Anniston, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, is the seat for Calhoun County. The city was named after Annie Scott Tyler, the daughter-in-law of General Daniel Tyler, one of Anniston’s founders.

Many of Alabama’s older cities were built on the water, which was an essential element of early transportation. Anniston was not founded until railroads had begun to replace water as the most important means of shipping products, so navigable water was not necessary. It was also established after the Civil War, so slavery was not part of its heritage.