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The History of Madison County, AL

The history of Madison County, Alabama dates back even further than the founding of the state; the county was actually formed by the governor of the Mississippi Territory in 1808. Named after Founding Father and fourth President James Madison, Madison County is considered to be the “birthplace of Alabama” because the state’s constitution was first drafted there in 1819. Throughout its first 150 years, Madison County was one of Alabama’s top cotton-producing areas and its economy was primarily based on agriculture and textile mills. In the 1950’s, Huntsville—the seat of Madison County—received national attention when a group of German rocket scientists led by Wernher von Braun developed the Mercury-Redstone Rocket there. The Mercury-Redstone was instrumental in the American space race, and not only launched the first American into space, but also launched Madison County’s new technology and science-based economy.

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