Cahaba
Cahaba (Cahawba) was Alabama's first permanent state capital from 1820 to 1825. Today, 'Alabama's mo
Cahaba (Cahawba) was Alabama's first permanent state capital from 1820 to 1825. Today, 'Alabama's most famous ghost town' is preserved as Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.
History
Located at the confluence of the Alabama and Cahaba rivers, Cahaba holds the distinction of being Alabama's first permanent state capital. The site was selected on November 21, 1818, and by 1820, a two-story brick statehouse stood at the center of a planned grid of streets, ready to govern a new state.
The Story
However, Cahaba's location in a lowland river confluence made it prone to devastating seasonal flooding. Combined with fears of 'miasma' (what we now know to be mosquito-borne diseases), the legislature voted to move the capital to Tuscaloosa in 1826.
Today
Despite losing the capital, Cahaba thrived for decades as the Dallas County seat. The 1840s and 1850s brought a boom from improved river transportation and the cotton economy. A railroad even reached the town in 1859. During the Civil War, the Confederate cabinet held a meeting at the Crocheron House, whose columns still stand today.
Timeline
- 1818 - Site selected for new state capital
- 1820 - First permanent state capital of Alabama
- 1826 - Capital moved to Tuscaloosa due to flooding
- 1840s - -1850s: Boom as county seat and cotton trading hub
- 1859 - Railroad arrived
- 1861 - -1865: Civil War; Confederate cabinet met here
Photos
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: Year-round
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Time Needed: 1-2 hours
Tips
- Old Cahawba Archaeological Park is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free. Visitors can explore scattered ruins, remaining house sites, walking trails, and interpretive exhibits. St. Luke's E
Quick Facts
- Cahaba was Alabama's first permanent state capital (1820-1825)
- The Confederate cabinet held a meeting at the Crocheron House during the Civil War
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church, built in 1854, is one of the best-preserved structures
- Called 'Alabama's most famous ghost town'
- The town's decline was caused by flooding, not the Civil War directly
- A railroad reached Cahaba in 1859, just before the Civil War began
Location
Address: Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, 9518 Cahaba Rd, Orrville, AL 36767
Coordinates: 32.3065, -87.0925