Fort Davis, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Davis, Alabama
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The Fort Davis Railroad Depot in 2011.
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 Fort Davis, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Fort Davis, Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Macon |
| Elevation | 312 ft (95 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36031
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| Area code(s) | 334 |
| GNIS feature ID | 118517 |
Fort Davis is a small, unincorporated community in Macon County, Alabama, United States. It's located along U.S. Route 29, about 12.9 miles (20.8 km) south of Tuskegee. Fort Davis has its own post office with the ZIP code 36031, which first opened on June 4, 1891.
History of Fort Davis
How Fort Davis Got Its Name
The community of Fort Davis is not named after a military base, as you might think. Instead, it's named after one of its founders, Fort Madison Davis. His mother's family name was Fort. Fort Madison Davis was a farmer and owned a store. He also became the community's very first postmaster!
When the Savannah-Americus-Montgomery Railroad was built through the area in the late 1800s, Fort Davis and his brother, Hubert T. Davis, planned out the town. They first called it "Hamilton." But later, they changed the name to "Fort Davis" to honor Fort Madison Davis. Once the railroad was finished, many people from a nearby community called Cotton Valley moved closer to the new railroad. The railroad served Fort Davis from 1892 until 1985. The tracks were removed starting in 1987.
The Fort Davis Railroad Depot
The first Fort Davis Railroad Depot was built in 1892. This was around the time the SA&M Railroad came through the community. The building you see today was constructed in 1904. This happened after the first depot was damaged by a fire.
The depot was used from 1892 until 1975. After that, the railroad company gave the depot to the Fort Davis Historical Group. For over a hundred years, the depot was a very important part of the community. It is still a well-known landmark for people in southern Macon and northern Bullock Counties. The depot is also one of the last remaining buildings from the old SA&M Railroad.
Gallery
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Fort Davis in 2021
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Fort Davis Post Office (ZIP code:36031)
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Fort Davis Railroad Depot in 2021
