[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 22]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 31108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF HURTSBORO, 
                                ALABAMA

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                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 21, 2003

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the City of Hurtsboro, Alabama, on its 125th anniversary of its 
incorporation on December 4, 2003.
  Hurtsboro, Alabama, located in Russell County, Alabama, was 
originally station Number 4 on the Mobile and Girard Railroad. In 1857, 
Joel Hurt, Sr. came to the site of Hurtsboro and with a partner, 
William Marshall, bought land and established a sawmill by a creek now 
called Hurtsboro Creek. Mr. Hurt had moved from Eatonton, Georgia, to 
Olivet, Alabama, a thriving farm community about 3 miles from 
Hurtsboro. However, when Olivet was bypassed in the survey to the 
Mobile and Girard Railroad, Mr. Hurt moved to the railroad site. In 
1858, when the railroad reached the place, the mill company laid out 
the town, with the mill in the center. It was called Hurtsville for the 
principal founder.
  On November 8, 1878, a petition was filed with the Russell County 
Judge of Probate Simeon O'Neal by more than 20 of the male inhabitants 
of the town laying out the boundaries of the town and the name to be 
given if incorporated and requesting that an election be held for 
incorporation. Judge O'Neal then set the election for December 3, 1878, 
and on that day, no votes were cast against incorporation. Therefore, 
on December 4, 1878, Judge O'Neal made entry in the record that 
inhabitants of the town of Hurtsville were incorporated under the name 
of ``Hurtsville'' with such boundaries to extend one half mile in every 
direction from the present public crossing at the depot of the Mobile 
and Girard Railroad. On March 24, 1883, a petition was filed by more 
than 10 of the male inhabitants of Hurtsville that the name of the town 
be changed to ``Hurtsboro'' (to avoid confusion with the town of 
Huntsville, Alabama). An election was held on April 11, 1883, and based 
on the results, Russell County Judge of Probate Simeon O'Neal entered 
into the record that the town's name be changed to ``Hurtsboro.''
  I congratulate Hurtsboro, Alabama, on its 125th anniversary of 
incorporation and join its residents in recognizing their proud 
history.

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