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 Welcome to Historic Montevallo - Montevallo, AL
N 33° 06.034 W 086° 51.755
16S E 512822 N 3662444
Settled in 1814, Montevallo is the oldest settlement in Shelby County, Alabama
Waymark Code: WMEDP6
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 05/12/2012
Views: 15
Montevallo is home to The University of Montevallo, American Village and the Alabama National Cemetery. Seventy-three homes and buildings in Montevallo have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Reynolds Hall and other buildings on the University of Montevallo campus. The marker is located on Main Street between Middle and Vine Streets. The marker was placed by the Alabama Tourism Department and the City of Montevallo.
Marker Name: Welcome to Historic Montevallo
Marker Type: Urban
Addtional Information::
Home to The University of Montevallo, American Village and the Alabama Veterans Cemetery, Montevallo is located in the geographical center of Alabama at 33º 6’ 18”N 86º 51’ 46”W. In 1814, Jesse Wilson laid claim to “Wilson’s Hill” located above Shoal Creek, making it the oldest settlement in Shelby County, Alabama. In 1817, after General Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Indians on the Coosa River, homesteaders like Wilson and his family and friends settled in the area. During this time, the area was known as “a little mountain in a valley”, and Montevallo is thought to have derived its name from this geographical reference. The direct Italian translation of Montevallo is “on a mound in a valley.”
Montevallo’s rich history and deep roots left behind treasured buildings and places that remain integral parts of the community. The classic main street is just one example, with buildings dating back to the late 1800s. Seventy-three homes and buildings in Montevallo have earned their place on the National Historic Register, including Reynolds Hall and other buildings on the University of Montevallo campus. Some areas have even taken shape as tourist attractions for the city, such as the Aldrich Coal Mine Museum and Farrington Hall. Montevallo’s historic post office, located on the Main and Vine is one of 23 post offices in Alabama selected to receive artistic decoration under the New Deal government during the Great Depression. Early Settlers Weighing Cotton (1939) by William S. McCall was commissioned as part of a federal project organized under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1943.
Date Dedicated / Placed: 2010
Marker Number: None
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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.
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