Tuscumbia-Courtland & Decatur Railroad
Colbert County, Alabama; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Railroad; Native American History; Trail of Tears.
The Tuscumbia-Courtland & Decatur railroad was established by a group of investors led by Benjamin Sherrod in 1841. Originally a two-train car, the railroad was established to allow ships to bypass the shoals of the Tennessee River. In 1843, the railroad line expanded to other towns including Courtland, Jonesboro, Leighton, and Decatur. After the completion of the railroad it would be eventually put to use during the Trail of Tears. The train played a prominent role during the forced relocation of the Native American tribes in Georgia. The train provided the means to transport a large number of Native Americans quickly to Tuscumbia Landing where they would then be shipped off to land allocated for their use west of the Mississippi. The primary tribe to be relocated on this train were the Cherokee Nation. The Creek Nation in Georgia had largely been moved out prior to the use of the train. The Cherokee Nation would travel to Decatur where they would board the train heading for Tuscumbia Landing.
Sam Keiser, University of North Alabama
Gail King, Historic Document Research, Geophysical Survey, Mapping, and Archaeological Inventory at Tuscumbia Landing, A Trail of Tears National Historic Trail site in Colbert County, Alabama (Aug 2011) pg. 109-143
Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
text
Stevenson Railroad Depot and Hotel
Jackson County, Stevenson, Transportation, Railroads, Civil War, National Register of Historic Places
Stevenson's importance as the junction of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad predates the Civil War. The town and its railroad junction were of strategic importance during the war for both sides. Stevenson was occupied by the Union army for much of the war and was a particularly vital location in the Chickamauga campaign. The original depot building was destroyed by fire during or shortly after the Civil War. The depot and hotel structures that stand today are indicative of many similar structures that were built in Appalachia in the late 19th century. The hotel and depot were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Blake Wilhelm
Secrist, Philip L.. "Stevenson Historic District." <em>National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form</em>. Southern Tech, Marietta, GA, September 13, 1978.<br /><br />West, Carroll Van. "Stevenson Depot and Hotel." <em>Encyclopedia of Appalachia</em>. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
circa 1872-present
photo by Jimmy Emerson
text and photograph
Railroad Bridge
Recreation; Railroad Bridge; Colbert County; Muscle Shoals; TVA
The Railroad Bridge is a part of the TVA Nature Loop. The TVA Nature Loop is a 2.5 mile loop trail on TVA protected land. Overall, there are roughly 11 miles of footpaths in the area. The loop is around a section of the TVA reservation. The path is well paved and taken care of. People with disabilities should be able to navigate along the path. The park is pet friendly. One of the most interesting features of the trail is the Railroad Bridge.<br /><br /> The bridge once crossed the expanse of the river from Muscle Shoals to Florence. It originally had an upper and lower deck. People, carriages, and animals could travel along the bottom deck while trains crossed across the top. The pier itself dates back to 1832, and the rest of the structure dates to 1903. The original bridge opened in 1839 as a toll bridge.In 1939, the bottom part of the Old Railroad Bridge, which allowed traffic and pedestrians to get across, closed because O’Neal Bridge opened for traffic. The Old Railroad Bridge was only used for train crossing until it was closed in 1988. Now only a portion of the bridge still exists and has been renovated for the walking trail. The bridge is a popular spot for pictures in the area.
Carrie Keener, University of North Alabama
Esau Ramos, University of North Alabama
KIng, Gail. 2010. 'Wilson Village No. 2 1918-1950'. Book. Florence. William Lindsey McDonald Collection. UNA Special Archives.
'Explore The Shoals'. 2014. Florence. Florence City. UNA Special Archives.
AllTrails.com,. 2015. 'TVA Nature Loop'. http://alltrails.com/trail/us/alabama/tva-nature-loop?ref=search.
Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
December 1, 2015
image
Bridgeport Railroad Depot
Jackson County, Bridgeport, Transportation, Railroad, National Register of Historic Places
Constructed in 1918, the Bridgeport Train Depot operated through the late 1960s and today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It houses the Bridgeport Area Historical Association Museum. (Encyclopedia of Alabama)
Blake Wilhelm
http://focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/nrhp/text/02000479.pdf
http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3072
Carmichael, Flossie, and Ronald Lee. In and Around Bridgeport. Collegedale, TN: The College Press, 1969.
Northeast Alabama Community College Archives and Special Collections
1917-present
Photograph by Jimmy Emerson
2005: Heber Valley Railroad, Heber Creeper
Heber City (UT); Wasatch Mountain Railway; Steam Locomotive;
Heber City Utah's Heber Creeper, No. 618 Steam Locomotive
Mixon, Christopher
Mixon, Christopher
Mixon, Christopher
October 15, 2005
Mixon, Christopher
All rights reserved
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chmixon/899290996/in/set-72157601008126097">https://www.flickr.com/photos/chmixon/899290996/in/set-72157601008126097</a>
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English
Still image; Hyperlink
899290996_bfb93934a1_o.jpg
Heber City; Utah; Wasatch Mountain Railroad