Smithsonia, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smithsonia, Alabama
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 Smithsonia, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Smithsonia, Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Lauderdale |
| Elevation | 512 ft (156 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 256 & 938 |
| GNIS feature ID | 157080 |
Smithsonia, also known as Cave Springs, is a small place in Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States. It is an unincorporated community, which means it's a town or village that doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it's managed by the county.
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Exploring Smithsonia's Past
Smithsonia has an interesting history, starting with a different name!
Original Name: Cave Springs
Long ago, this area was called Cave Springs. This name made a lot of sense because there were many natural caves and springs nearby. Imagine exploring all those cool caves!
New Name: Honoring Columbus Smith
After the American Civil War, the community got a new name: Smithsonia. This name was chosen to honor a very important person named Columbus Smith. He was a successful landowner (someone who owned a lot of land) and a merchant (someone who bought and sold goods).
Columbus Smith's Businesses
Columbus Smith helped the community grow by running several important businesses. He operated a ferry, which was a boat that carried people and goods across a river. He also had a general store, where people could buy almost anything they needed.
He also ran a grist mill, which used water power to grind grain into flour. And he had a cotton gin, a machine that quickly separated cotton fibers from their seeds. These businesses were very important for the people living in Smithsonia.
Smithsonia's Post Office
Smithsonia even had its own post office! It opened in 1886 and helped people send and receive letters and packages. The post office served the community for many years, finally closing in 1927.
