Childersburg, AL news and local guide

Childersburg, on the Coosa River in Talladega County, traces its heritage to the Native town of Coosa, and has been called the "oldest occupied settlement in America." Hernando de Soto's expedition, which had set out from Tampa Bay in June 1539 with about 600 men, entered the town of Coca, or Coosa, on the east bank of the river between Talladega and Tallaseehatchee creeks on July 16, 1540. Its young chief welcomed the Spaniards, who stayed about a month and were offered land for a colony before leaving in August. The De Soto Commission authorized by Congress, chaired by John R. Swanton, concluded in 1939 that Coca stood near present Childersburg; Wikipedia places the Kymulga-phase village of Talisi at the site. By the 18th century the Abihka, part of the Creek people, dominated the area.

More about Childersburg

Childersburg was incorporated in 1889 and had about 500 people in 1940. In 1941 the Alabama Army Ammunition Plant was built here and, run by DuPont, made explosives including nitrocellulose and TNT until August 1945. It also secretly produced heavy water for the Manhattan Project. More than 14,000 workers came to build and operate the plant. Sources The Historical Marker Database: History Of Childersburg (Alabama Tourism Department and the City of Childersburg) The Historical Marker Database: De Soto's Visit (National Society of Colonial Dames of America in Alabama) Wikipedia: Childersburg, Alabama