Chronology of the Effort by Alabama to Annex Northwest Florida
1819: Memorial to Congress from the Alabama Constitutional Convention in Huntsville requesting that Northwest Florida be added to Alabama.
1821: Memorial to Congress from the Alabama Legislature in Cahawba (the official spelling of "Cahaba") asking for all of Florida west of the Apalachicola River.
1822: An amendment to the bill to establish a territorial government in Florida is introduced by Senator John W. Walker of Alabama. The amendment is a provision for Northwest Florida to be annexed to Alabama. The bill fails to pass. Walker responds by declaring "the country belongs to us by position and common interests. Nature has given it to us, and Congress will not always withhold it."
1826: Alabama's annexation efforts are viewed as detrimental to chances of statehood by the Florida Legislative Council. These lawmakers wrote that Alabama's annexation activity "is calculated to destroy that which is their best hope of becoming a state government."
1838: Alabama's Legislature in the Capitol in Tuskaloosa passes an annexation resolution that is presented to the Florida Constitutional Convention at St. Joseph.
1840: 255 Escambia County citizens petition Congress for annexation to Alabama.
1845: The Alabama Legislature in the Capitol in Tuskaloosa passes a joint resolution calling for the annexation of Northwest Florida.
1858: The Alabama Legislature in Montgomery passes the same resolution again and appoints an annexation commissioner. The commissioner reported that the Florida government refuses to approve transfer on any terms.
1868: The Alabama Legislature authorizes the Governor to negotiate for the annexation. A commission of three members is appointed.
1869: The Governor of Florida appoints a commission to negotiate with Alabama. They travel to Montgomery and approve an agreement for the cession of Northwest Florida to Alabama. Alabama claims that the price is too high (a million dollars and payment of unpaid taxes at the time of transfer). This is the "high water mark" of the annexation effort.
1869: Northwest Florida counties vote for annexation to Alabama. 63% of the voters approve annexation.
1870: Alabama Legislature postpones action on the agreement with Florida.
1874: Florida passes a resolution providing another annexation committee. It takes no action.
1883: The L & N Railroad trestle is opened over the Apalachicola River permanently linking East Florida with Northwest Florida. http://www.wfrm.org/wfrmhist.html.
1900: The Alabama Legislature asks the Governor to appoint another commission. The commission was never organized.
1917: Former Dothan mayor Buck Baker visits the offices of the Montgomery Times and proposes that "a part of Alabama and a big portion of west Florida cut off and made a state with the metropolis of the wiregrass (ed. note: DOTHAN) as the capital of the new state." The Montogomery Times went on to print, "If such a movement is put on foot, The Times wishes to nominate Buck Baker as the first governor of the new state."
from the January 30, 1917 MONTGOMERY TIMES
1963: State Senator John Tyson from Mobile proposes a resolution asking for annexation. Wallace kills it.
Source: E. W. Carswell. Holmesteading: A History of Holmes County, Florida.
