Vienna
Vienna was a prosperous steamboat landing on the Tombigbee River in the Black Prairie cotton belt. I
State: Alabama
County: Pickens County
Vienna was a prosperous steamboat landing on the Tombigbee River in the Black Prairie cotton belt. Incorporated in 1841, it thrived through the 1850s before the Civil War and railroads destroyed its river-based economy. The post office closed in 1917, and the town disincorporated before 1920.
Timeline
- 1830s - Establishment Vienna was established as a steamboat landing on the Tombigbee River in southwestern Pickens County. Its location in the Black Prairie cotton belt made it an ideal point for agricultural commerce.
- 1841 - Incorporation The Alabama legislature formally incorporated Vienna, recognizing its growing importance as a trading center.
- 1840s-1850s - Prosperity Vienna's economy grew through the antebellum decades. A warehouse and general store operated in the town, serving as the commercial hub for surrounding cotton plantations. Steamboats regularly called at Vienna's landing.
- 1861-1865 - Civil War Impact The Civil War disrupted Vienna's river trade and devastated the plantation economy that supported it.
- Post-1865 - Double Disaster Vienna faced 'double river trade disasters' after the war. The combination of a damaged regional economy and the construction of a railroad through Pickens County made river transportation less crucial. Commerce shifted to railheads.
- 1900-1910 - Final Years The U.S. Census recorded Vienna with 74 residents in 1900 and 79 in 1910—a tiny remnant of its former prosperity.
- 1917 - Post Office Closes The local post office closed, marking the effective end of Vienna as an official community.
- Before 1920 - Disincorporation Vienna disincorporated and has not appeared on the census since 1910.
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: Fall through spring
Difficulty: Difficult - remote location
Time Needed: Variable
Tips
- The site is in a remote area near the Tombigbee River
- Very little structural remains exist
- Local historical societies may have documentation
- The Black Prairie region has other historical sites worth exploring
Quick Facts
- Vienna's population actually grew slightly between 1900 (74) and 1910 (79), even as it was dying
- The Black Prairie cotton belt was one of Alabama's most productive agricultural regions
- The 'double river trade disasters' after the Civil War sealed Vienna's fate
- The post office closed in 1917, but the town had effectively died decades earlier
Location
Address: Eastern shore of Tombigbee River, Pickens County
Coordinates: 33.15, -88.12