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2024 Old Federal Road Storytelling Festival (OFRSF) HighlightsThe Ridge Macon County Archaeology Project and the Town of Shorter, Alabama presented the 2024 Old Federal Road Storytelling Festival on Saturday, October 26 at the Shorter Legacy Center. Each year, the OFRSF commemorates the history of the Old Federal Road, an 1800s thoroughfare that enabled U.S. westward expansion and Alabama’s settlement. A major portion of that historic thoroughfare traversed Macon County, Alabama. The festival fosters social cohesion and community pride, particularly among descendants of early inhabitants of the area, including the Muscogee Creeks, African Americans, and European Americans. A companion event, the Old Federal Road Storytelling Festival Camping Expedition took place October 24-27.
The Ridge Project partnered with the Town of Shorter in 2024, 2023, and 2018 to present this event. We greatly appreciate the generous support of Mayor Willie Mae Powell, the Shorter City Council, Chief Sandor Maloy and the Town of Shorter Police Department, and Dennis Powell, Town of Shorter Special Projects Manager and Historian. |
The Alabama Humanities Alliance provided generous grant funding for the Festival. A generous donation from the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama’s Charitable Giving Program also supported our events. The Black Heritage Council of the Alabama Historical Commission was a generous sponsor of the Festival.
The Mid-South RC&D Council provided reimbursable grant funding for the complementary camping kits that the Ridge Project gave to the young adults who participated in the Camping Expedition. A Bob Belle Service Grant awarded to the Ridge Project by the Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholars Program funded van rentals for transporting campers throughout the weekend, for van gasoline, and for mileage expenses for young adult campers and the camp leaders.
Each Festival attendee received a complimentary tote bag. 4imprint.com’s One By One Charitable Giving Program provided a generous grant for the tote bags. Each bag contained the Festival commemorative booklet, and goodies and information provided by the Mid-South RC&D Council, Macon C.A.R.E.S. the Alabama Folklife Association, and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities. The Center for the Humanities also loaned its sound system for the Festival. Dr. Larry Krumenaker, author and founder of Hermograph Press exhibited t-shirts and books, including his book about General Lafayette entitled Nine Days Traveling: Lafayette’s 1825 Alabama Tour, Today’s Historical Road Trip. In 2025 celebrations will begin to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the French General Lafayette's tour through Alabama.
Johanna Robinson, Ridge Project board member, created the 2024 Festival commemorative booklet cover art (shown above). The colorful booklet features Johanna’s and presenter bios along with a story about General Lafayette, contributed by Guy Trammell, Tuskegee, and a story about Alabama’s historic Camp Atkins, contributed by Dr. Lucenia W. Dunn, CEO of the Tuskegee/Macon County Community Foundation, Inc. Dr. Cedric Sanders, Ridge Project board member, contributed a story about his experiences as an overland camper.
Visit https://issuu.com/trmcap/docs/2024_old_federal_rd._storytelling_festival_commemo to view the entire commemorative booklet. For more information about the OFRSF and the Federal Road, visit https://www.digtheridge.com/ofrsf-faqs.
The Mid-South RC&D Council provided reimbursable grant funding for the complementary camping kits that the Ridge Project gave to the young adults who participated in the Camping Expedition. A Bob Belle Service Grant awarded to the Ridge Project by the Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholars Program funded van rentals for transporting campers throughout the weekend, for van gasoline, and for mileage expenses for young adult campers and the camp leaders.
Each Festival attendee received a complimentary tote bag. 4imprint.com’s One By One Charitable Giving Program provided a generous grant for the tote bags. Each bag contained the Festival commemorative booklet, and goodies and information provided by the Mid-South RC&D Council, Macon C.A.R.E.S. the Alabama Folklife Association, and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities. The Center for the Humanities also loaned its sound system for the Festival. Dr. Larry Krumenaker, author and founder of Hermograph Press exhibited t-shirts and books, including his book about General Lafayette entitled Nine Days Traveling: Lafayette’s 1825 Alabama Tour, Today’s Historical Road Trip. In 2025 celebrations will begin to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the French General Lafayette's tour through Alabama.
Johanna Robinson, Ridge Project board member, created the 2024 Festival commemorative booklet cover art (shown above). The colorful booklet features Johanna’s and presenter bios along with a story about General Lafayette, contributed by Guy Trammell, Tuskegee, and a story about Alabama’s historic Camp Atkins, contributed by Dr. Lucenia W. Dunn, CEO of the Tuskegee/Macon County Community Foundation, Inc. Dr. Cedric Sanders, Ridge Project board member, contributed a story about his experiences as an overland camper.
Visit https://issuu.com/trmcap/docs/2024_old_federal_rd._storytelling_festival_commemo to view the entire commemorative booklet. For more information about the OFRSF and the Federal Road, visit https://www.digtheridge.com/ofrsf-faqs.