Hybart, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hybart, Alabama
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 Hybart, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Hybart, Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Monroe |
| Elevation | 79 ft (24 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36481
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| Area code(s) | 334 |
Hybart is a small, quiet place in Monroe County, Alabama. It's an unincorporated community, which means it's not a city or town with its own local government. You might hear it pronounced "Hibbert." Hybart is located where two roads meet: Alabama State Route 41 and Monroe County Road 56. It's in the northwestern part of Monroe County, very close to Wilcox County, Alabama.
Hybart is famous for a local turkey hunting contest called the Butterball. This competition has even been featured in Mobile Bay Magazine! The area is also a popular spot for hunting other animals like whitetail deer, quail, dove, and duck.
Hybart is on the edge of a special area called the Red Hills region. This part of southwestern Alabama is very hilly and covered in woods. It's different from the flatter areas to its south and north. The Red Hills are still mostly undeveloped.
The Forever Wild Land Trust of Alabama owns two large areas of land near Hybart. These lands are open all year for people to enjoy. You can go hunting, hike on old woods roads, look for wildflowers, take photos, and watch birds and other wildlife. It's a great place to explore nature!
History of Hybart
A post office was opened in Hybart on June 15, 1926. It served the community for almost 50 years before closing on May 21, 1976. The community got its name from James Willis Hybart, who was an early postmaster there.
Before it was called Hybart, the area was known as Vredenburgh Junction. This name was given around 1915 or 1916. It was called a "junction" because two important railroads met there. One was the Gulf, Florida, and Alabama Railway, which had just been built. The other was the Vredenburgh Saw Mill Company Railroad. This shorter railroad led to a sawmill community called Vredenburgh, Alabama, about four miles east.
Over the years, the main railway line changed hands many times.
- In 1917, the Gulf, Florida, and Alabama Railway had financial problems.
- In 1922, it was bought by the Muscle Shoals, Birmingham, and Pensacola Railway.
- Then, in 1925, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, also known as the "Frisco," took over.
- The Frisco railway offered passenger train service through Hybart. Their train, called the "Pensacola Special," traveled from Pensacola, Florida, to Memphis Tennessee.
- Passenger service stopped on February 1, 1955.
- In 1980, the Burlington Northern Railroad bought Frisco.
- Today, the railway line is owned by the Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway.
There are some interesting local stories about how Hybart got its name. James Willis Hybart, who owned the only general store in Vredenburgh Junction, used to run a store at a nearby steamboat stop called Bells Landing. One story says that in the mid-1920s, Mr. Hybart convinced the local Frisco train agent to change the name to Hybart by offering the agent a free hat! Another legend says that the name "Vredenburgh Junction" was too long to fit on a standard post office stamp, so a shorter name was needed. The name "Hybart" first appeared on a map of Alabama in 1928.
People from Hybart
Hybart is the hometown of Jeff Sessions. He is a well-known person in American politics. He used to be a United States Senator for Alabama. He also served as the Attorney General of the United States, which is a very important job in the government. His father ran a small country store in Hybart for many years.
Another notable person from Hybart is Leroyal Finklea. He is a local folk artist and also enjoys horseback riding.
