THE METHODIST

The Methodist Archives Center is the central depository for the archival and historical records of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and of Huntingdon College. It was established in 1976 with the records collected and preserved by the Reverend Franklin S. Moseley and the records preserved in the "Huntingdon Room" in the college library. Rev. Moseley was the Conference Historian from 1959 until his death in 1976.

The Archives Center is a joint venture of the Conference Commission on Archives and History (COAH) and Huntingdon College. Under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Glenn R. Massengale, a minister in the conference and former director of the library, an agreement was worked out whereby the college furnishes space, and the conference provides funding for the administration of the depository.

In 1976 Dr. Massengale was named Conference Archivist/ Historian. Mary Ann Pickard (Mrs. William M., Jr.) was employed to assist him. In 1984, upon Dr. Massengale’s retirement, Mrs. Pickard was named Archivist. Upon Mrs. Pickard's retirement June 30, 2008, Mrs. Sharon Tucker was named Conference Archivist.

The position of historian has been a volunteer position. After Dr. Massengale’s retirement, other historians have been Dr. Robert Beckley named in 1984, Rev. Joe Curtis named in 1992, Rev. Jabe Fincher named in 2002, and Rev. Thad Chesser named in 2007.