Due to the rarity of some of materials in the Jacksonville Public Library History Room, a staff member must accompany visitors.
To ensure that a staff member is available, please make an appointment at least one day in advance by calling the library at 256-435-6332.

The History Room is open during normal library hours:
Tuesday–Friday 8am – 5:45pm
Saturday 8am – 3:45pm
Jacksonville Public Library is closed Sunday and Monday.

If you are unable to travel to Jacksonville to seach materials in the History Room, you may fill out a History Room Request Form (PDF format) and mail it to the library at
200 Pelham Road S.
Jacksonville, AL 36265.

The Jacksonville Public Library History Room contains books by Alabama authors, books about Jacksonville and surrounding areas and its residents, books about Alabama, historical items on loan from the Gen. John H. Forney Chapter of the UDC, local clubs' yearly scrapbooks, Jacksonville State University annuals, and a vertical file of local families and history.

We now have The Jacksonville News from November 1936 on microfilm in addition to our hard copies from the recent years. If you need a more recent article you can check out The Jacksonville News web site. Their online archives span from fall 1998 to the present.

The Jacksonville Public Library is especially proud to house the Pelham Papers, a collection of original documents and research material (books, pamphlets, and periodical photocopies) focusing on the life and career of Major John Pelham and provided by the John Pelham Historical Association. Pelham was born in Alexandria and lived in Jacksonville before gaining fame as "The Gallant Pelham" in the War between the States. His grave marker is a prominent feature in the Jacksonville City Cemetery. **Some Pelham materials are stored off site and permission to view and/or copy certain materials, like photographs, must be obtained by the John Pelham Historical Association.

Almost 100 years after the original dedication of the monument to Lt. Col. John Pelham, it was rededicated at 2pm on October 8, 2005. The marble statue, which was purchased with money raised by the Gen. John Forney chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, was originally dedicated on October 10, 1905. Many people came to the City Cemetery to pay tribute, including members of the John Pelham Historical Association, the UDC, and representatives from the city. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a cannon salute was fired by a Civil War re–enactment group from Alexandria, AL.

Pictured are John Pelham Historical Association President Brett Bradshaw, Randolph Pelham Pickell, a descendant of William Pelham, JPHA Officer Leon Vaupel, and re–enactment group members.

Photo courtesy of Brett Bradshaw

The History Room Photos have gone digital

We have added digital copies of some of the identified historical photos to our catalog and now you can view these photos at home.
You can click here to see the entire online archive or you can search the catalog for specific persons, events or locations.

The 'click here to access online' link under the title will show the actual photo when clicked.

To search for a specific photo:

1. On the library's Catalog page, click on Advanced Search
2. Type in the name, event or location into the Keyword search box - use fewer words for a broader sheach
3. Scroll down to 'Item Type' and select the checkbox next to Digital to limit to digital images
4. Click 'Search' without any other changes and you will now have a list of the photos that are available online
5. This will bring you the same list in the link above.

Pelham Family Digital Archives

The Pelham Family archives are now available to view online. This collection was digitized by Jacksonville State University Houston Cole Library staff. The images are available for non-commercial or research purposes only & permission from the John Pelham Historical Association is required to use the images commercially.

Some of the John Pelham Papers are available on the Alabama Department of Archives & History website.

All information listed for the photos in the archive are complete and accurate to our knowledge. If you find inaccurate information, please contact the library at 256-435-6332 during normal business hours with corrections.