Coatopa, Alabama

{{Short description|Unincorporated community in Alabama, United States}} {{Use American English|date=September 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement |official_name = Coatopa, Alabama |settlement_type = Unincorporated community |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_seal = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Alabama#USA |pushpin_label_position =  |pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of Alabama |pushpin_mapsize =250 |coordinates = {{coord|32|29|06|N|88|04|10|W|display=inline, title}} |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_name1 = Alabama |subdivision_name2 = Sumter |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_date = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_km2 = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_km2 = |area_water_sq_mi = |elevation_ft = 154 |elevation_m = 47 |population_as_of = |population_footnotes = |population_metro = |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |timezone = Central (CST) |utc_offset = -6 |timezone_DST = CDT |utc_offset_DST = -5 |postal_code_type = |postal_code = |area_codes = 205, 659 |blank_name = GNIS feature ID |blank_info = 116316<ref>{{cite gnis|116316|Coatopa}}</ref> |footnotes = |website = }} '''Coatopa''' is an unincorporated community in Sumter County, Alabama, United States.

==History== Coatopa was founded in 1847 by J. R. Larkins and was located on the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway.<ref>{{cite book |last=Foscue |first=Virginia |date=1989 |title=Place Names in Alabama |location=Tuscaloosa |publisher=The University of Alabama Press |page=37 |isbn=0-8173-0410-X }}</ref> The name Coatopa is derived from the Choctaw words ''koi'' meaning "panther," ''a'' meaning "there," and ''hotupa'' meaning "wounded."<ref>{{cite book |last=Read |first=William A. |date=1984 |title=Indian Place Names in Alabama |location=Tuscaloosa |publisher=The University of Alabama Press |page=22 |isbn=0-8173-0231-X }}</ref> A post office operated under the name Coatopa from 1866 to 1986.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=AL&county=Sumter | title=Sumter County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=5 March 2020}}</ref>

==Notable person== *Kelly Mitchell, Queen of the Gypsy Nation, died in Coatopa in 1915<ref name=jacob>{{cite news |url=https://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/queen-kelly-mitchell-a-slice-of-meridians-history/article_4c05f7f5-3739-5f8a-85e5-fd4a6d8924d1.html |newspaper=Meridian Star |accessdate=June 23, 2022 |title= Queen Kelly Mitchell; a slice of Meridian's history |first=Jennifer |last=Jacob |date=December 25, 2007}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Unincorporated communities in Alabama Category:Unincorporated communities in Sumter County, Alabama Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1847 Category:1847 establishments in Alabama Category:Alabama placenames of Native American origin