation will be of- fered by Rev. B. E. Avinger and the address of welcome will be made by E. RI. Slaughter, an official of Wash ington county.
 The occasion will be utilised for gathering data concerning the loca- tion which is so rich in the early history of the state. Hon. Ptolomy T. Harris, a direct descendant of one of the early settlers of old St. Steph- ems, will review the remains of Lov- CTS Leap. R. N. Blount, member of the legislature from Washington county, and other citizens will give their historical recoliections. The benediction will be pronounced by Rev M. Conneli A picnic dinner will be served on the site of the old town, now uninhabited, and guides will di- rect the visitors to the spots of in- terest.
 Old St. Stephens
 The town of St. Stephens had its beginning before the state was cre- ated. In 17Se 1t was established as c Spanish fort and was evacuated to the United States in 179s. When Ala bama. formerly a part of Missis- sippt territory, was, in 1877, created Alabama territory, St. Stephens was designated as the territorial capital. Here was located the United States court and land offices and for many years the seat of justice of Wash ington county.
 At that place resided during his term of office William ". Bibb. who was the first territorial governor. The government had one of its six southern factories or warehouses at St. Stephens and George s. Gaines was factor. Among other distinguish ed men who lived at St. stephens was John Crowell, who was Ala bama's territorial delegate to Con- gress and her first representative in that national body. The town was located upon the high bluffs of the Tombigbee river. but on account of its remoteness from the activities of the state it fell into decay and is now completely obliterated.
 It is the intention of the commis- s sion to cooperate with local citi- zens throughout the state in marking the several capital sites, the unmark- ed graves of deceased governors and other historic parks and spots.
 The monument at St. Stephens is a granite boulder lying five feet in length by three feet in height and is suitably inscribed with historical data. The expense was borne jointly by the commission and the citizens of Washington county. On account of the distance of the old spot from railroads and good roads the bould- CT was carried by boat up the Ala bama river into the Tombigbee and raised by block and tackle to the high bluffs where it was placed in a con- crete foundation. A good road will be built leading from the new town of St. Stephens. two miles away. so that tourists and interested citizens may have access to the historic spot and receive patriotic inspiration from the facts recorded upon the stone.
 Work of Commission
 The Alabama centennial commits sion was created by act of the legis- lature February IT. 1919. and Is com posed of Gov. Thomas B. Kilby, chairman; Mrs. Thomas M. Owen, secretary and historian: Dr. John W. Abercrombie. Dr. Thomas c. McCor- vey. pr. George Petrie. Fitzhugh Lee and Mrs. Bibb Graves.
 The purpose of the commission was to commemorate the Tooth anni- versary of the admission of the state into the union. While the program began in 1e19 the centennial date it has been continued to tho present time and will be carried forward in- definitely. In the summer of 1921 . marble boulder, suitably inscribed. was erected at old Cahaba, which was the first capital site, on which still stands the ruins of ante bellum mansions. flowing fountains and pulp lie buildings Cahaba was abandoned as the state capital on account of being subject to the overflow waters at the confluence of the Alabama mad CahabA rivers.