Existing comment:
Gadsden, Alabama
In the early 1840's, John S. Moragne, along with Gabriel and Joseph Hughes, began surveying for a city on the banks of the Coosa River near the settlement of Double Springs. The new city would be located on 120 acres of land at the present site of the downtown business district. The fledgling town received a boost on July 4, 1845, when the piercing sound of a steamboat's whistle along the banks of the Coosa River announced the beginning of a new era in Northeast Alabama. The landing of Captain James Lafferty's steamboat. The Coosa, marked the genesis of a new town. The name chosen for the town was "Gadsden" in honor of Colonel James Gadsden, who passed through the area with Andrew Jackson. Many believed that the Colonel, a proponent of the trans-continental railroad, would bring a major railroad to the vicinity. Although no major railroad was ever constructed, the name was retained in honor of Colonel Gadsden. The little town survived the Civil War, continued to grow, and was incorporated in 1871. |