St. Stephens was chosen as Alabama’s first seat of government and served as its territorial capital between 1817 and 1819.
The now-abandoned settlement of St. Stephens sat atop a limestone bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. The location, approximately 67 miles north of Mobile in present-day Washington County, had been occupied by the Spanish before its cession to the United States in 1799. The town later served as the capital of the Alabama Territory between 1817 and 1819 before the government abandoned it in favor of Cahaba. Today, the site of the town is referred to as Old St. Stephens and is a historical park and archeological site.
Photos courtesy of: Alabama Department of Archives and History, Auburn University Library Treasure Room Maps Collection