Editing Alapaha, Georgia (section)

===Indian presence and early settlement===
The [[Smithsonian Institution]] documented the presence of an Indian mound near Alapaha in 1886: "The Alapaha mound is situated {{convert|5|mi|km}} northeast of the town of Alapaha, on Alapaha River, on lot of land No. 328, fifth district of Berrien County, Georgia. It is {{convert|38|ft|m}} across, {{convert|6|ft|m}} above the level, and somewhat oval in shape. In the center of the mound was a burial vault {{convert|6|ft|m}} deep, {{convert|3|ft|m}} wide, and {{convert|6|ft|m}} long, north and south. Two bodies were deposited in this vault with the heads pointing south." It is possible that these remains became part of the Smithsonian collection, as was typical of its archaeological expeditions at the time.<ref>William J. Taylor, "Mounds in Berrien County, Georgia," ''Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution'', Washington:  Holyell Press, 1886, p. 57-58.</ref> This source also gives the location and contents of two other Berrien County mounds south of Nashville, the Withlacoochee mound, and the French Ferry mound.

Early European settlers were primarily Highland Scots [[Methodist]] or [[Primitive Baptist]], representing two socio-economic classes, "Jeffersonian yeomen" and a "squirearchy," two distinct divisions of landed farmers created by the [[1820 Land Lottery|Georgia Land Lottery of 1820]]. Between 1820 and 1840, agriculture was principally sheep and cattle herding.<ref name="Malone, p.">Malone, p.</ref> With the advent of railroad expansion in the 1830s a sizeable population of Irish Catholic laborers settled in and around the lower Alapaha River, eventually leading to the establishment of St. Anne's Catholic church there.<ref>Mark V. Wetherington, ''Plain Folks' Fight:  The Civil War and Reconstruction in Piney Woods Georgia''.  Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 2005, p. 41</ref>  Brushy Creek Primitive Baptist Church, originally in Irwin County, figured prominently in local affairs up to and after the Civil War. The Primitive Baptists often opposed the Methodist program of "benevolence" toward less fortunate citizens.<ref>Wetherington, p. 63</ref>

The town of Alapaha was established as a depot on the route of the [[Brunswick and Albany Railroad]] near where a road leading from [[Nashville, Georgia]] to Edenfield, Georgia crossed the [[Alapaha River]]. Early railroad maps refer to it as "Alapaha Station." It was in existence by at least 1874.