A Brief History of Montgomery, Alabama

From 1800 to 1813, white settlers continued to move into the area that would later become Montgomery. In 1814, the two men who would lay the foundation of the capital city arrived. They each constructed separate towns, East Alabama and New Philadelphia, along the Alabama River. Each was a success, but because of their proximity to each other, it quickly caused them to merge. They were incorporated together in 1819, when Alabama was admitted to the Union. The new city was named for General Richard Montgomery, who died in the American Revolutionary War, and Montgomery County, Alabama, was named in memory of Major Lemuel P. Montgomery of Virginia.