Aigleville, Alabama, was a short-lived settlement established in the early 19th century by French expatriates. Below is detailed information about the town:
County: Marengo County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 32.51664° N, 87.82329° W
Elevation: 161 feet (49 meters)
Time Zone: Central Time Zone (UTC-6; UTC-5 during Daylight Saving Time)
Established: 1818
Disestablished: Late 1830s
Comments: Aigleville, translating to “Eagle Town,” was founded in late 1818 by former French Bonapartists and refugees from Saint-Domingue as part of the Vine and Olive Colony. The settlement was named in honor of the French Imperial Eagle, the standard used by Napoleon’s Grande Armée. Each settler owned three separate land lots: a town lot, a garden lot (small allotment), and a farm (large allotment).
Remains: With the failure of the colony, Aigleville was largely abandoned by the late 1830s. By the early 20th century, the site was heavily forested. In the latter half of the 20th century, the area was used for industrial purposes by a local cement plant, leaving the site barren in the 21st century.
Current Status: Barren; classified as a ghost town
Remarks: The Vine and Olive Colony, of which Aigleville was a part, was an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt by French expatriates to establish a new community in the United States. The settlement’s failure was due to various factors, including unsuitable land for vine and olive cultivation and financial difficulties.
