Autauga County, Alabama

Autauga County, Alabama

Autauga County is located in the central part of Alabama. It is bordered by Chilton, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, and Montgomery counties and has a population of 54,571 as of the 2019 US Census. The county seat is Prattville and other cities include Billingsley, Jones, Marbury and Pine Level. See list of counties in Alabama.

The area that would become Autauga County was first inhabited by Native Americans from the Muskogean-speaking tribes in the area. In 1819 it was formed from land ceded by the Creek Nation and named after Autaugas Town which was located near present-day Wetumpka. The county was divided into five townships: Marbury, Billingsly, Jones, Prattville and Pine Level.

Most of Autauga County’s economy is based on agriculture with cotton being the main crop grown in the area. Other crops include corn, soybeans and peanuts as well as peaches which are grown near Pine Level. Livestock including cattle are also raised in Autauga County. Manufacturing is also important to the economy with companies such as International Paper having plants in Prattville and Koyo Bearings USA having a plant in Marbury.

Autauga County has several attractions for visitors to enjoy including historic homes such as Swann House located in Prattville which was built in 1840 by James Swann who served two terms as mayor of Prattville before moving to Texas where he became a state senator; Old Cahawba Archaeological Park which features ruins from an antebellum town founded in 1819; Fort Toulouse Historical Site located near Wetumpka which commemorates an early French trading post;and Horseshoe Bend National Military Park near Alexander City which marks the site of Andrew Jackson’s victory over Creek Indians during the Creek War of 1814-1815.

Education opportunities can be found at several institutions including Faulkner University which has a campus in Montgomery; Auburn University at Montgomery; Troy University at Montgomery; Alabama State University; Huntingdon College; Faulkner State Community College (now Coastal Alabama Community College); Central Alabama Community College (now Central Alabama Community College); Judson College (now Judson University); Birmingham Southern College (now Birmingham Southern University); Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University); Oakwood University; and Miles College.

Autauga County has several parks for residents to enjoy including Gold Star Park located on Gold Star Road between Marbury and Billingsly with baseball fields, tennis courts and playground equipment; Cooters Pond Park located on Highway 14 between Jones and Pine Level with a fishing pond, picnic tables and walking trails; Sims Landing Park located off Highway 31 south of Prattville featuring boat ramps for access to Autauga Creek plus pavilions for picnicking or special events like weddings;and Martin Wildlife Park located east of Highway 14 between Marbury & Billingsly offering nature trails plus bird watching opportunities since it is home to many species including migratory waterfowl during certain times of year.

In conclusion, Autauga County offers visitors a variety of activities from educational opportunities to outdoor recreation plus its rich history dating back to Native American times makes it an interesting place to visit or live.

History of Autauga County, Alabama

Autauga County, Alabama, is a county located in the central region of the state and is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was established on November 21, 1818, by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature. The county was named after a Native American tribe called the Autaugas who lived in the area until they were forcibly removed in 1836.

The first settlers to Autauga County were mostly Scots-Irish immigrants who arrived in the early 1800s. The county quickly developed into an agricultural center with cotton being the main crop. In the early days, most of its residents lived on small farms and earned a living by raising livestock and growing crops such as corn and sweet potatoes.

During this time, Autauga County was also home to several large plantations which were owned by wealthy families such as Cobb, Thornton and Porter. These families employed African Americans to work their land which lead to a large population of slaves in Autauga County at one time.

In 1861, Autauga County voted overwhelmingly to join the Confederate States of America during the Civil War which led to several battles being fought within its borders during this period. After Reconstruction ended in 1877, white supremacy returned to Autauga County with Jim Crow laws being implemented throughout much of Alabama including Autauga County which enforced racial segregation between whites and blacks until 1965 when they were finally abolished by federal law.

Following World War II, many African Americans left rural areas such as Autauga County for larger cities like Birmingham and Montgomery where they could find better job opportunities. This caused a decrease in population that lasted until recently when there has been an influx of new residents due to suburban growth from nearby Montgomery which has made Autauga County one of Alabama’s fastest growing counties in recent years.

Today, Autauga County is home to approximately 55 thousand people with most living in its largest city Prattville along with smaller communities like Billingsley and Marbury spread out across its 727 square miles area making it one of Alabama’s bigger counties geographically speaking. Although agriculture still plays an important role in its economy today it’s also known for producing automotive parts for Honda Manufacturing plants located nearby as well as being home to Maxwell Air Force Base which provides jobs for many locals as well as military personnel from all over the United States who are stationed there year round making it an important economic center for all of Alabama today.

Autauga County, Alabama