Gadsden began as a small stagecoach stop on the banks of the Coosa
River, where weary travelers could rest while traveling between
Jacksonville and Huntsville. Known as Double Springs, the small
settlement consisted of several log dwellings, a store, a school, and a
post office. In 1840, the coming of Gabriel Hughes and his wife,
Asenath, followed by Gabriel's brother Joseph Hughes, led to the
founding of a new town that would eventually grow into Gadsden. In the
days before and during World War II, new industry brought jobs to the
Gadsden Ordnance Plant and civilian jobs to Camp Sibert. Following the
end of the war, the area experienced a return to normalcy and a great
time of growth when Gadsden's fighting men returned home. Gadsden has
also been blessed with exceptional leadership over the years, which has
propelled it from a small village on the banks of the Coosa River to the
City of Champions and an All-America City.