Old Columbia Jail / Columbia - Columbia, AL
Posted by: 
hoteltwo
N 31° 17.495 W 085° 06.737
16R E 679677 N 3463455
Marker with two sides, one about the City of Columbia, and the other about one of the oldest wooden jails still around in Alabama. Located just south of State Route 52 near the public library.
Waymark Code: WMKMHV
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 05/02/2014
Views: 4
Old Columbia Jail
Erected sometime in the early 1860's, the Old Columbia Jail is today one of the last wooden jails still standing in Alabama. Originally, there were two cells, each measuring 10 x 15 feet. Interior walls are studded every two inches with iron spikes to prevent prisoners from being able to escape. The Columbia Women's Club and the Columbia Bicentennial Committee have completely renovated the building as a museum to preserve some of the articles of historical interest to Columbia citizens.
Columbia
Formerly a prominent Chattahoochee River port-of-call, Columbia served as a major trading center for communities throughout the Wiregrass area of Alabama. Between 1822-1833, it was the county seat for Henry County which then comprised portions of present day Covington, Dale, Barbour, Coffee, Crenshaw, Bullock, Geneva and Houston Counties. At the turn of the century, Columbia was bypassed by the Alabama Midland Railway in favor of Dothan. As the railroads continued to take freight trade away from the riverboats, Columbia's position as a principal trade center began to decline.
Marker Name: Old Columbia Jail / Columbia
Marker Type: Urban
Addtional Information::
Erected by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.
Landmark of the Civil War Era: http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/columbiajail.html
Date Dedicated / Placed: 1978
Marker Number: Not Listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Alabama history please include that in your log.