Doran’s Cove: Cultural Memory in the Landscape

By Rebecca Fowler

Doran’s Cove: Cultural Memory in the Landscape

By Rebecca Fowler

Doran’s Cove, AlabamaDoran’s Cove, Alabama

Doran’s Cove

Doran’s Cove

Vernacular Architecture:Vernacular Architecture:

1. Buildings derived from folk designs and techniques that employ local resources, and whose styles are passed down through cultural memory.

2. The cultural framework used to chronicle and understand these buildings.

1. Buildings derived from folk designs and techniques that employ local resources, and whose styles are passed down through cultural memory.

2. The cultural framework used to chronicle and understand these buildings.

Source Areas and Routes of Diffusion Source Areas and

Routes of Diffusion

Modified from Fred Kniffen, Folk Housing: Key to Diffusion, 1965Modified from Fred Kniffen, Folk Housing: Key to Diffusion, 1965

Log Notching StylesLog Notching Styles

Full dovetail notchFull dovetail notchV notchV notch Half dovetail notchHalf dovetail notchSaddle notchSaddle notch

Traditional I-houseTraditional I-house

Alabama state map, c. 1882Alabama state map, c. 1882

Orme Depot, now abandonedOrme Depot, now abandoned

Payne Family CabinPayne Family Cabin

Photograph by Luke Armistead

Vernacular Classification System:Vernacular Classification System:

B: Oh. I don’t know. I know something that’s happening now. Tommy Rowark’s building a new log house over there on his place. That’s how Toby got his back hurt, he was over there helping him.

C: Where’s he building it? B: Back in that Smith place. C: Oh back in there. B: You remember. Where all them old houses used to be?C: Yeah.

B: Well they’re building a two-story log house over there.

Builder/owner Building material

Size (number of stories) Kinship association with the land

Payne SmokehousePayne Smokehouse

Photograph by Gerald Smith

Newton/Doran House, c. 1956Newton/Doran House, c. 1956

Photograph courtesy of Cynthia Newton

Payne Cabin, untouched since 1824

Payne Cabin, untouched since 1824

Photograph by Gerald Smith

Jolly Cabin, in restoration process

Jolly Cabin, in restoration process

Photograph by Luke Armistead

Doran’s Cove ChurchDoran’s Cove Church

Changes in the CoveChanges in the Cove

Demographic: Loss of local families and increasing population of newcomers

Topographical: Disuse of railroad and abandonment of stage coach road coupled with construction of highways and increase in motorized vehicles

Industrialization: Disintegration of folk buildings and replacement of vernacular architecture with modern structures

Demographic: Loss of local families and increasing population of newcomers

Topographical: Disuse of railroad and abandonment of stage coach road coupled with construction of highways and increase in motorized vehicles

Industrialization: Disintegration of folk buildings and replacement of vernacular architecture with modern structures

“Uh, let’s see going out of here you’ll pass my son’s house is on your left going out and the trailer’s on the curve there, then you go around that curve there’s a big new house been built out here on the field, that’s a Grider’s there. Then you go down and Toby Gri - uh, Toby Samples lives in a little house up on a hill and then out in front of him’s a new house been built which is Allan Raulston, and then is Allan – uh, Randall Whyler’s house, and then that little ol’ barn sitting out there just in front of it, and then Jean’s is that house right on around there.”

- Edna Payne

“Uh, let’s see going out of here you’ll pass my son’s house is on your left going out and the trailer’s on the curve there, then you go around that curve there’s a big new house been built out here on the field, that’s a Grider’s there. Then you go down and Toby Gri - uh, Toby Samples lives in a little house up on a hill and then out in front of him’s a new house been built which is Allan Raulston, and then is Allan – uh, Randall Whyler’s house, and then that little ol’ barn sitting out there just in front of it, and then Jean’s is that house right on around there.”

- Edna Payne

County Road sign, indicating kinship association between Ridley and the landCounty Road sign, indicating kinship association between Ridley and the land

Cultural Memory:Cultural Memory:

Consists of certain kinds of memories that are not a part of history and are distinct from personal or individual memories. These memories are often produced and reproduced through cultural forms.

Consists of certain kinds of memories that are not a part of history and are distinct from personal or individual memories. These memories are often produced and reproduced through cultural forms.

Newton/Doran HouseNewton/Doran House

The End The End

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Major James Doran’s tombstone, Doran’s Cove Cemetery