Goshen

There are many places I have been to where I did not know anything about the history of it. This is how most people, unfortunately, are when they go places. We just go through them and admire what has already been put in place who knows how long ago. Today I had the chance to go back to the city of Goshen, Alabama. A place I have been to quite a few times but knew nothing about.

The town was originally called Goshen Hill and it was quite a few miles from where it is located today. The town is actually one of the oldest towns in Pike County. The town was founded in the early 1820s. The land was very fertile and farmers were able to grow cotton, corn, peanuts, and hay for the cattle. And during the Civil War the land that Goshen Hill was on was used as training ground for Confederate soldiers.

During February of 1884, there was a tornado that came through the area and killed 26 people.

A railroad system was put in place in the area in 1890. Because of this, Goshen Hill moved closer to the tracks. Soon after this, the townspeople changed the name of the town to Goshen. The name was inspired by the biblical Land of Goshen. The town was settled around a public well in the center of the town.

Just like with most towns that I have found that acquired a railroad system, the town of Goshen grew in size by population and in the physical size of the town. So a built a new school, post office, a cotton gin, a sawmill, and several mercantile stores.

The town is not very large today. In a 2016 census, it was found there were around 343 people living in the town. It is a very small place.

The high school in Goshen actually just became a bicentennial school this year. Meaning that it has been around for 200 years. If you enjoy country cooking, Goshen has a very good restaurant called the Old Red Barn. I have only been once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it when I went.

There is not much to do in Goshen, but it has that small-town charm. It is at least worth the visit.