On Coosada Road at Auburn Hill Road, on the right when traveling west on Coosada Road.
First governor of Alabama
1819-1820
Only governor of Alabama Territory
1817-1819
Born in Amelia County, Va., Oct. 2, 1781
In U.S. Congress from Georgia 1805-1813
Moved here from Elbert County, Ga., 1817
Buried in private . . . — — Map (db m71180) HM
On Holtsville Road (State Road 111) west of Coosa River Road, on the right when traveling west.
Memorial dedicated to
the memory of
David Franklin Foreman
Harriet Bell Wilson Foreman
They deeded this land to the
Coosa River Community to build
two churches and a school house.
Date deeded Sept. 15, 1903
Marker erected by their . . . — — Map (db m225568) HM
On Alabama Route 63, 0.2 miles north of Kowaliga Marina Road, on the left when traveling south.
At this site stands the cabin where country music legend Hank Williams composed the song “Kaw-liga” in August, 1952. The song’s title was derived from the name of a Creek Indian town located on the banks of the Kowaliga Creek until 1836.
. . . — — Map (db m68038) HM
In the late 1930's and early 1940's Holtville School won national acclaim as one the foremost examples of the progressive education movement in the U.S. It was one of 33 southern schools in 1938 chosen to receive financial support in developing new . . . — — Map (db m83689) HM
On Main Street (Alabama Route 143) at Monument Drive, on the right when traveling south on Main Street.
Robinson Springs Camp
1861-1865
Confederates
These lent our cause it's Holy Consecration
left front:
Volunteers from Robinson Springs Community,
Abercrombie, Leonard ∙ Allen, James M. Co. D. 21 Ala. Regt. ∙ . . . — — Map (db m83692) WM
On Monument Drive, 0.1 miles west of Main Street (Alabama Route 143), on the right when traveling west.
Side 1:
Clear, bubbling springs have enticed people to this vicinity for thousands of years. Native American hunting paths led to them and after the defeat of the Creek Indians by the United States in 1813, old trails became the Jackson and . . . — — Map (db m71177) HM
On Main Street, 0.1 miles south of Alabama Route 14, on the right when traveling north.
This notable Greek Revival structure was completed in the late 1840's on land donated by Eli Robinson. The congregation was established 1828-1830 and the first church, built of logs, was located c. 1 mile east of here. Charter members were: Rev. . . . — — Map (db m71178) HM
On Grandview Road, 0.1 miles west of Main Street (Alabama Route 143), on the left when traveling west.
A Recreation Center
for
Millbrook, Robinson Springs, and Coosada
Memorial Center
Dedicated as a living memorial to the boys
who lost their lives in the service of their
country during World War II
1941 — 1945
Frank . . . — — Map (db m83721) WM
On King Street at North Ann Avenue, on the right when traveling east on King Street.
Brigadier General Birkett Davenport Fry, CSA
(1822-1891)
In his lifetime General Birkett D. Fry was a cadet at Virginia Military Institute and West Point; 1st Lt. (U.S. Infantry) in Mexican War; lawyer in California; mercenary-soldier of . . . — — Map (db m95112) HM
On Barnett Boulevard (Alabama Route 14) at Outer Drive, on the right when traveling east on Barnett Boulevard.
Only Confederate armory not destroyed during the Civil War.
Col. Gorgas, ordnance chief, had carbine shop moved here into Tallassee Mfg. Co. mill in spring, 1864 as war threatened Richmond, Va. armory.
War ended before plant neared goal of . . . — — Map (db m83722) HM
On Jordan Avenue near Barnett Boulevard (Alabama Route 14), on the right when traveling north.
The history of this church encompasses the span of worldwide Methodism from the time of John Wesley to the present. A Methodist Society was organized in Tallassee in 1853 by 15 charter members who gathered in the "White Store," a mill company . . . — — Map (db m160158) HM
On Tukabatchee Road (State Highway 229) at Taylor Road, on the right when traveling south on Tukabatchee Road.
(north side)
Tukabatchee
On this bend of the Tallapoosa River, stretching out before you, lay one of the ancient towns of the Muscogee Creek People, called Tukabatchee. Tukabatchee is one of the original four mother . . . — — Map (db m92945) HM
On West Fort Toulouse Road, 0.1 miles west of U.S. 231, on the right when traveling west.
William Bartram, America’s first native born artist-naturalist, passed through Elmore County during the Revolutionary era, making the first scientific notations of its flora, fauna and inhabitants. In 1776 the appointed botanist of Britain’s King . . . — — Map (db m69431) HM
The memorial includes inscriptions on four sides.
Richard Gunter Crommelin
Lieutenant Commander U.S. Navy
January 8, 1917 - July 14, 1945
Young fighter pilot on U.S.S. Yorktown CV-5. Shot
down two Japanese Zeros in Battle of Coral . . . — — Map (db m137263) HM WM
On East Commerce Street at Court Street, on the right when traveling east on East Commerce Street.
In memory of those who served
and those who made
the supreme sacrifice
in that forgotten war
from Elmore County
Booth Izea PVT AR 11/28/50 Died Capture
Brozell Albert M CPL AR 09/09/50 Killed in Action
Causey Billy J PVT AR 08/17/50 . . . — — Map (db m67935) WM
On Lancaster Street, 0.1 miles north of Holtville Road (Alabama Route 111), on the right when traveling north.
Constructed in 1924 on five acres, this building was one of nine schools constructed in Elmore County with funding assistance from the Julius Rosenwald Fund. Between 1912-32, Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish philanthropist and CEO of Sears, Roebuck and . . . — — Map (db m70548) HM
On East Commerce Streer at South Main Street (Route 111), on the right when traveling east on East Commerce Streer.
In honor of the fallen heroes of Elmore County who gave their lives in the Vietnam War
Clark, Richard • Johnson, Joseph W. • Ruffin, James Thomas
Cook, Larry Davidson • Mathis, David Linwood • Smith, John Lee
Cottrell, Willie James • . . . — — Map (db m67932) WM
On South Main Street at Wharf Street, on the right when traveling north on South Main Street.
Dedicated on this Centennial to those Who
Served and Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
Barker, Adolphus · Lewis, Henry
Benton, Edwin J. * · Macon, Preston A. *
Boswell, James A. ** · Martin, Oders M. *
Boyer, James T. · Melton, William H. + . . . — — Map (db m145086) WM
On West Bridge Street (Alabama Route 212) at Dozier Street, on the right when traveling east on West Bridge Street.
(side 1)
Baptists settlers scattered along the Coosa River Valley established the church May 26, 1821. For the first twenty years, it was mostly known as the Coosa River Baptist Church. Migrating members sought several locations for the . . . — — Map (db m83723) HM
On West Bridge Street (Alabama Route 212) at North Bridge Street (Alabama Route 111), on the right when traveling west on West Bridge Street. Reported missing.
Built, 1856, dedicated 1857, combining exterior Gothic style with Greek Revival interior. Original part designed as a rectangular block. Wings were added on eastern and western sides in the middle 1900's. At that time a choir rail replaced original . . . — — Map (db m67943) HM
On West Fort Toulouse Road, 0.3 miles south of Jackson Park Road, on the right when traveling south.
At this site stood Fort Toulouse,
later Fort Jackson, named in honor of
Gen. Andrew Jackson
who on
March 27, 1814,
defeated the Creek Indians in a
decisive battle at Horseshoe Bend.
Erected
by
Peter Forney Chapter D.A.R. . . . — — Map (db m69705) HM
Near West Fort Toulouse Road, 0.3 miles west of Jackson Park Road, on the right when traveling west.
Here stood
Fort Toulouse
A defense against
the Indians
Built by
Bienville
1714
The Alabama Society
of Colonial Dames
preserves the memory
of faithful service
1912 — — Map (db m69567) HM
On Orline Street, 0.1 miles south of Hill Street, on the right when traveling south.
April 8, 1938
On this day, the Coosa River rose to this level at
this location after heavy rainfall over the Coosa
River basin.
For more information, contact:
National Weather Service Birmingham, Alabama . . . — — Map (db m123857) HM
On Dozier Street south of West Bridge Street, on the left when traveling south.
In 1889, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built,
a series of 31 locks and dams on the Coosa River.
Lock 31 is the last in that series. The project
was intended to assist steamboat travel through
a series of river rapids starting as far north . . . — — Map (db m197783) HM
On Weoka Road (County Road 211) south of Grier Road, on the right when traveling south.
Here lived Lachlan Mc Gillivray,
a Scotch trader among the Indians.
His wife, Sehoy, was the daughter of
the French Captain, Marchand and
Sehoy of the Creek Tribe of the Wind.
Here was born their son, General
Alexander McGillivray, who went . . . — — Map (db m242547) HM
Near West Fort Toulouse Road, 0.6 miles west of Jackson Park Road.
This earthen mound and an adjacent
village were built by people of the
Mississippian culture who likely had
some relationship to the major mound
center at Moundville near present-day
Tuscaloosa. The Mississippian culture is
believed to have . . . — — Map (db m145084) HM
On Mathis Road west of Marshell Road, on the left when traveling west.
The New Prospect Baptist
Church, Wetumpka has been
designated as a significant
African American historic
site by the Black Heritage
Council of the Alabama
Historical Commission. — — Map (db m245698) HM
On Micanopy Street, 0.1 miles west of NW Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
W. B. Doby served as the first President of the Elmore County Teachers Association, Principal of Elmore County Training School, and as an ordained minister in the A.M.E. Church. Local leaders dedicated this school for African-American students on . . . — — Map (db m94614) HM
Near East Commerce Street at Court Street, on the right when traveling east.
(obverse)
The land area which now comprises the City of Wetumpka was inhabited by various Indian cultures prior to the inward migration of the white man at the turn of the 19th century. The largest Indian village near here was located on . . . — — Map (db m67936) HM
On U.S. 231 at East South Boundary Street, on the right when traveling west on U.S. 231.
The ridges located here are the remnants of a six-mile diameter circular feature created some 85 million years ago by an estimated 1,000-foot diameter asteroid. The area at the time of impact was a shallow sea. The ridges consist of a variety of . . . — — Map (db m67939) HM
On Company Street north of Bridge Street, on the left when traveling north.
A shallow offshore area of the ancient Gulf of Mexico eventually became the land upon which downtown Wetumpka was built and through which today's Coosa River flows. This area also was the site of Alabama's greatest natural disaster and the "bull's . . . — — Map (db m222632) HM
Near Wilson Street, 0.2 miles north of Emerson Street, on the right when traveling north.
You are on the northwestern rim of the Wetumpka Impact Crater. In this area of
the crater rim, there are several man-made cuts into the metamorphic bedrock.
Mica schist forms the bedrock in this area down to depths of several thousand feet. After . . . — — Map (db m189013) HM
On Bald Knob Road, 0.6 miles north of Enslen Drive, on the right when traveling north.
The beautiful vista across the Wetumpka Impact Crater is best seen
from the highest point on the northwestern rim here at Bald Knob.
A favored area for communication towers, Bald Knob is almost 600
feet above sea level. Looking down the power . . . — — Map (db m189019) HM
On Harrogate Springs Road, 1.3 miles east of Jasmine Hill Road, on the left when traveling east.
You are on the crater floor inside the western rim of the Wetumpka Impact Crater, in an area called the "cliffs." After the meteor's impact, there was a massive landslide from the southern rim that brought vast quantities of clay and sandy sediment . . . — — Map (db m189021) HM
On Buck Ridge Road, 0.3 miles south of Harrogate Springs Road, on the right when traveling south.
This section of Buck Ridge Road is unusual because you can easily see hills created on both sides of the road that are related to the impact of a large meteor 85 million years ago. These hills contain large boulders that came to rest near the . . . — — Map (db m189024) HM
On Trotters Trail, 0.2 miles south of Fairliewood Drive, on the left when traveling south.
Because of the cleared natural gas pipeline, this area provides an excellent view
of the eastern rim of the Wetumpka Impact Crater. The notch on the far rim is
over a mile away. On the west side of Trotters Trail (behind you) the high point
is . . . — — Map (db m189029) HM
Near Coosa River Parkway, on the left when traveling north.
From a distance, one of the best vistas of the Wetumpka Impact Crater is from the Wetumpka Sports Complex. Your view here is of the highest remains of the northwestern rim of the crater. In the center, several communication towers are located on . . . — — Map (db m189035) HM
On Orline Street west of Hill Street, on the right when traveling south.
The rock layers here in the Coosa River are part of
the deeply eroded western rim of the Wetumpka
Impact Crater. The Coosa River curves around the
rim in the downtown area and these rock layers tilt
away from the crater center, typical of . . . — — Map (db m189038) HM
On North Broad Street at West Coosa Street, on the right when traveling north on North Broad Street.
The Louisville & Nashville Depot was built in Wetumpka in 1906 and exemplifies the L&N plan for small town depots. The station served as a passenger and freight depot until service was terminated in the 1930s and as a freight depot until 1973. In . . . — — Map (db m83724) HM
On West Tuskeena Street at North Broad Street, on the right when traveling west on West Tuskeena Street.
Completed in 1854, this building was the third Methodist Church building erected in Wetumpka and served both black and white congregations. Transitional exterior and interior architecture features elegant simplicity of Greek revival styles. . . . — — Map (db m83725) HM
On Hill Street south of Online Street, on the left when traveling south.
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 . . . — — Map (db m222651) HM
On Jackson Trace Road at Hospital Drive, on the right when traveling south on Jackson Trace Road.
In January 1839, Governor Arthur P. Bagby and the State
Legislature enacted a criminal code authorizing a state penitentiary
system for Alabama. A cornerstone was laid in October 1839 on
property purchased adjacent to the Coosa River in Wetumpka . . . — — Map (db m222614) HM
On Orline Street, 0.1 miles south of Hill Street, on the right when traveling south.
In 1834, the Wetumpka Toll Bridge Co. built the first of four bridges spanning the Coosa River at this site. It was destroyed in a flood in 1844. A second toll bridge was completed the same year by John Godwin whose slave, Horace King, designed . . . — — Map (db m69449) HM
Near West Fort Toulouse Road, 0.2 miles south of Jackson Park Road.
William Bartram, the first native-born American artist-naturalist, of Philadelphia, visited this site on Christmas Day, 1776.
This arboretum commerates (sic) the man, his visit to Fort Toulouse, and his travels through the southeastern . . . — — Map (db m83726) HM
On Jasmine Hill Road at Old Montgomery Highway, on the right when traveling south on Jasmine Hill Road.
1940
One half mile from this site
is the home of
William Lowndes Yancey
1814-1863
American Statesman
Southern Secession Leader
Silver Tongued Orator — — Map (db m71550) HM
"...we rode as much as half mile in crossing and against the current too, which made it hard for the horses, the water being up to their sides. Husband had considerable difficultly in crossing the cart. Both cart and mules were turned upside . . . — — Map (db m125673) HM
On South Commerical Street at West Madison Avenue, on the left when traveling south on South Commerical Street.
After the golden spike was driven at Promontory Utah in 1869 the nearest railroad station to Boise was Kelton on the north shore of the Great Salt Lake. A ferry was built 1/2 mile up on the river as a joint effort by Gustavus Glenn, a local rancher . . . — — Map (db m31678) HM
On East Idaho Avenue, on the left when traveling east.
Built by Daniel W. Gorby, the opera theatre to provide live and moving picture entertainment for residents of Glenn's Ferry as well as travelers on the
railroad. Gorby (born 1883, died 1925) was a prominent local businessman.
Designed by . . . — — Map (db m232603) HM
On Three Island State Park near West Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
In 1975, this wagon joined 49 other state wagons from across the country in a pilgrimage to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to celebrate America'a Bicentennial.
Prior to leaving for Valley Forge, the wagon visited schools, communities, and parks . . . — — Map (db m125729) HM
On Three Island State Park near West Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
Contrary to popular belief, the emigrant wagon was not the large heavy Conestoga that is represented by the Idaho Bicentennial Wagon. Instead, many people used wagons from their farms or purchased smaller, lighter wagons at the start of their . . . — — Map (db m125727) HM
On South Commerical Street at W. Madison Avenue, on the left when traveling south on South Commerical Street.
A perilous ford at Three Island State Park was a formidable Oregon Trail barrier. Those who could not cross here faced a longer, more difficult southern route. No other ford between Missouri and Oregon troubled them so much. This was their largest . . . — — Map (db m31677) HM
Stretching from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, the two thousand mile Oregon Trail lured over 300,000 pioneers on a long six month journey. When pioneers entered present-day Idaho, many had traveled more than one thousand miles of hot, dusty . . . — — Map (db m125674) HM
On South Commercial Street at West Madison Avenue, on the left when traveling south on South Commercial Street.
1890, Joseph Rosevear and Sam McAnulty pulled the waterlogged Glenn Ferry out of the Snake River, and some of its material was used to build the Rosevear Ferry, which operated until 1908, when a bridge was built. The Rosevear Ferry was owned and . . . — — Map (db m125675) HM
On West Madison Avenue near South Owyhee Street, on the left when traveling west.
Thursday July 24
"Traveled 13 miles struck the river 2 miles above the ford. Here we found a company ferrying in wagon beds we unloaded two our best wagon beds and commenced calking them got them finished and ferried their loads that . . . — — Map (db m125677) HM
On Old Oregon Trail Road near Bennett Road, on the right when traveling west.
Thursday August 14 "...We had a squally time ascending the bluffs, which are severaly hundred feet high. We passed from a hill to the side of a bluff, upon a high narrow ridge of just sufficient width upon the top for the wagon road, the . . . — — Map (db m125733) HM
On Hot Springs Road at Teapot Road/Ross Road, on the right when traveling west on Hot Springs Road.
Sunday July 27 "Traveled 15 miles 5 miles brought us to a marshy hollow (Hot Springs Creek) which wound to right of the direction were traveling. Traveled in this marsh 3 miles then drove out leaving this marsh to our right..." -- Susan . . . — — Map (db m125751) HM
On Three Island State Park near West Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
Directly in front of you, the Oregon Trail descends the steep bluff to the Snake River. The trail lies parallel to and directly above the major road scar that is easily seen. On sunny days, the trail is visible to the keen eye.
While the . . . — — Map (db m125725) HM
On Three Island State Park near West Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
Located on an old Indian and fur trade route, the Three Island Ford presented a difficult challenge to the emigrants. Those who dared attempted this crossing using the southern two islands and connecting sand bars to cross the river. Those who were . . . — — Map (db m125726) HM
On Park Road, 0.4 miles south of West Madison Avenue.
To all pioneers who crossed over Three Island Crossing and helped to win the west. Erected 1931 by Troop One Boy Scouts of America Roslyn, New York Scoutmaster E.K. Pietsch Reproduced 1990 — — Map (db m31679) HM
Near Canyon Creek/Mayfield Road near Memory Lane, on the right when traveling west.
John C. Fremont reported using the Canyon Creek crossing in 1843 and Lansford Hastings's 1845 Emigrant's Guide to Oregon and California listed the site as an important Oregon Trail crossing and campsite. Emigrant diaries report frequent use of the . . . — — Map (db m125784) HM
On Sun Valley Highway (U.S. 20 at milepost 124) near North Cat Creek Road, on the right when traveling west.
Up toward Camas Prairie, a road goes by Castle Rock and other eroded granite outcrops that were landmarks on Goodale's Cutoff, an Oregon Trail route that came this way.
Emigrants generally had not seen large granite rock formations of this . . . — — Map (db m110143) HM
On Sun Valley Highway (U.S. 20 at milepost 126) near Old Highway 68, on the left when traveling west.
More than a century ago, Rocky Bar, Happy Camp, and a number of other South Boise mining towns flourished in a remote mountain wilderness 30 miles northwest of here.
Discovered early in 1863, they were so hard to get to that the could not be . . . — — Map (db m110142) HM
On Sun Valley Highway (U.S. 20 at milepost 124) near North Cat Creek Road, on the right when traveling west.
An old emigrant road headed west across Camas Prairie and then descended to the valley below on its way to rejoin the Oregon Trail 28 miles west of here.
This route, discovered by Donald Mackenzie's fur trade party in 1820, came into use for . . . — — Map (db m125603) HM
On North Main Street/Old U.S. 30 at American Legion Boulevard on North Main Street/Old U.S. 30.
Eight miles east of here, Rattlesnake Station, was an important stop for wagon trains and travelers along the Oregon Trail because of its sure supply of fresh water. Later, a stage station with a post office called "The Mountain Home" was . . . — — Map (db m129572) HM
Near American Legion Boulevard (State Highway 51) near East 8th Street North, on the left when traveling west.
The Town site of Mountain Home was chosen by the Union Pacific Railroad as a stop because of a readily available supply of water. The railroad utilized steam operated pumps in trench wells to fill storage tanks with this water in order to supply the . . . — — Map (db m110156) HM
On Sun Valley Highway (U.S. 20 at milepost 102.7) north of Industrial Way, on the left when traveling south.
At the junction of the Rocky Bar Road with the Oregon Trail, this was a major stage line stop for 20 years.
Stage service commenced in 1864, and a road to the Rocky Bar mines was opened 2 months later. In 1878 the station owners thought it . . . — — Map (db m70449) HM
On Northeast Teapot Road near Worth Lee Road, on the right when traveling west.
Saturday August 16 "...we passed a hot springs near the foot of the same range, the water of which was nearly at a boiling temperature, so that one could not hold is finger in it, and a dog careless stepping across it put one foot in and ran . . . — — Map (db m125752) HM
Friday September 10th "...Traveled along the foot of the mountain about 5 miles to another creek and stopped for the night. Plenty of dry bunchgrass. No timber, but willows and sage. Found eight graves here. Made fifteen miles." Parthenia . . . — — Map (db m125754) HM
On Immigrant Road at Canyon Creek Road, on the right when traveling west on Immigrant Road.
August the 13th "...the road to day way level but very rocky A long chain of mountains on our right and we travel close to them to day..." -- Absolom B. Harden, 1847
After the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, . . . — — Map (db m125755) HM
On Canyon Creek/Mayfield Road near Memory Lane, on the right when traveling west.
August 4th "This day we traveled nineteen miles over tolerably rough road ... After watering, we traveled eight and a half miles, which brought us to a barrel creek (Canyon Creek). Here we found a small creek running through a barrel-shaped . . . — — Map (db m125756) HM
On Mayfield Road near East Rumsley Lane, on the right when traveling west.
Monday October 9th "This evening yellowish granite appeared in needle form fragments and masses. Country mountainous, good grass, water in the creek on which we are camped partially dried up. We struck a large and much travelled Banak trail . . . — — Map (db m125785) HM
On Mayfield Road near Bowns Creek Road, on the right when traveling west.
August 5th "This morning our road was very hilly for three miles. Here we found water and grass plenty, and brush for fire wood. Having had no water since we left Barrel creek we halted here for a rest. We halted here till 1 o'clock in the . . . — — Map (db m125786) HM
On Sun Valley Highway (U.S. 20 at milepost 107) near Immigrant Road, on the right when traveling west.
An 1868 Toll Road to Rocky Bar provided better access to early gold mines 40 miles north of here.
Julius Newberg's South Boise wagon road had reached Rocky Bar in 1864, but a route through this canyon was needed to avoid steep Syrup Creek . . . — — Map (db m110154) HM