Show former alabama capital i Is now a ghost town speeding tourists crossing a high steel bridge over the alabama diverl diverl on the highway that cuts through that state slow down to admire the brilliant cascade of green foliage which in season covers the massive eastern bluff then they speed ona little realizing that on this bluff was once situated claiborne a picturesque and flourishing city the unofficial capital of alabama in its prime there chief william weatherford whose creek indians redl the whites at fort mims in amer acas ica s greatest massacre e in 1813 leaped for his life with gen andrew jackson close on his heels according to a writer in the birmingham news age herald there that the cotton crop of a vast area in southwest alabama was tumbled down the bluff to wait boats which took the bales to mobile there pioneer sam dale often visited and general lafayette was feted but passing years the yellow fever and the coming of the railroads spelled Clai bornes doom today claiborne is a forest a few small farms and buildings historic graveyards but even as a ghost it is still an incorporated alabama municipality the tourist zooms by without seeing the beautiful dellett mansion sole remainder of many fine houses built when claiborne was bustling fires and decay have gotten the rest |