History of Northport Told Through Vintage Images

Dec. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Northport from the Friends of Historic Northport, Inc. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

The name Northport reminds people that “North Port” was the northern-most point river traffic could navigate the Black Warrior River in the early years. Settled in 1816, Northport was first known as Kentuck or Cane-tuck because it was a cane-brake wilderness.

In the 19th century, the land was fertile and cotton was king. Warehouses were built along the riverbank to store cotton to be loaded onto steamships bound for market. Due to periodic flooding, the center of town was relocated several blocks away from the river around 1830; Northport was incorporated 41 years later.

The current buildings along both sides of Main Avenue were primarily built after the Civil War. Over time, several fires, flooding, and a tornado have changed the downtown landscape. As reported in the Tuscaloosa News after the March 21, 1932, tornado, “It looked as if Northport had been bombed.”

Highlights of Northport:
•   Life and work
•   Worship and learning
•   Friends and family
•   Bridging the Black Warrior

Friends of Historic Northport, Inc. has chosen the best images from its historical photographic collection and requested the research assistance of local historians to provide an illustrative and appealing journey into the history and heritage of a proud community.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.