Cullman was founded by Col. Johann Gottfried Cullmann, a German refugee from Frankweiler (which was then Bavaria) who came to America in 1866. While working at a bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio, he began formulating ideas of a special colony of working people – specifically a place for immigrants from countries such as his native Germany. He read about the vast unsettled lands in the South, and bought passage on a boat to Florence, Alabama. There he met with Governor Patton and presented his idea. The Governor furnished men and horses for him to explore available lands in North Alabama.

He finally met with Lewis Fink, the land agent for the great South-North Railroad (later the L&N), which had just built a line through the wilderness from Decatur to Montgomery, After a careful survey, he contracted with the railroad for 349,000 acres with the stipulation that Col. Cullmann would pay for all advertising of the land and other expenses incurred in bringing the desired immigrants to the area. Col. Cullmann found the area to be perfect for his dream colony.

Cullmann then went back north and began to advertise for colonists. In April of 1873, the first five families came by train to the spot where Cullman now stands. Each was allotted a plot of ground. The colony quickly grew, with American citizens and German immigrants moving to the area.

In the middle of 1874, an election was held to incorporate the town. With thirty votes cast, there were twenty-three for incorporation and seven against. It was also decided that the town would be called “Cullman” after its founder, but with only one “n.”

At that time, the Cullman area was part of Blount, Winston, Morgan, and Walker counties. A movement was started in 1876 to create a new county, but the idea was met with opposition from the other counties. In that day, an area was required to have a population of more than 9,500 before it could be considered for the creation of a new county. With the population requirement being met, Cullman County was formed in 1877 by the state legislature.

For the next twenty years, Col. Cullmann was instrumental in the growth of Cullman and Cullman County. He would bring in groups of settlers, sell them land, and then use that money to send back to Germany for more settlers. Between 1871 and 1895, Col. Cullmann brought more than 100,000 immigrants to the South from Europe and other parts of the United States.

For more about Cullman’s unique history and German heritage, visit our Cullman County Museum site or call the Museum at 1-800-533-1258.

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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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