Escatawpa, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Escatawpa, Alabama
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Flooded railroad bridge on May 7, 1909 in Escatawpa
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 Escatawpa, Alabama
Location in Alabama
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Washington |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 118025 |
Escatawpa is a small, quiet place in Washington County, Alabama, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a settled area that doesn't have its own local government, like a city or town. Instead, it's managed by the larger county government.
A Glimpse into Escatawpa's Past
Escatawpa has a rich history, especially linked to its unique name and early development.
How Escatawpa Got Its Name
The community of Escatawpa gets its name from the nearby Escatawpa River. The name comes from the Choctaw language. In Choctaw, "uski" means "cane," "a" means "there," and "tapa" means "cut." So, "Escatawpa" means "a creek where cane was cut." This suggests that long ago, people would gather cane from this river.
Life in Early Escatawpa
Escatawpa was an important stop on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. This railroad helped connect communities and transport goods. A post office also served the area for many years. It operated under the name Escatawpa from 1858 until 1953.
In 1909, a visitor from Urbana, Illinois wrote about Escatawpa. He shared his thoughts in the Champaign-Urbana Courier newspaper. He suggested that people from Urbana should move to this region. He described the area as a "great fruit and vegetable country." He also noted that "fine yellow pine trees are plentiful" and "cypress trees abound." This shows that Escatawpa was seen as a place with lots of natural resources and farming potential.
