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Born and raised in Andalusia, I remember my Dad pointing down the Conecuh River as we crossed over the bridge at River Falls, saying "That's where the old town used to be." He explained that Andalusia had originally been named Montezuma and had been located on the banks of the river in the early 1800s. He said the town had flooded several times and had eventually been moved to its present day location. As a child, I imagined that old buildings still stood there, like a ghost town, and I hoped that one day I would be able to visit the old town site. In the spring of 2003, Sidney Waits, a local historian, invited me, Jimmy Caton, and his son Greg Caton, to do just that. Sidney was acquainted with the owner of the property who kindly granted permission for our visit. Although we set out on that first trip with great expectations, we were quickly disappointed when we failed to locate any evidence of Montezuma's existence. Subsequent visits to the area, which encompassed more than a hundred acres on both the east and west sides of the river, also proved fruitless. After a while, we realized that no one really knew where the original settlement had been. Determined to solve the mystery, I began a year-long study of Montezuma and the people involved in its formation. Countless hours of research eventually revealed the town's original location and an unexpected treasure trove of related history. This book is a record of my findings.
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P.O. Box 1955
Andalusia, AL 36420
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