1. Our State Capital Montgomery Part 1

2. Montgomery Where is Montgomery? Montgomery is just south and east of being in the center of the state. Montgomery became a city 11 days after Alabama became a state

3. Montgomery’s Story Large numbers of pioneers had settled along the Alabama river as two different settlements in the years before becoming a state. They joined their two settlements at Court Street which is the site of Court Street Fountain. When they joined the settlements they named the new one Montgomery after a Revolutionary War Hero who died during the war. Court Street Fountain, Montgomery, AL

4. Cotton and Montgomery Cotton was the major cash crop in this area because of the rich, fertile soil. The Alabama River provided much of the transportation of the time. The steamboat Harriet would be the first steamboat to arrive in Montgomery, beginning the shipment of cotton down river to Mobile and on to mills in England, France, and northern states. Montgomery is still home to one of the largest cotton brokers in the world named Loeb and Company.

5. Montgomery’s Story Andrew Dexter, the founder of one of the settlments that joined to make Montgomery, dreamed of having a portion of his land made the state capital. However, since the capital moved around so many times, he just raised goats on the land. That area is now called “Goat Hill”. In 1846 Dexter’s dream came true and Montgomery became the capital of Alabama after moving four times. Goat Hill became the site of the State Capitol Building Andrew Dexter (1779-1837) was one of the founders of the city of Montgomery. A New England lawyer and businessman in the early nineteenth century, he moved south and bought land in Montgomery County, including the property known as Goat Hill, the site of the present-day capitol.

6. The Capitol Building, Montgomery The city of Montgomery built the capitol building for a cost of $75,000. It was completed in 1847. That building was destroyed by fire on December 14, 1849. The current building was built and finished in 1851 When renovated the front stairs were discovered to be held up by 250,000 and two steel rods.

7. Review Time 1. Montgomery grew from how many settlements? 2. The city was named after who? 3. Montgomery is located on which river? 4. Alabama’s cash crop was _____? 5. December 14, 1849 is the date what happened? 6. Cotton mills were located where? 7. State legislature chose Montgomery as the capital in 18__. 8. The first capitol building was destroyed by _________. 9. The original purpose for the hill on which the capitol stands was to raise ______. 10. Land to build the capitol on was donated by ___________.