Bibb County AlArchives History .....Bibb County 1888 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 9, 2011, 9:17 am II. BIBB COUNTY. Population: White, 6,000; colored, 3,000. Area, 610 square miles. Woodland, all. Hilly lands, with long-leaf pine, 310 square miles. Cahaba coal fields, 125 square miles. Roup's Valley, 100 square miles. Valley lands south of Cahaba coal fields, 75 square miles. Gravelly hills, with long-leaf pines, 110 square miles. Acres in cotton, approximately, 15,737; in corn, 18,816; in oats, 2,935; in wheat, 3,125; in rye, 151; in tobacco, 36; in sugar-cane, 36; in sweet potatoes, 368. Approximate number of bales of cotton, 5,921. County Seat—Centerville; population 300: located on Cahaba River. Postoffices in the County—Abercrombie, Affonee, Ashby, Bibbville, Blocton, Brierfield, Centerville, Furnace, Green Pond, Harrisburgh, New Marrs, Pondville, Randolph, River Bend, Scottsville, Six Mile, Slick, Tionus, Woodstock. Formerly, Bibb County was one of the largest counties in the State; but a great deal of its area has been cut off to make up the surrounding counties established later on in the history of the State. In the first days of its settlement, and for a long time, agriculture was the only pursuit of its citizens; but along in the days of the Confederacy the industries began to be diversified, and some attention was given to her minerals. But her inhabitants soon settled again into the tilling of the soil, and not until a few years ago have her great resources of mineral and timber wealth been discovered; and while she stands to-day among the richest and most wonderful of the counties of the great Commonwealth, she has not lost much of her agricultural value. Very little corn is bought by the farmers, and they could easily raise it all. Besides this, the soil produces with ease and in abundance oats, rye, potatoes, peas, rice, sugar-cane, and in fact almost everything except wheat. The forests and fields afford excellent pasturage for cattle and hogs, though as yet not much attention is paid to either, as a rule. A most important crop is grass, which can be raised at a considerable profit; and in many parts of the county the farmers are turning their attention to stock-raising. The fertility of the lands can not be too highly spoken of. The entire country in the eastern portion of the county is full of iron of the finest quality. Within a short distance lie beds of limestone, and coal is near by. Iron can be made at a small cost. Many varieties of marble are found which could be easily utilized. The finest fire-clay exists in many places, and is being worked at two points. Fine brick are made. Yellow ochre is found and some gold-bearing quality. There are also manganese, asbestos, saltpetre, and some other inferior minerals. Great forests of pine timber offer a rich harvest to mill men. and some of them are being worked. The county is shaded by the finest of timbers, embracing hickory, oak, gum, maple, beech, poplar, walnut, chestnut, elm. persimmon, cotton-wood, and the finest of cedar; all of this timber could be put to use. and the county abounds in good openings for wooden manufactories. Anywhere on the banks of the beautiful streams may be found fine water-powers, where small manufactories could be run. The most important of those streams are the Cahaba and Little Cahaba Rivers, and Haysoy, Shultz, Shades, Ockmulgee, Sandy, Six Mile, and Mahean Creeks. On most all of them are found mills and gins, and many sites for others. The established industries of Bibb are limited for a county of so much material wealth, but they are important. A great many saw-mills are running, which ship quantities of lumber to other markets. Notable among these are Harrison's, at Randolph, Carter's, at Brierfield, Martin Strickland's, at Blaston, besides the many smaller ones. The Brierfield Coal & Iron Company own the most extensive manufacturing plant. They mine coal, make coke, make pig iron, run it through rolling mills, cast it at the foundry, make nails, and put up some machinery. The Cahaba Coal Mining Company, at Blaston, are mining immense quantities of coal, which they make into coke and ship to Anniston. The Edwards Iron Company, at Woodstock, will be running very soon. At Ashley and Bibbville there are large fire and machine made brick works, which ship large quantities. At Scottsville, there is a flouring mill and wool-carding mill. The places of importance are—Centerville, the county seat, Randolph, Brierfield, Six Mile, Blaston, Woodstock, Green Pond and Scottsville. The county is skirted by two railroads, the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia on the east, and the Alabama Great Southern on the west. Two others are projected through the center. The Mobile & Birmingham has been located, and will strike Ashley Furnace, Blaston and Woodstock, and will run directly through the coal and iron fields. The Selma & Cahaba Valley is a proposed line through the timber, marble and coal regions. Boats have run as high up the Cahaba River as Centerville, and that stream can easily be made navigable, thus giving an outlet by water. The water and climate is fine, and health good. Good schools are accessible at all points. The morals of the people are above the average, there being little business in the courts—churches are well supported. Trade is good and many merchants have made fortunes. The people only lack enterprise to some extent, though they are awakening to a due sense of the value of their county. Lands can be bought cheap, and there is a great deal of public land subject to entry. A minute description would require a large volume, and the above are only a few points touching the true status of the county. There is an inviting field for those who desire to invest, and in this age of advancement and progress we soon expect to see our county put down among the first of the State. The county is entirely out of debt, and only imposes a tax of forty-five cents on the $100. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land 1888 PART III. HISTORICAL RESUME OF THE VARIOUS COUNTIES IN THE STATE. MINERAL BELT. 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