Columbiana City Hall
National Register of Historic Places

Columbiana City Hall

Columbiana, Shelby County, Alabama
Listed
October 29, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
74000437

About this property

The Old Shelby County Courthouse, also known as Columbiana City Hall, is a defunct courthouse in Columbiana, Alabama. It was built in 1854. It served as the courthouse for Shelby County until 1906 when a larger court facility was built. It also served as Columbiana's city hall. Since 1982, it has housed the Shelby County Museum and Archives and its operator, the Shelby County Historical Society. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1974. It was subsequently listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on January 25, 2011. In 1826, Columbiana, Alabama won an election against Montevallo, Alabama to house the courthouse. The people of Columbiana threw a huge celebration which involved the destruction of a tree sitting in the very spot they planned to move and build the courthouse. To destroy the tree, gunpowder was packed into holes that had been drilled into the tree. Once ignited, the blast was said to have been heard for miles. The wood building which was built following this celebration no longer stands and was replaced with the Old Shelby County Courthouse in 1854.

Location

Columbiana, Shelby County, Alabama
33.17697, -86.60709

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
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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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Calera Downtown Historic District
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9.9 mi
Watters, William, House
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11.5 mi
Goodwin-Hamilton House
Industrial
11.9 mi
Averiett, William, House
Industrial
12.4 mi
Welch-Averiett House
Industrial
12.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Columbiana City Hall listed on the National Register?

Columbiana City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Columbiana City Hall?

Columbiana City Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Columbiana City Hall?

The period of significance for Columbiana City Hall is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1854.

Can I research the history near Columbiana City Hall?

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