Andalusia in Covington County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Andalusia becomes the County Seat ⎯⎯⎯ Andalusia Railroad Depot
Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 7, 2025
1. Andalusia becomes the County Seat Marker
Inscription.
Andalusia becomes the County Seat, also, Andalusia Railroad Depot. .
Andalusia becomes the County Seat. The first county seat on the banks south of the falls of the Conecuh River was "Covington Courthouse," sited soon after the County was created in 1821. In 1826, when John Devereux was postmaster, the name was changed to Montezuma. Early citizens of the area included John Devereux, John Barrow, Dave Bullock, Captain Tatum, Henry Jones, John H. Stone, Samuel Bracken, Samuel Jones, Seaborn Jones, William Spurlin, Samuel Gates, Charles Stanley, and William Carter. After this small community was repeatedly flooded, a new site on top of Devereux Hill was chosen for the county seat in July 1844, and called Andalusia. The choice of name probably reflected the importance of the region's principal trading center, Pensacola, which was so long ruled by Spain. ,
Andalusia Railroad Depot. On September 20, 1899, the first Central of Georgia locomotive with a work train arrived in Andalusia over these tracks, which extended to Cotton Street. Track laying was under the supervision of G.L. Burtcheall and C.B. Yancey, with J.N. White in charge of the track men. The Covington Times wrote "the engine stopped within 50 yards of the Courthouse and just sat there and 'blowed' for several minutes." The train was pushed by engine No. 1542 with H.H. Ward as engineer and W.E. Pye, fireman. Service was discontinued on March 31, 1983, with engineer A.M. Evans guiding the last train of empty cars out of the station. The Depot building was completed soon after the turn of the century and, since opening to the public in 1987, serves as headquarters for the Covington Historical Society and its Three Notch Museum. The building, the oldest wooden commercial structure in use within the city, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Andalusia becomes the County Seat
The first county seat on the banks south of the falls of the
Conecuh River was "Covington Courthouse," sited soon after the
County was created in 1821. In 1826, when John Devereux was
postmaster, the name was changed to Montezuma. Early citizens of
the area included John Devereux, John Barrow, Dave Bullock,
Captain Tatum, Henry Jones, John H. Stone, Samuel Bracken,
Samuel Jones, Seaborn Jones, William Spurlin, Samuel Gates,
Charles Stanley, and William Carter. After this small community
was repeatedly flooded, a new site on top of Devereux Hill was
chosen for the county seat in July 1844, and called Andalusia.
The choice of name probably reflected the importance of the
region's principal trading center, Pensacola, which was so long
ruled by Spain.
Andalusia Railroad Depot
On September 20, 1899, the first Central of Georgia locomotive
with a work train arrived in Andalusia over these tracks, which
extended to Cotton Street. Track laying was under the supervision
of G.L. Burtcheall and C.B. Yancey, with J.N. White in charge of the
track men. The Covington Times wrote "the engine stopped within 50
yards of the Courthouse and just sat there and 'blowed' for
several minutes." The train was pushed by engine No. 1542
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with
H.H. Ward as engineer and W.E. Pye, fireman. Service was
discontinued on March 31, 1983, with engineer A.M. Evans guiding
the last train of empty cars out of the station. The Depot building
was completed soon after the turn of the century and, since
opening to the public in 1987, serves as headquarters for the
Covington Historical Society and its Three Notch Museum. The
building, the oldest wooden commercial structure in use within the
city, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Erected 2013 by the Alabama Historical Association.
Location. 31° 18.42′ N, 86° 28.85′ W. Marker is in Andalusia, Alabama, in Covington County. It is at the intersection of Historical Central Street and Tisdale Street, on the right when traveling east on Historical Central Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Historical Central St, Andalusia AL 36420, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Wiregrass. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
More about this marker. Located at the Three Notch Museum (formerly the Andalusia Depot).
Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 7, 2025
3. Three Notch Museum (marker is on right of building).
Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 7, 2025
4. Historical Andalusia railway time table.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 7, 2025
5. Depot placed on National Register of Historic Places.
Photographed by Mark Hilton, September 7, 2025
6. Former Andalusia Railroad Depot
Credits. This page was last revised on September 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2025, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 123 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 8, 2025, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
