Since 1993
Welcome to Gadsden, Alabama!
First, the city is named Gadsden. We've been around for quite a long time (since 1825, then known as "Double Springs.")
In 1845, riverboat Captain James Lafferty piloted the steamboat Coosa into the Double Springs settlement, near where the current US HWY 278/431 Bridge now spans over the Coosa River.
Once part of a county known as Baine County, Gadsden was incorporated and made the county seat in 1867, following the Civil War.
Gadsden was once the home of the world's largest tire manufacturing plant, owned by Goodyear Tire & Rubber. The plant remains operational at this time.
Other industries in the city's history include a major steel manufacturing plant and a cotton mill (previously in the "Alabama City" area of Gadsden).
The steel plant, shut down in 2000, placed almost 2,000 employees (some of the area's highest paying jobs) on unemployment rolls.
This one event seriously damaged the city's economy. Especially after a Philadelphia, PA-based scraper bought the property and sold a good portion of the plant to a Chinese company that dismantled it and moved it piece-by-piece to the communist nation for operation.
Some industrial jobs have replaced those 2,000 employees, but, none at the level of pay enjoyed by those employees before Republic Steel claimed bankruptcy in 2000.
One of the primary foci will be to help promote technological training in our city and county schools, our community college and in the nearby Jacksonville State University to help recruit new, high-paying high tech jobs to the area.
Since 1993
Welcome to GadRock!
Gadsden is also known for it's natural beauty and recreational sites.
The waterfall above is part of the Black Creek known as Noccalula Falls. The park surrounding the falls contains a botanical garden, a petting zoo, campgrounds, a miniature golf park, a playground, a miniature train ride, authentic log cabins and much, much more.
In the summer months, Noccalula Falls hosts a KC BarBQue sanctioned grilling competition known as Smoke On The Falls. The Christmas holiday season features holiday lights in the botanical garden and surrounding the log cabin structures in the park.
In addition to the falls, the city's facilities for relaxation include the Mary J Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, the Gadsden Museum of Art and the Coosa Landing boat launch for Bankside fishing, fishing competitions and boat launches.
Moragne Park (named after one of the founding fathers of the city) is currently under re-construction. It is the largest city park facility, located conveniently between the bank-side highway from the river and Riverview Regional Medical Center.
Gadsden's Convention Hall is nestled on one of the highest hills alongside the Coosa River near downtown Gadsden. It is attached to the city amphitheater constructed of local sandstone during the era of CCC projects following the Great Depression.
GadRockLive.com is committed to sharing the events and locations for many of the area's hot spots for relaxation and recreation.
We understand that this aspect of community life can be a huge recruitment tool for new industry and business to our community.