Hamilton, Alabama

Hamilton is a city in Marion County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 6,786. The city is the county seat of Marion County.

History

Hamilton was founded in the early 19th century by settlers who moved to theAlabama Territory from Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas. It is built upon lands that once served as “hunting grounds” for the Chickasaw Indians. The city was first called Toll Gate, but later changed in honor of one of its distinguished citizens, Captain Albert James Hamilton (known as A.J. Hamilton), who had represented Marion County in the state legislature in the sessions of 1869, 1874 and 1875. Captain Hamilton donated forty acres of his land to the town. The same forty acres were then divided into lots and sold to help cover the cost of building the courthouse. The Toll Gate community was elected in 1881 to be the next county seat, and by 1883 the Marion county courthouse in Pikeville had ceased to be functional. When the courthouse was moved from Pikeville to Toll Gate, the town's name was then changed from Toll Gate to Hamilton. On March 30, 1887, the newly built county courthouse was destroyed by fire. It was again rebuilt with wood, but replaced in 1901 with native sandstone quarried from the State.

During the Civil War, Union forces passed through the town in search of goods and horses. A detachment of Wilson's Cavalry destroyed by fire the plantation belonging to the Helvingstons on the Military Ford, south of Toll Gate (Hamilton).

Education

Hamilton is a part of the Marion County School District. Hamilton Elementary School, Hamilton Middle School, and Hamilton High School serve the Hamilton area. Hamilton High School is currently a class 4A school. Hamilton also has a community college known as Bevil State Community College.

Athletics

Hamilton High School is very competitive in its athletic teams.

The Hamilton Aggies have won state championships in: (7):

• Women's basketball (1) - 1990 (runner-up, 1991)
• Men's cross country (5) - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
• Men's power lifting* (9) - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011

*Power lifting championships are not awarded by the Alabama High School Athletic Association, and are hosted by Hamilton High School.

The Hamilton Aggie Football team is ranked eleventh in the state for overall wins (543-328-36), and has a winning percentage of 62.3%. The Aggies have had eleven region championship seasons, and seven undefeated regular seasons (in bold). Hamilton appeared in the 2010 3A State Championship Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, where the Aggies fell to the Leeds Greenwave, 42-32.

• 1929 (7-0-1)
• 1930 (6-0-1)
• 1978 (10-1; Class 3A R15)
• 1982 (11-1; Class 3A R15)
• 1985 (10-2; Class 5A R16)
• 1990 (10-3; Class 5A R14)
• 1991 (9-2; Class 5A R14)
• 1994 (6-5; Class 4A R14)
• 1996 (9-2; Class 4A R15)
• 2008 (12-1; Class 3A R7)
• 2009 (11-2; Class 3A R7)
• 2010 (14-1; Class 3A R5; State Runner-Up)
• 2012 (10-1; Class 3A R7; First Round)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_Alabama

Classifieds in Hamilton