In 1805 on behalf of President Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of War William Henry Dearborn met with Chief William McIntosh to sign a treaty with the U.S. for a southern route into this new territory later to become the state of Alabama. The route became known as the Federal Road.

In 1813 General John Floyd, with 1000 troops and 300 friendly Indians, crossed the Chattahoochee River and built Fort Mitchell, named after the former Georgia Governor David B. Mitchell. Captain Jett Thomas, artillery commander, was left in charge of construction.

In 1813, General Floyd and troops fought the Battle of Autossee with 900 troops and 400 Indians. Later that year General Floyd and his troops attacked Indians at Calabee Creek and won with the help of Captain Jett Thomas and artillery cannon fire.

In 1821 Colonel John Crowell was appointed Indian Agent to the Creek Indian nation and established the Indian Trading Agency at Fort Mitchell.

In 1825 a second fort was built due to the need to contain troops for Indian uprisings in the area. Also in 1825, Major Donahoe with the 4th Infantry Regiment arrived to establish peace.

The same year, General Marquis de Lafayette of France was on a tour of the US and was invited by then-Governor Israel Pickens to visit the new statehood of Alabama. General Lafayette first stepped foot into Alabama on the east bank of the Chattahoochee River at Fort Mitchell.

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