School kids know it.  Tour guides know it.  But the current nomination of the Twickenham Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places makes no mention that our city was founded by a Twickenham resident or that several of Alabama's early governors resided in the Twickenham neighborhood.  The nomination makes no mention of influential congressmen and senators who lived (and live) in Twickenham, nor of noted residents such as Thomas Fearn or Maria Howard Weeden whose scientific discoveries and artistic talents brought international acclaim and recognition to the Huntsville area.  In a historic district with a stunning array of architectural styles, the nomination provides no architectural descriptions nor does it identify any of the archittects whose work graces the neighborhood.

 

The purpose of a National Register listing is to document the historical, architectural, and cultural resources of a site, building, or district.  Because the Twickenham Historic District was listed in 1973 - just a few years after the program began and was still evolving - the requirements for listing were not fully formed.  Unfortunately, this means many of our nation's most important historic districts listed during this period - including Twickenham - have National Register nominations that inadequately capture the significance of their historic resources.

 

A resurvey of the Twickenham Historic District will ensure the district's architectural, historical, and cultural significance is captured and documented to modern National Park Service standards.  In the final resurvey, each home will be identified with a building date, full architectural description, and architect, if possible.  The nomination will contain a comprehensive, fully sourced and documented history of the district that shows Twickenham residents' contributions to state, national, and international events.

 

To aid in the research portion of the survey, New South Associates, the cultural resource management firm conducting the survey, is asking for anyone with architectural or historical information about Twickenham properties to contact HHF at historicfoundation@gmail.com and we will pass along any information we receive.  Let this be a fun, collaborative experience as we learn more about the intricate and significant histories of this treasured neighborhood!