Editing Cordova, Alabama (section)

==History==
Cordova was originally a settlement on the [[Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River]] called "Dent" or "Dent's Place." The city was dubbed "Cordova" by Captain Benjamin M. Long in 1859. He named the city after a [[Córdoba, Mexico|city in Mexico]] where he was stationed during the [[Mexican–American War]]. Long himself opened a mercantile shop in the city and helped lure other industries into the city by providing the land necessary for their operations.

The company that had the biggest impact on the city was Nashua Manufacturing Company out of [[Nashua, New Hampshire]], who brought in the Indian Head Textile Mills. The mill brought with it many jobs, and as was customary of the day, its own village. The company built over 100 houses in the city, many of which are still standing, and occupied today. The company even built the Indian Head school on the site of present-day "Cordova Health and Rehabilitation Center." The mill helped to bring two major railways to the city,<ref name=USAT/> which at the time helped connect the city to much of the surrounding area. The mill eventually became its own "town" and even had its own separate police force.

Indian Head Mills was one of the most highly awarded [[textile mill]]s during World War II. Their products were found to be above all standards set forth by the government by the War Department. The Mill was referred to by the residents as the Cordova Spinners.

The same way the mill shaped the city around the turn of the 20th century, it also shaped it upon its closing in the middle of the century, after 1962.<ref name=USAT/> Over 800 workers lost jobs, the population declined, and industry slowed, while neighboring [[Jasper, Alabama|Jasper]] took a strong hold on the county seat as the largest city in the county.

===Present-day Cordova===
[[File:Cordova, Alabama (2011).jpg|thumb|right|Main Street in 2001, prior to the tornadoes]]
With access to the [[Gulf of Mexico]] via the Warrior and [[Alabama River]]s, two major railways ([[Burlington Northern Santa Fe]] and [[Norfolk Southern]]), [[Interstate 22]], and the recent addition of BAE Systems, the city is hoping for economic growth.

[[Gilchrist House (Cordova, Alabama)|Gilchrist House]], located near Cordova, is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Alabama#Walker County|National Register of Historic Places]].

===2011 tornadoes===
{{Main|2011 Central Alabama tornado}}
On [[2011 Super Outbreak|April 27, 2011]], an [[Enhanced Fujita Scale|EF3]] tornado tore through the city in the early hours of the morning, and the city was hit by an EF4 tornado in the afternoon near 5 pm.<ref name="USAT">{{cite web |title=Left with tornado damage, Ala. town blaming FEMA |website=USA Today |agency=AP |location=Cordova, Ala. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/19/tornado-damage-alabama-fema/1713775/ |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=June 5, 2017 |archive-date=April 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428183650/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/19/tornado-damage-alabama-fema/1713775/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=wea/> The afternoon tornado cut a {{convert|1/2|mi|km|adj=on|frac=5}} swath through downtown.<ref name=wea/> It destroyed the majority of the historic downtown district,<ref name=wea/> including the city hall, police station, fire station, the old Tallulah Hotel, [[Piggly Wiggly]] grocer, People's Bank, and damaged the majority of the central business district beyond repair. The Long Memorial United Methodist Church was also heavily damaged, which had sheltered nearby residents in the basement during the tornado.<ref name="wea">{{cite web |title=Cordova Tornado - April 27, 2011 |website=weather.com |agency=National Weather Service |url=http://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_04272011cordova |date=June 2011 |access-date=June 4, 2017 |archive-date=May 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530085957/http://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_04272011cordova |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cordova, Alabama, tornado victim died after being turned away from church shelter, her son says |website=Blog.al.com |author=Robin DeMonia, The Birmingham News |url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/06/cordova_alabama_tornado_victim.html |date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=June 6, 2017 |archive-date=July 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703161008/http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/06/cordova_alabama_tornado_victim.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The city has completed the following recovery projects since the 2011 tornadoes; $1.5 million Piggly Wiggly grocery store, $3.7 million city hall & police station, $2.4 million sewer treatment plant, $1.5 million utility line replacement, and are currently completing a $250,000 fire-station remodel.

===2012 Cordova rock burst===
On November 19, 2012, Cordova was hit by a minor [[rock burst]] that had a [[body wave magnitude]] of 2.6. The [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli intensity]] was estimated at II–III (''Weak'') in Cordova. It was felt throughout Alabama and the Southern United States, up to {{convert|500|mi|km}} from the epicenter. By comparison, a magnitude 3.6 event on the West Coast would not be felt {{convert|200|mi|km}} from the epicenter.<ref>{{cite web |title=M2.6 - 12km SW of Cordova Alabama |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us2012idav |publisher=USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |access-date=November 24, 2012 |archive-date=November 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127193101/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us2012idav |url-status=live }}</ref>