National Register of Historic Places

Byler Road

Northport, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Listed
November 19, 1974
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74000438

About this property

Byler Road is the oldest public road in Alabama still in use today. Constructed in the mid-1820s, it connected Courtland near the Tennessee River with Tuscaloosa near the Black Warrior River. Byler Road was named for Captain John Byler, who served in Andrew Jackson's army at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. On December 16, 1819, Governor William W. Bibb signed a bill authorizing Byler and his associates to construct a toll road that would link the Tennessee Valley with the Black Warrior River. Byler would be allowed to keep the tolls from the road for twelve years as long as the road was maintained. The road's northern starting point began at Jackson's Military Road in Lauderdale County. Private investors funded much of the road's construction as the road would allow cotton to be transported from the Tennessee River to the Black Warrior River, then onward to the port at Mobile and Europe. Up to 25 stands were created along the road's length, providing lodging and meals to travelers. The road spurred development in Lawrence, Winston, Walker, and Fayette counties, and was traveled by both Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. A half-mile section of the road in Tuscaloosa County was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2024, the state of Alabama began adding historic markers along the route of Byler Road.

Location

Northport, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
33.38828, -87.59785

Categories

TRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wilson-Clements House
Industrial
11.1 mi
East Northport Historic District
Listed
11.3 mi
Johnson, Samuel, House
Early Republic
11.3 mi
Northport Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
11.5 mi
Northport Historic District
Listed
11.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Wilson's Raid — Northport / Tuscaloosa Approaches
1865Civil War
11.1 mi
Engagement at Tuscaloosa (Wilson's Raid)
1865Civil War
12.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Byler Road listed on the National Register?

Byler Road was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 19, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Byler Road?

Byler Road is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Byler Road?

The period of significance for Byler Road is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Byler Road?

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