Cortelyou, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cortelyou, Alabama
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 Cortelyou, Alabama
Location in Alabama
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Washington |
| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 157925 |
Cortelyou, also known as Richardson or Richardson Station, is a small place in Washington County, Alabama, United States. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a town or village that doesn't have its own local government, like a mayor or town council. Instead, it's usually managed by the county it's in.
The Story of Cortelyou
How Cortelyou Got Its Name
Cortelyou wasn't always called Cortelyou! It was first known as Richardson Station. This name honored John Richardson, Jr., who was one of the first people to settle in the area.
Later, the people living in Richardson asked the Alabama Railroad Commission to make a change. The Railroad Commission was a group that helped manage train lines and stations. The citizens, along with the Southern Railway (a big train company), wanted the station moved.
They asked to move the location about a quarter of a mile south. They also wanted to change the name to Cortelyou. This change officially happened on March 4, 1907.
The new name, Cortelyou, was chosen to honor George B. Cortelyou. At that time, he was the United States Postmaster General. This important job meant he was in charge of the entire mail system for the country.
Post Office History
Cortelyou had its own post office for many years. It first operated under the name Richardson from 1898 to 1902. Then, after the name change, it reopened as the Cortelyou post office in 1906. It continued to serve the community until 1957.
