Tallassee, Alabama - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

For the Overhill Cherokee village in Tennessee, see Tallassee (Cherokee town)
Tallassee (Cherokee town)
Tallassee is a prehistoric and historic Native American site in Blount County and Monroe County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Tallassee was the southernmost of a string of Overhill Cherokee villages that spanned the lower Little Tennessee River in the 18th century...

.

Tallassee (first called Talisi by the Creek Indians) is a city on the Tallapoosa River

Tallapoosa River

The Tallapoosa River runs from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia, in the United States, southward and westward into Alabama. It is formed by the confluence of McClendon Creek and Mud Creek in Paulding County, Georgia. Lake Martin at Alexander City, Alabama is a large and...

, located in both Elmore

Elmore County, Alabama

Elmore County is a county of the State of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John A. Elmore. As of 2010 its population was 79,303. Its county seat is Wetumpka.This county is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...

and Tallapoosa

Tallapoosa County, Alabama

Tallapoosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The name Tallapoosa is of Creek origin, and many Indian villages were along the banks of the lower river before the 19th century. As of 2010, the population was 41,616...

counties in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

of Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

. At the 2000 census the population was 4,934. It is home to a major hydroelectric power plant at Thurlow Dam operated by Alabama Power Company

Alabama Power Company

Alabama Power Company, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a company in the southern United States that provides electricity service to 1.3 million homes, businesses, and industries in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. It is one of four U.S...

.

The Elmore County portion of Tallassee is part of the Montgomery

Montgomery, Alabama

Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...

Metropolitan Statistical Area

Montgomery Metropolitan Area

The Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area in central Alabama...

, while the Tallapoosa County portion is part of the Alexander City

Alexander City, Alabama

Alexander City is the principal city of the Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Coosa and Tallapoosa counties and had a combined population of 53,677 at the 2000 census....

Micropolitan Statistical Area

Alexander City micropolitan area

The Alexander City Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Alabama, anchored by the city of Alexander City...

The Creek Wars and Indian removal

The historic Creek peoples in this area are believed to have descended from the Mississippian culture

Mississippian culture

The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1500 CE, varying regionally....

, which flourished throughout the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys and the Southeast from about 1000 to 1450. They were mound builders, who created massive earthwork mounds as structures for political and religious purposes. They relied greatly on fishing and riverway trading at their major sites (c.f. Moundville

Moundville, Alabama

Moundville is a town in Hale and Tuscaloosa Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2000 census the population was 1,809. It is part of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area. Moundville is known for its quintessential southern landscapes and Indian Mounds.-Geography:Moundville is...

, Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...

). Some historians and archeologists postulate that in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this verdant area had the second-largest permanent American Indian

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

settlement in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.

Talisi was a town of the Coosa Province of the Mississippian culture; it was visited in 1540 by Hernando de Soto and his expedition through the Southeast. Later it was occupied by the historic Creek people. The Tallassee area was the location of the last great Creek capital city, Tuckabatchee, as well as the Great Council Tree. The ancient sacred tree was destroyed by a high wind in 1929.

In 1811 the Shawnee

Shawnee

The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...

chief Tecumseh

Tecumseh

Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...

came to the South to urge the Creek and Choctaw to join his Great Confederation to repel European Americans from Indian lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. Local prophets took up his spiritual call, and the Creek split into two factions, roughly conforming to their settlement patterns: the Red Sticks

Red Sticks

Red Sticks is the English term for a traditionalist faction of Creek Indians who led a resistance movement which culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813....

, mostly from the Upper Towns, which comprised the majority of population, opposed the settlement of their land by whites. The younger men worked to revive traditional cultural and religious practices. The White Sticks, mostly from the Lower Towns, sided with the United States government, as they had a closer relationship with the US Indian Agent, Benjamin Hawkins

Benjamin Hawkins

Benjamin Hawkins was an American planter, statesman, and United States Indian agent . He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a United States Senator from North Carolina, having grown up among the planter elite...

, and were more affected by American settlement in their lands.

Their tensions first broke out as a civil war among the Creek, but US forces also got involved. Trying to intercept a Red Sticks party who were bringing back arms purchased from the Spanish in Florida, United States Army forces attacked the Creek at the Battle of Burnt Corn

Battle of Burnt Corn

The Battle of Burnt Corn, also known as the Battle of Burnt Corn Creek, was an encounter between United States armed forces and Creek Indians that took place July 27, 1813 in present-day southern Alabama...

. (See also Baton Rouge, Indian Territory

Indian Territory

The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...

and Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

). The Creek band ultimately defeated the soldiers. In retaliation, the next month the Red Sticks attacked Fort Mims

Fort Mims massacre

The Fort Mims massacre occurred on 30 August 1813, when a force of Creek people, belonging to the "Red Sticks" faction under the command of Peter McQueen and William Weatherford "Red Eagle", his cousin by marriage, killed hundreds of settlers, mixed-blood Creeks, and militia at Fort Mims...

, about 35 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, killing most of the more than 500 settlers and mixed-race Lower Creek who had taken refuge there.

Osceola

Osceola

Osceola, also known as Billy Powell , became an influential leader with the Seminole in Florida. He was of Creek, Scots-Irish and English parentage, and had migrated to Florida with his mother after the defeat of the Creek in 1814.Osceola led a small band of warriors in the Seminole resistance...

is believed to have been born in Talisi, to a mixed-race Creek mother and an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

father. He was among those Creek who migrated to Florida after the Creek War and joined the Seminole Indians. He became a prominent leader who continued resistance to US forces and settlement.

The Creek Wars (1813–1814) were marked by mutual raids, civilian massacres, and scalping

Scalping

Scalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...

s by both sides. The last major battle was at Horseshoe Bend in 1814 on the banks of the Tallapoosa River

Tallapoosa River

. Led by then-General Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...

, a coalition of militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

from Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, federal troops, White Stick Creek, and the traditional rival Cherokee crushed the outnumbered and out-gunned Red Sticks. Jackson counted the conflict as among his politically strategic victories; it increased his popularity for later election to the presidency and his future policies of Indian removal

Indian Removal

Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...

.

After their defeat, many Creek migrated to Indian Territory

Indian Territory

The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...

, while some went into hiding with other resistant Indians in the Southeast, including the Cherokee, and the Seminole and Osceola

Osceola

tribes in Florida. The Creek who relocated from the Tuckabatchee area named a new settlement Talisia in Indian Territory. It was later known as Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...

.

The ancient cities of Talisi and neighboring Wetumpka in Alabama have been home to the federally recognized Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Poarch Band of Creek Indians

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe of Native Americans residing in the southern part of the state of Alabama. Historically speaking the Muskogean language, they were formerly known as the Creek Nation East of the Mississippi. They are located mostly in Escambia...

, descendants of the people who stayed in the state after removal. Initially as a condition of remaining, they had to give up tribal membership and were made state and federal citizens. In the 1930s, they reorganized and reinstituted tribal government. Alabama has also recognized the MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians

MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians

The MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians are a state-recognized Native American tribe located in southern Alabama, primarily in Washington and Mobile counties. The MOWA Choctaw Reservation is located along the banks of the Mobile and Tombigbee rivers, on 300 acres near the small southwestern Alabama...

, located primarily along the border of Mobile and Washington counties.

American Civil War

In June 1864 the Confederate army

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

moved the Richmond Carbine Factory from Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

to an old Tallassee cotton mill. It began manufacturing the carbines. During the course of the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the town of Tallassee was never attacked by Union

Union (American Civil War)

During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...

forces, except for their one attempt to destroy the Tallassee Mill. The Tallassee Armory was the only Confederate

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

one not destroyed during the war.

2009 Fire

Early in the morning of November 30, 2009, the historic Hotel Talisi was heavily damaged by a fire. The hotel, closed since 2008 because of a fire, was purchased by a group of seven investors in the fall of 2009. It was renovated and had been reopened for a month. The fire destroyed the hotel and a consignment shop next door.

The fire was ruled an arson and a 17-year-old, Dylan Keith Carroll, pleaded guilty to one count second-degree arson, one count of third-degree arson, two counts of third-degree burglary, and three counts of first-degree criminal mischief.

After the trial, the hotel's owners met in March 2010 and decided to rebuild the structure. The hotel has not yet reopened.

Geography

Tallassee is located at 32°32′22"N 85°53′35"W (32.539402, -85.893061).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²), of which, 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km², 5.21%) of it is water.

Tallassee is located in the densely forested Emerald Mountains, a small southeasternly chain of the Lower Appalachians. It is bordered by two major rivers: The Coosa River

Coosa River

The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long altogether.The Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers...

to the west, and the Tallapoosa

Tallapoosa River

in the east. The Tallapoosa River

Tallapoosa River

also serves as the dividing line between two counties and towns: the City of Tallassee (Elmore County

Elmore County, Alabama

) and East Tallassee (Tallapoosa County

Tallapoosa County, Alabama

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 4,934 people, 2,067 households, and 1,343 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

was 512.2 people per square mile (197.8/km²). There were 2,367 housing units at an average density of 245.7 per square mile (94.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.34% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 17.61% Black

Race (United States Census)

or African American

Race (United States Census)

, 0.34% Native American

Race (United States Census)

, 0.30% Asian

Race (United States Census)

, 0.02% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

, 0.18% from other races

Race (United States Census)

, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.07% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

or Latino

Race (United States Census)

of any race.

There were 2,067 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,946, and the median income for a family was $32,015. Males had a median income of $27,313 versus $22,993 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the city was $14,859. About 16.9% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

Newspapers

The Tallassee Tribune has been the weekly newspaper publication in Tallassee since 1899. The newspaper started as the Tri-County Weekly in 1899, was later renamed the Tallassee Times, and finally named The Tallassee Tribune in 1912. The paper serves the people in and around the Tallassee area and is published every Wednesday.

Tallassee Times is an on-line newspaper with regular updates of news, sports, obituaries, and more.

Radio

There are three radio stations that are located in Tallassee:

WTLS 1300 AM 106.5 FM News/Sports
WACQ
WACQ
WACQ is a radio station licensed to serve Carrville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Hughey Communications, Inc.-Programming:...

1130 Oldies
WQNR
WQNR
WQNR is a radio station broadcasting a variety hits format. Licensed to Tallassee, Alabama, USA, the station serves the Auburn, Alabama, area...

99.9 Kate FM is licensed to Tallassee and broadcasts from nearby Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...

.

Education

The Tallassee City School System operates three schools (Tallassee High School, Southside Middle School, and Tallassee Elementary School). The school system serves about 2,000 students; the majority of families living in the city of Tallassee attend Tallassee City Schools.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.