This is pretty cool.  Coming from someone like me that wasn't born or raised here its interesting to see things like this and how Lee County has developed over the years.  

Fascinating footage from the thirties includes unique glimpse of Auburn University & Toomer’s Corner

By Donna R Causey on January 23, 2014

In 1937 the Department of Interior made a film about Alabama’s State Parks. This 1937 film showcases some of the works of the CCC, the Civilian Conservation Corps in Alabama. The CCC was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25 as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal.

It’s probably one of the earliest videos of Auburn University. The famous Toomer’s Corner, at the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue can even be seen in the film. Students are also seen filing out of Langdon Hall and strolling around campus.  Toomer’s Drugs has been a landmark at the University since 1896. This corner until recently was the location of twin, century-old oak trees and has been the spot for thousands of students and alumni who have “rolled Toomer’s Corner” as a celebration occurring after a significant Auburn victory. The oak trees are no longer there, but the tradition at the corner continues.

Prior to becoming Auburn University, the college was first East Alabama Male College. The college next became a Land Grant College, established by the Morrill Act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, that donated lands to the several States “for the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one college, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including Military Tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts…in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life.”1

The state of Alabama accepted this donation on December 31, 1868, and appointed a commission to sell the land script received from the United States and invest the proceeds. The sale was completed and an investment in the amount of two hundred and fifty-two thousand dollars which constituted the original endowment fund of the college.

The East Alabama Male College in the little town of Auburn belonged to the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and was offered to the legislature for the location of the new Agricultural and Mechanical College and the legislature approved the offer on February 26, 1872 and the new College was organized in March with the faculty of the old college and two new professors as well as a commandant. The senior class of 1872 was the first class to be recognized as graduates of the new Agricultural and Mechanical College.

William F. Feagin was a cadet at Alabama Polytechnic Institute in Auburn, Alabama. Feagin graduated in the class of 1892. He served as Alabama’s superintendent of education from 1915 to 1917, and as the Montgomery County superintendent from 1917 to 1920.

The period from 1882 to 1892 was an era of growth and development. The first state aid to the college of $30,000 was made February 28, 1883 to improve the main building and erect Langdon Hall, enlarge the library, purchase the experiment farm and other apparatus and equipment. The Professor of Chemistry was also designated the State Chemist.

The main building, with all its contents, burned June 24, 1887, but it was a blessing in disguise. The insurance company with a donation of $50,000 from the legislature enabled the college to rebuild and the main building and include a well equipped chemical laboratory. The college continued to expand and additional courses were added over the next years. In 1892, the college became the first four-year coeducational school in the state.

The legislature changed the name of the college on January 27, 1899 by an Act to Alabama Polytechnic Institute and the work of the Institute was devoted

Dr. Charles Coleman Thach was president of Alabama Polytechnic Institute from 1902 to 1920.

in “great measure, to the study of the natural sciences and their application to practical life.” The military emphasis was still evidently important as seen by the cadet drill in the 1937 film.

In 1960, the college’s name was again changed to Auburn University to acknowledge the varied academic programs and curriculum of the major university. “Auburn is among the few American universities designated as a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research center.”2 Chewacla State Park is near Auburn University and today is often a popular place to stay for football weekends.

Wright’s Mill is also mentioned in the film. It was a popular recreation area for more than 100 years near Auburn. In the 1890’s, a club house was built on the hill between Wright’s Mill and the Gin-Saw Hole.

Valley creek state park mentioned in the film is now Paul M. Grist State Park near Selma, Alabama. The park was renamed after Paul Malone Grist, an active community leader and long-time YMCA director. A Civilian Construction Corps (CCC) camp was established within the current park boundaries. They built the park roads, trails, and the dam.

Does anyone know what happened to this unique and very smart dog?  And what are the names of the beautiful young ladies at the end of the film?

Dixie Bibb Graves as a young woman

Another interesting thing that happened in Alabama in 1937, when this film was made, was that Dixie Bibb Graves was sworn in as the first woman from Alabama in the  United States Senate.

She was appointed on August 20, 1937, as a Democrat by her husband, Governor Bibb Graves, to fill the vacancy by the resignation of Hugo L. Black who was appointed to the U. S. Supreme Court.

- See more at: http://alabamapioneers.com/film-of-early-auburn-university/#sthash.TRN6oGsi.Kp8rk4KX.dpuf