Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-10-05
ATOWN SOLD FOR TAXES.
An Ex-Slave Buys the Former
Capital of Alabama
Once the Center of an opulent Slave
Folding ArIstocracy But Sold for
the Price of an Ordinary
, Town Lot.

The irony of fate was never more
strilingly exemplifed than at Selma
few days since when the town site Of
Cahaba, once the capital of Alabama
and the center of an Opulent slave
holding aristocracy, was sold for taxes
and bought in by Henry Freeman, an
ex-slave, for five hundred and fifty
dollars. On the property are dozen
or more houses, two or three brick
stores being among the number, but
these will be torn down.
Situated as it was at the confluence
OF the Cahaba and Alabama rivers, Ca
haba was at one time one of the most
important inland towns in the south.
1t is said to have been most beauti-
ful village. Surrounded by the beau
tiful and fertile plantations that lay
along the banks Of the stately Ala
bama. Cahaba was the home OF the
mobiles of the state. Here they built
their lovely dwellings in the archi-
lecture of the south of that day, with
broad verandas, wide halls and mul-
titude Of windows. Extensive grounds
surrounded each. The choicest flow
ers bloomed in the gardens. Magno-
las. oaks and stately cedars fringed
the entrance to the grounds. Cape
jasmine and myrtle grew into trees in
the flower gardens. hundreds o. do
nestle fowls scratched and clucked
and crew in the poultry yards Blood
ed horses neighed and pranced in and
about the stables. 1t was ideal living
these good worthless had. Speaking OF
their manner of living a recent news
paper writer thus discourses:
Some of the wealthier reared piles
Of brick after the fashion Of the villas
of old England, and few others yet
whose incomes were princely, dwelt in
veritable palaces of stone and marble
in the midst of parks, with winding
drives bordered by semi-trOpiGa,
flowers. wet with the spray Of flash
ing fountains. Here lived the prOudest
families in the state, famous in the
history of that day, and some of whom
are yet powerful in the affairs Of the
new era-the Morgans, the Craigs' the
Pettuses. tire Dawsons and others Of
greater or less celebrity. William l.
Yancey's home was in Lowndes cOun
". Just across the river, and his was a
familiar figure on the streets Of the
town"
Such was Cahaba when the confed
eracy was born at Montgomery, one
hundred miles or so up the river. Ca
haba's men went to the front to fight
and her women wept at home. The
capital had been removed to Tusca
loosa shortly before. In its place
tall. grim stockade was erected, 1t be
ing the southernmost prison OF the
confederacy. The battle of Selma, q
few miles away, was the nearest thai
actual war came, but nevertheless the
war was a death blow to Cahaba
When the strife was over the mer
chants and business men restocked the
empty shelves Of their stores, daily
newspaper was issued and everything
possible was done to restore the ole
town to this former Importance, but
Selma. her rival, had railroads and
river, too. and the trades people anc
| their cotton foated on to that city. a
| last. by a popular vote. the county sea-
was transferred thither and hegir'
soon followed. Many of the cost.
mansions were torn down and recon
structed in the successful city. Mos
of the balance were left tenantless
Year by year the population was dimin
ished by death and removal until grad
uallv the old town was deserted an'
finally obliterated from the face OF tn
map by the auctioneer's hammer
The dear dead old town will, how
ever, never be forgotten, and in tha
brier and weed grown cemetery ther
is dust that will ever remain sacred t
| every true Alabamian.