Editing Newton, Alabama (section)

==History==
[[Image:Civil War Monument.jpg|thumb|left|Civil War Monument in Newton, Alabama]]
Newton was founded in 1843 after the formation of [[Coffee County, Alabama|Coffee County]] from Dale County's western half, which rendered the original county seat of [[Daleville, Alabama|Daleville]] off-center.  The town was a scene for [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] recruiting during the [[U.S. Civil War|Civil War]], and was the site of a [[Battle of Newton (Alabama)|battle]] in March 1865 between local [[Confederate Home Guard|Home Guard]] troops and elements of the 1st Florida Cavalry (US) operating out of [[Florida]].  The Federals were led by [[Joseph G. Sanders|Joseph Sanders]], a Dale County resident who had previously been a captain in the 31st Georgia Infantry, but had later switched sides and joined the Federals.  Seeking to burn the county courthouse, the attackers were repulsed when local troops ambushed their column as they entered the town.  This event is commemorated by a [[monument]] located in downtown Newton, and by annual re-enactments.<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=20167799&title=Civil+War+groups+to+bring+history+to+life+in+Newton&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Daleville%2FDale+News&CATEGORYID=418 Civil War Groups to Bring History to Life in Newton] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608043000/http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=20167799&title=Civil+War+groups+to+bring+history+to+life+in+Newton&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Daleville%2FDale+News&CATEGORYID=418 |date=June 8, 2011 }}. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.battleofnewton.org/ Battle of Newton website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609185127/http://www.battleofnewton.org/ |date=June 9, 2013 }}.</ref>

On December 3, 1864, a local [[Methodist]] minister named [[Bill Sketoe]] was lynched just north of Newton by local Home Guardsmen led by Captain Joseph Brear.  Since Sketoe was tall, a hole had to be dug beneath his feet to accommodate his large frame.  Local legend insists that "the hole that won't stay filled" never vanished—even after being filled in numerous times during the years that followed.  Though covered in 1979 by a new bridge and tons of [[rip-rap]], "Sketoe's hole" remains a local attraction,<ref>[http://homepage.mac.com/katwhiskers/iblog/B1938900754/C871611634/E1619713658/index.html The Hanging of Bill Sketoe]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.</ref>  and was documented by Alabama writer [[Kathryn Tucker Windham]] in ''[[13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey|13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey]]''.<ref>Windham, Katheryn Tucker: ''13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey''.  Strode Publishers, 1969. {{ISBN|978-0-8173-0376-1}}.</ref>  A monument to Sketoe was dedicated near the hanging site in 2006,<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=17383910&title=Sketoe+tale+memorialized&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Top+Stories&CATEGORYID=410 Sketoe Tale Memorialized] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608043030/http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=17383910&title=Sketoe+tale+memorialized&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Top+Stories&CATEGORYID=410 |date=June 8, 2011 }}. Retrieved on April 30, 2009.</ref> and the local museum displays items of Sketoe memorabilia.<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=20127513&title=Historic+building+serves+new+purpose+as+town+hall&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Daleville%2FDale+News&CATEGORYID=418 Historic Building Serves New Purpose as Town Hall] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608043130/http://www.zwire.com/news/newsstory.cfm?newsid=20127513&title=Historic+building+serves+new+purpose+as+town+hall&BRD=1145&PAG=461&CATNAME=Daleville%2FDale+News&CATEGORYID=418 |date=June 8, 2011 }}.  Retrieved on May 1, 2009.</ref>

Following a fire which destroyed the courthouse in March 1869, and the formation of [[Geneva County, Alabama|Geneva County]] in 1870 from the southern third of Dale and Coffee Counties, voters relocated the county seat to Ozark, which was more centralized.

''[[The Southern Star (Alabama)|The Southern Star]]'', one of the oldest newspapers in the [[Wiregrass Region|Wiregrass area]], was first published in Newton in 1867. It later relocated to Ozark, where it continues to be published today. Newton remained a port for river boats on the nearby Choctawhatchee, until the  [[railroad]] arrived in 1890. The Baptist Collegiate Institute operated in the city from 1898 to 1929; its main building now houses the city's public library.