Wilton
Location
Wilton is located in the south western section of the County and approximately 40 miles south of Birmingham. The town was incorporated in 1918.
History
Before Wilton received its present name around the turn of the century it had been known by no less than seven different names since the area was first homesteaded in the early 1800's. Having been known primarily as a railroad town, it is assumed the community was named after Wilton, England, which is also a railroad center. An 1856 timetable of the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad lists it simply as Woods.
Tram lines built in 1850 enabled coal from the mines in Aldrich to be hauled to the railroad and loaded on cars of this time. The town became known as Junction in 1872 which was later changed to Birmingham Junction in 1889 when the tracks of the Selma, Rome and Dalton Railroad and the Brierfield, Blocton and Birmingham Railroad came through. The town was next called Bismarck after the German chancellor. During World War I the name became unpopular and was changed to Catoosa after a town in Georgia.
Wilton is served by The Shelby County Chamber.