Geological Survey of Alabama Circular 52: Caves of Madison County, Alabama, 1968 - Paperbackby Geological Survey of Alabama (Created by) The Alabama Department of Archives and History was founded in 1901 and became a model for many other states. The first Director, Dr. Thomas Owen, argued that the state had a responsibility to preserve the basic records of its people and its history. As the first of only five Directors, Dr. Owen served in his position for almost 20 years and built the Alabama Archives into one of the most important cultural