History of Huntsville, Alabama, USA

1805 - Huntsville, Alabama founded
In 1805, Huntsville, Alabama, was founded by John Hunt, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. The area, originally known as Twickenham, was renamed in honor of Hunt, who had settled in the region a few years earlier. The fertile land and abundant water sources from the nearby Tennessee River made it an attractive spot for settlement and agriculture. Hunt's vision and determination played a pivotal role in the early development of the town, which quickly grew into a thriving community.

1812 - Huntsville Academy founded in Huntsville

1834 - April 26 - Killer frosts were reported in the Deep South. The frost was quite severe around Huntsville AL, and highlighted a backward spring in the South that year.

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1854 - Huntsville
Huntsville, a neat, thriving town, capital of Madison county, Alabama, on the Winchester and Alabama railroad, 150 miles N. N. E. from Tuscaloosa, and 116 miles S. by E. from Nashville. It contains many handsome brick buildings. The court house cost $45,000. The bank, which is a stone edifice, with an Ionic portico, cost about $80,000. It also contains an academy, 5 or 6 churches, a United States land-office, and 3 newspaper offices. The route of the Memphis and Charleston railroad passes through this town. Population in 1853, about 4000.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1887 - April 26 - Huntsville Electric Co forms to sell electricity

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1895 - Huntsville
Hunts'ville, a city, the capital of Madison co., Ala., on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, 212 miles E. by S. of Memphis, 98 miles W.S.W. of Chattanooga, Tenn., and about 200 miles N. of Montgomery. It contains 13 churches, 3 banks, public schools, a male academy, the Huntsville Female College, a court-house, a foundry, a saw-mill, cotton mills, and 2 manufactories of sash and blinds. Four weekly newspapers are published here. This is the most populous and important town of Northern Alabama. Pop. in 1890, 7795.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1896 - Stone on Trial for Murder. Negro Kills His Friend with a Fence Rail in Alabama.
Huntsville, Ala., December 4. - (Special.) Circuit court has on trial the case of Oscar Stone, colored, for the murder of his friend, Governor Jolly.

In the early part of last spring a crowd of negroes were returning from a church festival near Maysville, when Stone began to abuse the negro Jolly. Jolly did not want to fight and ran away, when Stone attacked him. He lost his hat in the fight and returning to recover it, was waylaid by the man from whom he sought to escape. Stone seized a fence rail and killed Jolly by fracturing his skull.

The evidence is very clearly against the defendant.
The Atlanta Constitution
Atlanta, Georgia
December 5, 1896

1897 - END OF A QUEER FEUD - Ashford Killed as He Rode Past Brown's Home. IT BEGAN WITH A WOMAN.
Two Men Live on Opposite Sides of a Street and Have Been Watching Each Other for Months.

Huntsville, Ala., January 1. - (Special.) - The killing of Fred Ashford by Felix Brown in Courtland yesterday afternoon may be the beginning of another one of those terrible feuds that have existed in the south from time to time. Both Ashford and Brown are highly connected and have a number of hot-blooded male relatives.

The friends of Ashford claim that he was killed in a cowardly manner an they mean to get even with the man who killed him.

The tragedy was the result of a feud which started about a year ago over a woman. At one time the trouble between the two men was submitted to arbitrators whose award was that Brown leave Courtland permanently. Brown left town, but returned when he thought the affair had quieted down. He was met in the road by Ashford, who said:

"If you are armed, defend yourself; if not, here is a pistol."

Brown pulled a pistol and began firing. The two men... Read MORE...

1900 - Huntsville's Cotton Oil Mill
Hunstville, Ala., May 20. (Special.) - T. W. Pratt, of Huntsville and W. A. Rigsby and others, of Augusta, Ga., have formed a company with a capital of $50,000 for the building and operation of a cotton oil mill in this city. The proposed mill will consume about sixty tons of seed a day and will employ about eighty men. It will be located in West Huntsville.

The new mill will be run in opposition to the trust and will compete with the Alabama cotton oil mill of Huntsville for the business of the Huntsville district.
The Atlanta Constitution
Atlanta, Georgia
May 21, 1900

1916
Huntsville, a banking post-town, the capital of Madison co., Ala., on the Southern and the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Rs., 98 miles WSW. of Chattanooga, Tenn. It contains the Central Alabama Academy, the State Normal and Industrial School (colored), Huntsville Female Seminary, and the Huntsville Female College, and has a foundry, machine-shops, oil-works, cotton-factory, etc. Pop. in 1900, 8068.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

1950 - May 14 – The Huntsville Times runs the headline, "Dr. von Braun Says Rocket Flights Possible to Moon."

On May 14, 1950, The Huntsville Times made history with the headline, "Dr. von Braun Says Rocket Flights Possible to Moon." This bold proclamation came from Dr. Wernher von Braun, a German-American aerospace engineer and space architect who was pivotal in developing rocket technology. His statement marked a significant moment in the space race era, capturing public imagination and highlighting the potential for human space exploration. Von Braun's vision was not merely a dream; it was grounded in his extensive work on rocket technology, both during World War II with the V-2 rocket and later with the U.S. Army and NASA.

This headline underscored a pivotal shift in the perception of space travel, moving it from the realm of science fiction to a foreseeable reality. Von Braun's expertise and optimism played a crucial role in advancing the U.S. space program, eventually leading to the successful Apollo moon landings in the late 1960s.
May 14, 1950

1954 - July 04 - WMSL TV channel 48 in Huntsville, AL (ABC) begins

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1956 - The Army Ballistic Missile Agency was established at Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal.

Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Huntsville:
U.S. Space and Rocket Center:

Visit this iconic space museum to learn about the history of space exploration.
Explore the Space Shuttle Pathfinder and Saturn V rocket.
Don't miss the Space Camp, where you can experience astronaut training simulations.

Huntsville Botanical Garden:

Enjoy the beauty of nature with a stroll through the various themed gardens.
Check out the Butterfly House and the Nature Center.
Attend special events like plant sales and educational programs.

Monte Sano State Park:

Hike or bike the numerous trails that offer stunning views of the surrounding landscapes.
Camp, picnic, or have a relaxing day outdoors.
In the winter, you can even go sledding if there's snow.

Downtown Huntsville:

Explore the historic downtown area with its unique shops, boutiques, and galleries.
Check out the variety of restaurants and cafes for some local cuisine.
Attend events like the Arts Stroll or the Greene Street Market.

Huntsville Museum of... Read MORE...