As stated earlier, in the years around 1816 – 1820, settlers moved into what is now Lawrence County, Alabama from Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas. Some settlers formed a small town about 20 miles west of what is now Decatur, Alabama and named it Courtland.
The Courtland area was home of one of the earliest railroads in the south. Even before locomotives were invented, railroad cars were pulled by horses here in the Courtland area.
The early planners of Courtland hoped that it would one day become the county seat of Lawrence county. That did not happen. From around 1880 until 1910 it was the most populous town in Lawrence County, but after 1910 that honor went to Moulton, the actual county seat.
The population of Courtland has wavered between 400 and 700 for most of its history. In the 2020 census that population was 593.
The old Courtland Cemetery is worthy of its own story - to come later.
One of many Historic Markers in Courtland
These mounting stones were set near the side of the street to help ladies and the elderly mount their horses.
Tennessee Street along the north side of the square was originally part of Gaines' Trace, a horse path laid out in 1807 under the direction of Captain Edmund Pendleton Gaines of the U.S. Army.
I wish I knew more of the history of this clock. Guess that's an item on my to-do list.
I wonder when this sign was painted...
Here you can read about the old railroad laid out in the 1830's that ran through Courtland. As a point of reference the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad that ran from Columbia, Tennessee to Decatur, Alabama was build in the 1850's, twenty years later.
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My mother in law lives in Courtland. It is a beautiful little town. Some of the homes there are amazing. Great articles. DeAnna Williams
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Rocky Baker