WASHINGTON COUNTY ALABAMA

WASHINGTON COUNTY ALABAMA

Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,581. The county seat is Chatom.

Washington County was created on June 4, 1800, as a county of the Mississippi Territory by proclamation of Gov. Winthrop Sargent. It was the first county in the state of Alabama, and the county’s original boundaries extended 300 miles east to west and 88 miles to the north and south. Some 26,400 square miles of Washington County’s original territory were carved out to make 16 counties in Mississippi and 29 counties in Alabama. The county was named in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. Washington County is the oldest established county in the state of Alabama and originally included much of both the states of Alabama and Mississippi.

Washington County Alabama History

The area of today’s Washington County was long inhabited by various indigenous people. In historic times, European traders encountered first Choctaw and later Creek Indians, who had moved southwest from Georgia as early European settlers encroached on their land. The earliest settlers came to the county from Georgia and the Carolinas. Most early settlement took place on the west bank of the Tombigbee River. Some of the first towns included McIntosh, Wakefield, St. Stephens, and Chatom.

Washington County was organized on June 4, 1800 from the Tombigbee District of the Mississippi Territory by proclamation of territorial governor Winthrop Sargent. It was the first county organized in what would later become Alabama, as settlers moved westward after the American Revolutionary War. Washington County is the site of St. Stephens, the first territorial capital of Alabama.

Washington County Alabama Towns

Chatom Alabama

Chatom is a town in Washington County. It incorporated in 1949. Chatom is the county seat of Washington County, holding the distinction since 1907. The town’s population was 1,288 at the 2010 census, up from 1,193 in 2000.

McIntosh Alabama

McIntosh has a community population of about 300. The town was incorporated on April 7, 1970, becoming the third incorporated town in Washington County. The Town of McIntosh has a rich heritage. People of Black, White and Indian ancestry live in the area. Highway 43 runs through McIntosh, north-south. It is 12 1⁄2 miles  south of Wagarville and 44 miles  north of Mobile. It was named for William McIntosh, a prominent Creek chief of the nineteenth century. The Tombigbee River is on the eastern boundary of McIntosh. It is a navigable waterway and provides fishing for the local sportsmen.

Millry Alabama

Millry is a town in Washington County. According to the 1950 U.S. Census records, it incorporated in 1947. The population was 546 at the 2010 census, down from 615 in 2000.

Washington County Alabama Census-designated Places

Calvert Alabama

Calvert is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Mobile and Washington counties. It is located in the extreme northeastern corner of the county near the Tombigbee River, along U.S. Route 43. As of the 2010 census, its population was 277.

Cullomburg Alabama

Cullomburg is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Choctaw and Washington counties. Its population was 171 as of the 2010 census.

Deer Park Alabama

Deer Park is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Washington County, Alabama, United States. Although a ghost town by 1966 it had a population of 188 at the 2010 census. Deer Park is 17.5 miles south-southwest of Chatom. Deer Park has a post office with ZIP code 36529.

Beverly Jo Scott

– singer-songwriter, was born in Deer Park in 1959

Jeff Kelly

– former National Football League quarterback and current head football coach for Saraland High School

Fairford Alabama

Fairford is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 186 as of the 2010 census.

Fruitdale Alabama

Fruitdale is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 185 as of the 2010 census.

Hobson Alabama

Hobson is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 126 as of the 2010 census.

Leroy Alabama

Leroy is a census-designated place located in Washington County, around 60 miles north of Mobile. As of the 2010 census, its population was 911.

Malcolm Alabama

Malcolm is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 187 as of the 2010 census.

St. Stephens Alabama

St. Stephens is an unincorporated census-designated place in Washington County. Its population was 580. Located near the Tombigbee River in the southwestern part of the state and 67 miles north of Mobile, it is composed of two distinct sites: Old St. Stephens and New St. Stephens. The Old St. Stephens site lies directly on the river and is no longer inhabited. It was the territorial capital of the Alabama Territory. Now encompassed by the Old St. Stephens Historical Park, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Stephens Alabama history.

Sims Chapel

Sims Chapel (also Darrah, Grandfield) is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 153 as of the 2010 census.

Tibbie Alabama

Tibbie is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Washington County. Its population was 41 as of the 2010 census.

Vinegar Bend Alabama

Vinegar Bend is an unincorporated census-designated place in Washington County. Vinegar Bend is 15 miles south-southwest of Chatom. As of the 2010 census, its population was 192.

Washington County Alabama Communities

Cortelyou Alabama

Cortelyou, also known as Richardson or Richardson Station, is an unincorporated community in Washington County.

Escatawpa Alabama

Escatawpa is an unincorporated community in Washington County. The community was named after the Escatawpa River.  Escatawpa was located on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

In 1909, a traveler from Urbana, Illinois wrote the Champaign-Urbana Courier advising citizens of Urbana to move to the region. He described the area as “a great fruit and vegetable country” and that “fine yellow pine trees are plentiful and cypress trees abound”.

Frankville Alabama

Frankville is an unincorporated community in Washington County, located on County Route 31, 9.8 miles east of Millry.

Since 1926 it is the home to the annual Frankville Old Time Fiddlers Convention, held in the former local school building.

Laton Hill Alabama

Laton Hill is an unincorporated community in Washington County, located on Alabama State Route 56, 6.0 miles west of Chatom.

Sunflower Alabama

Sunflower is an unincorporated community in Washington County, located 8.1 miles north of McIntosh.

Wagarville Alabama

Wagarville is an unincorporated community in Washington County.

Yellow Pine Alabama

Yellow Pine is an unincorporated community in Washington County.

Yarbo Alabama

Yarbo (known as Yarboro) is an unincorporated community in Washington County.

Washington County Alabama Ghost Towns

Wakefield Alabama

Wakefield is a ghost town in Washington County, most famous as the place where former vice president Aaron Burr was arrested in 1807.

Washington County Alabama Places of Interest

• Andrews Chapel in McIntosh

  Andrews Chapel, also known as the McIntosh Log Church, is a historic Methodist church building in McIntosh, Alabama. It is one of only a few remaining log churches in the state.  The church was built before the year ended. It was named for James Osgood Andrew, a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

  The squared-log building features square notched corners and a wood shingle roof. A new church building was built in 1952 adjacent to the chapel.[2] The chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 20, 1974.[1]

• Old Washington County Courthouse

• Old St. Stephens Site in St. Stephens

The Washington County Museum is located in the courthouse in Chatom.

Washington County Alabama Historical Markers

Alabama (Washington County), Calvert — 8 — MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians — Mount Vernon History Trail —

Aiokpanchi, “Welcome,” to the Official Tribal Reservation of the MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians. Chata hapia hoke! “We are Choctaw.” We are glad you are able to visit us and hope your visit to our Tribal Reservation is both . . .

Alabama (Washington County), Chatom — Washington County — First County in Alabama — First county in Alabama. Created in 1800 by proclamation of governor of Mississippi Territory. This was first U. S. civil government in area that was to become Alabama. Its original boundaries: East-to-west: Chattahoochee to Pearl River; South, 31° lat. (Present Ala.-Fla. Line); North, 32° 28′, a line just north of Phenix City-Montgomery-York. From these 25,000 square miles have come 26 counties in Alabama, Mississippi. Early history of this area. 1519-1700: Claimed by Spain as part of Florida by discovery, exploration, conquest and attempted settlement. 1700-1763: Claimed by France as part of Louisiana by exploration, settlement. 1763-1780: Seized by England as part of West Florida after defeating French. 1780-1795: Regained by Spain during American Revolution by invasion, occupation. 1795–Spain ceded area to U. S. 1798–U. S. created Mississippi Territory.

Created in 1800 by proclamation of governor of Mississippi Territory. This was first U.S. civil government in area that was to become Alabama. Its original boundaries: East to west: Chattahoochee to Pearl River; South, 31° lat. . . . —

Alabama (Washington County), Chatom — Washington County Confederate Memorial — … Lest We Forget 1861 – 1865 — Our Confederate Ancestors —

Dedicated to the memory and honor of all the men who served in the Confederate States Armies from Washington County For these were men Whom power could not corrupt Whom death could not terrify Whom defeat could not dishonor. . . .

Alabama (Washington County), Chatom — Washington County Courthouse — The Washington County Courthouse as it was built in 1908. It was razed in 1963. This memorial cornerstone was placed by the Washington County Historical Society and the Washington County Museum.

Alabama (Washington County), Chatom — Washington County Veterans Memorial —

Alabama (Washington County), Leroy — .The Taylor House — Built circa 1843 by Walter Taylor on Commerce Street in Jackson. In 1985, it was removed from its original site to make way for a new City Hall Complex and was brought to this site and restored as the Leroy Branch of the Washington County State Bank. Walter Taylor (1817-1886) was the son of Daniel Taylor, one of the original Commissioners of the town of Jackson in 1816. He was a prominent attorney, farmer and merchant and with his wife Amanda Caroline Lankford Taylor, founded the Jackson Methodist Church in 1842.

Alabama (Washington County), McIntosh — Andrews Chapel — Andrews Chapel, also known as the McIntosh Log Church, is one of the few remaining log churches in Alabama. In 1860, John C. Rush and his wife donated land for the church to the McIntosh Community. Shortly afterwards, the church was constructed and . . .

Alabama (Washington County), McIntosh — Town of McIntosh — McIntosh has a community population of about 300. The town was incorporated on April 7, 1970, becoming the third incorporated town in Washington County. The following officials were elected to serve four year terms: Mayor Carrol . .

Alabama (Washington County), St. Stephens — Old St. Stephens Masonic Lodge No. 9 (1821-1834)/St. Stephens Lodge No. 81— Charter and early members were: Gov. Israel Pickens, Col. Silas Dinsmore, Thomas Eastin, R. Chamberlain, Thomas Malone, J. F. Ross, Daniel Coleman, John Womack, W. D. Gaines, James Roberts, James K. Blount, Ptolemy Harris, F. S. Lyon, Micajah Brewer, John F. McGrew. One of the nine lodges that organized the Grand Lodge of Alabama at Cahaba in 1821, however, Masonry existed here as early was 1811. St. Stephens Lodge #81 After the decline of Old St. Stephens, a Masonic Lodge was organized and chartered here in 1854. Minutes kept and meetings held continuously since charter date at this site. Charter and early members were: T. P. Ashe, W. A. Bailey, Thos. H. Bailey, F. W. Baker, James K. Blount, R. O. Bowling, W. F. Brunson, John W. Carpenter, E. H. Gordy, Jackson W. Faith, James G. Hawkins, F. C. Koen, T. S. Parker, Daniel Rain, Benton C. Rain, John A. Richardson, James White, Walter Woodyard.

Alabama (Washington County), Wagarville — Bassetts Creek — Named for Thomas Basset, a British Loyalist and native of Virginia. Migrated to Tombigbee area from near Augusta, Ga. circa 1772 to escape persecution by American patriots. Received in 1776, from King George III a grant of 750 acres on the west side of river Tombigbee, five miles east of this site, where he established his residence and plantation. Bassett also received a Crown grant to lands at McIntosh Bluff. He was murdered by Indians circa 1780 on the east side of Tombigbee near the creek that bears his name. As a minor in Georgia, one of his guardians was General Lachlan McGillivray. Numerous Bassett descendants presently live in this area.

Alabama (Washington County), Wagarville — The Sullivan Cabin — The Sullivan Cabin was built on the east side of Bassett Creek, in 1874 by Gibeon Jefferson Sullivan, a Confederate soldier who served in Co. A. 32nd Ala Infantry, an all-volunteer company made up of men from Washington County. The cabin is a . . .

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