With its roots as a “company town” founded by Sam Noble and Daniel Tyler in the 1870s, Anniston has a rich history, and at its core are the fascinating stories and memories of its people. The idea of compiling more than 51 hours of interviews captured over a year’s time from individuals ranging in age from 64 to 103 provides a unique perspective, capturing a broad range of experiences and stories.

This program was the result of an effort to carve out comments from those interviews and assemble them into a program that would outline the city’s fascinating history. While many fascinating stories are included, the interviews revealed hundreds more. The entire bevy of interviews will eventually be catalogued and made available through the Library’s archive. This program was just the first step.

This video aims to provide a glimpse into Anniston’s past through the eyes and voices of those living today, telling their tales, as well as the ones they were told by their elders. Hopefully, this will help preserve for future generations an appreciation and understanding of Anniston’s heritage.


00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - The Nobles & Tylers
08:46 - Electricity & Telephones Established
15:45 - Fire Department
20:25 - Promoting the Model City
24:02 - Prohibition in Anniston
29:16 - Vicious Blind Tigers
31:51 - The 5th Largest Alabama City
36:40 - The Circus in Anniston
40:07 - Theaters and Shops Downtown
47:05 - Health Hazards
49:36 - High School Opportunities
55:35 - Changes Begin Morphing Anniston
59:14 - Bread Wrappers
64:39 - The Caffey Doctors
69:29 - Military Connections
72:00 - Rationing
75:57 – POWs
81:00 – Chemical Weapons
82:36 – Anniston Inventions
84:36 - Crime
87:52 – Civil Rights
96:38 – A Dying City