Place:Salem, Lee, Alabama, United States

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NameSalem
TypeCommunity
Coordinates32.583°N 85.233°W
Located inLee, Alabama, United States
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Salem is an unincorporated community east-centrally located in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It lies along U.S. Routes 280 and 431 between Opelika and Phenix City. It is part of the Auburn Metropolitan Area.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Salem was first settled in 1835, and grew rapidly for the next two decades. Salem incorporated in 1846 and quickly became one of the area's largest cities. However, a fire which engulfed the town in 1854 and the subsequent Civil War resulted in the collapse of the town's government, and rapid depopulation. Salem lost a bid to be the county seat of the newly formed Lee County in 1865, and then saw its charter become inactive in the following decades. Today, Salem is a small unincorporated community of a few hundred.

By the late 20th century Salem was the location of Lee County's only covered bridge, the Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge. A symbol of the area, the bridge was destroyed by a fallen tree following a storm in 2005. It was rebuilt in 2007 at Opelika Municipal Park in nearby Opelika.

A post office operating under the name Salem was first opened in 1839.

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