Cullman Regional Medical Center: CRMC Community Education Center.

CRMC Community Education Center

Cullman County maintains a rich tradition while clinging to strong family values. As a community servant, CRMC continually strives to bring advanced medical technology to the area. In doing so, we remain keenly aware of the community's desire to retain its heritage. With the development of the Community Education Center, we have an opportunity to bring a small portion of this history to the medical center. The following meeting rooms, named after places and people special to the community, may be utilized by local businesses, civic, cultural, educational groups, associations and churches in the community.

Colonel Cullmann Room (BANQUET HALL SEATS 250)
Colonel Johann Gottfried Cullmann was born on July 2, 1823, in Bavaria, Germany. He enrolled in college in Zweibruken at the age of 13 and graduated as a civil engineer. In 1865, Cullmann left his wife and three children behind to seek freedom from war activities in America. After much travel, he found his way to North Alabama and settled in the place now known as the City of Cullman in 1873. He brought along 14 German families and supervised the settling of the area. In a few short years, Cullmann supervised the relocation of over one thousand people to his new home. Although given credit for the area's German heritage, Colonel Cullmann often remarked, "I live in America and I am an American."

Ave Maria Room (MEETING ROOM SEATS 45)
The Ave Maria Grotto, located on the grounds of Alabama's first and only Benedictine Abbey, consists of over 125 miniatures, reproductions of famous churches, shrines and buildings from all over the world. Founded in 1891, the Grotto was the handiwork of Brother Joseph Zoetti, a monk of St. Bernard Abbey for almost 70 years. He gathered his ideas from extensive readings of history and the Bible. Brother Joseph built his final model, the Basilica in Lourdes, at the age of 80, in 1958.

Weiss Room (MEETING ROOM SEATS 45)
Dr. Aldo Weiss, a practical physician and Accoucheur, was one of Cullman's earliest male midwives. Dr. Weiss used his small home not only to house his wife and children, but also to serve as his office equipped with its own operating room. In the cellar of the Weiss Cottage, visitors would find the family goats, a European custom at that time. Hence the name, 'The Goat House." The Weiss family moved away in 1889 and the cottage was sold. In 1976, the oldest house in Cullman was donated to the city by Mrs. Inez Ruehl.

The Depot (TIERED CLASSROOM SEATS 60)
Rail travel was a critically important part of the development of Cullman. In the early 1870's, Colonel Johann G. Cullmann and Albert Fink, then Vice President of L&N Railroad, agreed to the development of a railway through Cullman County. In the early 1880's, the first Depot was erected to serve rail travel. The tracks were later lowered thirty feet in an effort to reduce noise and pollution in the colony. After completion of the new tracks, Cullman's second Depot was built in 1913 one and one half miles from its original location. Passenger service was discontinued from the Depot in 1968. However, the building remains as a part of Cullman's landscape today.

The Governor's Room (BOARD ROOM WITH VIDEO CONFERENCE CAPABILITY SEATS 25)
Cullman County has a famed political history dating back to its founder, Colonel Johann G. Cullmann, a political revolutionist. Since its colonization, Cullman County has been home to three governors representing both the Democratic and Republican parties. James "Big Jim" Folsom, Sr., (D), represented the state from 1946-1954. In 1986, Guy Hunt (R), was elected as the state's first Republican governor in 112 years. In 1993, Jim Folsom Jr., (D), became Governor, some forty years after his father left office.