Lafayette, Alabama is the county seat of Chambers County and is located in the central portion of the state; 13 miles from the Georgia state line.  It was created on December 18, 1832 from the Creek Indian secession.  The county was named for Dr. Henry C. Chambers of Madison County and the county government was organized in 1833 by Judge James Thompson of Jefferson County.  Lafayette was formerly known as Chambersville.

The Chambers County Courthouse was constructed in 1899 at a cost of approximately $30,000.00.  This beautiful building is on the historic register and is a “must see stop” for visitors.  Scenes from inside and outside the Court House were used in the movie “Mississippi Burning.”  Admission is FREE and self-guided tours are available Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The Chambers County Museum, located at 1st Avenue SW, is open 9:00 am – 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Admission is FREE.  The museum was founded in 1977 and housed the former old Lafayette Train Depot.  Collections focus on the Civil War, Creek Indians, farm implements, pottery, and the lives of Joe Louis, and Senator “Cotton Tom” Heflin.

Lafayette is the birth place of Joe Louis.  For those of you unfamiliar with boxing, he was the undefeated, heavy-weight, boxing champion from 1937-1949.  His home is a private residence, but his memorabilia can be viewed on display at the museum.

Lafayette’s wide streets, large ancient trees, and fine old houses and buildings, draw both tourists and casual travelers alike.  The area is well known for its outstanding recreational and cultural opportunities which include: hunting, fishing, golf, major college sports, professional sports, and of course the nationally acclaimed Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Alabama has long been recognized for its abundance of water and beautiful lakes. Lafayette is surrounded by excellent fishing and recreational facilities.  Lake West Point, the first U.S. Corp of Engineers’ lake built with recreation as the number one priority, is located 15 minutes east of Lafayette.  The Chambers County Public Lake (180 acres) and the Lafayette City Lake (90) acres are also nearby.

Lanett, Alabama was originally the Town of Bluffton, which was incorporated on December 7, 1865 after receiving its charter from the Alabama Legislature.  A new charter was sought from the state twenty eight years later.  Bluffton had grown and citizens of the town deemed fit to change its name.  The City of Lanett was founded on February 1, 1895 when a charter for the newly named City of Lanett was approved.  Lanett was named after two local textile mill developers, Lafayette Lanier and Theodore Bennett.

Lanett is located in eastern Alabama, on the Chattahoochee River, northeast of Montgomery.  Lanett is surrounded by excellent fishing and recreational facilities.  Lake West Point, the first U.S. Corp of Engineers’ lake built with recreation as the number one priority, is on the Lanett border.  The Chambers County Public Lake (180 acres) and the Lafayette City Lake (90) acres are also nearby.

The Grigg’s House is located in Lanett next to Fort Tyler and is historic part of both Alabama and Georgia.  The house was built in 1828 and later occupied by Dr. Asa W. Griggs, a Confederate surgeon, who tended wounded from both sides during the Battle of Fort Tyler.  Even though the home was hit many times by Confederate and Union cannon fire, the 12-inch wall remained intact.  One are of the home still has actual holes from the cannon and gunfire.  The home is one of only three left in the area from the Civil War area and is now a private residence.

Nadine’s Doll House is located at Oakwood Cemetery in Lanett.  The doll house was built over four year old Nadine Earle’s grave by her parents as a tribute to her after her death.  Nadine wanted a doll house for Christmas and was remembered for saying, “Me want it now” (which is engraved on her marker).  She died in 1933, just one week before Christmas.   The house has a fireplace and toys of many different kinds, in addition to her grave.

The inscription on the Lafayette Lanier Monument reads “Erected by the citizens of Riverview, Fairfax, Langdale, Shawmut, Lanett, West Point, to the memory of Lafayette Lanier, born June 21, 1845, died June 17, 1910, whose genius and vision were largely responsible for the industrial and civic development of the Chattahoochee Valley.”

Valley, Alabama was incorporated in 1980 combining the four textile mill villages of  Fairfax, Langdale, Riverview, and Shawmut.  Valley is located on Interstate 85 halfway between Atlanta, Georgia and Montgomery, Alabama. It is only 75 miles southwest of Hartsville International Airport and 85 miles northeast of Montgomery. The city lies on the banks of the Chattahoochee River - the state border between Alabama and Georgia.

The Historic Langdale Mill is the younger of the 2 oldest mills, built in 1866. The mill originally made lap blankets and later became the key manufacturer of Cotton Duck ship sail materials.  It was known for making sails for Ole Ironsides.  The Riverdale Textile Mill was also built in 1866. This building extends over the Chattahoochee River and therefore resides in both Alabama and Georgia.  It has ground level entrance to each of 4 stories. It appeared in Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Valley’s Iron Man Statue was built by artist Chuck Moore of Valley. The statue was constructed of old CV railroad parts. It stands as lasting reminder of the "grand old days" of the railroad and its impact on the area.

Valley has a few bridges of interest.  The Horace King Covered Bridge Replica is built in the same style used by Horace King, famous black engineer and humanitarian of Civil War era. His skills earned him freedom and respect and made him one of Alabama's first black legislators after the Civil War.  The Iron Bridge is a uniquely designed truss bridge built in the late 1800s.  It was once a span of larger bridge that crossed the Chattahoochee River in West Point. It is the oldest bridge of its design still in service in Alabama.  The Kissing Bridge, also known as Sugar Bridge, was built by black stone masons in the early textile days. It was built with stones blasted out for the diversion of Moore’s Creek around the Langdale Mill.  Teens of 1941 gave the bridge its name because girls lined up on it and waited for boys to come by and give them a kiss.

The Langdale Cemetery overlooks the Chattahoochee River and the Langdale Boat Landing. Family lots are outline with stone walls, many of which contain small quartz stones. There is a stone barbecue pit in boat landing area.

It's first name was Franklin (there is now another Franklin, Georgia). The town's current name comes from being near the westernmost point on the Chattahoochee River, where its southwestward flow from the mountains and by Atlanta quickly turns toward the south-southeast to form the state line with Alabama. Lake West Point was created by the Army Corps of Engineers at this point for flood control, just upstream from the town. The Atlanta & LaGrange Railroad was renamed the Atlanta & West Point Railroad for the town, and the town of East Point was named so for being at the opposite end of the line near Atlanta.

West Point is centrally located in the heart of the Southeast between Atlanta, Macon, and Montgomery. The city is located on the Chattahoochee River just downstream of the 25,900 acre West Point Lake which provides flood control, electric power and numerous recreational opportunities.

West Point Public School, also known as College Hill, is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was built in 1930 on the highest point on the east side of the river. Fort Tyler is an official Civil War Discovery Trail site.  The Civil War Discovery Trail links more than 300 sites in 16 states to inspire and teach the story of the Civil War and its haunting impact on America. The Trail, an initiative of the Civil War Preservation Trust, allows visitors to explore battlefields, historic homes, railroad stations, cemeteries, parks, and other destinations that bring history to life. For more information on the Civil War Discovery Trail and the Civil War Preservation Trust, see www.civilwar.org.  For more information on Fort Tyler, visit www.forttyler.com.