Reviewed by: Caleb Turrentine
The history behind Alabama’s first state road + the new plan for its future
Reading time: 2 minutes
Long before highways cut through Alabama, a single dirt road connected the Tennessee River down to the Black Warrior River.
That route, now known as Byler Road, is officially Alabama’s oldest public road.
Keep reading to learn more about its original uses + why it’s still important today.
Construction and History
Byler Road takes its name from Captain John Byler, a veteran of Andrew Jackson’s army at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. After Alabama became a state in 1819, the legislature authorized its first state road and Byler was responsible for building and maintaining it.
In exchange, he could collect tolls for the first 12 years to cover construction costs. For decades, it was the most important road for travelers heading across western Alabama, especially those trying to transport cotton from the Tennessee River valley down to Northport.
The road also holds stories from some of its earliest travelers. One historical marker in Haleyville commemorates Jacob Pruet’s Stand, a popular stop for stage coaches in the 1830s and 1840s. Another serves as a memorial to Louisa Jane Brooks Johnston, who also ran a travel stop.
Additionally, the Prewitt Slave Cemetery lies along Byler Road’s route. Anthropology students from The University of Alabama recently found evidence of around 900 graves located at the site, double the original estimate.
The Future of Byler Road
Today, parts of the original Byler Road have been replaced by modern highways or reclaimed by forest, but its legacy is far from forgotten. Local leaders view the collection of two-lane highways and smaller roads as a potential driver of tourism.
The Byler Road Steering Committee, state legislators and the Alabama Department of Tourism have joined forces to begin creating a proposed “Byler Road Scenic Byway”. The plan calls for around 50 historical markers tracing the route from the Tennessee River down to Main Avenue in downtown Northport.
This project would give visitors a journey through West Alabama’s past. From the old toll road to stagecoach stops, the scenic byway would connect centuries of history while boosting local communities.
Nearly 200 years after it first opened, Byler Road clearly continues to turn history into a path for the future.
Do you have any interesting facts about Alabama’s first road? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
