By GINNY COOPER / Staff Writer

    COLUMBIANA—The Shelby County Historical Society will commemorate its 40^th anniversary and Shelby County’s 196^th birthday with a celebration at the Old Courthouse in Columbiana on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

“It’s different from any other meeting we have,” said Bobby Joe Seales, current president of the Shelby County Historical Society.

The party, which will be held on the second floor of the Old Courthouse at the Shelby County Museum and Archives, will feature various speakers and activities all centered on this year’s theme, the Civil War.

President Jefferson Davis, portrayed by David Tyrone Crowley, will be the guest speaker. Crowley will give a summary of Davis’ inaugural speech, and will be escorted in and out of the event by several Civil War reenactment groups.

Other special guest speakers include Kenneth R. Penhale, first president of the Shelby County Historical Society, who will give a brief summary of the founding of the society; Robert Robinson, Jr., a member of the Opera Birmingham Chorus, who will provide special music for the event; and Lonnie Burnett, current vice president of the Alabama Historical Association, who will be available for a meet and greet following the program.

Door prizes will also be awarded, with memorabilia ranging from an original 1818 one cent piece to a piece of confederate currency to a new bicycle, among other things. There will also be a takeaway keepsake for everyone who attends the event, a tradition that Seales said the Historical Society plans to continue.

The turnout typically ranges from 150 to 200 people each year. “Every year we always have folks standing,” Seales said. “We are expecting another large crowd.”

The 90-minute program is free and open to the public.