Alabama has an abundance of uniquely named small towns, communities and local landmarks, such as Needmore, Cuba and Nanafalia – to name a few. West Elmore County has its share as well, and there is typically a story behind each.
One of my favorites is the legend of Slap Out, Alabama. The tale is that a proprietor of a store located in the heart of Holtville would often reply to a customer that requested a particular product, “I am slap out of that.” The store then became known as Slap Out’s.
Over time, the surrounding area of the store took on the name of Slap Out, Alabama. Slap Out even received national attention recently when a local singer was a finalist on a number one-rated TV talent show.
There are other landmark areas in west Elmore County that have unique tags as well. Time seems to have caused many to forget how their names came about. Examples include the communities of Sweetening and Lucky Town near Elmore and Ceasarville (not Caesarville) between Elmore and Slap Out. If anyone knows, please let it be known.
Others have rather obvious names. Sandtown in the City of Millbrook got its name from the sand pits that were dug there. Robinson Springs, also in Millbrook, was named for the large springs once owned by the Robinson family that came to the area before Alabama was a state.
The Town of Coosada is the birthplace of Alabama heritage. It was settled in the 16th century and named by Native Americans; however, it has gone through a series of spellings beginning with Koasati to Coosawda to Coosada. The final version occurred when a sign painter accidently left off the “w” when replacing the town’s sign; or so goes the story.
Another legend of a current landmark is Cobbs Ford Road. The road extends from U.S. Highway 143 in Millbrook to Interstate Highway 65 into the City of Prattville. It ends at the junction with the McQueen Smith Road in Prattville where it mysteriously changes to East Main Street.
I do not know why it lost its possessive apostrophe, but I can remember in my lifetime when the entire area was known as Cobb’s Ford. That was long before Interstate Highway 65 was constructed and changed the area from a residential and farming community into a bustling business district that separates the current cities of Millbrook and Prattville.
The area once known as Cobb’s Ford also has an interesting story behind it. In the early 1800s, Calvin Cobb (1816-1898), born in Casswell County, North Carolina, migrated to Autauga County, Alabama, circa 1828. This was before Elmore County was carved from Coosa, Autauga, Tallapoosa and Montgomery counties in 1866.
Cobb established a homestead and farmed property adjacent to a community known as Edgewood, at the root of what is known today as the Rocky Mount Ridge in Elmore County. The area was a popular site for homesteading pioneers, due to its beautiful rolling hills and fertile land for farming.
Cobb married Elizabeth Caroline Burt (1832-1907), and they had four daughters and six sons. Over time, Edgewood became known as Millbrook because of the mill on the rambling creek that ran through the town.
Henry Clay Cobb Sr. (1861-1943) was the third son of Calvin and Caroline. He married Sally Stamp (1872-1955) in 1891, and together they raised five boys and five girls. Henry Cobb, in addition to farming, worked at the nearby Daniel Pratt’s Gin Company in Prattville. He was a smart businessman, purchased the 80 acres of farmland that he rented and added to it. His land holdings grew to plantation size after acquiring nearly 1,500 acres.
Henry Clay Cobb developed that land, which became known as Cobb’s Ford. The name came from his father, Calvin, who cut a ford across a creek to obtain access to the land he farmed. Henry and Sally made their home and plantation center on a hill at Cobb’s Ford overlooking the land. The site included a large silo, a windmill and all of the buildings required for a large farming operation.
The location today, nestled behind a modern hotel and local businesses, provides a beautiful view of the Alabama River that extends from Cobbs Ford Road to the City of Montgomery. The home no longer exists, but the silo still stands as a towering landmark and a tribute to the Cobb family’s history.
Down the hill, near the original creek ford, Henry Cobb established a recreational area with a swimming pool, pavilion, barbecue pit, picnic tables and a path to a lake that can be seen today from the east side of Interstate Highway 65 just south of Cobbs Ford Road. The recreational area unfortunately is no longer there.
In my youth, I swam in that pool, which was filled from an artesian well. I remember the water was so cold that it would cause chill bumps and teeth chatter even during the hottest month of August.
The Cobb family’s footprint in west Elmore and east Autauga counties is quite large. A large number of Cobbs were raised at Cobb’s Ford, too many to mention in a single article. The area extended to almost the full length of the current-day Cobbs Ford Road. Some have moved away, but many still live at Cobb’s Ford, although, they are in the cities of Millbrook and Prattville.
Some years ago, I was asked if I knew any Cobbs who lived in Millbrook. My response was, “I thought nearly everyone who lived in the Millbrook area was a Cobb or had a Cobb connection.” At the time, I just might have been correct.
The information about the Cobb family was taken from the publication, The Heritage of Elmore County.
