Cullman’s Origins

Cullman was founded by Col. Johann Gottfried Cullmann, a German refugee from Frankweiler (then part of Bavaria) who immigrated to the United States in 1866. While working in a Cincinnati bookstore, he developed a vision for establishing a new community in America—a place where hardworking immigrants, especially those from Germany, could build new lives. Reading about the vast unsettled lands of the South, he traveled to Florence, Alabama, where he discussed his plan with Governor Robert M. Patton. The Governor provided resources to help him survey land throughout North Alabama.

During his search, Cullmann met Lewis Fink, land agent for the South–North Railroad (later the L&N). The railroad had recently built a line through the largely undeveloped area between Decatur and Montgomery. After surveying the region, Cullmann contracted with the railroad for 349,000 acres, agreeing to cover all advertising and related costs for attracting settlers to the new colony. He found the area ideally suited to his vision.

Settlement and Incorporation

Cullmann returned north to recruit colonists, and in April 1873, the first five families arrived by train to the site where the City of Cullman stands today. Each family received an allotment of land, and additional settlers—both German immigrants and American citizens—quickly followed.

By mid-1874, the community had grown enough to hold an incorporation election. Of the thirty votes cast, twenty-three favored incorporation and seven opposed it. The new town was named “Cullman” in honor of its founder, adopting the single-“n” spelling used today.

At the time, the area now known as Cullman County included portions of Blount, Winston, Morgan, and Walker counties. A movement began in 1876 to establish a new county, though the effort initially met resistance. State law required a minimum population of 9,500 for county formation, a threshold ultimately reached. In 1877, the Alabama Legislature officially created Cullman County.

Growth of the Colony

For the next two decades, Col. Cullmann remained a driving force behind the development of both the town and county. He continued to recruit settlers, selling them land and using the proceeds to fund additional recruitment efforts. Between 1871 and 1895, he brought more than 100,000 immigrants to the South from Europe and other parts of the United States, leaving a lasting imprint on the region’s culture and identity.

Visit the Cullman County Museum.

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Mayors of the City of Cullman

TERM OF OFFICE = 1 YEAR

1^st Mayor  |  1874-1874  |  Fred Betz                               

2^nd Mayor  |  1874-1875  |  Thomas C. Wilhite                

3^rd Mayor  |  1875-1876  |  Charles A. Beckert                

4^th Mayor  |  1876-1877  |  Gottfried A. Prinz (1^st of 2 Split Terms)

5^th Mayor  |  1877-1878  |  John Langhoff                       

6^th Mayor  |  1878-1879  |  Gottfried A. Prinz (2^nd of 2 Split Terms)

7^th Mayor   |  1879-1879  |  Julius Damus (Resigned to become Circuit Clerk)

8^th Mayor  |  1879-1880  |  Asa Brindley Hays                

9^th Mayor  |  1880-1881  |  N. Mashina                            

10^th Mayor  |  1881-1882  |  John Eisheimer                                 

11^th Mayor  |  1882-1885  |  H.L. Watlington                                 

12^th Mayor  |  1885-1886  |  Charles Plato                         

13^th Mayor  |  1886-1887  |  G.P. Fruhauff                                     

14^th Mayor  |  1887-1889  |  Samuel H. Herrin                  

TERM OF OFFICE CHANGED TO 2 YEARS IN 1890

15^th Mayor  |  1889-1896  |  George H. Parker (1^st of 2 Split Terms)

16^th Mayor  |  1896-1900  |  John F. Beyer                        

TERM OF OFFICE CHANGED TO 4 YEARS IN 1900

17^th Mayor  |  1900-1903  |  George H. Parker (2^nd of 2 Split Terms)

18^th Mayor  |  1903-1910  |  George J. Beyer                                 

19^th Mayor  |  1910-1932  |  Maurice Lindon Robertson 

20^th Mayor  |  1932-1948  |  John A. Dunlap

21^st Mayor  |  1948-1956  |  William J. Nesmith (1^st of 2 Split Terms)

22^nd Mayor  |  1956-1960  |  J.W. Arnold                                                                

23^rd Mayor  |  1960-1964  |  William R. Griffin

24^th Mayor  |  1964-1976  |  William J. Nesmith (2^nd of 2 Split Terms)

25^th Mayor  |  1976-1984  |  Robert McGukin                   

26^th Mayor  |  1984-1988  |  Jack K. Sides (1^st of 2 Split Terms)

27^th Mayor  |  1988-1992  |  Therman Murphree 

28^th Mayor  |  1992-2000  |  Jack K. Sides (2^nd of 2 Split Terms)

29^th Mayor  |  2000-2008  |  Donald E. Green

30^th Mayor  |  2008-2016  |  Max A. Townson

31^st Mayor  |  2016-Present  |  Woody Jacobs

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Historical Photos  |  Founder, Col. Cullmann  |  About Us