Lamar County was created by the Alabama legislature on 1867 Feb. 4, and was originally named Jones County after E.P. Jones, a resident of Fayette County. On 1867 Nov. 13, the county was abolished. On 1868 Oct. 8, the county was re-created under the name of Sanford County. On 1877 Feb. 8, the name was changed to Lamar in honor of Senator L.Q.C. Lamar of Mississippi. Lamar County is bordered by Marion, Fayette, and Pickens counties in Alabama, and by Lowndes and Monroe counties in Mississippi. It currently encompasses 605 square miles. The county is drained by the Tombigbee River. In 1866, the community known as Swayne courthouse, named for Gen. Wager Swayne, military governor of the Chattahoochee District of the state, was designated as the county seat. In 1868 the name was changed to Vernon, after Edmund Vernon, an immigrant from Vernon, England. Other towns and communities include Sulligent, Beaverton, and Millport.

Lamar County was closed the day we visited so all we could get was a picture of the sign at the county line.  OK, not really. We were being lazy and didn't take the time to drive deeper in the county to look for a better photo opportunity.

Click here to return to the 2008 Alabama Counties Tour index.