Timeline of Significant Events

Timeline of Significant Events Affecting the Development of Etowah County

1702	Mobile area by French explorers and served as the capital of French Louisiana for 16 years
1763	Mobile and the Gulf area of Florida became a British colony. Control of Mobile and British West Florida changed hands several times between 1780 and the War of 1812.
1798	Alabama became a part of the Mississippi Territory after Indian cessions in north Alabama.
1802	Georgia formally cedes western claims for its southern boundary at the 31st parallel
1805-1806	Indian cessions opened up to white settlement large portions of western (Choctaw) and northern (Chickasaw and Cherokee) Alabama.
1810	First settlers in the present-day Etowah county area
1813-1814	Creek Indian War
1814	August. Treaty of Fort Jackson signed at Fort Toulouse. Creek Indians forced to cede lands to U.S. comprising nearly half of the state. U.S. represented by General Andrew Jackson. Migration increased following the end of the Creek War
1817	Alabama Territory created, with temporary capital at St. Stephens, when Mississippi becomes a state.
1819	December 14. Alabama enters the Union as the 22nd state.
1825	First house in the present-day Etowah county area
1830	State's population=309,527. 1830 Federal Census White population=190,406 African-American population=119,121 Slave population=117,549 Free black population=1,572 Urban population=3,194 Rural population=306,333.
1835	First post office in the present-day Etowah County area.
1838	Trail of Tears, Cherokee Nation
1840	Massive influx of settlers into the present-day Etowah county area. State population=590,756. 1840 Federal Census White population=335,185 African-American population=255,571 Slave population=253,532 Free black population=2,039 Urban population=12,672 Rural population=578,084.
1845	First church in the present-day Etowah County area; Lafferty's Landing, first steamboat on the upper Coosa River
1846	Original survey of Gadsden completed; Gadsden founded in honor of James Gadsden General Assembly votes to move state capital to Montgomery (first held session there in 1847).
1850	State population=771,623. 1850 Federal Census White population=426,514 African-American population=345,109 Slave population=342,844 Free black population=2,265 Urban population=35,179 Rural population=736,444 Cotton production in bales=564,429 Corn production in bushels=28,754,048 Number of manufacturing establishments=1,026.
1861	January 11. Alabama convention votes to secede from the Union. February 4-8. Alabama invites other Southern states to Montgomery where a constitution for the Confederate States of America was adopted. February 18. Jefferson Davis of Mississippi sworn in as President of the C.S.A. February-May. Montgomery serves as C.S.A. capital until move to Richmond, Virginia. March 20. Alabama Constitution of 1861 adopted.
1861 - 1865	194 military land events and 8 naval engagements occurred within the boundaries of Alabama including Streight's Raid in north Alabama (April-May 1863) when Emma Sansom leads General Nathan Forrest over Black Creek John Wisdom rides to save Rome, Georgia
1865	New Alabama Constitution adopted to comply with Presidential Reconstruction dictates to rejoin Union; rejected by U.S. Congress.
1866	Baine County formed
1867	First newspaper, The Gadsden Times, ran from 04 Jan 1867 to 25 Dec 1873
1868	Name of county changed to Etowah, which in Cherokee means a tree bearing good fruit February. Reconstruction Constitution ratified gaining Alabama readmission to the Union, and allowing black suffrage for the first time. First industry, Gaylor's Hat Factory
1870	First railroad First courthouse in Etowah County. 1870 Federal Census State population=996,992. White population=521,384 African-American population=475,510 Urban population=62,700 Rural population=934,292 Cotton production in bales=429,482 Corn production in bushels=16,977,948 Number of manufacturing establishments=2,188.
1872	Attalla incorporated
1876	Gadsden incorporated
1877	First public school in Gadsden
1880	1880 Federal Census State population= 1,262,505. White population= 662,185 African-American population= 600,103 Urban population= 68,518 Rural population= 1,193,987 Cotton production on bales= 699,654 Corn production in bushels= 25,451,278 Number of manufacturing establishments= 2,070.
1883	May 2: First fire department July 4: 21 businesses destroyed in Gadsden's worst fire Mayor/council form of government
1884	First college, Walnut Grove
1886	Walnut Grove incorporated First County water works
1888	First bridge across the Coosa River (railroad/foot)
1890	1890 Federal Census State population= 1,513,401. White population= 833,718 African-American population= 678,489 Urban population= 152,235 Rural population= 1,361,166 Cotton production in bales= 915,210 Corn production in bushels= 30,072,161 Number of manufacturing establishments= 2,977.
1891	Alabama City founded
1900	1900 Federal Census State population= 1,828,697. White population= 1,001,152 African-American population= 827,307 Urban population= 216,714 Rural population= 1,611,983 Cotton production in bales= 1,106,840 Corn production in bushels= 35,053,047 Number of manufacturing establishments= 5,602.
1905	First hospital, Baptist Memorial World's first hydroelectric plant
1907	Emma Sansom statue dedicated Alabama Power Company founded
1908	Alabama law requires the recording of birth or death certificates.
1910	1910 Federal Census Broad Street in Gadsden paved with brick
1912	Chamber of commerce organized Altoona incorporated
1913	First street car in operation
1920	1920 Federal Census
1925	Holy Name of Jesus Hospital opens First radio station, WJBY East Gadsden merged with Gadsden
1929	Goodyear opens first rubber plant in South
1930	1930 Federal Census
1931	City commission form of government begins
1932	Alabama City and Gadsden merge
1934	Final run for streetcar made
1935	Gadsden Amphitheatre and Convention Hall completed
1936	Statewide recording of marriages begins; prior to then, they were recorded at the county. Not all records are complete.
1937	City flag adopted
1939	Glencoe incorporated
1942	Construction begins on Camp Sibert
1946	Hokes Bluff incorporated
1949	Southside incorporated
1950	Rainbow City incorporated
1953	Ola Lee Mize awarded Congressional Medal of Honor
1954	J. H. Meighan Bridge opened
1957	Reece City incorporated
1963	Sardis and Mountainboro incorporated
1965	Gadsden State Junior College built
1967	Gadsden State Technical College built
1969	Ridgeville incorporated