Arkwright, Alabama

Arkwright, Alabama
Unincorporated community
Arkwright, Alabama Arkwright, Alabama
Coordinates: 33°22′17″N 86°24′09″W / 33.37139°N 86.40250°WCoordinates: 33°22′17″N 86°24′09″W / 33.37139°N 86.40250°W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Shelby
Elevation	459 ft (140 m)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	205
GNIS feature ID	156003[1]

Arkwright is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. The community lies near the banks of the Coosa River and partially within the city limits of Vincent. Arkwright was founded in 1907 and was named for Preston Stanley Arkwright, who served as founder and president of Georgia Railway and Power Company and as an official with the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Railway.^[2] At one point, the community was home to a railroad station, post office, bank, cotton gin, gristmill, general store, furniture store, and school. The post office was in operation from 1909 to 1926.^[3] In 1924, the railroad company raised the railroad bed, eliminating the need for a depot. The population soon began to decline and the post office was closed shortly afterwards.^[4] The Arkwright Baptist Church and Arkwright Heritage Area, which includes multiple structures and cemeteries, were added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 2011.^[5]

References

1. "Arkwright". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
2. "Shelby County approves historical marker for Arkwright area near Vincent | al.com". Blog.al.com. 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
3. "Shelby County". Jim Forte Postal History. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
4. "Lost village of Arkwright found". Shelby County Reporter. 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
5. "Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage". Alabama Historical Commission. www.preserveala.org. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2014.