The Methodist Archives Center is the central depository for the archival and historical records of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. It was established in 1976 with the records collected and preserved by the Reverend Franklin S. Moseley, Historian of the Alabama-West Florida Conference from 1959 until his death in 1976. The records were transferred from Rev. Moseley’s retirement home in Eutaw,
Alabama, to the Huntingdon College Library. The Archives Center is a joint venture of the Conference Commission on Archives and History (COAH) and Huntingdon College. In 1976, under the leadership of the Rev. Massengale, a minister in the conference and then director of the Huntingdon College Library, an agreement was worked out whereby the college furnishes the space and the conference the funding for the administration of the depository. Dr. Massengale was named Conference Archivist/ Historian, and Mary Ann Pickard (Mrs. William M., Jr.) was employed to assist him. In 1984, upon Dr. Massengale’s retirement, Mrs. Pickard was named Archivist and administrator of the depository. Upon her retirement July 1, 2008, Sharon Tucker (Mrs. Frank Allen, Jr.) was named Conference Archivist and was introduced at the 2008 Annual Conference session. On August 1, 2017, Mr. Blake Denton joined the MAC as Mrs. Tucker's Administrative Assistant. The position of conference historian has been a volunteer position. After Dr. Massengale’s retirement, other historians have been Rev. Joe Curtis named in 1992, Rev. Jabe Fincher named in 2002, and Rev. Thad Chesser named in 2007. Ed Shirley is the present Historian for the Alabama West Florida Conference.
