The Montgomery and West Point Railroad (M&WP) was an early 19th-century railroad in Alabama and Georgia . It played an important role during the American Civil War as a supply and transportation route for the Confederate Army , and, as such, was the target of a large raid by Union cavalry in the summer of 1864, called Wilson's Raid . The railroad played an important role in this business, and it became a symbol to industrialization in the United States. The railroads make it possible to supply large military forces that were needed in order to take over and conquer the Southern part of the United States. During the early 19th-century, turnpikes, canals, and railroads all brought people to the west and more products to the east. There was an effort in Americans during this time to build a railroad that would link Georgia to trade with the Tennessee and Ohio areas, and the M&WP was a starting point in helping to accomplish this goal.
84-532: The Montgomery Railroad had a charter granted on January 20, 1832, to build track from Montgomery, Alabama east to the Chattahoochee River at Columbus, Georgia . The instruction was for the track to begin in the city of Montgomery. In 1833, the Georgia Railroad Company was chartered to businessmen for the sole objective of building a railroad from the west of the state into the inner part of
168-468: A riverboat dock, a river walk, and Riverwalk Stadium . The completion of a 112,000-square-foot (10,400 m ) space in 2007, the Convention Center, has encouraged growth and activity in the downtown area and attracted more high-end retail and restaurants. Three blocks east of the Convention Center, Old Alabama Town showcases more than 50 restored buildings from the 19th century. The Riverwalk
252-477: A 6th-7th century Gaelic overkingdom; a subsequent misspelling in an advertisement led to the current spelling. The first lots were sold in 1914. The city's two largest shopping malls ( Eastdale Mall and The Shoppes at Eastchase ), as well as many big-box stores and residential developments, are on the east side. The area is also home of the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park . This 240-acre (1.0 km ) park contains
336-710: A century later, when an English expedition from Carolina went down the Alabama River in 1697. The first permanent European settler in the Montgomery area was James McQueen , a Scots trader who settled there in 1716. He married a high-status woman in the Coushatta or Alabama tribe. Their mixed-race children were considered Muskogean, as both tribes had a matrilineal system of property and descent. The children were always considered born into their mother's clan , and gained their status from her people. In 1785, Abraham Mordecai,
420-452: A family of four. These are slightly higher than the state averages of $ 20.15 per hour for an individual and $ 41.11 for a family of four. US$ 7.25 per hour minimum wage in Alabama. Montgomery serves as a hub for healthcare in the central Alabama and Black Belt region. Hospitals located in the city include Baptist Medical Center South on South East Boulevard, Baptist Medical Center East next to
504-538: A much smaller force, numbered 1,200. Wilson completed the raid without destroying plantation property that characterized Sherman's March to the Sea of the previous year. Residents accused Wilson's men of sacking Selma after the battle. Still, the damage came from many sources, including street combat that continued into the night, 35,000 bales of cotton, and the Central Commercial Warehouse fired by Confederates as
588-506: A rail line was needed from Alabama east to Chattahoochee River. This was a starting point in connected different states in the South of the United States of America. The businessmen in Montgomery wanted a fair trade in other parts of the state, and even in other states close by. In order to create a system where it would be easy for them to do business, a railroad was an ideal idea. This railroad
672-414: A result of this. The overall standing of this railroad during this early period was odd. There were numerous and disastrous problems that arose throughout the time this was built. On December 3, 1838, Governor Arthur P. Bagby committed an act that was rash of including his administrative address to the Alabama legislature. There was an arrangement made between the Montgomery and West Point Railroad company and
756-596: A stand on April 1 at Plantersville , near Ebenezer Church, and was routed once again at the Battle of Ebenezer Church . The Confederates raced toward Selma and deployed into a three-mile, semicircular defensive line anchored at both ends by the Alabama River . The Battle of Selma took place on April 2. The divisions of Long and Upton assaulted Forrest's hastily constructed works. The dismounted U.S. soldiers broke through by afternoon, after brief periods of hand-to-hand combat ;
840-578: A system that was nicknamed the Lightning Route . Residents followed the streetcar lines to settle in new housing in what were then "suburban" locations. As the Reconstruction era ended, mayor W. L. Moses asked the state legislature to gerrymander city boundaries. It complied and removed the districts where African Americans lived, restoring white supremacy to the city's demographics and electorate. This prevented African Americans from being elected in
924-644: A war veteran from a Sephardic Jewish family of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, established a trading post . The Coushatta and Alabama had gradually moved south and west in the tidal plain. After the French were defeated by the British in 1763 in the Seven Years' War and ceded control of their lands, these Native American peoples moved to parts of present-day Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, then areas of Spanish rule , which they thought more favorable than British-held areas. By
SECTION 10
#17328522156501008-618: A week to destroy military facilities. From there, Wilson's forces moved toward Montgomery , which they occupied on April 12. Despite Robert E. Lee 's April 9 surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia following the Battle of Appomattox Court House , the Army of Tennessee under the command of Gen Joseph E. Johnston had not yet surrendered the Confederate forces in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Wilson planned to head east into Georgia to destroy
1092-476: Is Steven Reed , who was elected as the city's first African-American mayor in a runoff election which was held on October 8, 2019. The city is served by a nine-member city council, elected from nine single-member districts of equal size population. As the seat of Montgomery County , the city is the location of county courts and the county commission, elected separately. Montgomery is the capital of Alabama, and hosts numerous state government offices, including
1176-561: Is 46.6 °F (8.1 °C), and there are 3.4 days of sub 20 °F (−7 °C) lows; 10 °F (−12 °C) and below is extremely rare. The daily average in July is 81.8 °F (27.7 °C), with highs exceeding 90 °F (32.2 °C) on 86 days per year and 100 °F (37.8 °C) on 3.9. Summer afternoon heat indices, much more often than the actual air temperature, are frequently at or above 100 °F. The diurnal temperature variation tends to be large in spring and autumn. Rainfall
1260-477: Is built on the site of two Alibamu towns: Ikanatchati (Ekanchattee or Ecunchatty or Econachatee), meaning "red earth;" and Towassa , built on a bluff called Chunnaanaauga Chatty. The first Europeans to travel through central Alabama were Hernando de Soto and his expedition, who in 1540 recorded going through Ikanatchati and camping for one week in Towassa. The next recorded European encounter occurred more than
1344-727: Is home to the newly built Wright Brothers Park. High-end apartments are planned for this area. The Bell Building , located across from the Rosa Parks Library and Museum, is being redeveloped for mixed-use retail and residential space. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opened in downtown Montgomery on April 26, 2018. Founded by the Equal Justice Initiative , it acknowledges the historic past of racial terrorism and lynching in America. South of downtown, across Interstate 85 , lies Alabama State University . ASU's campus
1428-561: Is located at 32°21′42″N 86°16′45″W / 32.36167°N 86.27917°W / 32.36167; -86.27917 . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 162.27 square miles (420.3 km ), of which 159.86 square miles (414.0 km ) is land and 2.41 square miles (6.2 km ) (0.52%) is water. The city is built over rolling terrain at an elevation of about 220 feet (67 m) above sea level. Downtown Montgomery lies along
1512-400: Is part of a larger plan to revitalize the downtown area and connect it to the waterfront. The plan includes urban forestry , infill development, and façade renovation to encourage business and residential growth. Other downtown developments include historic Dexter Avenue, which will be the center of a Market District. A$ 6 million streetscape project is improving its design. Maxwell Boulevard
1596-626: Is regarded as the "Last Battle of the Civil War." On April 20, Wilson's men captured Macon, Georgia , without resistance, and Wilson's Raid came to an end. This was only six days before General Joseph E. Johnston 's surrender of all Confederate troops in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida to William Tecumseh Sherman in North Carolina. Wilson's Raid had been a spectacular success. His men captured five fortified cities, 288 cannons, and 6,820 prisoners, at 725 U.S. casualties. Forrest's casualties, from
1680-470: Is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County . Named for Continental Army Major General Richard Montgomery , it stands beside the Alabama River , on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico . The population was 200,603 at the 2020 census . It is the third-most populous city in the state after Huntsville and Birmingham , and is the 128th most populous in
1764-492: Is well-distributed throughout the year, though February, March and July are the wettest months, while October is significantly the driest month. Snowfall occurs only during some winters, and even then is usually light. Substantial snowstorms are rare, but do occur approximately once every 10 years. Extremes range from −5 °F (−21 °C) on February 13, 1899 to 107 °F (42 °C) on July 7, 1881. Thunderstorms bring much of Montgomery's rainfall. These are common during
SECTION 20
#17328522156501848-474: The 2020 census , there were 200,603 people, 82,835 households, and 49,303 families residing in the city. There were 93,920 housing units. As of the 2010 census , there were 205,764 people, 81,486 households, out of which 29% had children under the age of 18 living with them. The racial makeup of the city was 37.3% White , 56.6% Black , 2.2% Asian , 0.2% Native American , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.2% from other races , and 1.3% from two or more races. 3.9% of
1932-872: The Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts . Montgomery has been recognized nationally for its continuing downtown revitalization. In the early 2000s, the city constructed the Montgomery Biscuits minor league baseball stadium and Riverfront Park. Following those developments, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested by private companies that have adapted old warehouses and office buildings into loft apartments, restaurants, retail, hotels, and businesses. The demand for downtown living space has risen, as people want to have walkable, lively neighborhoods. More than 500 apartment units are under construction, including The Heights on Maxwell Boulevard, The Market District on Dexter Avenue,
2016-624: The Alabama Shakespeare Festival , the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts , and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice . Montgomery has also been recognized nationally for its downtown revitalization and new urbanism projects. It was one of the first cities in the nation to implement SmartCode Zoning . Prior to European colonization, the east bank of the Alabama River was inhabited by the Alibamu tribe of Native Americans . The Alibamu and
2100-729: The Alabama State Capitol . The Capitol is located atop a hill at one end of Dexter Avenue, along which also lies the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church , where Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor. Both the Capitol and Dexter Baptist Church are recognized as National Historic Landmarks by the U.S. Department of the Interior . Other notable buildings include RSA Dexter Avenue, RSA Headquarters, Alabama Center for Commerce, RSA Union, and
2184-771: The Battle of Nashville , U.S. Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas and his Army of the Cumberland found themselves with virtually no organized military opposition in the heart of the Confederacy. Thomas ordered Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson (who commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Military Division of the Mississippi , but was attached to Thomas's army) to lead a raid to destroy the arsenal at Selma, Alabama , in conjunction with Maj. Gen. Edward Canby 's operations against Mobile . Selma
2268-751: The Civil Rights Movement , including the Montgomery bus boycott and the Selma to Montgomery marches . In addition to housing many Alabama government agencies, Montgomery has a large military presence, due to Maxwell Air Force Base . It has three public universities ( Alabama State University , Troy University (Montgomery campus), and Auburn University at Montgomery ), two private post-secondary institutions ( Faulkner University and Huntingdon College ), high-tech manufacturing (particularly Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama ), and many cultural attractions, such as
2352-626: The Confederate States of America . Montgomery was named the first capital of the nation, and Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president on the steps of the State Capitol . The capital was later moved to Richmond, Virginia. On April 12, 1865, following the Battle of Selma , Major General James H. Wilson captured Montgomery for the Union. In 1886 Montgomery became the first city in the United States to install citywide electric streetcars along
2436-676: The Coushatta , who lived on the west side of the river, were descended from the Mississippian culture . This civilization had numerous chiefdoms throughout the Midwest and South along the Mississippi and its tributaries, and had built massive earthwork mounds as part of their society about 950–1250 AD. Its largest location was at Cahokia , in present-day Illinois east of St. Louis . The historic tribes spoke mutually intelligible Muskogean languages , which were closely related. Present-day Montgomery
2520-549: The Uniform Crime Report statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2022, there were 522 violent crimes and 2,636 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Of these, the violent crimes consisted of 18 murders, 9 forcible rapes, 141 robberies and 354 aggravated assaults, while 562 burglaries, 1,773 larceny-thefts, 301 motor vehicle thefts and 0 acts of arson defined the property offenses. According to
2604-506: The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa , which was a prominent military school, on April 4. This movement diverted Chalmer's division away from Forrest's main force. Croxton continued his raid across Alabama, destroying several iron works and fighting Confederate General Benjamin J. Hill's brigade at Munford . He finally rejoined Wilson at Macon, Ga., on May 1, 1865. On March 31, Forrest
Montgomery and West Point Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-581: The federal land office in Milledgeville, Georgia . The first group of white settlers to come to the Montgomery area was headed by General John Scott . This group founded Alabama Town about 2 miles (3 km) downstream on the Alabama River from present-day downtown Montgomery. In June 1818, county courts were moved from Fort Jackson to Alabama Town. Alabama was admitted to the Union in December 1819. Soon after, Andrew Dexter Jr. founded New Philadelphia,
2772-424: The Alabama River to deliver enslaved laborers to planters, to work the cotton . Buoyed by the revenues of the cotton trade at a time of high market demand, the newly united Montgomery grew quickly. In 1822, the city was designated as the county seat. A new courthouse was built at the present location of Court Square, at the foot of Market Street (now Dexter Avenue). Court Square had one of the largest slave markets in
2856-494: The Atlantic coast. Even though this railroad had many successes quickly, the rivers were strong competitors. It costs a lot of money and time to build a railroad in comparison to building a canal. The citizens far away were going to subscribe $ 400,000 in good faith, but later realized that there was a possibility that some of the other towns in Alabama would profit too by the connections of the road. Their subscriptions were not paid as
2940-625: The Garden District, Cloverdale, and Huntingdon are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places as historic districts . Montgomery's east side is the fastest-growing part of the city. Development of the Dalraida neighborhood, along Atlanta Highway, began in 1909, when developers Cook and Laurie bought land from the Ware plantation. A Scotsman, Georgie Laurie named the area for Dál Riata ,
3024-542: The Kress Building on Dexter Avenue, The Bell Building on Montgomery Street, and a new complex by the convention center. Additionally, Montgomery has recently opened a 50 million dollar white water park on July 7, located off Maxwell Boulevard. Montgomery has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), with short, mild winters, warm springs and autumns, and long, hot, humid summers. The daily average temperature in January
3108-474: The Montgomery Branch Bank. This arrangement was that the bank had control over all the funds of the railroad. This arrangement was warranted by the charter of the railroad company. The company had to go through a "panic time" in 1837, and through the immediate years following. The subscriptions were reduced to $ 300,000 and an additional $ 300,000 worth of stock was sold and the total amount of subscription
3192-637: The Renaissance Hotel and Spa. One block south of the Capitol is the First White House of the Confederacy , the 1835 Italianate-style house in which President Jefferson Davis and family lived while the Confederate capital was in Montgomery. Montgomery's third National Historic Landmark is Union Station . Passenger train service to Montgomery ceased in 1989. Today Union Station is part of the Riverfront Park development, which includes an amphitheater,
3276-475: The South. The state capital was moved from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery, on January 28, 1846. As state capital, Montgomery began to influence state politics, and it would also play a prominent role on the national stage. Beginning February 4, 1861, representatives from Alabama, Georgia , Florida, Louisiana , Mississippi , and South Carolina met in Montgomery , host of the Southern Convention , to form
3360-495: The South: to be allowed to vote and participate in politics, to freely use public places, to end segregation. According to the historian David Beito of the University of Alabama , African Americans in Montgomery "nurtured the modern civil rights movement ." African Americans comprised most of the customers on the city buses, but were forced to give up seats and even stand in order to make room for whites. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks
3444-748: The U.S. Army soldiers destroyed the Oxmoor and Irondale iron furnaces. A detachment of General Emory Upton's division destroyed the C.B. Churchill and Company foundry in Columbiana and the Shelby Iron Works in Shelby on March 31, 1865. Wilson also detached a 1,500-man brigade under Brig. Gen. John T. Croxton and sent them south and west to burn the Roupes Valley Ironworks at Tannehill and Bibb Naval Furnace at Brierfield on March 31. They then burned
Montgomery and West Point Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-415: The United States. The Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area 's population in 2022 was 385,460; it is the fourth largest in the state and 142nd among United States metropolitan areas . The city was incorporated in 1819 as a merger of two towns situated along the Alabama River . It replaced Tuscaloosa as the state capital in 1846, representing the shift of power to the south-central area of Alabama with
3612-457: The age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 41,380, and the median income for a family was $ 53,125. Males had a median income of $ 40,255 versus $ 33,552 for females. The per capita income for
3696-467: The bridge and the town. Simultaneously, Wilson ordered Upton's division to rush toward another strategically important bridge at Columbus, Georgia. The Battle of West Point , Georgia, was fought on Easter Sunday, April 16, when Colonel Oscar Hugh La Grange 's brigade attacked an earthwork defensive position named Fort Tyler that was defended by a couple hundred young men and teenaged Confederates under CS Brig. Gen. Robert C. Tyler . Determined to fight to
3780-480: The campus of Auburn University Montgomery on Taylor Road, and Jackson Hospital, which is located next to Oak Park off interstate 85. Montgomery is also home to two medical school campuses: Baptist Medical Center South (run by University of Alabama at Birmingham ) and Jackson Hospital (run by Alabama Medical Education Consortium). Montgomery operates under a Mayor–council government system. The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms. The current mayor
3864-706: The capital to press for voting rights. These actions contributed to Congressional passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , to authorize federal supervision and enforcement of the rights of African Americans and other minorities to vote. On February 7, 1967, a devastating fire broke out at Dale's Penthouse, a restaurant and lounge on the top floor of the Walter Bragg Smith apartment building (now called Capital Towers) at 7 Clayton Street downtown. Twenty-six people died. In recent years, Montgomery has grown and diversified its economy. Active in downtown revitalization,
3948-432: The city adopted a master plan in 2007; it includes the revitalization of Court Square and the riverfront, renewing the city's connection to the river. Many other projects under construction include the revitalization of Historic Dexter Avenue, pedestrian and infrastructure improvements along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail , and the construction of a new environmental park on West Fairview Avenue. Montgomery
4032-464: The city fell. Some U.S. soldiers and newly liberated formerly enslaved people engaged in plunder. After the first night, Wilson re-established discipline. Upon conclusion of the raid, and following the surrender of all of the Confederate forces east of the Chattahoochee River by Johnston to Sherman, the hostilities in the theater ended. However, the pursuit of fleeing officials of the Confederate government commenced as Wilson's forces fanned out through
4116-492: The city processed 160,000–200,000 bales of cotton annually. Montgomery has also had large metal fabrication and lumber production sectors. Due to its location along the Alabama River and extensive rail connections, Montgomery has been and continues to be a regional distribution hub for a wide range of industries. Since the late 20th century, it has diversified its economy, achieving increased employment in sectors such as healthcare, business, government, and manufacturing. Today,
4200-405: The city was $ 23,139. About 18.2% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over. Montgomery's central location in Alabama's Black Belt has long made it a processing hub for commodity crops such as cotton, peanuts, and soybeans . In 1840 Montgomery County led the state in cotton production, and by 1911,
4284-720: The city's Gross Metropolitan Product is $ 12.15 billion, representing 8.7% of the gross state product of Alabama. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from October 2008, the largest sectors of non-agricultural employment were: Government, 24.3%; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, 17.3% (including 11.0% in retail trade); Professional and Business Services, 11.9%; Manufacturing, 10.9%; Education and Health Services, 10.0% (including 8.5% in Health Care & Social Assistance); Leisure and Hospitality, 9.2%; Financial Activities, 6.0%, Natural Resources, Mining and Construction, 5.1%; Information, 1.4%; and Other services 4.0%. Unemployment for
SECTION 50
#17328522156504368-569: The city, there were 75 homicides in 2023. Wilson%27s Raid Wilson's Raid was a cavalry operation through Alabama and Georgia in March–;April 1865, late in the American Civil War . U.S. Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson led his U.S. Cavalry Corps to destroy Confederate manufacturing facilities and was opposed unsuccessfully by a much smaller force under Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest . After his victory at
4452-616: The conclusion of the Creek War . Following their defeat by General Andrew Jackson in August 1814, the Creek tribes were forced to cede 23 million acres to the United States, including remaining land in today's Georgia and most of today's central and southern Alabama. In 1816, the Mississippi Territory (1798–1817) organized Montgomery County . Its former Creek lands were sold off the next year at
4536-547: The earthwork, the fort was captured. Confederate Brig. Gen. Robert C. Tyler was mortally wounded by a sharpshooter, becoming the last general officer killed in the Civil War. The defense of West Point was doomed to fail and had done so. With rebel prisoners, the fort, and the bridge in his hands, La Grange moved out to rejoin Wilson. The battle had been won for the United States at the cost of 36 casualties, both killed and wounded. The Confederates had lost 18 men killed, 28 wounded, and
4620-576: The growth of cotton as a commodity crop of the Black Belt and the rise of Mobile as a mercantile port on the Gulf Coast. In February 1861, Montgomery was chosen the first capital of the Confederate States of America , which it remained until the Confederate seat of government moved to Richmond, Virginia , in May of that year. In the middle of the 20th century, Montgomery was a major center of events and protests in
4704-465: The inexperienced militiamen abandoning their positions and fleeing was the primary reason for the entire line breaking. General Wilson personally led a mounted charge of the 4th U.S. Cavalry against an unfinished portion of the line. General Long was severely wounded in the head during the assault. Forrest, who was also injured, and whose small corps was severely damaged, regrouped at Marion , where he finally rejoined Chalmers. Wilson's men worked for over
4788-496: The last ditch, the Confederates fought a wave of dismounted U.S. troops. The Confederates did not stand a chance as they were largely outnumbered and poorly armed, whereas the U.S. Army soldiers were armed with repeaters. The U.S. soldiers crossed over a ditch while the rebels hurled primitive hand-grenades and fired their weapons. Although the U.S. soldiers had to assault under the fire of one 32-pounder gun and two 12-pounders inside
4872-416: The locomotive itself was able to make a speed of more than 10 mph, and it was rare for them to reach even close to 10 mph. The road made some income, but it was not enough to be of consequence. In June 1840, the road earned $ 500. In June 1841, the same road earned $ 1800. This road was determined from where it began, and promoters believed that this was a great start to making a connection directly with
4956-512: The municipality and denied them city services. On February 12, 1945, a devastating and deadly tornado struck the western portion of the city. The tornado killed 26 people, injured 293 others, and caused a city-wide blackout which lasted for hours. The United States Weather Bureau would describe this tornado as "the most officially observed one in history". In the post-World War II era, returning African-American veterans were among those who became active in pushing to regain their civil rights in
5040-592: The office of the Governor , the Alabama Legislature , and the Alabama Supreme Court . At the federal level, Montgomery is part of Alabama's 2nd , 7th , and 3rd Congressional district , currently represented by Barry Moore , Terri Sewell , and Mike Rogers , respectively. The 7th represents most of Western Montgomery, the 2nd Southern and Northern Montgomery, and the 3rd Eastern Montgomery. According to
5124-425: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 36.1% of the population in 2010, down from 66% in 1970. The population density varies in different parts of the city; East Montgomery (Taylor Rd and East), the non-Hispanic White population is 74.5%, African American 8.3%, Latino 3.2%, other non-white races carry 2.7% of the population. The city population was spread out, with 24.9% under
SECTION 60
#17328522156505208-503: The present-day eastern part of downtown. He envisioned a prominent future for his town; he set aside a hilltop known as "Goat Hill" as the future site of the state capitol building. New Philadelphia soon prospered, and Scott and his associates built a new town adjacent, calling it East Alabama Town. Originally rivals, the towns merged on December 3, 1819, and were incorporated as the town of Montgomery, named for Richard Montgomery , an American Revolutionary War general. Slave traders used
5292-646: The push for integration organized mob violence at stops along the Freedom Ride. In Montgomery, there was police collaboration when a white mob attacked Freedom Riders at the Greyhound Bus Station in May 1961. Outraged national reaction resulted in the enforcement of desegregation of interstate public transportation. Martin Luther King Jr. returned to Montgomery in 1965. Local civil rights leaders in Selma had been protesting Jim Crow laws and practices that raised barriers to blacks registering to vote. Following
5376-473: The railroad stations and warehouses at Montgomery and West Point, by July 17. In April 1865, a far more destructive raid, Wilson's Raid , wrecked all of the remaining rolling stock of the railroad. After the war was over, the railroad was repaired and reopened for use. The M&WP was later on merged into the Western Railway of Alabama in 1870. The Montgomery and West Point Railroad was built because
5460-593: The rain-swollen Tennessee River , but he got underway on March 22, 1865, departing from Gravelly Springs in Lauderdale County, Alabama . He sent his forces in three separate columns to mask his intentions and confuse the enemy; Forrest learned very late in the raid that Selma was the primary target. Minor skirmishes occurred at Houston (March 25) and Black Warrior River (March 26), and Wilson's columns rejoined at Jasper on March 27. On March 28, at Elyton , in present-day Birmingham , another skirmish occurred, and
5544-461: The remainder captured. With most of the dead southerners in the fort, one Yankee artilleryman said the dead Confederates wore "an awful look." In a separate battle on Easter Sunday, April 16, Wilson was victorious in the Battle of Columbus, Georgia , in which Upton's division clashed with Confederate forces at Columbus , capturing the city and its naval works and burning, then scuttling the incomplete ironclad ram , CSS Jackson . This engagement
5628-432: The remaining arsenals and munitions and to cause any remaining local forces to "disintegrate." Wilson's success in this plan would be accelerated if his forces could secure at least one of several key bridges over the Chattahoochee River. One such bridge led into the town of West Point. Wilson separated his force to avoid any delay in the raid, sending a 3,700-man detachment under Colonel Oscar Hugh La Grange to capture both
5712-460: The same period was 5.7%, 2.5% higher than October 2007. The city also draws in workers from the surrounding area; Montgomery's daytime population rises 17.4% to 239,101. According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: According to the Living Wage Calculator, the living wage for the city is US$ 19.73 per hour (or $ 41,038 per year) for an individual and $ 37.14 per hour ($ 77,251 per year) for
5796-439: The shooting of a man after a civil rights rally, the leaders decided to march to Montgomery to petition Governor George Wallace to allow free voter registration. The violence they encountered from county and state highway police outraged the country. The federal government ordered National Guard and troops to protect the marchers. Thousands more joined the marchers on the way to Montgomery, and an estimated 25,000 marchers entered
5880-478: The southern bank of the Alabama River , about 6 miles (10 km) downstream from the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers. The most prominent feature of Montgomery's skyline is the 375 ft (114 m), RSA Tower , built in 1996 by the Retirement Systems of Alabama . Other prominent buildings include 60 Commerce Street, 8 Commerce Street, and the RSA Dexter Avenue Building . Downtown also contains many state and local government buildings, including
5964-406: The state of Georgia. In 1834, a second charter was gained with the route changing from Columbus to West Point, Georgia . When the second grant was issued, work was to be done with a short link of track that was laid to the northeast of Montgomery. The road was used and operated immediately after the first few tracks were made. Both horses and locomotives were used on this track. Neither the horses nor
6048-421: The success of this company and put the collections of the fund under close observation. The funds made from the rail were to be secured by the president and board of directors of the railway company. The president and his board had to guarantee that the road would not be put in operation anytime later than January 1, 1849. The M&WP then built a branch line from the main line Opelika, Alabama , to Columbus, which
6132-445: The summer months but occur throughout the year. Severe thunderstorms – producing large hail and damaging winds in addition to the usual hazards of lightning and heavy rain – can occasionally occur, particularly during the spring. Severe storms also bring a risk of tornadoes . Sometimes, tropical disturbances – some of which strike the Gulf Coast as hurricanes before losing intensity as they move inland – can bring very heavy rains. As of
6216-442: The time Mordecai arrived, Creek had migrated into and settled in the area, as they were moving away from Cherokee and Iroquois warfare to the north. Mordecai married a Creek woman. When her people had to cede most of their lands after the 1813-14 Creek War , she joined them in removal to Indian Territory. Mordecai brought the first cotton gin to Alabama. The Upper Creek were able to discourage most white immigration until after
6300-455: Was Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, whose Cavalry Corps of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana consisted of about 2,500 troopers organized into two small divisions, led by Brig. Gens. James R. Chalmers and William H. Jackson , two partial brigades under Brig. Gen. Philip D. Roddey and Colonel Edward Crossland , and a few local militia . Wilson was delayed in crossing
6384-561: Was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott . Martin Luther King Jr. , then the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church , and E.D. Nixon , a local civil rights advocate, founded the Montgomery Improvement Association to organize the boycott. In June 1956, the US District Court Judge Frank M. Johnson ruled that Montgomery's bus racial segregation
6468-668: Was built in Colonial Revival architectural style from 1906 until the beginning of World War II. Surrounding ASU are the Garden District and Cloverdale Historic District . Houses in these areas date from around 1875 until 1949, and are in Late Victorian and Gothic Revival styles. Huntingdon College is on the southwestern edge of Cloverdale. The campus was built in the 1900s in Tudor Revival and Gothic Revival styles. ASU,
6552-450: Was constructed in the years of 1852–1856. It soon began operating when it was finished in 1856. During the Civil War (1861–1865), the railroad was the target of Rousseau's Opelika Raid . In July 1864, 2,500 Union cavalry troops under the command of Lovell Rousseau started from Decatur, Alabama . Rousseau's force managed to take and burn a large quantity of supplies at Opelika . It destroyed 30 mi (48 km) of track, burned out
6636-475: Was increased to $ 600,000. The legislature was approached for a loan during this point, but before the state could invest, it was necessary for the company to mortgage its property of $ 1,600,000 worth, as well as the personal property of the stockholders as security. The railroad had not reached Franklin, Alabama , just 32.4 miles (52.1 km) east of Montgomery until 1840. The railroad was sold under foreclosure on July 9, 1842, due to more financial troubles. It
6720-531: Was later reorganized as the Montgomery and West Point Railroad on February 13, 1843. The railroad was completed to West Point on April 28, 1851. Three years later the Atlanta and West Point Railroad was completed, connecting Montgomery to East coast markets. In May 1851, the M&;WP Railroad was completed and was daily operated by July 1, 1852. This railroad company profited to US$ 130,000.80. The state legislature threatened
6804-458: Was mainly used during the Civil War in order to help transport military forces and other materials or supplies required to conquer the South. However, as railroads became more developed over the years, they became an efficient way of people transporting from one place to another. It formed a connection between the northeastern and southeastern sections of the United States and also played an important role. Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery
6888-452: Was routed by the larger, better-armed U.S. force at Montevallo . The cavalrymen under Chalmers had not arrived to reinforce Forrest, but he could not wait. U.S. soldiers overran Forrest's headquarters during the action, capturing documents that gave valuable intelligence concerning his plans. Wilson dispatched McCook to link up with Croxton's brigade at Trion (now Vance) and then led the remainder of his force rapidly toward Selma. Forrest made
6972-521: Was strategically important as one of the few Confederate military bases remaining in Southern hands. The town contained an arsenal, a naval foundry , gun factories, a powder mill, military warehouses, and railroad repair shops. Wilson led approximately 13,500 men in three divisions, commanded by Brig. Gens. Edward M. McCook , Eli Long , and Emory Upton . Each cavalryman was armed with the formidable 7-shot Spencer repeating rifle . His principal opponent
7056-535: Was unconstitutional. After the US Supreme Court upheld the ruling in November, the city desegregated the bus system, and the boycott was ended. In separate action, integrated teams of Freedom Riders rode South on interstate buses. In violation of federal law and the constitution, bus companies had for decades acceded to state laws and required passengers to occupy segregated seating in Southern states. Opponents of
#649350