Alexandria (Louisiana) city in central Louisiana, seat of Rapides Parish, on the Red River, opposite Pineville. It is the transportation and processing center of a region in which timber, livestock, cotton, sugarcane, and soybeans are produced. Manufactures include toiletries, industrial valves, and forest products. Louisiana State University at Alexandria (1960) is here, and Louisiana College (1906) is in Pineville. Named for the daughter of the merchant and landowner who subdivided land here in 1805, Alexandria was almost completely destroyed by Union troops in 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), but was rebuilt. It was incorporated in 1882. By about 1900, Alexandria had become a prosperous timber-processing and trade center. Population 51,565 (1980); 49,188 (1990); 46,051 (1996 estimate).

Alton, city in Madison County, in southwestern Illinois, on the Mississippi River, near its confluence with the Missouri River. Flour has been milled in the area since 1831, and the city's large glassmaking industry dates from 1873. Other manufactures include ammunition, refined oil, glass, paper, clothing, plastics, and steel products.

White settlement of the area began in 1817, when Rufus Easton, a judge and politician, platted the city near the site of the first camp of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; he named it for his son Alton. The city was incorporated in 1837. The abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy was killed in Alton in 1837 while trying to defend his newspaper printing presses from proslavery mobs, and in 1858 the city was the site of the last debate on slavery between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, then candidates for the United States Senate. The state's first penitentiary (partly preserved as a museum) was in Alton; during the American Civil War (1861-1865) it housed thousands of Confederate prisoners. Alton was badly damaged by the great floods of 1993. Population 34,171 (1980); 32,905 (1990); 31,562 (1996 estimate).

Bowling Green (Kentucky), city, seat of Warren County, south central Kentucky, on the Barren River; settled 1780, incorporated 1810. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing center situated in a crop-farming, livestock-raising, and dairying region; major manufactures include textiles, motor-vehicle parts, and machinery. Western Kentucky University (1906) is here. During the American Civil War, the community served as the Confederate capital of Kentucky from 1861 to 1862, when Union troops forced a retreat. Population 40,450 (1980); 40,641 (1990); 44,208 (1996 estimate).

Cairo (Illinois), city in extreme southern Illinois, at the convergence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Cairo is the seat of Alexander County. Located in a cotton-growing region, the city is a shipping and trade center. It was named for its supposed geographic similarity to the setting of Cairo, Egypt. Founded by white settlers in 1837 and incorporated in 1857, Cairo profited by the coming of the railroad in 1855 and as a major Union supply base during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Its economy subsequently declined. Population 5,931 (1980); 4,846 (1990); 4,496 (1996 estimate).

Camden (South Carolina), city, seat of Kershaw County, central South Carolina; settled 1730s, incorporated 1791. Camden is an important horse-training center and a winter resort; manufactures include textiles and cotton products. During the American Revolution, the British held Camden (1780-1781); they repelled the Americans at the Battle of Camden (August 1780), fought on a site adjacent to the present city, but evacuated the community after suffering heavy losses at nearby Hobkirk Hill in April 1781. The city was an important Confederate supply base during the American Civil War. Camden is named for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, a British jurist who championed colonial rights. Population 7,462 (1980); 6,696 (1990); 6,330 (1996 estimate).

Chambersburg, borough, seat of Franklin County, southern Pennsylvania; settled in the 1730's, incorporated 1803. It is an industrial hub located in a rich agricultural area; manufactures include clothing, machinery, containers, construction equipment, and processed food. Wilson College (1869) is here. During the American Civil War, Confederate cavalry burned the community in 1864, when its citizens refused to pay an indemnity. Several historic structures, however, have survived. The borough is named for its founder, Benjamin Chambers. Population 16,174 (1980); 16,647 (1990); 17,202 (1996 estimate).

Clarksburg, city, seat of Harrison County, northern West Virginia, on the West Fork of the Monongahela River; incorporated as a city 1921. The city is a commercial, manufacturing, and shipping center for an area producing coal, petroleum, natural gas, and livestock. Glass and glass products are manufactured. A junior college is here. The community, settled in 1765, is named for the explorer George Rogers Clark. Clarksburg is the birthplace of the Confederate general Stonewall Jackson and served as a Union supply base during the American Civil War. Population 22,371 (1980); 18,059 (1990); 17,410 (1996 estimate).

Decatur (Alabama), industrial city, seat of Morgan County, northern Alabama, a port on the Tennessee River; incorporated 1826. Manufactures include chemicals, refrigerators, and automotive parts. Agriculture and processed agricultural commodities are also important. A community college is here. Nearby is a large nuclear power plant operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The community was established in 1820, as a memorial to the American naval officer Stephen Decatur, on the site of a small settlement, Rhodes Ferry. After the arrival of the railroad in 1833, Decatur became a major cotton-shipping center. The city was severely damaged during the American Civil War. Only four buildings were left standing, including the Old State Bank (1833), the oldest bank building in Alabama. Population 42,002 (1980); 48,761 (1990); 53,797 (1996 estimate).

Eagle Pass, city, seat of Maverick County, southwestern Texas, on the Río Grande, opposite Piedras Negras, Mexico; incorporated 1908. The city is a port of entry, a tourist center, and a commercial hub for an agricultural area. In 1849, Fort Duncan was built here, near the site known as El Paso de Águila ("eagle pass"). During the American Civil War, Confederate troops occupied the fort, which later housed many U.S. soldiers at the time of the Mexican Revolution (1910-20). Population 21,407 (1980); 20,651 (1990); 27,554 (1996 estimate).

East Point, city, Fulton County, northwestern Georgia, near the Chattahoochee River, an industrial suburb of Atlanta; incorporated 1887. Manufactures include textiles, fertilizer, metal and paper products, and machinery. Atlanta Christian College (1937) is here. The community was established as the eastern terminus (hence its name) of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, completed in 1853. During the American Civil War it was a strategic point for Confederate forces defending Atlanta. Population 37,486 (1980); 34,402 (1990); 34,155 (1996 estimate).

Elmira, city, seat of Chemung County, southern New York, on the Chemung River; incorporated as a city 1864. It is a manufacturing, commercial, and transportation center; major products include motor-vehicle and aircraft parts, glass, tools, subway and rail cars, hydrants, valves, packaging materials, and iron and steel items. Elmira College (1855), the Elmira Correctional Facility (1876), the Arnot Art Museum, the National Soaring Museum (housing a collection of motorless aircraft), and the grave of American writer Mark Twain are here. Nearby is a monument to the American Revolution general John Sullivan, marking the site of the Battle of Newtown (1779). In the battle, U.S. troops under General Sullivan defeated British and Native American forces led by Sir John Johnson and the Mohawk chief Joseph Brant. The first permanent settlement here was established in 1790. Originally incorporated as the village of Newtown in 1815, the settlement was renamed Elmira in 1828. Its main economic growth began in the 1850s. During the American Civil War, a large camp for Confederate prisoners was here. In 1972 the city was damaged by river flooding. Population 35,327 (1980); 33,724 (1990); 32,009 (1996 estimate).

Fayetteville (Arkansas), city, seat of Washington County, northwestern Arkansas, in the Ozark Mountains; settled 1828, incorporated as a city 1906. It is an industrial and distribution center situated in a rich agricultural region; major manufactures include processed food, clothing, wood and metal products, electronic equipment, and sporting goods. Fayetteville is the site of the University of Arkansas (1871). The settlement, first called Washington Court House, was renamed in 1829 for Fayetteville, Tennessee. The American Civil War battles of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove were fought nearby in 1862, and the Battle of Fayetteville occurred here in 1863. Population 36,608 (1980); 42,099 (1990); 52,360 (1996 estimate).

Fayetteville (North Carolina), city, seat of Cumberland County, south central North Carolina, at the head of navigation on the Cape Fear River; incorporated as a city 1893. The city serves as a marketing and distribution center for a timber-producing and farming region. Major manufactures include textiles, tires, electrical equipment, metal products, and chemicals and resins. The city is the site of Fayetteville State University (1867), Methodist College (1956), and a community college. Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base are nearby. The communities of Campbellton (settled 1739) and Cross Creek (1746) were merged in 1783 to form the town of Fayetteville, named for the marquis de Lafayette, the French general who aided the colonies during the American Revolution. The town served as the state capital from 1789 to 1793. In 1865, during the American Civil War, Union General William Sherman occupied the area. Population 59,507 (1980); 75,695 (1990); 79,631 (1996 estimate).

Franklin, city, seat of Williamson County, central Tennessee, on the Harpeth River. It is a suburb of Nashville with some light industry. O'More College of Design (1970) and a community college are here. Officially founded as the county seat in 1799, the community was the site of two American Civil War battles, including the important Battle of Franklin (November 30, 1864). Population 12,407 (1980); 20,098 (1990); 25,648 (1996 estimate).

Frederick (city, Maryland), city, seat of Frederick County, northwestern Maryland, on a tributary of the Monocacy River; settled by 1745, incorporated 1817. It is a trade and shipping center of a rich dairy-farming and corn- and wheat-growing region; manufactures include electrical and electronic equipment, control devices, biomedical products, hardware, and pumps. Hood College (1893), Maryland School for the Deaf (1867), and a U.S. Army research laboratory are here. The city has several churches dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner,"Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, and Barbara Fritchie, a devoted Unionist during the American Civil War, are buried in Frederick. In 1864, during the Civil War, Confederate General Jubal A. Early extracted a $200,000 ransom from the city before defeating Union forces at the Battle of Monocacy, which was fought nearby. Frederick probably is named for Frederick Calvert, 6th baron Baltimore. Population 28,086 (1980); 40,148 (1990); 46,227 (1996 estimate).

Fredericksburg, city, in (but administratively independent of) Spotsylvania County, northern Virginia, on the Rappahannock River; settled 1728, incorporated as a city 1879. It is a commercial hub of a livestock-raising and corn-growing area; manufactures include chemicals, motor vehicles, clothing, and wood products. Mary Washington College (1908) and several museums are here. Fredericksburg is also a tourist center, with many historic sites in and near the city. George Washington was born nearby, at Wakefield, the family estate, and many buildings associated with him have been preserved here. These include the lodge where he became a Mason; the home of his mother, Mary Washington; and Kenmore, the plantation house of his sister. Also of interest is the house of the naval hero John Paul Jones.

During the American Civil War, the Fredericksburg region, strategically located between Washington and Richmond, was the scene of fierce fighting. The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought here in December 1862, and the battles of Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse occurred nearby. Parts of these major battlefields are now in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park. The city is named for Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, father of George III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Population 15,322 (1980); 22,586 (1990).

Goldsboro, city, seat of Wayne County, eastern North Carolina, near the confluence of the Neuse and Little rivers; incorporated as a city 1881. Agriculture and diversified industry, including the manufacture of cotton, poultry, swine, and forestry products, form the economic base of the community. Goldsboro is also the site of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, two state mental health facilities, and a junior college. Herman Park Center, formerly the Odd Fellows Orphanage and Farm (1891-1971), and a state park offer nearby recreational opportunities. The community was settled in 1838 and grew rapidly after the arrival of the railroad in 1840. It was incorporated as a village and named in 1847 for Matthew T. Goldsborough, a railroad official; the name was shortened in 1881. The Battle of Bentonville, a Union victory and one of the last major engagements of the American Civil War, was fought nearby in March 1865. Population 31,871 (1980); 40,709 (1990); 40,801 (1996 estimate).

Lexington (Virginia), independent city, seat of (but not part of) Rockbridge County, west central Virginia, in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley; founded 1777, incorporated as a city 1966. A commercial and tourist center, it is also the site of Washington and Lee University (1749) and Virginia Military Institute (1839). Other points of interest here include the house and grave of Thomas J. ("Stonewall") Jackson, the burial crypt of Robert E. Lee, and the George C. Marshall Research Library; nearby is Natural Bridge. The city was damaged during the American Civil War. It is named for Lexington, Massachusetts. Population 7,292 (1980); 6,959 (1990); 7,164 (1996 estimate).

Martinsburg, city, seat of Berkeley County, northeastern West Virginia, in the Eastern Panhandle; incorporated as a city 1859. Situated in a region of dairy farms and fruit orchards, it is a commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center. Manufactures include glass and wood products, construction materials, clothing, processed food, and explosives. The city is also the location of several regional governmental facilities, such as the Internal Revenue Service Computing Center. Nearby is the Morgan Cabin of Torytown (built 1731-34, restored 1977), the home of West Virginia's first permanent non-Native American settler. Martinsburg, settled by the 1750s, was laid out in 1778 by Adam Stephen, an American Revolution military leader whose home here is now a museum. It is named for Thomas Bryan Martin, a nephew of Thomas Lord Fairfax, a proprietor of Virginia. Martinsburg enjoyed a boom during the construction (1837-43) of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and changed hands several times during the American Civil War. A violent strike by railroad employees took place here in 1877. Population 13,063 (1980); 14,073 (1990); 14,541 (1996 estimate).

Meridian (city, Mississippi), city in eastern Mississippi, seat of Lauderdale County. It is a commercial, manufacturing, transportation, and medical center in a region producing cattle and timber; products include electronic equipment, motor-vehicle parts, and clothing. A community college is here, as is a museum devoted to the country-music singer Jimmie Rodgers, whose grave is in the city. Okatibbee Reservoir and a naval air station are nearby. The area was first settled by whites in 1831. The community, founded at a rail junction in 1854, is probably named for Meridianville, Alabama. During the American Civil War it was used briefly in 1863 as the state capital and served as an industrial center for the Confederacy, with depots, hospitals, an arsenal, storehouses, and hotels. It was destroyed by Union troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman in early 1864. Population 46,577 (1980); 41,036 (1990); 40,835 (1996 estimate).