History of Montgomery, Alabama, USA

1819 - Montgomery, Alabama founded. State capital, grew from the 1540 French settlement Fort Toulouse.
In 1819, Montgomery, Alabama was officially founded, marking the beginning of its journey as a significant city in the southern United States. Situated along the Alabama River, Montgomery's origins trace back to earlier settlements, notably Fort Toulouse, established by the French in 1540. Over the centuries, the area evolved from a strategic outpost into a trading hub, benefitting from its advantageous location for river transport and trade.

The city's formal establishment in 1819 coincided with Alabama's emergence as a state, and Montgomery was chosen as the state capital. This decision bolstered its importance as a political and administrative center, solidifying its role in shaping Alabama's governance and development. Montgomery's growth was further spurred by its position as a cotton trading center during the antebellum period, becoming a key player in the South's economy and later a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-20th century.

1820 - Steamboat Harriett reached Montgomery; river trade opened between Montgomery and Mobile

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1846 - Montgomery selected as state capital

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1849 - Capitol in Montgomery destroyed by fire
The destruction of the Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1849 was a significant event in the state's history, marking a dramatic chapter in its early governmental infrastructure. The fire, which occurred on December 14, 1849, consumed the state Capitol building, a structure that had served as a symbol of Alabama's growing political and administrative importance since its completion in 1847. The cause of the fire was never definitively determined, although speculation ranged from faulty heating systems to possible arson.
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1854 - Montgomery
Montgomery, a flourishing city, capital of the State of Alabama, and scat of justice of Montgomery co., is situated on the left bank of the Alabama river, 331 miles by water from Mobile. It is 197 miles by the road N. E. from Mobile, and 839 miles from Washington. Lat. 32° 21' N. Lon., 80° 25' W. Montgomery is the second city of the state in respect to trade and population, and is one of the most flourishing inland towns of the Southern States. It possesses great facilities for communication with the surrounding country. The Alabama river is one of the best in the Union for steamboat navigation. As it is never closed by ice, and very rarely affected by drought, large steamers ascend from Mo bile to this place at all seasons of the year. The Coosa river is navigable for large steam boats to Wetumpka. The Montgomery and West Point railroad, of which this city is the W. terminus, leads to Atlanta, in Georgia. Another railroad has been commenced which will connect the city with some point ... Read MORE...

1861 - Confederate States of America organizes in Montgomery, Ala
February 8 - Confederate States of America organizes in Montgomery, Ala
February 18 - Confederate President Jefferson Davis inaugurated at Montgomery Ala
March 11 - Confederate convention in Montgomery adopts constitution

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1886 - World's first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery.
In 1886, Montgomery, Alabama, marked a significant milestone in transportation history with the introduction of the world's first electric trolley system. This innovation revolutionized urban transit by replacing horse-drawn carriages with efficient electric-powered streetcars. The trolley system was a marvel of its time, powered by overhead wires that provided electricity to the cars, allowing them to run smoothly and quietly along the city streets.

The introduction of the electric trolley system in Montgomery not only improved transportation efficiency but also spurred urban development and economic growth.

1886 - December 5 - A big snowstorm in the southeastern U.S. produced 11 inches at Montgomery AL

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1895 - Montgomery
Montgomery, a city of Alabama, the capital of the state, and the seat of justice of Montgomery co., is situated on the left bank of the Alabama River, at the convergence of the main lines or branches of 5 railway systems,—viz., the Alabama Midland, the Central of Georgia, the Louisville & Nashville, the Savannah, Americus & Montgomery, and the Western of Alabama,-265 miles W. of Savannah, 304 miles S. of Nashville, and 180 miles N. of Mobile. Lat. 32° 21' N.; Lon. 86°25' W. It is the third city of the state in population, and has great facilities for communication with the surrounding country. The Alabama is one of the best rivers in the Union for navigation, and, as it is never closed by ice, large steamers ascend from Mobile to Montgomery at all seasons of the year. This city contains a capitol or state-house, a fine masonic temple, 3 national banks, several machine-shops, a cotton-factory, electric lights and street-railway, and ships large quantities of cot ton. A political and a... Read MORE...

1900 - Montgomery - The Cradle of the Confederacy by George Petrie
Montgomery is best known to the general reader as the "Cradle of the Confederacy." He turns to its history, if he cares to read it at all, to get a clearer local background for the stirring scenes enacted there in '61. And it would have been hard to select for them a more appropriate setting. For in many ways Montgomery was then a typical Southern town. Situated in the heart of the cotton region, surrounded and supported by large plantations, it was the centre of much wealth and refinement. As the home of Yancey and other men of unusual ability and divergent politics, it had been the battleground where all phases of secession were keenly discussed. Moreover, although founded by a New Englander and originally named New Philadelphia, it had from the first taken a vigorous part in the economic and political struggles which gradually separated North and South.

To reach the origin of Montgomery, one must go back nearly to the beginningof the century. From the misty traditions that... Read MORE...

1901 - SWEEPING FLAMES. ONE RESIDENCE BURNED AND ENTIRE BLOCK THREATENED.
House Owned by Gay Brothers, Valued at $5,000, Destroyed. It Was Occupied by Bernard Frank.

Three firemen overcome by heat and a handsome two-story residence owned by Charles and John Gay, occupied by Bernard Frank on South Lawrence Street, destroyed, is the result of a fire yesterday afternoon.

The injured firemen are Captain W. T. Jones of Hose Company No. 1, Captain E. J. Griffin and B. C. Lay. They were unconscious for several hours and are yet very weak from their experience. Captain Griffin and Captain Jones are at the fire department headquarters on Madison Avenue. Flagman Lay is at the residence of J. M. Cody on South Lawrence Street.

A stiff wind was blowing at the time the fire broke out, and the sparks were blown westward for several blocks. Nearly every house in that neighborhood had a man on the roof sweeping off the sparks.

The residence of F. R. Graves on South Hull Street, two blocks away, caught fire and part of the roof was destroyed. Chief Browder sent... Read MORE...

1906
Montgomery, a city of Alabama, the capital of the state and the seat of justice of Montgomery co., is situated on the left bank of the Alabama River, at the convergence of several lines of railroad (the Atlantic Coast Line, the Louisville and Nashville, the Central of Georgia, etc.), 180 miles NE. of Mobile. Lat. 32° 21' N. ; Lon. 86° 25' W. It is the third city of the state in population and has great facilities for communication with the surrounding country. The Alabama is one of the best rivers in the Union for navigation and large steamers ascend from Mobile to Montgomery (390 miles) at all seasons of the year, except in periods of unusual drought. The city contains a handsome capitol, or State-house (in the rotunda of which the confederate government was organised), a Federal building, court house, city-hall, a state normal school for colored students, etc., and many old-time residences with spacious and beautiful gardens. It is an important commercial and jobbing centre and a... Read MORE...

1908 - PASSENGERS JUMP FROM RUN AWAY CAR. Panic Among Occupants of Vehicle Returning From Ball Game In Montgomery.
Montgomery, Ala., May 29. - A score or more of persons were injured in a panic late today on a crowded electric car returning from the baseball park, which ran away down a steep incline east of Madison avenue. None of the injured is fatally hurt.

There were 100 or more passengers on the car, which was one of a number bringing the crowd back from today's Southern league baseball game. It is customary for the cars to come down the steep incline one at a time.

It is stated that car No. 36 was too close to the car ahead and when it became apparent that the car was beyond control of the motorman and while he was shouting to the crew ahead to pull out and give him room there was a scramble for safety among the passengers. Men, women and boys jumped off the car and in a few moments the roadway was lined with injured persons. The car was stopped at the foot of the hill without accident.
The State
Columbia, South Carolina
May 30, 1908

1909 - Wright brothers established flying school outside Montgomery
In 1909, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, pioneers of aviation, established a flying school just outside Montgomery, Alabama. This marked a significant milestone in the history of aviation as one of the earliest formal flight schools in the United States. Located at the site of what is now Maxwell Air Force Base, the school aimed to train military aviators and civilian pilots in the art of flying their innovative aircraft designs.

The Wright brothers' decision to open a school in Montgomery underscored their commitment to advancing aviation technology and sharing their expertise with a new generation of pilots. Students at the school learned the principles of flight, aerodynamics, and how to operate the Wright Flyer and other aircraft models developed by the brothers.
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Read more about Orville WRIGHT

1911 - Fire At Buckeye Plant.
The fire department was called to the plant of the Buckeye Cotton Seed Oil Mills on Maple Street this morning at 10:45 o'clock. The blaze originated in the seed rooms of the mill and was extinguished soon after the arrival of the department.

The plant of the Buckeye mills is equipped with its own fire fighting apparatus and the men employed at the mills are often drilled. When the fire was discovered in the [illegible] rooms this morning the force of the mills was called out and the fire alarm was turned in. But when the fire department reached the scene the fire had about been extinguished by the mill hands.

The loss sustained is estimated at about $500. This loss is partly covered by insurance.
The Montgomery Advertiser
Montgomery, Alabama
March 25, 1911

1919 - Singer and entertainer Nathaniel Adams (Nat King) Cole was born in Montgomery

1955 - Black seamstress, Rosa Parks, arrested for refusing to give seat on bus to white passenger; Montgomery Bus Boycott began; Parks named "mother of modern day civil rights movement"
In 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama, became a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement through a simple act of defiance. On December 1st, Parks boarded a city bus and took a seat in the designated "colored" section. When the bus became crowded, the driver demanded that she give up her seat to a white passenger as mandated by the city's segregation laws. Parks refused, a decision that led to her arrest.

This incident sparked outrage and galvanized the African American community in Montgomery. The Montgomery Bus Boycott, a protest against segregated seating on public buses, was organized in response, led by figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The boycott lasted for over a year, during which African Americans chose to walk, carpool, or use alternative means of transportation rather than ride segregated buses. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled segregation on public transportation unconstitutional, marking a significant victory for the civil... Read MORE...

1956 - December 20 - Montgomery, Ala, removed race-based seat assignments on its buses

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Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Montgomery:
Dexter Parsonage Museum: Step back in time and visit the former residence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Dexter Parsonage Museum offers a glimpse into the civil rights leader's life and the early days of the movement.

Alabama State Capitol: This historic building is where the Confederacy was formed, and it played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. Take a guided tour to learn about its history and see where important decisions were made.

Rosa Parks Library and Museum: Located on the Troy University campus, this museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of Rosa Parks. It's an interactive experience that allows you to understand the history of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the civil rights struggle.

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts: If you're an art enthusiast, this museum has an impressive collection of American art, along with European and decorative art. It's a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

Old Alabama Town: This living history museum features... Read MORE...