Battelle, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Battelle, Alabama
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 Battelle, Alabama
Location in Alabama
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | DeKalb |
| Elevation | 912 ft (278 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 256 |
| GNIS feature ID | 156036 |
Battelle is a small, unincorporated community located in DeKalb County, Alabama, in the United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with a shared identity but no official local government like a city or town. It sits at the base of Lookout Mountain, about five miles north of Valley Head, Alabama.
The Story of Battelle
Battelle was once a very busy mining community. It stretched out along the foot of Lookout Mountain.
A Busy Mining Town
At the start of the 1900s, Battelle was a lively place. It had hundreds of homes, a school, a store called a commissary, a hotel, and a post office. There was also a large furnace and coke ovens, which were important for making metal. The community even had its own water system. Water from a spring was pumped into a big wooden tank and then sent through pipes to the homes.
Miners found iron ore, coal, and limestone in the area. These three things are all needed to make "pig iron," which is a basic type of iron. Because of these discoveries, a group of mining investors from Ohio formed the Lookout Mountain Iron Company.
The Battelle Family's Dream
The company was led by Colonel John Gordon Battelle. He already had many investments in the iron and steel industry in other states. But he took a special interest in this project, which was named after him. Colonel Battelle even moved to Battelle and personally watched over the mining work.
However, the minerals found there were not good enough. There wasn't enough high-quality ore to compete with mines in the Birmingham area. So, in 1905, the furnace was shut down. Over time, the houses and other buildings were sold off.
During World War I, the British government bought the furnace from Battelle. It was taken apart and shipped all the way to Calcutta, India.
Even though his business in DeKalb County wasn't successful, Colonel Battelle did very well with his other investments. When he passed away in 1918, he left a lot of money to his only son, Gordon Battelle. Gordon Battelle died a few years later in 1923. He left his family's money to the Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio. This institute is a non-profit organization that does scientific research and development.
What Happened Next?
After the mining company closed down, Battelle became a much quieter place. Many of the better homes were sold and moved away. For a few years in the 1940s, a company called Belcher Lumber Company operated there. In 1969, a train from the Alabama Great Southern Railroad derailed in Battelle. Propane tanks on the train exploded, and news reports mentioned Battelle as the location of the accident.
