COLLECTION OF ALABAMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY EPHEMERA: Annual Address Before the Historical Society of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa, July 13th, 1858 by N. L. Whitfield (Tuscaloosa: J. F. Warren, 1858); Alabama Historical Reporter (22 issues); and Administrative Circulars (10 Circulars) by Alabama Historical Society - 1905

Tuscaloosa, AL, 1905. Original Wrappers. Very Good binding. Octavos. Pagination varies. Original self-wrappers. Varying degrees of wear. Most with creases from folding. But generally, in very good condition.

The society was organized in 1850. It's constitution clearly outlines its goals: "The object of the society is to discover, procure, preserve, and diffuse whatever may relate to the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the State of Alabama, and of the States in connection with her." And in this it was fairly successful until all activities were suspended during the Civil War. The society continued, punctuated by moments of enthusiasm and productivity into the first decade of the 20th century when it ceased in 1905.

Included in this collection are the following: "Annual Address Before the Historical Society of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa, July 13th, 1858," by N. L. Whitfield (Tuscaloosa: J. F. Warren, 1858), here with a presentation inscription by Thomas M. Owen, Alabama archivist and bibliographer. A nearly complete run of the Alabama Historical Reporter, which was issued from 1879 to 1885. Present here include Vol. 1, Nos. 1, 2, 8, 10; Vol. 2, Nos. 2-12 (with some duplicates), Vol. 3, Nos. 1-7 (complete, with some duplication). Lacking only six issues of Volume 1 and the first issue of Volume 2. Each issue is between 4 and 8 pages, composed of both administrative material and addresses related to Alabama history including early exploration and Native American history in the Southeast. And 10 "Administrative Circulars" (1898-1905), Nos. 1, 2, 4-8, & 10-12, that offer a glimpse of the final years of the Society as well as No. 2 being a Prospectus for Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society, 1850-1897. A work that according to Goodspeed was to be the first of several volumes, but this first volume was never published. Owen identifies it as "In Press" at the time his bibliography was issued. OCLC corroborates Goodspeed in that it was never published (Goodspeed 544-001). Rare group of papers and ephemera that span most of the Society's existence. Owen p. 1243-48.