St. Stephens

Timeline

• 1772 - British Discovery British surveyor Bernard Romans noted the limestone bluff site along the Tombigbee River, recognizing its strategic potential.
• 1789 - Spanish Outpost Governor Juan Vincente Folch established a Spanish fort and outpost at the site, part of Spain's efforts to control the Gulf Coast and its river trade routes.
• 1799 - American Control The United States gained control of the area, incorporating it into the Mississippi Territory. The first American flag to fly in what is now Alabama was raised at St. Stephens.
• 1807 - Town Chartered St. Stephens was officially chartered as a town, beginning its rapid growth. It would become home to Alabama's first bank, first public school, and first brick home.
• 1817-1819 - Territorial Capital St. Stephens served as the capital of the Alabama Territory. The territorial legislature met here, selecting Alabama's first congressional representative, establishing judicial districts, creating new counties, and conducting a census. By 1819, the town boasted over 500 homes, hotels, legal and medical offices, and even a theatre.
• 1819 - Bypassed for Statehood As Alabama moved toward statehood, lawmakers chose to hold the constitutional convention in Huntsville and designated Cahawba as the first permanent state capital. St. Stephens' political importance ended virtually overnight.
• Mid-19th Century - Decline and Abandonment Changes in capital designation and transportation routes led to St. Stephens' decline. Pioneer minister Lorenzo Dow prophesied it would become a 'roosting place for bats and owls.' By the mid-1800s, his dark prediction had essentially come true.
• Present - Historical Park The site is now preserved as Old St. Stephens Historical Park, an active archaeological site where visitors can explore ruins of the courthouse, jail, and other buildings. A separate community called 'New St. Stephens' developed two miles inland around a later railway station.