Huntsville Timeline

1802……..Georgia formally cedes the western claims for its southern boundary at the 31st parallel opening up what would become North Alabama in the territorial expansion.

1802……..James(John) Ditto establishes a trading post and ferry service on the Tennessee River.

1805……..John Hunt becomes the first Anglo-Saxon to settle in a 2 room cabin he built along Big Spring.

1807……..Huntsville Bell Factory, with 3000 spindles and 100 looms and powered by a water wheel, starts production.

1808……..Madison County established by Governor of Mississippi Robert Williams John Hunt loses land due to incorrect filing. Bought by Leroy Pope for $23.00 per acre and changed name to Twickenham.

1809……..President James Madison ordered land sales to be held in Nashville. Tenants at will(squatters) were allowed to purchase up to 300 acres. Prices began at $2.00 per acre but rapidly up to $1000.00 per acre.

1809……..Huntsville was made the County Seat

1811……..Land Office moved from Nashville to Huntsville. Name changed from Twickenham back to Huntsville in honor of John Hunt Huntsville becomes the first incorporated town in Alabama.

1812……..Green Academy chartered.

1813……..General Andrew Jackson and 2000 brave men under his command including Davy Crockett urgently rush into Huntsville to prevent another Indian attack on a white settlement. Davy Crockett visited Huntsville many more times afterward staying at the Bell Tavern before his death.

1814……..Leroy Pope's Mansion on Huntsville's highest hill completed

1817……..Two-story brick Courthouse completed Alabama Territory created

1819……..Huntsville host the Constitutional Convention to draw up Alabama's first constitution Alabama becomes the 22 state in the Union with Huntsville as its first capital William Wyatt Bibb sworn in as the first Governor of Alabama in Huntsville Weeden House completed President James Monroe visits Huntsville.

1821……..Dr. Thomas Fern and Leroy Pope charter to build canal from Hunt's Spring via Indian Creek to the Tennessee River at Triana.

1823……..Masonic Lodge #21 opened in Huntsville. First one in the state of Alabama generally a sign of success. James White and other businessmen establish a southern salt monopoly at what is now known as Whitesburg Hunter Peel & Thomas Barclay form Wilderness Waterworks and begin project to pump water to homes and streets using 8ft sections of red and white cedar

1827……..Huntsville supplied with running water

1831……..Indian Creek Canal opened to ship cotton from downtown at Hunt's Spring to Triana on the Tennessee River.

1834……..Baudy Houses or Houses of "Ill Fame" were outlawed

1836……..George Steele's magnificent bank is completed. Now First Alabama Bank.

1840……..2nd Court House designed by George Steele, built

1843……..William H. Pope deeds Big Spring to the city for $1.00. Spring was main source of fresh water and was the single source of income for the city's General Fund

1850……..Splendid Caldwell House, an inn, and one half a square block of downtown were consumed by fire

1854……..Statewide public school system established and funding

1855……..Memphis an Charleston Railroad was completed Bell Tavern burns down.

1857……..Huntsville Hotel at Jefferson Street built

1862……..Federal Troops seize Huntsville and use it for communications center

1860……..Railroad Depot opens

1865……..The 25th Alabama Battalion forced to surrender on May 11 on Monte Sano Mountain.

1873……..Colored Normal School at Huntsville evolves into Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University Newspapers established.

1879……..Harrison Brothers Hardware opens for business Halsey Grocery company opens

1880……..Daniel Brandon & Thomas Townsend elected as Aldermen. First black citizens to serve on a board

1884……..Frank James tried for the 1881 robbery of the Army Corps of Engineers payroll at the Federal Court House(Calhoun House). Found not guilty.

1885……..Huntsville Bell Factory shuts down

1886……..Kildare Mansion built for Michael O'Shaughnessy

1887……..The Monte Sano Hotel, a majestic 233 room Queen Anne style hotel, opens.

1890……..The Industrial expansion of Huntsville begins

1892……..Dallas Mill begins operation

1895……..Huntsville Infirmary established

1896……..Oakwood College established

1898……..Big Spring freezes; Park/Picnic ground developed around Big Spring

1899……..Begin laying tracks for street car system

1901……..Electric street cars make their appearance; Cemetery officially named Maple Hill; President John McKinley visits Huntsville during Whistle Stop re-election campaign.

1902……..Tallulah Bankhead born in Huntsville.

1905……..Dedication of monument on the court house square erected by Daughters of the Confederacy

1910……..YMCA opens Huntsville Hotel burns

1913……..First electric system

1918……..The Spanish Flu epidemic ran from September to December killing over 400 people

1919……..Council Training School

1925……..Drilling for oil in Huntsville fail to produce. Only low grade oil.

1933……..Tennessee Valley Authority(TVA) established by Congress

1935……..Huntsville-Madison County Fair Ground are destroyed by fire

1937……..North Alabama's first Radio Station WBHP, signs on the air

1941……..Huntsville Arsenal and the Redstone Ordinance Plant open on 40,000 acres of land purchased for $40,000,000.00

1944……..Huntsville Industrial Expansion Committee formed to ensure economic growth in Huntsville

1945……..Parade honoring Huntsville's 2 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Paul Bolden and

Cecil Bolton.

1949……..Huntsville Arsenal closed down and offered for sale in June In November, Huntsville Arsenal and the Redstone plant merged to form Redstone Arsenal Ordinance Guided Missile Center established

1950……..Dr. Werner von Braun and a team of 118 German scientist are brought to Huntsville by Senator John Sparkman Huntsville Center established evolves into UAH.

1954……..Huntsville Symphony Orchestra founded Harris Home established for needy and abused children.

1955……..Dr. von Braun and 105 scientist become American citizens Memorial Parkway completed.

1956……..Army Ballistic Missile Agency established

1959……..Miss Baker, Monkeynaut, first living creature in space becomes a permanent resident of the Space and Rocket Center Earthquake centered in Huntsville, felt in a 25 mile radius caused only minor damage Broadway Theatre League formed.

1960…….. Marshall Space Flight Center with Dr. von Braun installed as director, dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1961……..The Saturn C-1, a project of NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center leaves the launch pad On October 27.

1962……..President John F. Kennedy visits Redstone Arsenal and Dr. von Braun Cumming Research Park established. Second largest research park in the world Boeing sets up office in rented space.

1963……..Dave M. McGlathery, a young, black engineer enrolls at UAH one day after Governor Wallace's, historic stand in the school house door. September 6, State Troopers ordered by Governor Wallace to deny entrance to 4 black children enrolled at all white school in Huntsville. Huntsville citizen overrode the Governor's order of segregation the next day allowing the students to attend.

1965……..Municipal Complex opens with Joe Davis as Mayor Crestwood Hospital opens on McAllister Street

1966……..Japanese government plants 60 Yoshino cherry trees in Big Spring International Park General Mikio Kiamata, former Japanese liaison officer, donates the red footbridge to span the lagoon in Big Spring International Park

1969……..Apollo II Splash Down Celebration on July 24 University of Alabama in Huntsville chartered Dunlop Tire Corporation begins production.

1970……..U.S. Space and Rocket Center opens February 24, Werner von Braun Day Medical Center Hospital opens.

1974……..Record outbreak of tornados sweeps through Huntsville on April 3 leaving a path of destruction

1975……..Von Braun Civic Center opens Activation of U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command

1982……..Panoply begins Campers enroll at U.S. Space Camp and Space Academy

1984……..Miss Baker, Monkeynaut, dies on November 24. Buried on grounds of Space & Rocket Center.

1985……..Huntsville Stars come to town Joe W. Davis Stadium dedicated.

1986……..Patriot Missile developed by Raytheon, fired International Intermodal Center at the Huntsville International Airport opens.

1988……..Establishment of Alabama Supercomputer Network at Cummings Research Park Botanical Gardens opens.

1989……..Tornado destroys Airport Road and devastates Jones Valley

1991……..Dallas Mill burns to the ground on July 24 Patriot Missiles, developed by Raytheon, used in Persian Gulf War.

1992……..Huntsville native and Astronaut, Jan Davis, flies on the Space Shuttle Endeavor as a Missions Specialist.

1993……..Big Spring Jam begins as a yearly concert event.