Flowing 280 miles through Alabama as a tributary to the Alabama River is the Coosa River. With headwaters found in Tennessee and Georgia, the rich, biodiverse banks of the Coosa River have been inhabited for thousands of years. Native peoples such as Cherokees and Creeks lived along the banks as it made its way through what we now call Alabama. Later, as Europeans arrived in the region, they also saw the advantages of the river. Throughout our state history, the Coosa River has richly benefitted those who called it home.
Those early inhabitants of its banks were rewarded with an ample water source, diverse edible plants, and aquatic species to enrich their lives. Later, the Coosa served as a way of transportation for Native Americans, and later Europeans, with its boundaries spreading from north to south in the region. The Coosa River further facilitated the growth of many towns and cities along its banks, providing easy access to the many resources found along the river. As the industrial era swept through the United States and Alabama, the river was used to power textile mills and sawmills. Today the Coosa River plays an important role for the state’s businesses and citizens, as it is not only used for power generation but also provides a regular water supply for agriculture irrigation. Further, many today use the river for public and personal recreational use, like fishing, camping, and boating. The Coosa River has provided incalculable resources for Alabama’s society, yet it has also experienced a negative impact due to our use of the river.
Pollution has degraded water quality over time and harmed aquatic ecosystems home to the river. According to some reports, the Coosa is the most polluted river in the state. There are seven dams located on the Coosa River. This has led to native plant and animal habitat destruction, as well as altering the natural flow of the river. Groups like the Coosa Riverkeeper have been formed to work with the state and locals alike to help save the beautiful Coosa. Those who are most interested in protecting the Coosa are often Alabamians who make their home on or near the river.
I grew up on a family farm that backed up to the Coosa River. Several generations of my family made their home on the Coosa. The river was a water source for animals on our farm and what we used for agricultural irrigation. My childhood memories of the river are filled with playing in the mud, boating along the waterways, and adventuring around our property. Both my father and grandfather taught our family the importance of the Coosa River history. The river has had a significant historical impact on the development of our state for many Alabamians, including myself. Growing up learning the rich, deep history of a river that flows throughout Alabama and my life has contributed to my pursuit of a career in education. I hope to teach upcoming Alabama generations about the incredible legacy of the Coosa River and the importance of protecting it for the future.
Additional resources
- “Coosa Chiefdom.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/liri/learn/historyculture/coosa-chiefdom-1400-1600ce.htm#:~:text=The%20Coosa%20Chiefdom%20was%20a,northwest%20Georgia%2C%2 0and%20northeast%20Alabama. Accessed 8 Apr. 2024.
- “The Coosa River – Coosa Riverkeeper.” Coosa Riverkeeper – Keeping Watch over Our Waters since 2010, 7 Aug. 2023, coosariver.org/river/#:~:text=Make%20a%20Donation,Historical%20Significance,the%20country
- “History of Our Rivers.” Coosa River Basin Initiative, 17 Sept. 2020, https://coosa.org/history-of-our-rivers/.
- “Memorial of the Coosa River Improvement Convention Assembled at Gadsden, Alabama, September 27, 1899.” The Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/09011420. Accessed 10 Apr. 2024.
About the author
Shelby Howard was born and raised in Alabama. She spent her weekends on our family farm. Growing up, she always had a passion for teaching and helping others. She is currently pursuing a degree in secondary education. Her goal is to teach high school history somewhere where she is needed. When not doing schoolwork, she’s in her backyard with dogs Elvis and Dolly or curled up with her cats, Georgia, Cheddars, and Lola.
