Archaeological Survey of the Old Federal Road in Alabama

Figure 9-7. Detail of John LaTourette’s 1838 map of Alabama depicting the Old Federal Road throughMacon County with numerous historic sites identified (courtesy of David Rumsey Historical MapCollection).Fletcher Hale’s 1930s-1940s maps were based on land surveys and his study of modern aerialphotographs. His maps are useful to us in identifying segments of the Old Federal Road that deviate frommodern roads. They also pinpoint important historical sites along the road, including Polecat Springs,Calebee battlefield, Fort Hull and associated unmarked cemetery, “Dog Run House,” Warrior Stand(Figure 9-8), and Fort Bainbridge and cemetery. Hale also created a map showing Fort Decatur, on theTallapoosa River, and the location of the road leading to the fort.Figure 9-8. Fletcher Hale’s map of the Old Federal Road near Warrior Stand and Fort Bainbridge inTownship 15 North, Ranges 25 and 26 East (courtesy of the Alabama Department of Archives andHistory).The route of the Old Federal Road runs approximately 36 miles through Macon County, for themajority of the route following paved or dirt public roads. However, about 14 miles of the old road bed issituated on inaccessible private lands. The Old Federal Road enters Macon County from MontgomeryCounty at Line Creek on U.S. Highway 80, which it follows for approximately 0.6 mile, then diverges197