|
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 |
