Eufaula, Alabama
Eufaula, Alabama | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 01-24568 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0118051 | |
Website | eufaulaalabama |
Eufaula
History
The site along the Chattahoochee River that is now modern-day Eufaula was occupied by three Muscogee Creek tribes, including the Eufaulas.[2]: 3 By the 1820s the land was part of the Creek Indian Territory and supposedly off-limits to white settlement.[2]: 4 By 1827 enough illegal white settlement had occurred that the Creeks appealed to the federal government for protection of their property rights. In July of that year, federal troops were sent to the Eufaula area to remove the settlers by force of arms, a conflict known as the "Intruders War".[2]: 4
The Creeks signed the Treaty of Washington in 1826, ceding most of their land in Georgia and eastern Alabama to the United States,[3] but it was not fully effective in practice until the late 1820s. The 1832 Treaty of Cusseta, by which the Creeks ceded all land east of the Mississippi River to the United States, allowed white settlers to legally buy land from the Creek. However, the treaty's terms did not require any natives to relocate.[4] By 1835 the land on which the town was built had been mostly purchased by white settlers, and had a store, owned in part by William Irwin, after whom the new settlement was named "Irwinton".[2]: 5
By the mid 1830s downtown Irwinton was platted out and development was well underway.[2]: 9–16 Much of its historic character has been preserved and is now known as the Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District. In 1842[2]: 18 or 1843[5]: 18 Irwinton was renamed "Eufaula", possibly[5]: 18 to end postal confusion ensuing from its proximity to Irwinton, Georgia.[2]: 18 The town was officially incorporated under that name in 1857.[6]: 10
In 1850
Significant numbers of Jewish settlers came to Eufaula in the middle of the nineteenth century from Germany and from neighboring states. The community founded a cemetery; the first burial took place in 1845.[8]
By the late 1850s, Eufaula's advantageous location on the Chattahoochee made it a major shipping center for cargo bound for the Port of Apalachicola and, from there, to major world markets such as Liverpool and New York City.[5]: 19 By this time, planning for the Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad, which was to include a new bridge over the Chattahoochee, was well underway.[9] By November 1859 the railroad company authorized its president to purchase slaves worth $150,000 to use for the construction of the railroad.[10] Grading for the track bed began in January 1860.[11] By 1861, when it had become clear that the American Civil War was imminent, work on the railroad was suspended to allow the laborers to lay track between Montgomery, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, to facilitate the transport of Confederate troops to the Gulf of Mexico.[12] Work on the railroad was resumed after the war, and, in October 1871, the tracks finally reached the city limits of Eufaula and a depot agent, John O. Martin, was appointed to run that terminal station.[13]
The Civil War in Eufaula
Very little is known about the history of Eufaula during the American Civil War because very few contemporary records or newspapers survive.[5]: 10 Alabama seceded from the United States on January 11, 1861. By the end of the month a military encampment was founded at Eufaula with soldiers ready to decamp to Fort Pickens or elsewhere as needed at the onset of hostilities.[14] Ultimately six companies of the Confederate States Army (CSA) were raised at Eufaula and Barbour County. One of these was the Eufaula Zouaves, one of dozens of military units on both sides that adopted that name, patterning their uniforms and order of battle after the French light infantry units on which they were modeled.[15]
The CSA operated a military hospital in Eufaula during the conflict.[16] Eufaula's strategic position on the Chattahoochee river involved it in the naval component of the Confederate war effort, and at least one ironclad warship was constructed in the city.[17] By April 1865, the Union Army had occupied Selma, Alabama, and plans were made to move the Alabama state government to Eufaula should Montgomery fall to Federal troops.[18]
Montgomery was captured on April 12 and governor
Eufaula was the site of what may have been the last battle of the Civil War. On May 19, 1865, at Hobdy's Bridge near Eufaula a Confederate detachment attacked a 44-man detachment from companies C and F of the Union's 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment, resulting in one soldier killed and three wounded.[21]
By May 1865 the
Reconstruction in Eufaula
By August 1865 cotton shipping out of Eufaula was increasing again, mostly in barter for household goods, which were arriving by ship in increasing quantities.
In March 1867, the
Municipal elections were held in March 1870 and white candidates won all offices except for the two fourth (of four)
On November 3, 1874, members of the
By 1866 there was a general movement of black Baptists to
Civil rights movement
Eufaula housing case
For a number of years after the
In 1958 civil rights attorneys
Voting Rights Act of 1965
After the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 the United States Department of Justice sent federal observers into 24 southern counties to enforce its provisions regarding voter registration for the Fall 1965 elections. Many of these counties saw a significant increase in black registration, but Eufaula, not having federal supervision, had comparatively low rates. For instance, on August 16, 1965, 600 black citizens waited in line at the County courthouse in Eufaula to register, but by the time the office closed, only 265 had managed to fill out the paperwork.[39]
In 1966 the
School integration
In July 1968 the United States Department of Justice filed suit against 76 Alabama school districts, including that of Eufaula, in an attempt to bring them into compliance with Brown v. Board of Education.[41]
Schools in Eufaula remained segregated by race until the fall of 1966 and the first blacks graduated with the senior class of 1967.
Other recent history
In 1963, the
In the early 1960s, the United States Coast Guard set up an Aids to Navigation Team in Eufaula that is still active today servicing from Columbus, Georgia, to Apalachicola, Florida, and the Flint River.
In 1964, the
On March 3, 2019, a tornado hit the city as part of a larger tornado outbreak.[43] On March 31, 2020, another tornado struck the city. There were no reports of fatalities or injuries.[44]
Eufaula has never had an African American mayor. Jack Tibbs Jr. won his third term as mayor in 2020.[45]
Geography
Eufaula is located at 31°53'21.732" North, 85°9'13.586" West (31.889370, -85.153774).[46]
The city is located along U.S. Highways 82 and 431 in southeast Alabama on the Georgia state line, adjacent to the city of Georgetown, Georgia, which is east across the Chattahoochee River from the city. U.S. 431 runs through the city from north to south as Eufaula Avenue, leading north 47 mi (76 km) to Phenix City and southwest 51 mi (82 km) to Dothan. U.S. 82 runs from west to east through the city, concurrent with U.S. 431 through the northern part of the city until it reaches the downtown area, where it then runs east-west as Barbour Street. U.S. 82 leads southeast 26 mi (42 km) to Cuthbert, Georgia and northwest 41 mi (66 km) to Union Springs. Montgomery, the state capital, is located 90 mi (140 km) to the northwest via U.S. 82.
According to the
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Climate data for Eufaula, Alabama, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1967–2022 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
86 (30) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
99 (37) |
105 (41) |
104 (40) |
106 (41) |
101 (38) |
100 (38) |
90 (32) |
84 (29) |
106 (41) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 74.6 (23.7) |
77.7 (25.4) |
83.8 (28.8) |
87.0 (30.6) |
92.8 (33.8) |
95.9 (35.5) |
97.8 (36.6) |
97.2 (36.2) |
94.5 (34.7) |
88.6 (31.4) |
82.1 (27.8) |
76.4 (24.7) |
99.0 (37.2) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 62.4 (16.9) |
66.7 (19.3) |
74.9 (23.8) |
80.4 (26.9) |
87.5 (30.8) |
93.0 (33.9) |
94.8 (34.9) |
93.9 (34.4) |
89.9 (32.2) |
82.1 (27.8) |
72.8 (22.7) |
65.2 (18.4) |
80.3 (26.8) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 48.9 (9.4) |
52.2 (11.2) |
59.6 (15.3) |
65.3 (18.5) |
73.4 (23.0) |
80.4 (26.9) |
82.7 (28.2) |
81.9 (27.7) |
77.3 (25.2) |
67.7 (19.8) |
57.8 (14.3) |
51.2 (10.7) |
66.5 (19.2) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.4 (1.9) |
37.7 (3.2) |
44.3 (6.8) |
50.2 (10.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
67.8 (19.9) |
70.7 (21.5) |
69.9 (21.1) |
64.7 (18.2) |
53.2 (11.8) |
42.9 (6.1) |
37.3 (2.9) |
52.8 (11.6) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 19.9 (−6.7) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
36.2 (2.3) |
45.6 (7.6) |
59.7 (15.4) |
65.1 (18.4) |
62.3 (16.8) |
53.1 (11.7) |
37.9 (3.3) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
17.2 (−8.2) |
Record low °F (°C) | 5 (−15) |
8 (−13) |
17 (−8) |
27 (−3) |
36 (2) |
44 (7) |
55 (13) |
54 (12) |
33 (1) |
26 (−3) |
14 (−10) |
8 (−13) |
5 (−15) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.81 (122) |
4.72 (120) |
5.10 (130) |
4.37 (111) |
3.29 (84) |
4.86 (123) |
5.37 (136) |
4.81 (122) |
3.81 (97) |
3.13 (80) |
4.22 (107) |
5.47 (139) |
53.96 (1,371) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.0 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 5.1 | 7.9 | 9.7 | 7.7 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 82.7 |
Source 1: NOAA[48] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: XMACIS2[49] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 3,000 | — | |
1870 | 3,185 | — | |
1880 | 3,836 | 20.4% | |
1890 | 4,394 | 14.5% | |
1900 | 4,532 | 3.1% | |
1910 | 4,259 | −6.0% | |
1920 | 4,939 | 16.0% | |
1930 | 5,208 | 5.4% | |
1940 | 6,269 | 20.4% | |
1950 | 6,906 | 10.2% | |
1960 | 8,357 | 21.0% | |
1970 | 9,102 | 8.9% | |
1980 | 12,097 | 32.9% | |
1990 | 13,220 | 9.3% | |
2000 | 13,908 | 5.2% | |
2010 | 13,137 | −5.5% | |
2020 | 12,882 | −1.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[50] |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic)
|
5,637 | 43.76% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|
6,041 | 46.89% |
Native American
|
21 | 0.16% |
Asian
|
64 | 0.5% |
Other/Mixed
|
357 | 2.77% |
Latino
|
762 | 5.92% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,882 people, 4,969 households, and 3,215 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
There were 5,237 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city, the population's age was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,025, and the median income for a family was $44,234. Males had a median income of $37,985 versus $23,890 for females. The
Education
Eufaula is served by Eufaula City Schools which has two elementary schools. It has a middle school, Admiral Moorer Middle School, named after Admiral Thomas Hinman Moorer. The local high school is Eufaula High School and their mascot is a tiger. It is also served by a private accredited school, Lakeside School. The Lakeside athletic teams are known as the Chiefs. Eufaula also has a smaller unaccredited school, Parkview Christian School. Eufaula was home to the Eufaula Female Academy, a female seminary founded in 1844.
Culture and recreation
Historic buildings
Many of Eufaula's historic buildings are listed on the
The
The Holleman-Foy House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[53]and stands in 215 W Broad St. The building was designed by George Franklin Barber and built in 1907 for Judge Henry Holleman. According to the National Register of Historic Places nomination the house was published in the 5th edition of Modern Dwellings (1905) under the title "An Ideal Home". In 1909 the house was sold to William Foy.
Fendall Hall, built from 1856 to 1860, is an Italianate-style historic house museum owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.[53][56]
Sports
Lake Eufaula is known as the "Big Bass Capital of the World".[57]
Eufaula was home to a
Movie location
In the 2002 film Sweet Home Alabama, the historic homes shown in Melanie's (Reese Witherspoon) return to Pigeon Creek were shot in Eufaula.
Tree That Owns Itself
The Tree That Owns Itself is an oak tree in Eufaula that has been replaced several times. It was given the ownership of its land by the governor in 1936, with each of the two replacements receiving the ownership to the land too. Confederate soldier Captain John A. Walker previously owned the land.[58][59]
Notable people
- Alpheus Baker, brigadier general in the Confederate States Army[60]
- Peyton Brown, model and Miss Alabama USA 2016[61]
- Daryon Brutley, former professional football defensive back
- Edward Bullock, Confederate officer and two-term Alabama state senator
- U.S. House of Representatives
- James S. Clark, speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1987 to 1999
- S. Hubert Dent Jr., U.S. representative from 1909 to 1921
- Lula Mae Hardaway, mother of entertainer Stevie Wonder[62]
- William Henry Harrison Hart, African American attorney
- Bertha "B" Holt (born August 16, 1916), representative in the North Carolina General Assembly
- Jerrel Jernigan, professional football player
- Walter Kehoe, U.S. representative from Florida from 1917 to 1919
- Reuben Kolb, Alabama politician
- lieutenant governor of Alabama
- Thomas Hinman Moorer, chief of Naval Operations and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Detroit city councilwoman
- Walter Reeves (born December 15, 1965), professional football player
- Simon F. Rothschild (1861–1936), merchant[63]
- Eli Sims Shorter, U.S. representative from 1855 to 1859
- governor of Alabama[2]: 16
- Les Snead, general manager of the NFL Los Angeles Rams
- Courtney Upshaw, professional football player
- George Wallace Jr., former Alabama public service commissioner and state treasurer
- offensive lineman
- Edwin "Pa" Watson, U.S. Army major general, friend and senior aide to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Xavier Woodson-Luster, professional football player
- Hunter Wyatt-Brown, former bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg (Central Pennsylvania)
Gallery
-
Reeves Peanut Company, the Renaissance Revival-style warehouse was built by the Eufaula Grocery Company in 1903.
-
Eufaula post office (ZIP Code: 36027)
-
The Walter F. George lock and dam which creates Lake Eufaula.
-
Christie Pappas Building at E. Broad Street.
-
Fendall Hall, built from 1856 to 1860, is an Italianate-style historic house museum that is owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.[53][56] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1970.
-
The Tavern was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 6, 1970.
-
The Bray-Barron House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1971.
-
The Lewis Llewellyn Cato House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1971.
-
Built in 1837, Sheppard Cottage is the oldest known residence in Eufaula. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1971.
-
The McNab Bank Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 1971.
-
The Wellborn-Thomas House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 1971.
-
Kendall Manor was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 14, 1972.
-
The Shorter Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 14, 1972.
-
The Drewry-Mitchell-Moorer House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1972.
-
The Sparks-Irby House was the home of the44th Alabama Governor, Chauncey Sparks and his sister, Mrs. Louise Sparks Flewellen. It was added to the National Register of Historic Placeson June 28, 1972.
-
The Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1973.
-
The Kiels-McNab House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1982.
-
First Presbyterian Church, completed in 1869.
-
The EufaulaCarnegie Library, built in 1904.
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h J. A. B. Besson (1875). History of Eufaula, Alabama: The Bluff City of the Chattahoochee. Franklin Steam Print. House.
- ISBN 0-520-20895-1.
- ISBN 978-1-61027-166-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-62619-244-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8203-4079-1.
- S2CID 150114358.
- ^ "Eufaula, Alabama". Institute of Southern Jewish Life. 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ "Eufaula Railroad". Daily Columbus Enquirer. October 26, 1859. p. 2.
- ^ "Montgomery and Eufaula Rail Road". The Daily Confederation. November 10, 1859. p. 3.
- ^ "Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad". Daily Columbus Enquirer. January 9, 1860. p. 2.
- ^ "Speedy Completion of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad". The Daily True Delta. April 6, 1861. p. 2.
- ^ "Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad". Daily Columbus Enquirer. Columbus, Georgia. October 15, 1871. p. 3.
- ^ "Alabama Military". The Macon Daily Telegraph. January 28, 1861. p. 1.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-7953-9.
- ISBN 978-0-7656-3078-0.
- ^ "Intelligence; Richmond; Eufaula". New London Daily Chronicle. October 16, 1863. p. 2.
- ^ "From Alabama". Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. April 9, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "From Alabama". Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. April 16, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "From Alabama March Through the Country-Conduct of the Slaves-Cruelty of Masters". New York Daily Tribune. June 3, 1865. p. 3.
- ^ "Skirmish at Hobdy's Bridge - Pike and Barbour Counties, Alabama". ExploreSouthernHistory.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Yankee; Eufaula; Alabama; Grierson". The Daily Evening News. Macon, Georgia. May 4, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "Eufaula; Jasper Sawyers; Capt. Frank Brady". The Macon Daily Telegraph. Macon, Georgia. May 24, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "Another Evidence of Peace". Providence Evening Press. Providence, Rhode Island. May 30, 1865. p. 3.
- ^ "Business at Eufaula". The Macon Daily Telegraph. Macon, Georgia. August 4, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "Shipping on the Chattahooches". Daily Constitutionalist. Augusta, Georgia. August 9, 1865. p. 4.
- ^ "Another Garrison at Eufaula". The Daily Sun. Columbus, Georgia. December 1, 1865. p. 2.
- ^ "The First Day's Election Under the 'Military Bills' in Alabama". New York Herald. October 13, 1867. p. 7.
- ^ "From Eufaula". Georgia Daily Telegraph. Macon, Georgia. March 8, 1870. p. 3.
- ^ "Eufaula". The Daily Sun. Columbus, Georgia. March 8, 1870. p. 2.
- ^ a b "Latest by Mail". Mobile Register. Mobile, Alabama. March 13, 1870. p. 1.
- ^ "Ambushed in Eufaula: Alabama's forgotten race massacre". al. January 16, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8173-0927-5.
- ISBN 978-0-8173-1569-6.
- ^ "A Flying Visit to Eufaula". Georgia Weekly Telegraph. Macon, Georgia. April 9, 1869. p. 4.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58838-286-3.
- ^ "Suit Claims Segregation In Housing". Times Daily. June 10, 1958.
- ^ a b "Negro Requests White Residence". The Tuscaloosa News. October 21, 1958.
- ISBN 978-0-8203-2346-6.
- ISBN 978-1-60306-142-1.
- ^ "Area Schools Named in Suit". Gadsden Times. July 15, 1968.
- ^ a b c "No Incidents at School's First Integrated Prom". The Tuscaloosa News. May 22, 1991.
- ^ "Tornado causes major damage to Eufaula airport, industrial park; no injuries reported". Eufaula Tribune. March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ Fuentes, Carmen (March 31, 2020). "Eufaula tornado runs through neighborhood". WTVY.com. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ "CANDIDATE PROFILE: Three candidates in Eufaula's mayoral race".
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Climate Summary for Eufaula, Alabama
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Eufaula Wildlife REF, AL". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Visitor Information - Attractions". City of Eufaula, Alabama. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
- ^ "The Shorter Mansion". Eufaula Heritage Association. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ^ a b "Fendall Hall". Alabama Historic Commission. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
- ^ "Fish and Fishing in Lake Eufaula". Outdoor Alabama. Archived from the original on April 5, 2006. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ "An oak tree in Eufaula, Alabama officially owns itself – here is why – Alabama Pioneers". www.alabamapioneers.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ "The Tree That Owns Itself". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-415-87803-6.
- ^ Amber Sutton, "Peyton Brown, of Eufaula, crowned Miss Alabama USA 2016", AL.com, November 7, 2015, retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ "Lula Mae Hardaway, 76, Stevie Wonder's Mother, Dies". The New York Times. June 9, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
- ^ Brooklyn Life, Volume 51. 1915. p. 112.
Literature
- Alsobrook, David Ernest. Southside: Eufaula's Cotton Mill Village and its People, 1890-1945. Mercer University Press.
External links
- City Webpage
- Eufaula Police Webpage Archived August 10, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- Eufaula Pilgrimage
- Eufaula City Schools Archived November 1, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- Eufaula Tribune
- Cato-Thorne House Archived April 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine