Side 1
The Federal Road
The 1803 Louisiana Purchase acquired 828,000 sq. mi. for the U.S., doubling its size. The Federal Road was built to provide a shorter route from Washington to New Orleans and the new territory. The Treaty of 1805 with the Creeks authorized traversing their lands. Entering Alabama at Ft. Mitchell near Columbus, GA, it came through Mt. Meigs, to Pintlala, Ft. Deposit, Burnt Corn, Ft. Stoddert, then Mobile. The 1814 Treaty of Ft. Jackson made much fertile Creek land available to grow cotton; this lure, "Alabama Fever," drew many thousands of settlers to central Alabama. In 1860, spans were still in use, but the Road was gone.
Side 2
Manac's Tavern
Manac's Tavern, located near here and nearby Pinchona Creek, was the oldest stand on the Federal Road . Samuel Manac, the proprietor, in 1701 went with Alexander McGillivray to the U.S. capitol in NYC and met George Washington to conclude a peace treaty for the Creek Nation, the U.S. 's first treaty with a foreign power. He married Red Eagle's sister, Elizabeth. Aaron Burr stayed here in 1807. In 1822 Sam's son, David Moniac, became the first Indian and first Alabamian to graduate from West Point . In 1836, in the Second Seminole War, Maj. Moniac was killed at Wahoo Swamp leading a unit of Creek militia against the braves of Osceola, who was his wife's cousin.
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