Timeline of Huntsville, Alabama facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Huntsville, Alabama, USA.

Prior to 20th century

• 1809 - Town of Twickenham incorporated in U.S. Mississippi Territory.
• 1811 - Twickenham renamed "Huntsville".
• 1812 - Green Academy established.
• 1817
  • Town becomes part of U.S. Alabama Territory.
  • Huntsville Republican newspaper in publication.
• 1818 - Huntsville social library active.
• 1819
  • Alabama Territory constitutional convention held in Huntsville.
  • Town becomes part of new U.S. state of Alabama.
  • Newly formed Alabama Legislature convenes in Huntsville.
• 1820 - Alabama state capital relocated from Huntsville to Cahaba.
• 1822 - Maple Hill Cemetery in use (approximate date).
• 1825 - Southern Advocate and Huntsville Advertiser newspaper in publication.
• 1840 - Population: 2,496.
• 1855 - Memphis and Charleston Railroad begins operating.
• 1860 - Huntsville Depot built.
• 1862 - Huntsville occupied by Union forces during the American Civil War.
• 1870 - Population: 4,907.
• 1888 - Monte Sano Railroad Workers' House built.
• 1896 - Oakwood College founded.
• 1898 - B’nai Israel Synagogue built.
• 1900 - Population: 8,068.

20th century

• 1910 - Huntsville Daily Times newspaper begins publication.
• 1912 - Lyric Theatre in business.
• 1916 - Carnegie Public Library building opens.
• 1932 - United States Courthouse and Post Office built.
• 1935 - Monte Sano State Park established near city.
• 1938 - Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge established in vicinity of Huntsville.
• 1941 - U.S. military Redstone Arsenal begins operating.
• 1947 - Keller (automobile) production begins.
• 1950
  • Area of city: 4 square miles.
  • Population: 16,437.
• 1951 - Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society formed.
• 1955 - Huntsville Symphony Orchestra formed.
• 1957 - Lee High School built.
• 1960
  • U.S. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center established.
  • Area of city: 51 square miles.
  • Population: 72,365.
• 1962 - Arts Council formed.
• 1964 - Huntsville News begins publication.
• 1968 - Joe W. Davis becomes mayor.
• 1969 - Virgil I. Grissom High School established.
• 1970 - Population: 139,282.
• 1974 - Oakwood Adventist Academy established.
• 1975
  • Von Braun Civic Center (convention centre) opens.
  • Madison County Nature Trail established.
• 1976 - Huntsville Depot museum established.
• 1982
  • Panoply Arts Festival begins.
  • Alabama Constitution Village museum established.
• 1984 - Madison Square Mall in business.
• 1986 - Interstate 565 highway constructed.
• 1988 - Steve Hettinger becomes mayor.
• 1989 - November 1989 tornado outbreak.
• 1990 - Population: 159,880.
• 1993 - Big Spring Jam (music festival) begins.
• 1995 - May 18: 1995 Anderson Hills tornado.
• 1996
  • Loretta Spencer becomes mayor.
  • Huntsville News ceases publication.
• 1997 - United States Army Aviation and Missile Command headquartered in Huntsville.

21st century

• 2006 - November 20: 2006 Huntsville bus crash.
• 2008 - Tommy Battle becomes mayor.
• 2010
  • February 12: 2010 University of Alabama in Huntsville shooting.
  • Population: 180,105.
• 2014
  • Area of city: 210 square miles.
  • Twickenham Square shopping/residential complex built.
  • Restore our Roads initiative created to fund a large amount of infrastructure projects to handle projected growth.
• 2020
  • Construction begins on the next segment of the Northern Bypass, connecting Interstate 565 to US 231/431.
  • A George Floyd protest on June 3, 2020, was ended by Huntsville Police along with SWAT and Incident Response Team using tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets.