Calhoun
Calhoun County (originally named Benton County) was created on land ceded by the Creeks in the 1832 Treaty of Cusseta. By 1893 its county seat, Anniston, had two iron production furnaces, a cotton textile mill, paved streets, and the first electric lighting system in the state. The county is home to Jacksonville State University and Anniston Army Depot. From 1917 to 1999, it was also home to the U.S. Army training base Fort McClellan. Area attractions include Anniston Museum and Gardens, which houses the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum of World History, and Janney Furnace. The area’s role in significant 1960s civil rights events, including the Freedom Rides, is honored with murals in downtown Anniston.
