Wetumpka in Elmore County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Wetumpka Timeline

(Prehistory – 1924) / (1925 - Present Day)

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 8, 2023

1. Wetumpka Timeline Marker (Prehistory - 1924)

Inscription.

Wetumpka Timeline. (Prehistory – 1924), also, (1925 - Present Day). Wetumpka Timeline (Prehistory – 1924). 85 Million Years Ago A meteor strikes Wetumpka during the age of the dinosaurs creating a five-mile wide impact crater blasted into the bedrock., 1714 At the invitation of the Creeks and permission from the King of France, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville sends an expedition up the Alabama River to begin building Fort Toulouse, which is completed in 1717., 1775 Naturalist, horticulturalist, artist and author William Bartram journeys through Wetumpka, cataloguing flora and fauna and describing its native people., 1814 Red Stick leader William Weatherford surrenders to Andrew Jackson at nearby Fort Jackson, resulting in the Treaty of Fort Jackson, also known as the Treaty with the Creeks., 1834 The City of Wetumpka is incorporated., 1836 Harper's Weekly declares "Wetumpka, Alabama, and Chicago, Illinois, are the most promising two cities of the West.", 1841 The construction of the first state penitentiary is completed in Wetumpka., 1844 Master architect and bridge builder Horace King, once enslaved, builds a covered bridge in Wetumpka. His portrait sits in the rotunda of the Alabama Capitol, close to the cantilevered spiral staircase he designed and built., 1866 Elmore County, named for Revolutionary War General John Archer Elmore, is created and Wetumpka is chosen as the county seat., 1886 The largest flood in the town's history sweeps away King's bridge and results in businesses moving from the west side of the river to the east. , 1896 Lock 31, still found in the river nearby but never put into use, is part of a project created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help navigate steamboats down the river., 1900 Wetumpka resident Florence Golson Bateman is blinded as a child but continues her music education and later becomes a lauded soprano concert artist, composer and teacher and was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 2000., 1916 Frances Golson becomes the first female newspaper editor in Alabama., Wetumpka Timeline (1925 - Present Day). 1925 The Elmore County Training School, one of the iconic Rosenwald Schools, is built for African American students during segregation and is now used as the Elmore County Black History Museum., 1931 The Bibb Graves Bridge, created with reinforced concrete, is built to connect the two sides of the city., 1932 The historic Elmore County Courthouse is completed. An annex to the courthouse was later constructed in 2017., 1933 John Kelly Fitzpatrick co-creates the Dixie Art Colony. An artist, teacher and Wetumpka native, he later becomes one of Alabama's most important advocates for art education and a founding member of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. , 1939 Jessie Welch Austin becomes the first female sheriff in Alabama., 1960 The USS McMorris is commissioned in honor of Admiral Charles McMorris, a Wetumpka native, United States Naval Academy graduate and war hero., 1963 Now Wetumpka Elementary School, the W. B. Doby "equalization" school is dedicated and named for African American education proponent Welton Blanton Doby, former principal at the Elmore County Training School and the first president of the Elmore County Teachers Association., 1977 Born in the Titus community, prolific baseball player Joseph Wheeler Sewell is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame., 1977 Born in Wetumpka, William Benson Bryant becomes the first African American to be appointed as a chief federal judge. A federal courthouse annex on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., is named in his honor. , 1983 Named for five Crommelin brothers who grew up in Wetumpka, the USS Crommelin Is commissioned. Nicknamed the "Indestructibles" by TIME magazine, the brothers were known for their heroic efforts in some of World War II's most famous battles., 1995 The Grass Harp, based on the book by Truman Capote, is filmed in downtown., 1996 The 1996 Olympic flame is passed at Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum's replica of the Temple of Hera., 2002 The Rosa Parks Story is filmed in Wetumpka., 2003 Big Fish, a Tim Burton movie, is filmed in downtown., 2006 Former Wetumpka resident George Smoot, III, a renowned astrophysicist and cosmologist, wins the Nobel Prize in Physics., 2017 The Tulotoma Snail Trail, an art history cultivating place project, is created by Main Street Wetumpka., 2019 Son of the South, based on a book by Bob Zellner, is filmed in Wetumpka.

Wetumpka Timeline (Prehistory – 1924) 85 Million Years Ago
A meteor strikes Wetumpka during the age of the dinosaurs creating a five-mile wide impact crater blasted into the bedrock.

1714
At the invitation of the Creeks and permission from the King of France, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville sends an expedition up the Alabama River to begin building Fort Toulouse, which is completed in 1717.

1775
Naturalist, horticulturalist, artist and author William Bartram journeys through Wetumpka, cataloguing flora and fauna and describing its native people.

1814
Red Stick leader William Weatherford surrenders to Andrew Jackson at nearby Fort Jackson, resulting in the Treaty of Fort Jackson, also known as the Treaty with the Creeks.

1834
The City of Wetumpka is incorporated.

1836
Harper's Weekly declares "Wetumpka, Alabama, and Chicago, Illinois, are the most promising two cities of the West."

1841
The construction of the first state penitentiary is completed in Wetumpka.

1844
Master architect and bridge builder Horace King, once enslaved, builds a covered bridge in Wetumpka. His portrait sits in the rotunda of the Alabama Capitol, close to the cantilevered spiral staircase he designed and built.

1866
Elmore County, named for Revolutionary War General John Archer Elmore, is created and Wetumpka is chosen as the county seat.

1886
The largest flood in the town's history sweeps away

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King's bridge and results in businesses moving from the west side of the river to the east.

1896
Lock 31, still found in the river nearby but never put into use, is part of a project created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help navigate steamboats down the river.

1900
Wetumpka resident Florence Golson Bateman is blinded as a child but continues her music education and later becomes a lauded soprano concert artist, composer and teacher and was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 2000.

1916
Frances Golson becomes the first female newspaper editor in Alabama.

Wetumpka Timeline (1925 - Present Day) 1925
The Elmore County Training School, one of the iconic Rosenwald Schools, is built for African American students during segregation and is now used as the Elmore County Black History Museum.

1931
The Bibb Graves Bridge, created with reinforced concrete, is built to connect the two sides of the city.

1932
The historic Elmore County Courthouse is completed. An annex to the courthouse was later constructed in 2017.

1933
John Kelly Fitzpatrick co-creates the Dixie Art Colony. An artist, teacher and Wetumpka native, he later becomes one of Alabama's most important advocates for art education and a founding member of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts.

1939
Jessie Welch Austin becomes the first female sheriff in Alabama.

1960
The USS McMorris is commissioned in honor of Admiral Charles McMorris, a Wetumpka native,

Wetumpka Timeline Marker (1925 to Present Day) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 8, 2023

2. Wetumpka Timeline Marker (1925 to Present Day)

United States Naval Academy graduate and war hero.

1963
Now Wetumpka Elementary School, the W. B. Doby "equalization" school is dedicated and named for African American education proponent Welton Blanton Doby, former principal at the Elmore County Training School and the first president of the Elmore County Teachers Association.

1977
Born in the Titus community, prolific baseball player Joseph Wheeler Sewell is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

1977
Born in Wetumpka, William Benson Bryant becomes the first African American to be appointed as a chief federal judge. A federal courthouse annex on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., is named in his honor.

1983
Named for five Crommelin brothers who grew up in Wetumpka, the USS Crommelin Is commissioned. Nicknamed the "Indestructibles" by TIME magazine, the brothers were known for their heroic efforts in some of World War II's most famous battles.

1995
The Grass Harp, based on the book by Truman Capote, is filmed in downtown.

1996
The 1996 Olympic flame is passed at Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum's replica of the Temple of Hera.

2002
The Rosa Parks Story is filmed in Wetumpka.

2003
Big Fish, a Tim Burton movie, is filmed in downtown.

2006
Former Wetumpka resident George Smoot, III, a renowned astrophysicist and cosmologist, wins the Nobel Prize in Physics.

2017 The Tulotoma Snail Trail, an art history cultivating place project, is created by Main Street Wetumpka.

2019 Son

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 8, 2023

3. Wetumpka Timeline Marker (Prehistory - 1924)

of the South, based on a book by Bob Zellner, is filmed in Wetumpka.

Erected 2019 by Main Street Wetumpka.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. A significant historical year for this entry is 1714.

Location. 32° 32.296′ N, 86° 12.256′ W. Marker is in Wetumpka, Alabama, in Elmore County. Marker is on Hill Street south of Online Street, on the left when traveling south. Located in the Alleyway between Company Street and Hill Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 Company St, Wetumpka AL 36092, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Wetumpka Impact Crater (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Wetumpka Impact Crater (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Old Calaboose (about 400 feet away); High Water Mark (about 500 feet away); Wetumpka's Bridges (about 500 feet away); Elmore County Korean War Memorial (about 500 feet away); Elmore County Vietnam War Memorial (about 500 feet away); Wetumpka Historical Marker (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wetumpka.

Regarding Wetumpka Timeline. The name Wetumpka is derived from the Indian words “we-wau” (water) “tum-cau” (rumbling). We-wau-tum-cau, anglicized to Wetumpka, was the Creek description of a prominent point in the Coosa where the rapids raced across the river rocks.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 8, 2023

4. Wetumpka Timeline Marker (1925 to Present Day)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 8, 2023, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 8, 2023, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.