This oral history interview was conducted at Gadsden City Hall on March 22, 2011 with City Councilman, Ben Reed.  Mr. Reed represents District 7 on the Gadsden City Council.  He has served four terms on the Council since 1994.  He retired from National Security Insurance Company and served in the United States Navy.  Mr. Reed is Chairman of the Public Safety Committee - Police, Fire, and EMA.  He also has served as an Advanced Certified Municipal Official, as a National League of Cities CED Steering Committee member, on the Patriots Hall of Honor 2004, and is a member of the Patriots Board.

Ben Reed - Oral History

This oral history interview was conducted at Gadsden City Hall on March 23, 2011  with former Zoning Administrator for the City of Gadsden, Carol Petty.  In her capacity as Zoning Administrator, Ms. Petty helped to interpret the regulations contained in the City's zoning ordinance, including land use based on zoning districts, the number of parking spaces required, and the size and placement of signs.  Ms. Petty handled applications for rezoning requests, special exceptions, variances, home occupation permits, and subdivision plat reviews. Petitions for annulments and annexation were also submitted to the zoning office for Ms. Petty's review prior to City Council action.

Carol Petty - Oral History

This oral history interview was conducted at Gadsden City Hall on March 23, 2011 with Mayor, Sherman E. Guyton.  Mr. Guyton is a native of Gadsden/Etowah County. He attended Gadsden Public Schools and received an undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University.  His graduate work was completed at West Alabama (formerly Livingston University) and at the University of Alabama.  Mayor Guyton is a former teacher and coach.  He is also the Owner/Broker of Sherman Guyton Realty and ERA Guyton-King Real Estate Companies for 31 years before being elected as Mayor of the City of Gadsden in August 2006. He was then re-elected as Mayor in August of 2010.  Mr. Guyton is a member of the Cultural Arts Association, Former Chairman of the Community Development Board, Former Vice Chairman of the Gadsden / Etowah Area Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Alabama City Lions Club, Member of Bellevue United Methodist Church and Member of the Gadsden Rotary Club.

Sherman Guyton - Oral History

This oral history interview was conducted at Gadsden City Hall on March 23, 2011 with City Clerk, Iva Nelson.  In her capacity as City Clerk, Mrs. Nelson helps to coordinate the agenda for all Gadsden City Council meetings along with handling bids taken by the City of Gadsden among many other duties.  Mrs. Nelson graduated from Coosa Christian High School.

Iva Nelson - Oral History

"This oral history interview was conducted at the Gadsden Public Library on March 25, 2011 with Martin Wilson.  Mr. Wilson shares how someone of common circumstances can, with entrepreneurial mind set and hard work, be successful in many ways.  He describes his early years in Southeast Georgia growing up with an early agricultural background and then the many businesses that he became involved in over the years.  His earliest experience was as an “apprentice” in funeral services starting at age 12.  Subsequently, he talks about a number of successful business’s that he became involved in over the years and how he came to love the area around Gadsden, Alabama.  He also, expresses the value of genealogy and the role of the library.


Martin Wilson - Oral History

This oral history interview was conducted at the Gadsden Public Library on March 15, 2011 with Mrs. Frances Gold (1918-2012).  Mrs. Gold was a descendant of the Colvin and McDaniel families who were some of the first settlers in Etowah County.  She grew up during the Great Depression. Her father was given chickens, eggs and once even a monkey in payment for services.  She was a veteran of World War II, serving as an Army nurse at the deployment station in Mississippi.  Mrs. Gold was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Etowah Historical Society.

Gadsden Public Library Oral History Project

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