Geneva, class of 2015, designated 2018, genevaal.gov
Located in the Wiregrass region of south-central Alabama just north of the Florida panhandle, Geneva is a river community that is the largest municipality in Geneva County as well as the county seat. The junction where the Choctawhatchee and Talakahatchee (Pea) Rivers meet forms one of the city limit borders of Geneva. Founded by Henry A. Yonge in the early 1820s as an Indian trading post at the junction of these two rivers, early navigation of the river was by log barges followed by steamboats built in Geneva. The Lincoln Flood of 1861 all but destroyed the early settlement. As a result, the settlement was moved to higher ground thus a new town was built at the north end of what is now Commerce Street. Geneva was incorporated in 1875. The city flooded again in 1929 leading to the construction of a 2.9-mile earth-filled levee through WPA labor in the 1930s. Having been completed renovated in 2007, this structure still protects the community today. Geneva eventually became associated with the textile industry and the economy flourished with cotton mills and clothing factories until the late 1990s.
With a population of just over 4,200, the City of Geneva holds its annual Festival on the Rivers every April. Events include canoe races and other competitive sporting activities, including the Annual Worm Fiddlin’ Contest. Robert Fowler Memorial Park offers Geneva residents picnicking and recreational opportunities and is home to the Constitution Oak, which is thought to be among the largest live oaks in the world with a spread of 175 feet and a height of 75 feet.
Community Website, ,517 S Commerce Street, Geneva, AL | 334-684-2485