About Us
About the Town of Coosada
Coosada is a small town located in Elmore County, Alabama. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,217 people, 418 households, and 322 families residing in the town.
The town of Coosada was incorporated 1975. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Policy of Town is to always stay within budget.
Coosada History
The town is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area. Historically, Coosada was home to a Creek (Coushatta tribe) village called Koasati in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was also the birthplace of the influential Creek leader, William Weatherford. The town has a rich history, including its role during the American War of Independence when many Chickamauga Cherokee followers of Dragging Canoe fled to the area.
History
Georgian William Wyatt Bibb, first governor of the Alabama Territory and then of the state, bought land where Koasati had stood and divided it into 116 lots to sell. At the time, the settlement was located in Autauga County. He built his own home in Coosada and is buried there.
By 1818, Coosawda (as it was then spelled) had a school and a sawmill. The post office was established in 1821. Coosada became part of Elmore County when it was established in 1866. A railroad came through in 1872. According to town histories, the town’s name gained its current spelling in 1889, when a railroad sign painter accidentally left the “w” out of the name on the station’s sign. Around 1890 the town became simply “Coosada.”
Location
Geographically, Coosada is situated along the Alabama River and covers a total area of 7.3 square miles. State Highway 14 runs through Coosada northeast-southwest. Interstate Highway 65 is located approximately 10 miles southwest of the town. Prior to non-Indian settlement, the land upon which present-day Coosada was established lay in the territory of the Coushatta tribe (now the Alabama-Coushattas) near or on the site of the town of Koasati. The name Coosada is an Americanization of this Muskogean word.
Events and Places of Interest
Gov. William Wyatt Bibb’s gravesite is located in the Bibb family cemetery just outside the town and is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage; also listed are the Corn Dance Farm two miles outside of Coosada, and The Elms, a Greek Revival-style house built in 1836.
The Town Hall houses exhibits of artifacts relating to Native American life in the area as well as artifacts from early settlers. The Coosada Heritage Festival is held the third Saturday of each September. It features arts and crafts vendors, a car show, live music, a children’s play area, and concessions. A Fireworks display is sponsored by the town each 4th of July.
The town’s community center was built in 1978. It serves a wonderful gathering place for community activities. The Town Hall was built in 1982. The Post Office was built in 1983. The town Fire Department is fully functioning and staffed with trained volunteers.
Notable people
• William Wyatt Bibb, first governor of Alabama; is buried in the Bibb family cemetery just outside of Coosada[1] • George G. McWhorter, member of the Florida Supreme Court from 1885 to 1887
• William Weatherford, Creek chief. Born near Coosada.