POWERGRAMS

43 Tharpe helped build APC Archives by Donna Cope It could be said that Corporate Archives is Bill Tharpe's baby. Indeed, similar to nurturing and raising a child, Tharpe's 30-year career at Alabama Power was devoted to helping build, grow and oversee the Corporate Archives in the old 1925 General Office Building. After a long and storied tenure as keeper of company antiquities, Tharpe retires Jan. 31. A veritable treasure trove of artifacts and information about the company, the Corporate Archives contain records and images that document, among other things, the construction of the early hydro and steam plants. Visitors can see the 1830s land grant deeds of some of Alabama's earliest settlers – one is signed by President Andrew Jackson. In addition to myriad documents, Tharpe lovingly cataloged thousands of photos and created displays that include the earliest electrical meters and appliances. "We have incorporation papers of the company and early correspondence between James Mitchell and Sperling and Company, which are important to the history of Alabama Power," Tharpe said. "Photos of the collection are my personal favorite – it's an incredible resource. Documents and images not only illustrate the history of the company, but also the lives of our employees." Handling company artifacts with TLC Through the years, Tharpe ensured that every artifact, sheet of paper and company antiquity were handled with care. After years of hands-on work, Tharpe could answer most any question about Alabama Power's beginnings. His company career began in 1988, first as a consultant and then as an employee when the Archives became an official part of the corporate structure. The job came naturally to Tharpe: He earned a history degree at Auburn University and, later, a master's in public history at UAB. "I grew up loving history," said Tharpe, a self-described "legacy" employee whose mother and father worked at the company. Sonny and Eloise Tharpe married in the 1930s and worked for the Birmingham Electric Co. After the 1954 merger, Tharpe's father became an engineer in Birmingham Division. "It's been neat working in the Archives – occasionally, I run into my Dad's picture," Tharpe said, with a smile. "My sister is in Powergrams and, when I was 12, I was in Powergrams when the magazine covered Birmingham Division's annual barbecue at the Birmingham Fairgrounds." The Archives was born in 1984, when the company put out a call for artifacts and images. "It grew from there," Tharpe said. "Employees responded by sending truckloads and truckloads of stuff." Hordes of records, photographs and artifacts came from every division. "It was all in cardboard boxes and old metal file cases. All of it had to be inventoried and put in acid-free boxes and acid-free folders," he said. Eight retirees, all members of the Energizers retiree group, assisted. " They helped catalog the collection and brought a wealth of knowledge about the company," Tharpe said. " Their life in the company stretched 30 to 40 years before that. They helped me learn what this company is all about." Tharpe's love of Alabama history helped spur his ongoing interest and ideas for use of the Archives. " The fact that more and more people outside the company have found value and use for our holdings is PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHIL FREE Tharpe uses cotton gloves to look through century-old book.

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