Landmark Park
  • DONATE
  • VISIT
    • ADMISSION PRICE & HOURS
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
    • HISTORIC BUILDINGS
    • WIREGRASS BIRDING TRAIL
    • HISTORY OF
      LANDMARK PARK
    • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
    • NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
    • BLUE STAR MUSEUM
    • ALABAMA AG MUSEUM
  • PARK EVENTS
    • ONCE A MONTH
    • QUILT SHOW
    • ANTIQUE TRACTOR CLUB
    • PLANETARIUM
    • VETERAN COMMUNITY GARDEN
    • VINTAGE BASEBALL
  • RENTALS
    • STOKES ACTIVITY BARN
    • PLAYGROUND PAVILION
    • GAZEBO
    • AUDITORIUM
    • HEADLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
  • EDUCATION
    • REGISTRATION FORM
    • EDUCATION DIRECTOR
    • FIELD CLASSES
    • PLANETARIUM PROGRAMS
    • SEASONAL SESSIONS
    • SELF LED
    • SCOUTS
    • POLICIES
    • FAQ
  • JOIN US
    • BECOME A MEMBER
    • CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP
    • TRIBUTE FUND
    • VOLUNTEER
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
    • NEWSROOM
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • STAFF
    • SPONSORS
    • FAQ
    • CONTACT
  • Search
Interior-Slider-Img

334-794-3452

History of Landmark Park

  • 1976

    November: Meeting of a small group of people interested in forming a historical society for the preservation of historic sites in and around Dothan.

    December: Dothan Landmarks Foundation formed as a nonprofit corporation. Carole Lee was first president.

  • 1977

    January: Planning committee has meeting and explore concept of developing a children’s museum.

  • 1978

    February: Fifty acres of land off Hwy 431 N is donated by the McFatter family for the creation of the Landmarks Center for Natural Science and History. Three additional acres are donated by Dr. and Mrs. Sam West Jr. and Lewe West. Aerial

    March: Robert O. Joslin hired as Foundation’s first executive director.

    December: Waddell House is donated by Earl Waddell and Iona W. Wells and is moved to property.

  • 1979

    March: First official school field trip. The school was Houston Academy.

    December: Waddell Hose opens to the public.Waddell House Dedication

  • 1981

    Sam W. Kates hired as Foundation’s second executive director.

    Local architectural firm Dunseth & Lee donates development of master plan to the foundation.

    Name of property changed to “Landmark Park.”

  • 1982

    January: 600 sq. ft. Victorian-style gazebo donated by Newton family to serve as centerpiece of “Square for the Arts.”Gazebo

    April: Corn Crib moved to park from Gordo, AL.

    May: 1,000 sq. foot picnic pavilion erected. Smokehouse moved to park from Geneva County.

    June: Construction beings on 1800 ft. elevated boardwalk.walkway

    November: Windmill erected at park.

    December: Construction begins on Wiregrass Farmstead’s animal barn. New entrance to park constructed by Houston County and state Hwy Dept., providing access from Hwy. 431.

  • 1983

    May: 1908 Headland Presbyterian Church moved from Headland, AL to property.church

    June: Construction begins on Cotton Shed.

    October: Wetland Wildlife Exhibit opens on boardwalk.

    December: Woodland Wildlife Exhibit opens on boardwalk.

  • 1984

    March: Native Plant garden established.

    May: Syrup Shed constructed on the Wiregrass Farmstead.

    August: Reptile Exhibit opens on boardwalk.

    September: Groundbreaking for Interpretive Center.

    October: Native Bird exhibit opens on boardwalk.

    December: Blacksmith shop constructed on Wiregrass Farmstead.

  • 1985

    October: Thrower Log Cabin moved to park to serve as security residence.

  • 1986

    September: New entrance to park landscaped.

  • 1987

    February: Watson Log Cabin moved from Skipperville, Alabama.Log Cabin

    April: Observation platform overlooking the beaver pond on the boardwalk opens.

  • 1988

    May: William Holman appointed as third Executive Director of the Foundation.

    June: Landmark Park designated a “treasure forest” by the Alabama Forestry Commission.

    October: “Pioneer Peanut Days” selected as one of the “top Twenty Events in the Southeast” for the month of October  by the Southeast Tourism Society.

  • 1990

    April: Landmark Park receives “Ed Griffith Collection of Johnny Mack Brown Memorabilia,” one of the largest collections in the U. S.Johnny Mack Brown

  • 1991

    September: The Brown’s Crossroads School, a one-room schoolhouse from Dale County, is relocated to the park.school

    November: 2,000 sq. ft. classroom added to Interpretive Center.

  • 1992

    April: Joint resolution passes both houses of the Alabama legislature, designating Landmark Park as “Alabama’s Official Museum of Agriculture.”

  • 1993

    February: 950 year old redwood tree exhibit installed at the park.Redwood

    April: Additional 45 acres purchased, bringing total park acreage up to 105.

    July: Landmark Park receives “Friend of Education Award” from the Dothan Education Association.

  • 1994

    October: Shelley General Store moved from Tumbleton. Legislation creating the Alabama Agricultural Museum board passes both houses of the legislature and is signed into law by Gov. Folsom.

  • 1995

    June: Park hosts first annual “Music by Moonlight” with MusicSouth.

    December: Shelley General Store opens.

  • 1997

    June: Park acquires historic Martin Drugstore in Enterprise, Alabama.Martin Drug Photo 2

  • 1998

    March: Park receives $100,000 grant from Alabama State Historical Park and Historical site maintenance grant program for Martin Drugstore project. Martin Drugstore Donation
    September: Park receives Achievement Award from the Historic Chattahooche Commission for promotion of tourism and historic preservation in Chattahoochee Trace region of AL and GA.

    October: Ground broken for Phase 1 of Ala. Agricultural Museum on Park grounds.

  • 1999

    October: Ribbon Cutting held for phase 1 of Alabama Agricultural Museum.Ag Museum Opening

  • 2000

    Master plan revised and updated

  • 2002

    September: Park is selected to host the arrival of Chattanooga Star for riverboat rides on the Chattahoochee River.LP Steamboat Annual Rep

  • 2003

    September: Installs demonstration beehives.

    November: Published “Houston County: The First 100 Years”

  • 2004

    March: Ribbon cutting for Martin Drugstore.

    November: Publishes “Railroading Around Dothan and the Wiregrass Region”

  • 2005

    September: Hosts first Johnny Mack Brown Film Festival in downtown Dothan.

    April: Thanks to a generous grant from Colby & Laura Clark and others, the park opens “The Barnyard” playground. Over 600 volunteers participate in building the custom-designed playground during Spirit of Service Day.Landmark Pavillion BW

  • 2006

    July: Breaks ground on the construction of the “Angelia and Steven H. Stokes Activity Barn”barn1

    July: Crowley Field, named in honor of Vernell Crowley and in memory of her husband, Barnett Crowley, thanks to a $25,000 donation by their son, Gerald Crowley, opens.

  • 2007

    Grand opening of 8,000 sq. ft. Stokes Activity Barn

  • 2008

    Acquired The Hodges Property, 32 additional acres.

    May: The Yellawood® Johnny Mack Brown Western Festival moves from downtown Dothan to Landmark Park.

    June: Thanks to a $75,000 federal recreational trails grant and the support of Great Southern Wood Preserving in Abbeville, the boardwalk receives a major renovation.

    October: The Eufaula High School FFA Chapter restores one of the park’s antique tractors, winning first place in the nation in the Chevron Delco Tractor Restoration Competition. The 1946 Case DC tractor was donated to the park in 1997.

  • 2009

    February: Organized and presented “Houston County’s Past: The Photographs of Douglass Snellgrove,” A semi-permanent exhibit on display in the Houston County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room.

    August: The Foundation purchases a 32 acre parcel of land, adjacent to the park, formerly known as Grey Hodges Park.

  • 2010

    March: Membership in the foundation reached an all-time high of 2,000 members.

    June: Thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Wiregrass Resource Conservation and Development Council, renovated the planetarium and installed a new state-of-the-art digital projection system. family in Headland.

    June: A fire burns down the maintenance area.

  • 2011

    Rebuilt shop buildings after 2010 fire.

    October: Loss of 100 percent of state funding.

  • November 2012

    Landmark Park was selected as one of the 20 sites along the Wiregrass Birding Trail, a new state initiative.

  • January 2014

    Was presented a restored 1939 Ford N Tractor from the students of Eufaula High School. This was the fourth tractor restored for the park by students int he Eufaula High School FFA program.

  • May 2014

    Landmark Park became one of 2,000 parks and museums across the US to be considered a “Blue Star Museum.” This program guarantees free admission to a active military and their families from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. 

  • April 2016

    Held a Sacred Harp sing in the park’s Headland Presbyterian Church. This sing was reportedly the first Sacred Harp sing in Houston County in many years. 

  • December 2016

    Received the Appleheart Award from the Wiregrass Area Food Bank in recognition of our Victorian Christmas which raises food for the needy each December. 

  • November 2018

    Received $200,000 in state funds talks to the efforts of retired Senator Harri Anne Smith to renovate the Interpretive Center Lobby.

  • December 2018

    Hosted the traveling exhibit “Making Alabama” during the month of December to celebrate Alabama’s Bicentennial.

  • September 2019

    With the help of a grant from the Wiregrass Foundation, an outreach program was established to provide after school educational programming to kids who reside at Dothan Housing Authority.

  • January 2020

    New playground equipment installed thanks to a grant from Gametime. 

  • February 2020

    Major maintenance projects began, including renovation of Gazebo, boardwalk, Watson Cabin, roadways, farm structures and fencing.

  • May 2020

    Purchased 15 acres from the McFatter family, bringing the park acreage up to 150.

  • June 2020

    Received large state appropriation to expand the Alabama Agricultural Museum.

  • November 2020

    Browns Crossroads One Room Schoolhouse named to the Alabama Register of Historic Places

  • December 2020

    Established an Antique Tractor Club and Plowing Club at Landmark Park to help with historic farming events and demos.

  • January 2021

    Bridal suite added to the Stokes Activity Barn

  • March 2021

    The Veterans Gardening Program opens, thanks to a grant from Wiregrass RC&D. This program allows veterans and their families to enjoy classes taught by Alabama Cooperative Extension System and maintain raised garden beds at Landmark Park.

  • September 2021

    Held the first Landmark Park Bluegrass Festival. Visitors enjoyed live music, jam session, instrument demos and more. 

  • October 2021

    Received a grant from Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to establish a dye garden at the park. 

  • July 2023

    July 2023 Historical 1890s Vintage Baseball introduced at the park. The goal of this program is to preserve the history of the game in its formative years. Spectators are invited to bring their lawn chairs and watch the games, while pennant girls explain the rules and terminology to the audience.

Today, Dothan Landmarks Foundation represents the largest nonprofit community organization in Southeast Alabama, Northwest Florida and Southwest Georgia. Currently, over 1600 families are members. 50,000 visit annual and over 14,000 school children come for field trips annually.

Our Location

N 31.290329; W-85.367751
Physical Address Mailing Address
430 Landmark Dr., Dothan, AL 36303 Landmark Park, Box 6362, Dothan, AL 36302

Contact Information

Email parkinfo@landmarkparkdothan.com
Phone 334-794-3452
Fax 334-677-7229

Park Hours

430 Landmark Dr. Dothan, AL 36303

BlueStarMuseum

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

© 2013 Landmark Park, All Rights Reserved // Website Design by Strategy6

LEARN MORE

GET INVOLVED

Footer-MembershipFooter-DonateFooter-Volunteer

PARK HOURS & ADMISSION PRICES

Footer-FindUsFooter-FacebookFooter-PinterestFooter-YouTubeFooter-Twitter
Footer-InstagramFooter-SnapchatFooter-GooglePlusFooter-LinkedInFooter-Tumblr

Scroll to top