You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Cleburne’ category.
Brave and pure thy men and women,
Better this than corn and wine,
Make us worthy, God in Heaven,
Of this goodly land of Thine
-Alabama (State Song)
Words by Julia S. Tutwiler
Cleburne County was named for Major General Patrick R. Cleburne. This 561 square mile county was established on December 6, 1866 from territory of Benton (Calhoun), Randolph, and Talladega Counties. Gold discovery brought much of the population in the 1830s and a town known as Arbacoochee that was a little south of where Heflin is today came to be. At the time, it was the largest town in Alabama, but when gold was discovered in California the population decreased and Arbacoochee became a ghost town.
The towns that make up Cleburne County today include: Edwardsville, Fruithurst, Heflin, Hollis Crossroads, Micaville, Muscadine, and Ranburne.
Edwardsville was named the county seat in 1867. In 1905 there was an election held to see if the people wanted the seat moved to Heflin, and the majority did. On July 1, 1906 Heflin was named the new county seat and that is where it remains today. A year and three days later on July 4, 1907 the first cornerstone for the courthouse in Heflin was laid. Although it has expanded over the years, the original courthouse is still in use today and has been placed on the Register of Historic Places.
Heflin was settled in 1882 as a railroad station on the line coming from Atlanta. The town was incorporated December 10, 1886 and grew rapidly. The town received its name from local physician Wilson L. Heflin who was the father of Senator James Thomas Heflin. In the mid-1950s Tyson Food Inc. built a large poultry-processing plant in town, making it the “Broiler Capital of Alabama.” Heflin remains the largest and most populated area of the county.
Cleburne County has numerous attractions for those living in or visiting the area.
- Cheaha State Park at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is the highest natural point in Alabama at 2,407 feet above sea level. The park offers hiking and biking trails, a lake to swim or fish in, an observation tower, a restaurant, and over-night options including camping, cabins, chalets, and a motel.
- The Fruithurst Winery is a 15 acre family owned vineyard that has been in existence for over 100 years. The winery offers both sweet and dry varieties.
- The Henry Creek Shooting Range in Heflin
- Lake Point Disc Golf Course in Heflin
- Shoal Creek Church in Edwardsville was built in 1895 and is one of the few remaining hand-split, hand-hewn churches in Alabama. The church ceased regular meetings in 1914 but is still used for gatherings such as weddings, the occasional church services, and an annual Sacred Harp Singing. The church is on the National Register of Historic Places
- Shoal Creek District of the Talladega National Forest in Heflin has two campgrounds and horse and hiking trails.
- Southern Canoe Outfitters in Heflin offers camping, floating, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing along 44 miles of the Tallapoosa River. Open March-October.
Useful Cleburne County Links:
Information for this post was gathered from Alabama.travel, alapark.com, CityofHeflin.org, and EncyclopediaofAlabama.org.
Underneath the Dixie Sky 