Escatawpa, Alabama

Escatawpa is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Alabama, United States.

Escatawpa, Alabama
Flooded railroad bridge on May 7, 1909 in Escatawpa
Flooded railroad bridge on May 7, 1909 in Escatawpa
Escatawpa, Alabama is located in Alabama
Escatawpa, Alabama
Escatawpa, Alabama
Location of Escatawpa in Alabama
Coordinates: 31°17′23″N 88°23′14″W
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyWashington
Elevation
171 ft (52 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
GNIS feature ID118025[1]

History

The community was named after the Escatawpa River.[2] In the Choctaw language, the word "escatawpa" signified a creek where cane was cut, with uski meaning "cane", a meaning "there", and tapa meaning "cut".[3] Escatawpa was located on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.[4] A post office operated under the name Escatawpa from 1858 to 1953.[5]

In 1909, a traveler from Urbana, Illinois wrote the Champaign-Urbana Courier advising citizens of Urbana to move to the region. He described the area as "a great fruit and vegetable country" and that "fine yellow pine trees are plentiful and cypress trees abound".[6]

References

  1. "Escatawpa". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. Foscue, Virginia (1989). Place Names in Alabama. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press. p. 53. ISBN 0-8173-0410-X.
  3. Read, William A. (1984). Indian Place Names in Alabama. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press. p. 31. ISBN 0-8173-0231-X.
  4. Alabama Public Service Commission (1914). Report. pp. 458–.
  5. "Washington County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  6. Gilmir, E. (January 26, 1909). "Urbana Man Writes From Sunny Alabama". Champaign-Urbana Courier. Retrieved December 26, 2014.


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