Arcola, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arcola, Alabama
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Portion of the settlement site, the Hatch Plantation
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 Arcola, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Arcola, Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Marengo |
| Elevation | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36742
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| Area code(s) | 334 |
Arcola is a ghost town located on the Black Warrior River in Hale County, Alabama. It was once part of Marengo County. This small settlement was named to celebrate a French victory during the Battle of Arcola.
Arcola was founded in the early 1820s by French settlers. These settlers were supporters of Napoleon Bonaparte, a famous French leader. They were part of a special group called the Vine and Olive Colony. They had to leave their first town, Demopolis, and found another place, Aigleville, wasn't quite right.
The very first person to settle in this area was Frederic Ravesies. He started what later became known as the Hatch Plantation. Even though Arcola was never a huge city, it grew to be the largest settlement in the French colony.
From French Colony to Plantation Community
Starting in the 1830s, American settlers began moving into the Arcola area. They bought most of the land that the French had originally been given. These new settlers mainly used Arcola as a place to load and unload goods from riverboats.
By the 1850s, the original French settlement had mostly disappeared. In its place, a community of large plantations grew up. These plantations were all connected, forming a new kind of community.
