History of Boaz Alabama

History of Boaz, Alabama

Celebrating 100 + Years

In 1878, the Boaz area was settled by a group of 47 people who left Butts County, Georgia on November 1, 1878. Upon their arrival, they lived in tents while they built homes.

Several years later, one of the individuals donated a generous amount of land for churches and civic buildings.

In 1897, the town was named Boaz after the Biblical character mentioned in the Book of Ruth. That same year, it was also incorporated.

Billy Sparks with his wife, led the wagon
train from Butts County Georgia in
November of 1878.

This picture shows the area where the Vanity Fair Outlet
Center is now located. Poplar Springs Church is in the
background. A house had burned and neighbors brought
logs to help the family rebuild.

Settlers were first attracted to the area because of the rich soil, abundant timber and wild game that was located on the Sand Mountain Plateau.

The Southern Pine tree was a great resource for the settlers because it was easy to saw and mill into lumber needed to build farm homes, barns and other buildings.

The early Settlers were good farmers. Corn, garden vegetables and fruit trees were planted to provide food.

Cotton was the cash crop for the South and Boaz area farmers worked the land to raise cotton for money.

The cotton gin was one of the first industries in the Boaz area.

Wagons of cotton at the cotton gin
in Boaz, Alabama.

The Norris Melon was developed by Herschel Norris.
(Top - Left to Right: EMC Mann, Ed Whitman, Herschel Norris)

This area is called Sand Mountain because of the sandy soil.

Many local farmers became well known for their fine crops of Watermelons, and Sugar Cane was processed into Sand Mountain Sorghum Syrup.

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