Limestone County, Alabama

A County Older Than the State Alabama Combat Infantrymen Monument Alabama Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church Alabama Korean War Memorial Alabama's Role Athens Big Spring Memorial Park Athens College Athens College Veteran's Memorial Athens First Presbyterian Church Athens Sacked and Plundered Athens, Alabama Athens, Alabama Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle Surrender Site Belle Mina / Woodside Blackburn House Cambridge Coleman Family Coleman Hill Commerce Confederate Circle Copena Mound Cotton Hill Cottonport / Mooresville Courthouse and Poor Farm Fence Courthouse and South Side of Square Cunningham Cemetery Downtown Scenes Druid's Grove Plantation / Jones-Donnell Cemetery Dupree Cemetery East Side of Square Elkmont Pride: Family-School-Church Elkmont, Alabama / Tenn. & Ala. Central Railroad Faces of Market Street First United Methodist Church Fort Hampton Fort Henderson / Trinity School - 1865-1970 Gamble House Gen. N.B. Forrest, C.S.A. Gourdsville / Gilbertsboro Governor George S. Houston Home Harris-Pryor House Hernando De Soto in Alabama Historic Buildings in Mooresville Historic Homes of Mooresville Historic Mooresville James Edwin Horton, Jr. Judge David Lee Rosenau, Jr. Legacy Lentzville Cemetery Limestone County Beirut Memorial Limestone County Confederate Memorial Limestone County Courthouse Bell Limestone County Iraq — Afghanistan Memorial Limestone County Tornado Memorial Limestone County Vietnam War Memorial Limestone County's First High School / The Delmore Brothers Lucy's Branch / Legacy of The Little Elk Community Mooresville Mooresville Alabama Mooresville Brick Church/The Cumberland Presbyterian Church Mooresville, Alabama / Mooresville Stagecoach Inn and Tavern Nicholas Davis North Side of Square Oakland United Methodist Church Old New Garden Cemetery / New Garden Cumberland Presbyterian Church Old Town Cemetery Perspective Pettusville Pleasant Hill Prisoners of War Reconstruction Round Island Baptist Church Saturn IB Launch Vehicle Scenes From Hobbs & Market Streets Sim Corder/Harrison Mill Sims Settlement Southeast Air Forces Training Center Sulphur Creek Trestle, 1864 The Battles of Fort Henderson and Sulphur Creek Trestle The Saturn Legacy The United State Colored Troops Trinity School Trinity School Cistern Vietnam Veterans of America Visitors Center Washington Street West Side of Square
Limestone County, Alabama has a rich and diverse history that spans several centuries. The area was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Chickasaw and Creek tribes. European settlers began to arrive in the late 1700s, establishing small communities along the Tennessee River and in the fertile valleys of Limestone County.

During the early 19th century, the county experienced significant growth and development. The town of Athens was founded in 1818 and quickly became a center of commerce and education. Limestone County also played a crucial role in the early years of the state of Alabama, serving as the meeting place for the state's first constitutional convention in 1819.

One of the county's most notable historical events occurred during the Civil War. In 1862, the Battle of Athens took place near the town of Mooresville, resulting in a Union victory. Limestone County was occupied by Union forces for much of the war, and many of the county's buildings and infrastructure were destroyed.

In the years following the war, Limestone County began to rebuild and recover. Agriculture, specifically cotton farming, remained a prominent industry, and the county experienced modest growth. Today, Limestone County is a thriving community with a population of over 100,000 residents. Its rich history and vibrant culture are celebrated through local events, historic sites, and museums, providing a glimpse into the county's fascinating past.
Brief timeline of the history of Limestone County, Alabama:

  • 1818: Limestone County is established as one of the original counties in Alabama
  • 1821: The county seat is established in Athens
  • 1822: Athens becomes the site of the first state-owned university in Alabama, known as the Athens Female Academy
  • 1861-1865: Limestone County sends soldiers to fight in the American Civil War
  • 1874: The town of Lester is incorporated
  • 1893: The Alabama State Fair is held in Athens
  • 1936: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) begins the construction of Wheeler Dam on the Tennessee River
  • 1942: Army Airfield is established near Huntsville, bringing economic growth to Limestone County
  • 1960s-1970s: Limestone County experiences significant industrial growth with the establishment of aerospace and defense companies
  • 1990: The U.S. Census reports a population of over 60,000 in Limestone County
  • 2005: Toyota announces the selection of Huntsville as the site for a new automobile manufacturing plant
  • 2020: Limestone County continues to attract new industries and experiences further population growth

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Limestone County, Alabama.

Audiobooks about the history of Alabama.