The Cahaba Foundation (TCF) is one step closer to the goal of purchasing the land in the Old Cahawba Archaeological site to deed to the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC).

The Archaeological site is under the umbrella of the AHC, and Friday the commission was transferred another land deed on Friday that was obtained by TCF.

The Campaign for Old Cahawba initially began over 30 years ago when the AHC established Old Cahawba Park as a state historic site, but the foundation only owned the rights of way over the former streets. In the 1980s, the commission began purchasing the land, but state funding has never been sufficient to acquire all the land in the site and develop it fully for public use, according to the foundation’s website.

Today, the commission owns only 65 percent of the property, and Old Cahawba remains under-maintained and the archaeological sites unprotected, according to the site’s website.

“It is the northern end of what use to be the town commons it was in a low area,” said Linda Derry the Site Director of the Old Cahawba Archaeological Site. “They didn’t build up there because they knew it would flood up there. There were vineyards up there. The road went through there and led to the covered bridge that went to Selma.

“We are down to just two lots so now we can lock the gate at night,” she said. It will help fight vandalism. The foundation came in and raised the money and I think that this is one of the most perfect examples of a partnership that I have ever seen.”

“We could not secure the park until the state owned the park,” said Florence Young the Chairman of the Foundation. “That has been our focus to buy these lots and turn them over to the state. Now that we have purchased almost all of it. We have been able to build a new secure entrance to the park. We raised the money to do that.”