Bridgeport Alabama
Bridgeport Alabama is a city in Jackson County, Alabama with a population of 2,728.
Transport Steamer “wauhatchee” built in Bridgeport Alabama
Because of its location on both a rail line and the Tennessee River, Bridgeport was a strategic site during the American Civil War.
USS Chattanooga, Cracker Liner
The rail bridge at Bridgeport was among those targeted by the East Tennessee bridge-burning conspiracy in November 1861. Bridgeport was the site of a major skirmish on April 29 and August 26, 1862, and numerous other small actions took place in the area. In the latter part of the war, Bridgeport was the site of a major shipyard building gunboats and transports for the Union Army. The USS Chattanooga was built here and became a vital part of the famous “Cracker Line,” which broke the Confederate’s siege of Chattanooga in November 1863.(See the official records) Bridgeport was incorporated as a city in 1891.
Bridgeport Alabama Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 2,728 people in 1,159 households, including 793 families, in the city. The population density was 875.4 people per square mile. There were 1,290 housing units at an average density of 414.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 87.76% White, 8.03% Black or African American, 1.43% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Bridgeport Alabama History
Bridgeport developed after the 1840s, when European Americans established a riverboat landing here along the Tennessee River. This landing was a place for local farmers to trade their crops for other goods. Within a few years, a small hamlet known as “Jonesville” had developed around the landing, and included a trading post, gristmill, warehouses, and several saloons. The Jonesville post office opened in 1852.
Fluctuating river levels made riverboat trade unreliable, and area merchants began campaigning for railroad access in the late 1840s. The first rail line reached Jonesville in 1852. A railroad bridge over the Tennessee River was completed in 1854, connecting the city with Chattanooga, Tennessee. In recognition of this accomplishment, the name of the city was changed to “Bridgeport.” Construction of a second rail line connecting Bridgeport with Jasper, Tennessee, to the north, began in 1860, but was not completed until after the Civil War.
Source: Wikipedia contributors, “Bridgeport, Alabama,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,
Bridgeport Alabama Attractions
The most popular attraction in this small rural town is the Bridgeport Depot Museum, which features a variety of local Civil War artifacts.
Wikipedia contributors, “Bridgeport, Alabama,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bridgeport,_Alabama&oldid=639515464 (accessed December 25, 2014).