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The People Who Lived on the Land that is Now Redstone Arsenal, page 70
THE JOHN HERTZLER FAMILY OF OHIO: On Pre-Arsenal Land?
In 1908,The Business Men's League of Huntsville, Alabama printed a booklet, entitled Huntsville and Madison, County, Alabama, that was sent to other parts of the United States to “anticipate and answer, as far as possible, the many questions that the Health and Homeseeker and Investor would naturally ask.” The booklet was “illustrative and descriptive,” showing local businesses and homes. The photographs of the “Farm Residence of John Hertzler, formerly of Ohio” and the “Modern Barn on the Hertzler Farm” were included. A discussion following the photographs provides evidence for the assertion that these structures were on land that is now Redstone Arsenal (in Test Area 3).
Farm Residence of John Hertzler, formerly of Ohio. Source: Business Men's League of Huntsville, Alabama, 1908.
A map of Madison County compiled in 1909 (by G.W. Jones) showed the Hertzler family owning a number of parcels of land in the area around Indian Creek (now Test Area 3 on Redstone Arsenal). In looking at the first names of the 1909 landowners, they appear to be the children of John Hertzler. The names Mary, Dan, and John Hertzler appear, as well as an Annie Anderson (one daughter was named Annie). By the time of sale to the Government in 1941, one parcel remained in Hertzler ownership, Parcel B-92 (Ida Hertzler). It was a large parcel and bordered Parcel B-61 (W.F. Chaney) on its east and south boundaries.
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