Known as "The Fountain City" because of free-flowing Artesian Wells throughout the city, Prattville lies along the Fall Line of Autauga Creek, surrounded by timbered hillsides. In the 1830s as westward movement poured settlers into the new state of Alabama, fertile farmland became available for growing cotton. Daniel Pratt brought cotton gin manufacturing from Georgia to meet the new demand and became through time the world's foremost producer of cotton gins, earning Prattville the distinction of "Birthplace of Industry in Alabama." Pratt brought in mechanical, industrial, and business leadership from his native New England, establishing multiple industries to support the needs of the growing town. Land was set aside for schools, churches shops, and homes along the Creek. Rather than building around a central square as typical of Southern towns, Prattville developed along the banks of the Autauga Creek, earning it a new distinction: "New England Village of the South."
By 1860, Prattville had a population of 1500 people, most of whom worked in the factories and supporting businesses. It boasted 4 churches, 2 schools, a public library, a Town Hall, medical doctors, and attorneys. Incorporated on August 8, 1865, present day Prattville features the Daniel Pratt History District, listed on the National Record of Historic Places with some sites predating the Civil War.