The Black Warrior River

The history of The Black Warrior River in Alabama starts at the extreme edge of the Appalachian Highlands, flows 178 miles into the Tombigbee River before heading for the Gulf of Mexico.

It is a deep swift river flanked with cliffs and swamps, surrounded by much fertile land and many lakes. The river falls 257’ before meeting the Tombigbee.

In 1540, Governor Hernando DeSoto, a wealthy Spanish explorer and conquistador of Pizarro’s Peru expedition, set out from Spain with 700 men to explore the Southeastern United States. In Alabama, DeSoto encountered this great river and had a difficult time crossing it because of the swamps. Here he met a great Indian chief, the Black Warrior, and fought his worst battle in what is now Tuscaloosa. The Black Warrior died and DeSoto and his men moved on to serendipitously discover the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The legendary stand of the Black Warrior remained.