Theories abound over how Monroe County's Goodway community originally received its name

Sowell Old Field Cemetery in Goodway, Alabama.

One of the nicest communities in South Monroe County is the old Goodway community between Frisco City and Uriah.

I was out riding around the other day, found myself passing through Goodway and decided to take a few minutes to check out some of the community’s major landmarks. For those of you unfamiliar with this part of Monroe County, “downtown” Goodway is located along the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway at the intersection of Main Street and Turkey Hollow Road. Down the railroad tracks, Goodway is about seven miles south of Frisco City.

There is much debate over how Goodway got its name. According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, the name is “subjectively descriptive of the roads leading to its main buildings.” Others say that the community was named after a railroad official, but local historian Steve Stacey says that the name originates from a comment made by former Alabama Governor William D. Brandon, who while passing through the area said that “this is a good way to go to Mobile.”

Goodway hit a major growth spurt over a century ago when the railroad through the community was completed in the 1890s. A post office was established there in 1904 and remained in operation on into the 1980s. Over the years, the community has also supported a couple of stores, and a large school was also once located in Goodway.

Major landmarks in Goodway today include the Goodway Volunteer Fire Station, the Goodway Baptist Church, the Goodway Assembly of God and the Latter-Day Saints Church. Those who have been to Goodway before will know that this area is also surrounded by large farms, and it’s not uncommon to see large tractors and other machinery moving about the fields and along the roads in Goodway. Many times in the past, the first open cotton boll of the season in Monroe County has been reported out of the Goodway community.

While in Goodway, I also took a few minutes to check out the Sowell Old Field Cemetery, which is one of the largest cemeteries in this part of the county. Just eyeballing it, I’d say that there are around 400 graves in this large cemetery. Sources say that the name of the cemetery harkens back to a man named James Sowell, who purchased land in what would become Goodway in 1824, just five years after Alabama became a state.

The oldest headstone that I could find during my walk through the Sowell Old Field Cemetery was the grave of James Monroe Castillow. Sources say that he was born around 1830 and died in 1884. His headstone bears the following inscription: Father, Let Thy Grace Be Given That We May Meet In Heaven.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about the history of Goodway. I’m especially interested in any old ghost stories, local legends or Indian tales from this area. My feeling is that longtime residents of this area will have much to share about the history of Goodway.