DeKalb County

Former Site of Battelle

 Thriving iron ore and coal mining community of early 1900's
 Established by Colonel John Gordon Battelle
 Five miles north of Valley Head

Fort Payne's Fort

  The fort, consisting of a log house and large stockade, was built in 1838 by order of General Winfield Scott, commander of military forces responsible for the removal of Cherokee Indians.
  Soldiers occupying the fort were commanded by Captain John C. Payne, for whom the fort was named.
  Indians in the DeKalb County area who refused to move westwards voluntarily were gathered and held in the stockade pending their forceful removal to the Indian territory.
  Chimney still standing on site of fort near the railroad at 4th Street S.E.

Fort Payne Opera House

  Opened September1890. Built during local boom period. Converted into theatre during era of silent movies. Closed as a theatre in October 1935. Purchased by Landmarks of DeKalb County, Inc., 1969. Renovated, restored, and reopened to public in 1970. The oldest theatre in Alabama located in a building originally constructed as a theatre. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the National Register of 19th Century Theatres in America.

Indian Mound, Inn, and Church Site

 Cheroke Indians first inhabited this mound site, subsequently settled by A.H. Lamar, a captian in the Seminole War and first constable (1836) of DeKalb County. Lamar and his Cherokee wife operated trading post and stage coach stop on site, selling the property to Alfred Collins, ca. 1842. Collins, for whom Collinsville was named, built home and operated inn on the stage coach line here between Rome and Guntersville. Daughter Sallie and her husband, G.W. Roberts, became owners in 1886. Collinsville Baptist Church purchased property in 1924, erecting building on site two yeras later.

Lebanon Courthouse

  Lebanon Courthouse was constructed during the 1840s when Lebanon, the county seat of DeKalb County was a thriving community with inns, taverns, and government offices. This building, built for courthouse use, remained in use as a courthouse until 1876, when the stagecoaches serving Lebanon gave way to progress. The county seat was then moved to Fort Payne, were railway service was available.
  This marker was erected as a part of DeKalb 150 Sesquicentennial Celebration, 1836-1986.

Sequoyah
(1760-1843)

  Born in Tennessee, Sequoyah moved to Wills Town (DeKalb County, Alabama) area of the Cherokee Nation in 1818.
  Here, in 1821, he invented an 86 symbol alphabet providing the Cherokees with the only written Indian language in the United States.

Sequoyah

  1760-1843. Nearby lived the inventor of written language of Cherokees. Nation adopted it, became only literate Indians with written language. (Sequoyah, maker Cherokee Alphabet)

Wills Town Mission

  The mission was established in 1823 by the American Board of Missions to further education and Christianity among the Cherokee Indians. Mission operated until the Indian removal in 1838.
  Grave site of Reverend Ard Hoyt, first superintendent, marks the location of the mission near the corner of 38th Street and Godrey Avenue.

• Newspapers on microfilm at ADAH
• Probate records on microfilm at ADAH
• Vital records on microfilm at ADAH
• County historical and genealogical societies
• Current county highway map from Department of Geography, The University of Alabama