The history of the Muscle Shoals region, with an emphasis on Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama, is closely tied to the Tennessee River, settlement of the land, the natural resources and the people who were the entrepreneurs and leaders.

The geography of the northwest Alabama region called The Muscle Shoals is defined by a distinctive geography and settlement pattern.

Six types of soil are documented in Lauderdale and fifteen in Colbert Counties and were ‘very productive’ due to high limestone content. In addition, a good climate, abundant water, existing and potential transportation routes augmented the abundance of productive land.

American Indian influence on the shoals area has been documented as long ago as 10,000 B.C.  The Paleo culture dates from about 10,000 to 8,000 B.C., to be followed by the Archaic c. 5,000-3,000 B.C. and the Woodland 1,000 B.C. to A.D. which included the Copena period c.300 A.D. and the Mississippian culture from about 1,000-1,500.  C. 100-500 A.D. Florence’s Indian Mound was built by the Woodland Native Peoples.  Archaeological documentation includes artifacts at Dust Cave and the Indian Mound in Lauderdale County.

The Mississippian culture was based on intensive agriculture.  This agricultural society lived off the extensive production of maize, beans, squash, melons and rice.  Artifacts document fish hooks approximately 10,000 years old, and pre-Columbian shell middens.

Early land speculation included the establishment of the Tennessee Land Company, activities and purchases by Zachariah Coxe, between 1787 and 1795 to be followed by transactions between Chickasaw Chief George Colbert and the U S Government.