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| Historical markers in downtown Hayneville, Ala. |
This week’s featured historical markers are the two markers
on the courthouse square in Hayneville, the county seat of Lowndes County, Ala.
These markers are located just a few feet from each other, just off State
Highway 21 in downtown Hayneville, which is why I’m discussing them together
this week instead of in separate posts.
The oldest of the two markers is the “HAYNEVILLE” marker
that was erected by the Alabama Historical Association in 1994. The newest of
the two markers is the “TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE” marker that was erected by the
Alabama Tourism Department and the Town of Hayneville in July 2010. There’s
text on both sides of each of these markers, but both sides of each marker say
the same thing. What follows is the complete text from the marker.
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“HAYNEVILLE: Founded in 1820 by settlers from the Edgefield,
Abbeville and Colleton Districts of South Carolina on property purchased from
the U.S. Land Office at Cahaba. Officially named Hayneville in 1831 to honor
South Carolina Senator Robert Y. Hayne. Hayne’s 1830 debates with Daniel
Webster in the U.S. Senate over the nature of federal union earned fame for the
South Carolinian across the South and remain classics in American political
discourse.”
“TOWN OF HAYNEVILLE: In the 1820s, Hayneville was known as
the ‘Big Swamp.’ In 1830, after being chosen as the county seat of Lowndes
County, it was named Hayneville for Robert Y. Hayne, governor of South Carolina
and a U.S. Senator. The incorporation of Hayneville as a town began with the
vision of 25 qualified electors of the county and residents of the Hayneville
community in July 1967. Two subsequent attempts were made for incorporation,
the last resulting in favor of incorporation. Only one person filed for a
statement of candidacy and was nominated for the office of Mayor and five
places on the Town Council. Therefore, due to the completion of the
requirements for incorporation, the court declare on July 15, 1968, by Probate
Judge Harold Hammond, that Hayneville was completely incorporated. The
following people held their respective offices until the next regular election
and until their successors were qualified and elected: Mayor: L.W. Crocker and
Council members: J.A. Jackson, W.M. Holladay, L.R. Haigler, J.A. Wise and R.V.
Harrell. In 2004, Helenor T. Bell was elected the first African American female
mayor of the town of Hayneville.”
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I encountered these historical markers several weeks ago
while traveling south on State Highway 21 between Montgomery and Monroeville.
State Highway 21 isn’t the fastest way to travel between these two cities, but it is the most scenic, and you’ll encounter more than a few historical markers in
small towns like Hayneville. If you’re ever in the vicinity, be sure to take a
few minutes and check out downtown Hayneville.
In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about
another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading
audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me
to feature, let me know in the comments section below.
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