History of Chickasaw
Our Story
From shipyard town to school system
In just over two years, the City of Chickasaw went from a council resolution to a complete K-12 school system of its own.
2010 – 2012
Building Chickasaw City Schools
Noteworthy was the short time it took for an entire school system to be formed. Chickasaw had three buildings, all elementary schools, with no middle or high school.
An entire school system, K-12, was formed and up and running in less than a few months.
A city decides
The City of Chickasaw passed a resolution to establish its own school system.
A board is born
The city passed a resolution to establish its own school board, and the City of Chickasaw Board of Education was born. Robert McFall was voted in as its first Board President.
Negotiating independence
Mr. McFall and Vice President Barry Broadhead were appointed to lead negotiations to separate Chickasaw from the Mobile County School System, joined by Mr. Paul Sousa, Mr. Charlie Wilcox and Mr. Bob Campbell. As negotiations began, it was discovered that the children of Chickasaw were scattered over 62 different schools in Mobile County.
The agreement is signed
The final agreement was signed, and the search began immediately to find a superintendent.
A first superintendent
Kyle Kallhoff was hired as the first Superintendent for the City of Chickasaw School System.
Doors open
The school year started with approximately 980 students — including 11 seniors in the first graduating class of 2013.
Before the schools
A city built around a shipyard
The area takes its name from Chickasha Bogue, the creek that runs through it. As World War I loomed, the Tennessee Coal and Iron Co. bought land along the deep waterway, drained the cypress swamp and built a planned town with homes for shipyard workers. Fourteen concrete ships were launched there before the shipyard closed after the Armistice.
In 1940 the yard was sold to Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., which built 76 cargo and naval vessels during World War II. After the war the village was sold and its houses went to individual owners, and on November 12, 1946, residents voted to incorporate.
Today Chickasaw is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Preserve America community.
City history and photos courtesy of the City of Chickasaw.