SPOOM 2026 Conference Information

Birmingham, Alabama

     The 2026 SPOOM Conference is being held in Birmingham, AL, the steel capital of the South, on October 16th and 17th. Participants will have 2 full days of bus trips through central Alabama visiting historic mills and learning of its important industrial heritage. SPOOMers will be touring Tannehill Ironworks State Historical Park, Kenan’s Mill, Sweetwater Falls Millhouse, Sloss Furnace National
Historic Landmark and Kymulga Grist Mill in Childersburg, AL.
      SPOOM members Ken and Dori Boyd have been instrumental in planning this conference. Ken has published several books, featuring his beautiful photographs of old mills as well as descriptions and historical information. Ken will provide a presentation of his work at the banquet on Saturday. This will be the first SPOOM conference held in Alabama, which has a rich history of mills, iron furnaces, and other historical sites. The SPOOM Board of Directors and Conference Planning Committee are indebted to Ken and Dori for their diligent work in encouraging members to visit their state and selecting sites that will be of interest to all.
      Plan to arrive early and you can take a trip on your own to visit the Southern Vintage Fire Apparatus Association Museum in Birmingham, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, or see the iconic statue of Vulcan overlooking the “Pittsburgh of the South.” A taste of Southern specialties including fried catfish and pork barbecue will be featured at the annual banquet on Saturday evening.
      The bus rolls out early on Friday morning heading west of the city to visit the Tannehill Ironworks Park. Here we will see the John Wesley Hall Gristmill and Cotton Gin. Next we go south to Selma, AL, to visit Kenan’s Mill. After the tour and lunch we are heading back north through Prattville for a photo stop at the former Pratt Cotton Gin Company works. This huge industrial site, once the largest manufacturer of cotton gins in the world, has been re-purposed for housing and shops. The scenic waterfall and dam provide an impressive photo opportunity. We will stop on the way back to the hotel at the famous Peach Park in Clanton, AL, for dinner. Save room for dessert as they are noted for their peach ice cream and pies.
      On Saturday we will make a quick drive to the Sweetwater Farms Mill House in Hoover, AL, before going east to tour the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Following the tour of the park and lunch, we are off to Kymulga Grist Mill in Childersburg, AL where we will enjoy the Photo Contest Entries at the annual meeting. Kymulga is a Civil War era mill that remarkably survived burning by Union troops, and features a native bee population that has occupied the mill for over 165 years.
      Reserve your rooms early and be sure to ask for the SPOOM conference rate, Conference Code CHHSPO. Conference registration can be paid by check and mailed to Tony Shahan at the address listed on the form, or you can register online using your credit card on the SPOOM.org website. If you have any special dietary needs please be sure to indicate this on the registration form. Also, we hope to set up a ride share site if you are flying into the Birmingham airport and renting a car. The Hampton Inn-Colonade 280 is about a 30 minute drive from the airport. Located near the medical district, shopping and restaurants are close by. We plan to make a list of those attending the conference available to SPOOMers. If for any reason you donot want your information included on this list, please let us know in advance.
      Since we will have 2 full days on the bus, we will be having a question and answer session each day. Bring your questions for the Board of Directors or any of the veteran millers and mill owners. These folks have a lot of good information and will be happy to share their expertise and advice. The Board will meet on Thursday evening at the hotel. A hospitality suite is reserved, so bring any brochures you want to share. If the bus has the capability to show videos, plan to bring a flash drive to show off your property. We have reserved a 56 passenger motor coach for Friday and Saturday. Register early to make sure you get a seat on the bus! Car pooling is also a possibility, since some will be driving to the conference.

We look forward to seeing you in Alabama this fall!