Greenville in Butler County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Rock Wall at Beeland Park ⎯⎯⎯ The Greenville Men's Camellia Society
Photographed by Mark Hilton, May 20, 2026
1. The Rock Wall at Beeland Park Marker
Inscription.
The Rock Wall at Beeland Park, also, The Greenville Men's Camellia Society. .
The Rock Wall at Beeland Park. On this site, R.A. Beeland donated eight acres in 1933 for a recreational park. Completed in eight months by the Civil Works Administration. Beeland Park was dedicated on April 12, 1934. Boys and Girl Scout camps, 4-H rallies, family reunions, patriotic celebrations, and camellia shows were a few of the public gatherings hosted at the park. Stone columns form the entrance leading into the park with an expanse of stone fence curving out from the gateway. The openings on all four sides illuminate the entrance when lit. The rocks used for the entrance, benches and picnic tables were gathered from Cedar Creek in Butler County. ,
The Greenville Men's Camellia Society. A group of camellia enthusiasts formed The Greenville Men's Camellia Society in 1948. They also organized the Alabama Camellia Society in 1948 with Dr. Aubrey Stabler, Sr. as President. The men lobbied the state legislature to name the camellia the state flower. A bill to do so was first introduced in 1949 by T. Werth Thagard and Earl M. McGowin. The Society convinced homemaker clubs, civic clubs and private citizens to plant camellias in an effort to enhance Greenville's reputation as "The Camellia City." A mass planting occurred for ten years. A second bill, introduced by LaMont Glass and Hiram B. Taylor, passed in 1959. The Greenville Men's Camellia Society was responsible for the camellia becoming Alabama's state flower.
The Rock Wall at Beeland Park
On this site, R.A. Beeland donated eight acres in
1933 for a recreational park. Completed in eight
months by the Civil Works Administration. Beeland
Park was dedicated on April 12, 1934. Boys and
Girl Scout camps, 4-H rallies, family reunions,
patriotic celebrations, and camellia shows were a few
of the public gatherings hosted at the park.
Stone columns form the entrance leading into the
park with an expanse of stone fence curving out
from the gateway. The openings on all four sides
illuminate the entrance when lit. The rocks used
for the entrance, benches and picnic tables were
gathered from Cedar Creek in Butler County.
The Greenville Men's Camellia Society
A group of camellia enthusiasts formed The
Greenville Men's Camellia Society in 1948. They also
organized the Alabama Camellia Society in 1948
with Dr. Aubrey Stabler, Sr. as President. The men
lobbied the state legislature to name the camellia
the state flower. A bill to do so was first introduced
in 1949 by T. Werth Thagard and Earl M. McGowin.
The Society convinced homemaker clubs, civic
clubs and private citizens to plant camellias in an
effort to enhance Greenville's reputation as "The
Camellia City." A mass planting occurred for ten
years. A second bill, introduced
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by LaMont Glass
and Hiram B. Taylor, passed in 1959. The
Greenville Men's Camellia Society was responsible
for the camellia becoming Alabama's state flower.
Erected 2026 by the Greenville Camellia Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is April 12, 1934.
Location. 31° 49.813′ N, 86° 36.652′ W. Marker is in Greenville, Alabama, in Butler County. It is on East Commerce Street (Alabama Route 10), on the right when traveling east. Located with Beeland Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1016 E Commerce St, Greenville AL 36037, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Black Belt. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2026, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 20, 2026, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
