Kaulton, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kaulton, Alabama
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 Kaulton, Alabama
Location in Alabama
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Tuscaloosa |
| Elevation | 157 ft (48 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 205, 659 |
| GNIS feature ID | 148288 |
Kaulton was once a busy town in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States. Today, it is known as a ghost town, which means it's a place where most people have left, and the buildings are often empty or gone.
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Kaulton: A Town Built for Lumber
Kaulton was created in 1912. It was built by the Kaul Lumber Company. They needed a new place for their large sawmill after their old one in Hollins closed down.
Designing a New Town
John Kaul, who owned the lumber company, hired a special architect named George Miller from Boston. Miller had designed other towns before. He planned Kaulton using special design ideas called Beaux-Arts principles. This meant the town was laid out in a grand, organized way.
The town of Kaulton was quite large, covering more than eighty acres. It had everything people needed to live and work. There were houses for the workers, a hotel, churches, a school, parks, and offices for the company.
Life in Kaulton
The houses in Kaulton were designed to have four rooms and two chimneys. They also had modern things like running water, sewage systems, and electricity. Even though some parts of the houses were built quickly, Kaulton was seen as a very good place to live for workers and their families.
The company wanted to make Kaulton a great community. They gave out prizes for the best vegetable gardens. There were also ball fields and playgrounds for everyone to enjoy. The Kaul Lumber Company even provided a doctor for the town.
Kaulton's Baseball Team
Kaulton even had its own baseball team! They played against other teams, including the Summer School Team from the University of Alabama. This shows that Kaulton was a lively place with fun activities for its residents.
Why Kaulton Became a Ghost Town
The good times in Kaulton didn't last forever. In 1931, John Kaul, the founder of the company, passed away. Later that same year, the Kaul Lumber mill closed down.
When the mill closed, Kaulton slowly started to empty out. The Kaul Lumber Company stopped selling timber. However, they still made money by renting out the houses and other buildings in Kaulton for some time.
Kaulton Today
Today, the area where Kaulton once stood is part of the larger city of Tuscaloosa. Even though the town itself is gone, its name lives on. You can still find places like Kaulton Field and Old Kaulton Road in the area.
Most of the old records about Kaulton were destroyed by the Kaul Lumber Company. But, some important papers about the town and the company are kept safe at the Birmingham Public Library.
