Near Greenville in Butler County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

The Federal Road and The Palings / Fort Dale 1818

The Federal Road and the Palings Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 17, 2019

1. The Federal Road and the Palings Marker

Inscription. The Federal Road and the Palings The Federal Road was built in 1806 as a shorter route from Washington to New Orleans and the new Louisiana Territory. The road entered Alabama at Fort Mitchell, Georgia and passed through Butler County near this site. After Creek Indians gave up millions of acres in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814, "Alabama Fever" drew thousands of settlers into Butler County on the new road.

"The Palings" was an inn and stage stop at Fort Dale that served travelers from the 1820s until it burned in 1953. English visitor Adam Hodgson wrote in April 1820: "We arrived in the evening at a few palings which have dignified the place with the appellation of Fort Dale, where travelers are accommodated tolerably on a flourishing plantation."

Fort Dale 1818 Fort Dale was built near this site in response to Indian attacks against settlers, notably the Ogly-Stroud massacre on March 13, 1818. Alabama Territorial Governor William Bibb sent Capt. Sam Dale with militia from Fort Claiborne to strengthen Fort Bibb at Pine Flat and build a new fort on the Federal Road. Named for its builder, Fort Dale was the first county seat, post office and voting site, and had the first church and school in Butler County.

Erected

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2014 by the Butler County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Native Americans • Roads & Vehicles • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is March 13, 1818.

Location. 31° 53.69′ N, 86° 39.315′ W. Marker is near Greenville, Alabama, in Butler County. Marker is on Fort Dale Road (Alabama Route 185) 0.3 miles north of Sherling Lake Road, on the right when traveling south. Located at Fort Dale Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Fort Dale Road, Greenville AL 36037, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sherling Lake (approx. one mile away); Bartram's Trail (approx. 1.6 miles away); Ogly-Stroud Massacre / Gary's Stockade (approx. 3.3 miles away); Searcy School House / Searcy Community (approx. 3.4 miles away); West Commerce Street Historic District/Historic Greenville Depot (approx. 4.8 miles away); Butler County World War I Memorial (approx. 4.8 miles away); The Camellia City / Greenville (approx. 4.9 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 4.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.

Regarding The Federal Road and The Palings / Fort Dale 1818. A paling is a fence made from pointed wooden or metal stakes.

Also see . . .

Fort Dale Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 17, 2019

2. Fort Dale Marker

History of the Old Federal Road. (Submitted on February 17, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Looking North on Fort Dale Road with the Fort Dale Cemetery on left. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 17, 2019

3. Looking North on Fort Dale Road with the Fort Dale Cemetery on left.

View of Fort Dale marker looking south on State Highway 185. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 17, 2019

4. View of Fort Dale marker looking south on State Highway 185.

Nearby entrance gate to the Fort Dale Cemetery. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 17, 2019

5. Nearby entrance gate to the Fort Dale Cemetery.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2019. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 803 times since then and 70 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 17, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.