Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – On Wednesday, March 6, the David Lindsay Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution met at the Mildred B. Harrison Regional Library in Columbiana for a two-hour meeting and bestowed a special recognition to the library’s namesake.

The meeting held significance for the members as Mildred B. Harrison served as a regent and a member of the David Lindsay Chapter of the DAR for many years. Particularly, Harrison is remembered for her efforts in establishing libraries throughout Shelby County and the state during the ‘30s and ‘40s.

Harrison also served as the chairman of the Shelby County Library Board for 40 years and worked to pioneer the bookmobile, a delivery system that provided books and reading materials to isolated families throughout the local area.

The remembrance of those qualities led Harrison to be honored when the chapter’s members voted to sponsor Harrison as an Alabama Society of Daughters of the American Revolution Woman in American History.

In honor of Women’s History Month, DAR chapters select notable women from their state or community to receive the distinction. The award is meant to highlight the role of women in both American history and the present that have made an impact on their communities.

Harrison’s children, Carol Harrison Smith and Helen Harrison Phillips, were present at the meeting and also shared the story of how their family is tied to another institution in Columbiana. Helen Harrison Phillips also served as regent for the chapter from 1998-2002.

Harrison’s children spoke on how, in 1982, their father, the late Karl C. Harrison, made a significant contribution to Shelby County when he founded the Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington in Columbiana. Now holding the largest collection of Washington artifacts outside of Mount Vernon, the museum is set to make its move away from Columbiana to its new home at American Village. There, it will be housed in the East Wing of Independence Hall, which is soon to be under construction.

Current scheduling specifies that the East Wing will be completed on July 4, 2026, which will coincide with America’s 250th birthday.

“The chapter will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2027, not long after the 250th anniversary of our nation and the relocation of the museum and completion of the American Village East Wing,” said Stella Tipton, regent of the David Lindsay Chapter of the DAR. “The chapter is thankful that they were able to highlight speakers who have been so involved in sharing the legacy of Mildred B. Harrison and Karl C. Harrison, who worked tirelessly to preserve American history through books and the treasured museum for all to enjoy”.

The David Lindsay Chapter of the DAR was first organized by E.H. Wills and six other women in 1927 in Montevallo.

The chapter meets each first Wednesday of the month September through December and February through April at the Mildred B. Harrison Library from 1-3 p.m.  Those seeking more details on the chapter and its status are encouraged to visit its website at   Davidlindsaynsdar.weebly.com.