About Fayette

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Fayette County was created on Dec. 20, 1824 , from portions of Tuscaloosa and Marion counties. It is located in the northwest-central section of the state. The county was named for Gen. Lafayette who was touring Alabama at the time of the county's formation. Fayette is the county seat of our county.

As early as 1821, a small village existed at the present Old Town (near Five Points) and was called La Fayette. From that location settlers could see out over the Sipsey River Valley. It was this village that would over the years become present day Fayette.

These days, Fayette is a flourishing city with abundant natural resources and outstanding industries. It is a city with glorious past, a prosperous present and an excellent future. More on Fayette...

Fayette County Data Book

Interesting Facts:

More History on Fayette & Fayette County

The earliest settlers of Fayette County were people seeking democracy. They were scouts for a new civilization following their noble and untiring efforts through uncertain and often perilous times and events.

The first mail route (single rider and horse, with one mail per week) to serve this area was established in 1818, -- six years before Fayette County was organized. The route was from Tuscaloosa, through Marion County and on to Columbus, Mississippi. The first post office in the county was in Fayette Court House in 1826. The first rural mail route was established in 1905 and the first city delivery began in 1925.

Fayette County was created by an act of the legislature on December 20, 1824. It was created from the territory that was originally a part of Tuscaloosa and Marion Counties. It was the 33rd county to be organized in Alabama after the state was admitted to the union in 1819.

The area of Fayette County is 643 square miles, which is equivalent to 411,526 acres.

The first settlement around what is now the county seat, was the area known as 'Old Town' today, and was called LaFayette for the French general, who was on a second visit to this country at about this time. This name did not last long because the same settlement was incorporated as a town on January 15, 1821 and was called Fayette Court House.

One of the first houses to be built in Fayette County was built by Henry Moore, who came from Ireland. The house, built in the early 1820's, was made of logs and hand made bricks. It was built on a farm located on the the old Winfield road about five miles north of town. The land is now owned by the J.V. Tarwater estate. Nothing but two piles of brick now remain to mark the location of this early dwelling.

Another one of the earliest houses in Fayette Court House was built by John C. Moore (Probate Judge 1845-1849). It was originally a two story house but a single story house remains today and is located on Elyton Road.

Yet another early house in Fayette was the Caine House, which later became the Whitney House. Originally a only a six room house, an addition was made because Mr. Caine was the sheriff and so many people spent the night with him when they had to come into town to attend court. The house was built sometime prior to 1884 and still had the 'Caine' name on the glass transom above the front door when it became neccessary that it be torn down sometime in the early 1980's. R.G. Whitney bought the house from Marion Caine in December of 1906. He moved in on January 1,1907, and turned it into a Bed & Breakfast. Mr. Whitney served meals to the train travelers, as trains played an important role in that day, as the only mode of transportation. He was notified about two hours in advance of how many lunches would be neccessary and the busy hotel proprietor was right on the dot with a swinging basket of hot country ham and homemade biscuit lunches on his arm. Mrs. Whitney's good food was well known from Birmingham, Alabama to Columbus, Mississippi. The only price at the Whitney House was 25 cents for the bed and 75 cents for the three meals served daily. Some 56 years after the Whitney's purchased the house Mrs. Trammell took over the operation of the boarding house in 1962 after the death of her mother Mrs. Whitney. Some of Fayette's older residents still remember it fondly.

Another antebellum home was built by Thomas Posey McConnell over a period of four years beginning in 1888 and ending sometime in 1892. After having several owners, it was bought by and became the property of the Albert P. Brewer Junior College, now known as Bevill State Community College, in 1969.

The Richmond and Danville Extension Company built the Georgia Pacific Railroad through Fayette County in 1883. It wasn't until 1887 that the railroad was completed from Atlanta, Georgia to Greenville, Mississippi. It was later taken over by Southern. S.G. James was in charge of building the railroad. He told the people of Fayetteville (Fayette's name at that time) that he would extend the railroad through Fayetteville for an extra $1,000.00. They believed the railroad would come through Fayetteville anyway and refused to pay the extra amount. Engineer James surveyed the rail track to come through hill upgrade near Fayetteville. Afterwards, James told the people he would survey the lands next to the railroad and stake it off in lots, for half of the lots surveyed. This was done and the lots were sold by his attorney. He made the first survey of our whole area, hence the James survey and James Street. The first train to come through Fayette was approximately in the year 1890. The last trains to come through the city of Fayette were in the spring of 1996 and were believed by many residents living nearby to be Ghost Trains as they came through in the middle of the night and had been rerouted through Fayette bound for Mississippi due to track repairs on the current route. Fayette County still has rail access in the Pea Ridge and Flat Woods Communities.

*Portions of this article taken from The Historical News

Contact the City:
Mayor & City Hall: (205) 932-5367 | Police: (205) 932-5312 | Fire: 205 932-5311 | Water Department:(205) 932-6441 | Art Museum: (205) 932-8727