A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LEEDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Marie Cromer organized the Leeds Historical Society in June 1998 and served as the organization’s first president for two terms. The society was officially incorporated on July 7, 1998, as a non-profit organization.

The incorporators (founding members) were: Marie Cromer, Edward Lee Goodson, Edna McCoy, Sonya Miller, Hugh Judge, Revis Brasher, Imogene Falletta, Luvenia Hall, Jewel Lee, Deanna Lyerly, Lonnie Marbury and Joyce West.

The newly organized historical society met at the Fendley/Davis/Clayton Building on Parkway Drive, which had been restored after a fire. The building was offered as a meeting place for the society by members of the Fendley family. The group met there until the city of Leeds renovated the baggage room at the Historic Depot and turned it into a meeting room, and the group began meeting at the depot.

In the beginning, society members hauled folding chairs to the Findley Building for the monthly meetings. When the group outgrew the largest room in the building, chairs were set up in the long hallway to accommodate the growing number of members and visitors at monthly meetings.

By the end of the second year, the group had grown to 221 members. It remains one of the most active volunteer organizations in the city.