Save the Daniel Pratt Gin Factory

Save the Daniel Pratt Gin Factory We are at risk of losing one of the premier, most significant historic industrial buildings in the S Everyone can help!

Contact developers or individuals you may know who are interested in historic redevelopment. You may know someone who might be able to purchase the property to hold it ( and save it ) until a developer could be found. Or you may contact the mayor and council members and let them know you support them in taking necessary measures to save this historic property. In the 1960's, Daniel Pratt's home wa

s demolished. This time it could be the Pratt Gin Company complex in historic downtown Prattville. These are not just any old mill buildings in disrepair. They are nationally recognized and regarded as some of the most historically significant industrial buildings in the country, not only because of their past, but also for the impact Daniel Pratt had on bringing industry to the Southeast

We recently learned that these historic buildings may be sold to a Texas salvage company in early 2012! The salvage company wants the handmade bricks, the heart pine timbers and flooring. The current owners are working with a few private parties as well as the City of Prattville to develop a plan to save these important buildings. The demolition of these historic buildings would be a tremendous loss, not only to the city of Prattville, but the entire Southeast. Daniel Pratt came to Alabama in 1833 to build and sell cotton gins. In reality, he became one of the most influential persons in southern history, changing the economic landscape from a purely agriculture economy to an industrial one. This man was ahead of his time in his vision for the South to be self-reliant and financially independent. Because of his multiple industries in Prattville, in the 1850's Prattville was noted as the most industrialized town of its size by the Debows Review, a national business journal, and that was comparing it to the industrial northeast! Pratt is also known for being the lead developer of the coal and iron industries in the Birmingham area. His son-in-law, Henry Fairchild DeBardelaben continued Pratt's vision in the Birmingham area, following Pratt's death. You might say that Pratt was Alabama's first economic developer as he recruited industries for the state including railroads and banking. Whether you truly understand and appreciate the importance of these buildings and their past, or you merely see the potential that the buildings hold as a re-purposed downtown development, we need your help in preserving them until a plan is in place to redevelop them. For additional information call:

Ann C Boutwell
334-365-9521
[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ghkiG6k497pzS2QE/?mibextid=WC7FNe
08/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ghkiG6k497pzS2QE/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Malia Riggs Elmore Autauga News The Autauga County Heritage Association beat the rain and hosted the annual Founders Day celebration at Pratt Cemetery. Daniel Pratt, the man and myth that shaped and paved the way for Prattville to become the city it is today. Pratt was one of the first to establish....

The best party of the year is fast approaching! Your attendance benefits the continuing preservation of our tremendous l...
05/07/2024

The best party of the year is fast approaching! Your attendance benefits the continuing preservation of our tremendous local history!

Mark your calendars for a great night of fun! Your attendance supports historic preservation in our community! Always a great evening!

05/01/2024

Mark your calendars for a great night of fun! Your attendance supports historic preservation in our community! Always a great evening!

AUTAUGA COUNTY HERITAGE WALKS THE TALK WHEN IT COMES TO PRESERVATION!May is National Preservation Month. ACHA wants to s...
05/01/2024

AUTAUGA COUNTY HERITAGE WALKS THE TALK WHEN IT COMES TO PRESERVATION!
May is National Preservation Month. ACHA wants to share some of the preservation efforts it has undertaken over the years, showing the before & after photos of some of the buildings. (Unfortunately, we will have to play a game of sorts to choose the before & after of some of the buildings since I could not figure how to move photos once on Facebook!)
Since 1976, ACHA has endeavored to rescue and preserve the history of Prattville & Autauga County. The Prattaugan Museum building was a gift to the City by the Rice family with the stipulation it become a museum and ACHA jumped at the opportunity to fill it with our local history to share with the community.
ACHA had managed the plantation home, Buena Vista, while it was under ownership of Union Camp from the early 1990s. The Heritage Assn. furnished the home with beautiful antiques and have added historically significant pieces to the collection. The tall poster bed was in the Pratt home and was contributed by a local Pratt descendant. The recent gift of the mahogany secretary desk belonged to Daniel Pratt and was passed down through four generations of Merrill Pratt descendants. Included in this donation was a captain’s chair, one of 12 Merrill Pratt had made at the Gin Shop.
Another long time citizen of Prattville donated a beautiful heart-pine poster & canopied bed that had come down through the family which was known to have been made at the Gin Shop ( possibly at the Door, Sash & Blind shop that also advertised furniture for sale). All pieces are truly historical antiques which ACHA is grateful to have in their collections.

In the early 1990s, ACHA raised $8000 to restore the 1800s carved Rosewood grand piano found in the parlor at BV. It presently is played at many events at BV!

In 2006, International Paper gifted Buena Vista to the Heritage Assn! A wonderful gift but now the full responsibility fell on ACHA to preserve & maintain this exquisite house (prior to this, Union Camp took care of the exterior of the home with the interior being ACHA’s responsibility). Under the outstanding leadership of association president Don Edgeworth, BV has benefited from grant awards which has allowed the restoration of the home. Needed restrooms were also added in a stand alone building. BV is in the best condition it’s been in over the last fifty years, at least. If you haven’t seen it, it’s open for tours on Thursday 10-2 pm.

More preservation was underway in the early 2000s. The Lamar family gave us the John Slaton house to move & restore. ACHA had to have timber cut to move the house out of the woods to Old Prattvillage on First Street. This lovely c.1835 home, with splendid millwork, was restored by skilled ACHA members who volunteered their time & energy. The restored Slaton house is now owned by a local attorney.

Later in 2002, ACHA was given the Mary Smith House which was once a stage coach stop in the 1800s. This time ACHA took out a mortgage and hired a contractor to restore the raised cottage style house. The mortgage has been paid and is now leased to a business. The income from the lease allows ACHA to continue its preservation efforts.

In addition to saving buildings, when Continental Eagle Corp. closed in 2012, the Heritage Assn. took on the huge project of rescuing and preserving the historic contents from the historic industrial complex. Over 55 volunteers have shared their time & skills to clean, preserve, catalog and box the massive archival collection. The work continues today!
I think it’s evident from this overly long post that ACHA has shown its commitment to preservation of our significant local history! ACHA encourages you to become a member and join our continuing efforts to preserve and share our rich history.

Many said it couldn’t be saved but if you have been following this page since 2012, you are aware it’s been a l...
12/31/2023

Many said it couldn’t be saved but if you have been following this page since 2012, you are aware it’s been a long and bumpy road. Much thanks go to members of Autauga County Heritage Association for never losing hope and continuing to fight for the rescue of this historic complex. Many thanks to Historic Prattville Redevelopment Authority for finding a way to purchase the property and their tremendous leadership in locating and bringing on board a development company that could take on a project of this size. And of course, unending gratitude to Envolve, the developers who recognized “there’s not another site like it in the country”, who remained committed to the project through very trying roadblocks & hurdles, never giving up. Recently, an out of town economic developer asked, “ How is it this complex wasn’t just razed, bulldozed & torn down like what happens in most small towns?” I told him, the people of Prattville are connected to these industrial buildings- their parents, grandparents and great-grand parents of many worked in this factory over its 180 years in operation. The Gin Shop is the essence of Prattville’s existence. It’s not just any old factory, it’s our history and Pratttville citizens love their city and it’s history! We fought for these buildings and it’s paid off in this beautiful redevelopment which not only saves the historic complex, it’s added renewed vibrancy to the Daniel Pratt Historic District in downtown Prattville.
In addition, when the gin company ceased operations in January 2012, the Autauga County Heritage Association rescued the historic content from the complex-the massive archival collection and artifacts. A group of volunteers have worked since 2012 cleaning, preserving and cataloguing the collection. At this time efforts are being planned to build a larger museum to share the history of Daniel Pratt, his town and his gin factory that spanned three centuries. Prattville has a story to tell!

Work on the final two buildings was completed in December, and more than 100 apartments have been leased.

Reading through the 12 Days of Christmas!
12/16/2023

Reading through the 12 Days of Christmas!

Terry Young represented ACHA at the Ribbon Cutting at the Marriott’s new Oak Tavern Terrace! We are so proud the Marriot...
07/13/2023

Terry Young represented ACHA at the Ribbon Cutting at the Marriott’s new Oak Tavern Terrace! We are so proud the Marriott promotes our local Daniel Pratt history!

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Prattville, AL
36067

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