Z172       Feb. 4 – Robert Kane; The Air Service in Alabama during the Great War

Some Alabamians are familiar with the participation of three Alabama National Guard regiments in the Great War, but most are not familiar with the recently established Air Service in Alabama. In 1917, the Air Service established a flight training school at an airfield located southeast of Montgomery near present-day Pike Road. A year later, they added an aircraft and engine repair depot on the former site of the Wright Brothers civilian flight school. While the training field closed after the war and reopened during World War II, it is virtually gone, covered by private housing. However, the depot not only stayed open, it continued to expand to become Maxwell Air Force Base.

Z173       Feb. 11 – Matthew Gage; Archaeology of Alabama

Alabama has an incredible archaeological record derived from over 13,000 years of occupation. From Paleoindian to Civil Rights, we will give a broad overview of the state’s heritage and discuss some specific archaeological sites that highlight its incredible cultural diversity.