Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
“The Hugo Black House was a historic house in Ashland, Alabama, United States. The one-and-a-half-story, wood-frame residence was purchased by William LaFayette and Martha Black in 1893.”
Wikipedia article Hugo Black House, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 2 National Register listings published here for Clay County · listed in 1973 · category: Building.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 156 fires within 5 miles of Hugo Black House between 1994 and 2020, burning about 2,043 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 62 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 62 |
| Debris and open burning | 56 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 25 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 5 |
| Natural | 1 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 1998 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.5 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 6 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 30 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20190906-24 |
| 26 September 1999 | Arson/incendiarism | 4.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 25 September 1999 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 25 September 1999 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 19 September 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | TYSON RD, AL |
| 13 September 2019 | Debris and open burning | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20190913-11 |
| 11 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20190911-7 |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 34 workings within 5 miles of Hugo Black House: 25 past producers, 5 occurrences, 2 producers, 1 unknown. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Graphite, Gold, Mica, Vanadium. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Cyanite Prospect | Kyanite | Occurrence | ||
| Ashland District | Graphite, Vanadium, Mica | Past Producer | BEDDED | |
| Bowden Grove Manganese Prospect | Manganese | Occurrence | Pyrolusite | |
| Clay County Hwy Dept. Ashland Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Enitachopco Mine | Graphite, Mica, Vanadium | Past Producer | Surface | |
| Suggs Beryl Prospect | Beryllium, Mica | Occurrence | ||
| Jennings-Republic Area | Graphite, Vanadium, Mica | Past Producer | 1914 | |
| Monitor, King and Barrett Mines | Graphite, Vanadium, Mica | Past Producer | 1918 | |
| National Mine | Graphite, Vanadium, Mica | Past Producer | 1916 | |
| Al Au & Mica Co Mine | Gold | Past Producer | Vein |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ashland, the town this property stands in, in 51 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 23 thunderstorm wind, 19 hail, 4 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 death and 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1998 | Flash Flood | Ashland | 1 killed, $15,000 | A flash flood, about 3 inches in an hour, washed out sections of Fuller Road in Mellow Valley. A 51 year-old man drove into the washed out area and was severely injured. He died the next day in the hospital from his injuries. |
| June 2002 | Lightning | Ashland | 1 hurt, $3,000 | A seven year old girl was struck by lightning inside the Cheaha State Park grounds. She suffered minor injuries. One home was also struck by lightning near the park and minor damage occurred. |
| April 2005 | Tornado (F1) | Ashland | $80,000 | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Lightning | Ashland | $70,000 | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Lightning | Ashland | $50,000 | Lightning apparently struck a home causing a fire. The fire virtually destroyed everything inside the home. No injuries were reported. |
| March 1994 | Hail | Ashland | $50,000 | Hail about the size of nickels was reported about five miles west of Ashland. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $15,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and around Ashland, including a tree that fell onto a house in the Shireys Mill community. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $10,000 | A few trees were down, including one on a house, which did minor roof damage. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Hail | Ashland | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Lightning | Ashland | $8,000 | The steeple on the First United Methodist Church was struck by lightning resulting in damage to a sound system and a computer. The steeple and cross were also damaged. Time estimated. |
| May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down across Clay County. At least one structure suffered unspecified wind damage. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down on Mines Road, west of Ashland. Trees were also blown down on State Lake Road, and Church Road. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $5,000 | A few trees were knocked down in the extreme northwest part of Clay County near the Cheaha Wilderness Area. |
| March 2002 | Hail | Ashland | $4,000 | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $2,000 | Trees and power lines down. |
| May 2003 | Tornado (F0) | Ashland | $2,000 | A small tornado touched down south-southeast of Ashland just west of SR 77 and the Wellborn Cabinet Plant. The weak tornado was observed by a number of people and did very little damage. Besides downing a few small trees, the tornado damaged a couple of light posts at the cabinet plant.Beg: 33 15.014/85 49.373 End: 33 15.206/85 48.301 |
| February 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $2,000 | There were some trees down in the southern part of the county. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $1,000 | Power lines were blown down AL-9, near Ashland. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Ashland | $1,000 | Quarter sized hail broke a windshield in Ashland. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | $1,000 | Trees down in Ashland and Lineville. |
| February 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | A social media report was received showing a large tree down on a shed in Ashland. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Numerous trees were downed around Clay County, some of which landed on vehicles. A few barns/small buildings were damaged as well. Relayed via social media. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Multiple trees were blown down along Highway 9. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Ashland | - | Penny size hail reported in Ashland. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Multiple trees uprooted in Ashland. |
| March 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Numerous trees uprooted between the towns of Ashland and Lineville. |
| January 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Several trees uprooted along County road 31 north of the town of Ashland. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Several trees uprooted in the city of Clay. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Numerous trees uprooted in the city of Ashland. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in and around the city of Ashland. |
| April 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Clay county and produced a path of wind damage from the city of Ashland to the city of Lineville. Numerous trees were uprooted and power lines downed. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | Trees were down along the Highway 77 Loop near County Road 5. |
| January 2007 | Funnel Cloud | Ashland | - | A funnel cloud was reported near the Oakgrove Community. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Ashland | - | Reported in the Highland Community. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Ashland | - | Accompanied by winds estimated at 50 mph. |
| February 2005 | Hail | Ashland | - | Penny size hail fell in extreme eastern Clay County near the Cragford community. |
| July 2005 | Hail | Ashland | - | Dime to penny size hail was reported on Country Club Road half way between Ashland and Lineville. |
| December 2005 | Hail | Ashland | - | Nickel size hail fell in Ashland. |
| October 2004 | Funnel Cloud | Ashland | - | A funnel cloud was reported in western Clay County west of Ashland and Pyriton. A tornado touchdown was not confirmed and no damage was reported. |
| May 2003 | Hail | Ashland | - | Quarter size hail fell in Ashland. |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashland | - | One very large tree was blown down and blocked the road near Ashland. |
| May 1999 | Hail | Ashland | - | Dime size hail fell near the city of Ashland. |
| May 1999 | Hail | Ashland | - | Dime size hail was reported near Ashland. |
| June 1999 | Hail | Ashland | - | Dime size hail was reported in Ashland. |
| June 1994 | Hail | Ashland | - | Three-quarter inch hail was reported in south Clay County. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Ashland | - | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Ashland | - | no account filed |
| March 2015 | Hail | Ashland | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Ashland | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Clay County Courthouse | 0.8 miles | 1976 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 73000334 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Clay County | All 2 listed properties in this county. |
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