Places in Peril 2015

     The Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation is out with its list of Places in Peril for the year. 
     Perhaps it should issue of list of state agencies in peril and put the Alabama Historical Commission  at the top, since legislators want to dismantle it and distribute its duties to other agencies. 
     Anyway here is one of the most visually interesting...in Jacksonville.
    

Forney Hall, Jacksonville, Calhoun County
 A gracious brick dormitory built in the Classical Revival style in 1927, was one of four major buildings of Jacksonville State Normal School, a two-year institution that trained elementary school teachers in Jacksonville. In 1930, the school became a four-year teachers college and moved to its present campus north of the City center and Forney Hall became a dormitory for married student housing. In later years, the college grew to become Jacksonville State University. In recent years, Forney Hall has been abandoned and allowed to deteriorate. This rare survival from the college’s past (it was founded in 1883) sits vacant and forlorn today. A land swap between Jacksonville State University and the City of Jacksonville is in process. That deal may facilitate the renovation of the grand old building, which sits near other historic structures that the City has occupied. In a community that has lost many of its historic buildings, this solid and imposing masonry structure would seem to be sensible to save for adaptive reuse that would capitalize on its distinctive architectural style and fine craftsmanship.
For more information about the preservation of Forney Hall, contact Jerrod Brown, Jacksonville Historical Society, at 205-213-6081.