Chewacla, also known as Yongesborough , is an
unincorporated community in the northeast corner of
Lee County,
Alabama, United States.
History
The name Chewacla is derived from the
Hitchiti word ''sawackla'', with ''sawi'' meaning "racoon" and ''ukli'' meaning "town". Chewacla was located on the
Central of Georgia Railway
The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was cons ...
. It was once home to the Chewacla Lime Works, which operated a quarry. A specific type of marble, known as Chewacla marble, was mined in this quarry. Chewacla marble was described as "a highly crystalline
dolomite, for most part a beautiful pearly white stone".
Gneiss was also mined in the quarry and used to make
millstone
Millstones or mill stones are stones used in gristmills, for grinding wheat or other grains. They are sometimes referred to as grindstones or grinding stones.
Millstones come in pairs: a convex stationary base known as the ''bedstone'' and ...
s.
Chewacla was the location of one of the first
Rosenwald schools in Alabama.
A post office operated under the name Yongesborough from 1859 to 1886 and under the name Chewacla from 1886 to 1907.
Gallery
Below are photographs taken in Chewacla as part of the
Historic American Buildings Survey:
File:CONVICT QUARTERS OR KEEP FROM THE SOUTHWEST. - Chewacla Limeworks, Limekiln Road, Chewacla, Lee County, AL HABS ALA,41-CHEWA,1-6.tif, Convict quarters, Chewacla Lime Works
File:OLD COMMISSARY BUILDING, FROM SOUTH EAST. - Chewacla Limeworks, Limekiln Road, Chewacla, Lee County, AL HABS ALA,41-CHEWA,1-3.tif, Old commissary building, Chewacla Lime Works
File:Old Mule Stable. - Chewacla Limeworks, Limekiln Road, Chewacla, Lee County, AL HABS ALA,41-CHEWA,1-9.tif, Old mule stable, Chewacla Lime Works
File:REMAINS OF OLD LIME KILNS. - Chewacla Limeworks, Limekiln Road, Chewacla, Lee County, AL HABS ALA,41-CHEWA,1-1.tif, Remains of old lime kilns
File:THE OLD LIME PIT LOOKING SOUTH. - Chewacla Limeworks, Limekiln Road, Chewacla, Lee County, AL HABS ALA,41-CHEWA,1-2.tif, Old lime pit
References
External links
Pictures of the Chewacla Lime Works
Unincorporated communities in Alabama
Unincorporated communities in Lee County, Alabama
Alabama placenames of Native American origin
Lime kilns in the United States
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