Bolling, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bolling, Alabama
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Bolling Church, 2006
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 Bolling, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Bolling, Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Butler |
| Elevation | 328 ft (100 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 334 |
| GNIS feature ID | 114698 |
Bolling is a small community located in Butler County, Alabama, in the United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Contents
Where is Bolling?
Bolling is found in the middle of Butler County, Alabama. You can find it about 12 miles south of Greenville. It's also 7 miles north of Georgiana. The community is located on Solomon Hill Road, just off U.S. Highway 31. There's even a special concrete marker near the railroad that shows the exact center of Butler County!
Bolling's Past: A Look at Its History
How Bolling Began
The community of Bolling started to grow when the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was built. This railroad line went right through a large pine forest area south of Montgomery. Many people believe the town was named after Judge S. J. Bolling, who was from Greenville, Alabama.
The First Sawmill
In 1865, two people named John T. Milner and B. C. Milner began building the very first structure in Bolling. This was a steam-powered sawmill. The mill, often called Flowers' Mill by locals, started working in 1866. James Flowers worked there as the main sawyer, cutting wood. W. H. Flowers was in charge as the General Superintendent. When it was busiest, Flowers' Mill could produce 35,000 feet of cut wood every single day! Most of this wood was sent to places out West.
Growing the Community
The success of the sawmill helped the community grow. In 1873, a grocery store, a post office, and a telegraph office were built. These places made life easier for the people living in Bolling.
In 1914, the Gulf States Land Sales Co. built the Bolling School for the community's children. At the time, it was considered a very modern school, even though it only had two rooms! The Louisville and Nashville Railroad also helped by building the Bolling Depot. This was a train station where people could get on and off trains. However, the railroad stopped offering passenger service in 1938, so the depot closed and was later taken down.
The Bolling Church
The Bolling Church was built in 1888 by W. H. Flowers. He built it especially for his daughter's wedding. After the wedding, the Flowers family gave the church to the community. It became a very important place, used as a community center, a school, and a church. Even though it started as a Methodist Episcopal Church, many different church groups used it.
Today, the church is looked after by the Bolling Homecoming and Funeral Association. It is the only original building left in Bolling, Alabama. The community and former members help keep it in good condition. They still hold special homecoming services there every second Sunday in October.
Founding Families
Besides the Flowers and Milner families, many other families helped start and build the community of Bolling. Some of these early families included the Wrights, Plants, Wesleys, Boggans, Gaffords, Taylors, Parkmans, Mitchells, Hendersons, Byrds, Greens, Faircloths, Popes, Luckies, and Ashcrafts.
Bolling also had its own post office, which operated from 1872 until 1980.
Images for kids
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Bolling Church, 2006
