Canoe, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Canoe, Alabama
|
|
|---|---|
1922 fire insurance map of Canoe
|
|
 Canoe, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Canoe, Alabama
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Escambia |
| Elevation | 282 ft (86 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 251 |
| GNIS feature ID | 115587 |
Canoe is a small, unincorporated community located in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own city government. It was originally called Canoe Station because it was a stop along an old train line, the Mobile and Great Northern Railroad.
History of Canoe
Canoe During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, soldiers from the Confederate army used the area around Canoe. On March 27 and 28, 1865, about 10,000 Union soldiers camped in Canoe. This event was called the Canoe Rendezvous. During this time, several Union commanders gathered their troops before moving on to Blakely, Alabama. General C.C. Andrews wrote about this period in his book, History of the Campaign of Mobile.
Growth and Decline of the Town
Canoe grew into a busy town and was successful from the 1870s to the 1950s. Many new people moved there between the 1880s and early 1900s. They were looking for affordable land that had been cleared of timber to build their homes and farms. The town once had three schools, a natural mineral spring, and even a hotel, along with other businesses.
However, by the 1960s, Canoe started to face economic challenges. Older store owners retired and closed their businesses. Younger people began moving away from the town to find new opportunities. As a result, the post office and public schools in Canoe closed by the 1970s.
Canoe Today
Today, Canoe is home to several hundred people. It has a few shops and businesses. The community is also home to Escambia Academy, which is a private school. Canoe also has its own water system for its residents.
The local public schools for children in Canoe are part of the Escambia County School District. This district covers all parts of Escambia County except for the city of Brewton.
