“The Importance of the Southeastern River Banks…..”

Geologists have stated that the Chattahoochee River could be several millions of years old. Some researchers acknowledge that this area was once underwater before nature took it’s course and formed what would become no man’s land for ages. The Chattohoochee River is known today as approximately 550 mile long body of water beginning in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Union County, GA. Flowing south, the Chattahoochee River is the border to the southern half of Alabama and Georgia. Flowing south at the Alabama/Georgia line is the Panhandle of North Florida. Crossing into North Florida, the Chattahoochee River empties itself into the Gulf of Mexico by means of the Chattahoochee Bay in Applachicola, Florida.

For centuries before the early 1800’s, several tribes of Indians have roamed these lands to the West of the Chattahoochee River. In the years of 1500 through the early 1800’s these tribes would encounter many international explorers in pursuit of treasures and/or, of a new way of life. During this time, these explorers would fly their flags all over this area in the attempt to own this land. The Spanish, French and the British explorers would soon move to other locations of the Southeast and west, or back to their native lands across the Oceans. With many confrontations with the Creek Nation, it was our forefathers (of the United States) who had the determination to merge the Northeastern portion of the United States with this area south into Florida. Soon the “Wiregrass Area” would emerge. The life that we live today did not come without sacrifices of many before us on the rivers and the lands we occupy today.

The Chattahoochee River has significant importance to the Wiregrass Area as being a local Natural Historical Resource that allowed this area to become a “civilized” region. The “Pledge of Allegience” is used today by our schools as being a reference to support our faith in God. The democratic lifetsyle and the biblical beliefs that our ancestors and forefathers used to develop this nation are still used in the South and allowed us to become concious of the good and bad in and around the world that surrounds us. Many Churches of all faiths would be built over the next century and become the backbone of the communities of which they were formed.

The Chattahoochee, Choctawatchee and the Pea Rivers swift current would bring us the natural resources to allow energy to be used as electricity, thereby allowing us to become a civilized environment. Just off the Chattahoochee River banks, Columbia Power Company was founded in 1914. Thereby, providing power for the Cotton Gins and Grist Mills on the river soon after the 19th century. Over the years, Columbia Power would sell out to the Southern Company. This was the beginning of what would become an economic impact for our area. In the late 1970’s, Farley Nuclear Plant was constructed to increase the amount of power needed to develop the area. As time has passed, the need for electricity has increased with the generations of families that would eventually settle in this area. Pea River and Wiregrass Cooperatives would soon emerge supporting the majority of electricity needed for the counties west of what would become Houston County.

In the late 1880’s, the Midand State Railway and Georgia Southern Railway systems would offer our area a chance to utilize the Railroad for transportation and economic trading throughout the United States. After agreements were made to purchase the area desired for the Depot Headquarters in what would become Pinckard, Alabama, the Midland and Georgia Southern Railroad would call the Gandy Dancers in for constructing the Bridge. On June 12, 1889 the first “Locomotive Steam Engine” crossed the Chatthoochee River into Gordon’s Depot. This transporation method would be a blessing for the formation of our area. Thus, helping our leaders transport the needed materials to build the infrastructure and communities of what is now known as “The Wiregrass” for the next fifty years. The creation of the American Automotive and the International flight system would soon bring to our area the needed trasportation methods known all over the world created before us.

Today, The Historical Chattahoochee River is also known as Columbia River by the locals because of it’s location in Houston County, Alabama Many of the old train railbridges still remain as a replica of what was once a way of life but now our history. Chattahoochee State Park located in the Columbia City limits was developed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In the 1980’s, State Representative John Beasley secured State funds to renovate the old dam . These funds help install the recreational vehicle hookups, restrooms and running water used for family gatherings and daily water recreation that we enjoy today.

Click here for the references to this blog which is an opinion and may not be exact to the probable dates and times from the references read for this blog.

Email us to post your blog or opinion today about the Historic Chattahoochee!  Our local concern is the water quality of the this historic river….. does anyone have a blog they would like to share on this topic?  Email us at graphicdesign@dothanalabamamall.com to post your blog today!

Follow the “Timeline…..” and then check out the “Links to Wiregrass Historical References” and other important links provided on each Wiregrass home page for local community websites.   www.DothanAlabamaMall.com” is an economic resource for State and Local Information needed to live in the free society that our forefathers and war heros fought for us to have.   We should appreciate our history  and shake the hand of our military when we see them because they are the reason why we are a part of the United States and remain free in a growing community.

NOTE: Please donate to a local Historical Society or local community organization of your choice.   At www.DothanAlabamaMall.com, we support our communities organizations and churches by offering them a “Free” link to their existing websites to promote their services and organizations.   Just give us a call today and let us know the web address and we will place it on your communities “Advertisers by City” and “Churches” or “Associations” category on our home page.

This blog written by Jan Renae Walding with permission by Larry T. Smith, after reading his “Tid Bit’s” in the book “History of Henry County” at the local library.  For more detailed information please link to the following websites for more interesting information about the Wiregrass!

Columbia Historical Society

Henry County Historical Group

“Newton, Alabama”

One of the oldest towns in Southeast Alabama, est. 1843.

“Old Henry County, Created 1819″

Henry County and the State of Alabama are Created. Pioneer Families start moving in.

“Henry County, The Mother County”

Henry County was created by an act of the Legislature December 13, 1819 – one day earlier than Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. Henry County was carved from Conecuh which had been a part of Monroe after it was formed from Washington County, the oldest county in the state, having been created by the proclamation of Governor Winthrop Sergeant of the Mississippi Territory on June 4, 1800. The area of Henry County on December 13, 1819 was vast in area. It embraced the present territory of Covington, Dale, Coffee, Geneva, Henry, Houston, parts of Pike, Crenshaw, Bullock and Barbour. The present area is 565 square miles. After the creation of Covington County from Henry, a part of Conecuh was left south of Henry which was later added to Henry County. Henry County was named for Patrick Henry, the Virginian known as the “Fireball of the Revolution”, by the many first settlers from Virginia who came to this section.

The maps below display the boundaries of Henry County and the other counties as they were created. The white lines is the current boundary of each county with the red being the boundaries at various times since 1820.

Hover over maps to display larger image

This blog written by Jan Renae Walding with permission by Larry T. Smith, after reading his “Tid Bit’s” in the book “History of Henry County” at the local library.  For more detailed information please link to the following websites for more interesting information about the Wiregrass!

County historical images originally from the Alabama Department of Archives and History and modified by Luke Douglas, Webbering Design, Development and Hosting.

Columbia Historical Society

Henry County Historical Group