< p>County of city: Winston County
Location of city: just W. of central within the county: crossroads of US-278 & AL-195 & AL-33
County is in the NW corner section of the state
Elevation: 823 ft (251 m)
Population: 1,068 (2013)
"In the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where they taper down to hills and hollows, in Northwest Alabama, there is a place where two clear clean springs are side by side; a rare occurrence in nature. It was known among the Indians and early white travelers as the place of the two springs or double springs. The Indians would often rendezvous there when they made hunting excursions into the area. The Cheatham Road passed nearby and travelers would often stop to rest and water their stock. It was the ideal place for people to settle and make their homes. (The place has now been bull-dozed off.)
"Andrew Jackson Ingle came to Double Springs from Larissa where he was postmaster. That is near where Lynn is now. He arrived sometime about 1880. In 1882 he ran for the state legislature against P.H. Newman. The issue was about moving the county seat to the center of the county. Andy won the race and after he took office, he sponsored House Bill No. 264 which called for a county wide election on the issue. The bill became law on Tuesday, December 12, 1882. The election was held in 1883 and the people voted by a large majority to move the county seat to the center of the county. The following commissioners selected Double Springs as the site for the new county seat; John M. Wilson, Thomas Wadsworth, William Penn, Francis Revis, William R. Cole, Riley Bonds, John C. Long, Felix McLain, Anderson Ward, Isiah Hopson, Henry Weaver, and Thomas Patrage.
"A rash of building began in 1883 after the lots were sold. This was the beginning of the town of Double Springs. A 40 x 60 foot wooden building was completed for the courthouse and the county seat was moved into the new building. In the meantime many other buildings were being completed for business and homes. Among the first to locate their general merchandise stores there were J.F. Pirkle, B.J. Cowart, and Stanley Phillips. Mr. And Mrs. Battles ran a hotel. Henry Hilton had a cotton gin. A Howell merchandise burned when the whole block burned in 1909. The county Commission provided funds to send William R. Bonds to Mobile to take a nine month course in medicine so he could practice medicine in Double Springs." ~ The History of Double Springs, Alabama
"Double Springs is the county seat of Winston County. It is located in north-central Alabama about 35 miles west of Cullman, Cullman County. Named for two springs that flowed side by side, the town has a mayor/city council form of government. It was officially incorporated on May 17, 1943.
"Winston County was established in 1850, with the town of Houston as its seat. In 1882, state representative Andrew Jackson Ingle sponsored a bill to allow residents of Winston County to vote on whether to move the seat to the center of the county. The election took place the following year, and residents voted to move the seat to Double Springs. Later that year, a town square had been surveyed and laid out. Lots were auctioned off on July 23, 1883 (31 of which were bought by Ingle himself), and the town was established as building began. Construction included the new county courthouse, several stores, and a hotel. A newspaper, The Winston Herald was moved to Double Springs in 1883 and was published until 1945, when it was sold to the Haleyville Advertiser. The first courthouse, a wood structure, burned in 1891 and was replaced in 1893 with one made from native sandstone; this structure has been incorporated into the current courthouse, which was dedicated in 1930." ~ The Encyclopedia of Alabama