historic village, Dallas county, southwest-central Alabama, U.S. It lies at the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama (Alabama River) rivers, 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Selma. Founded in 1819 as the first capital of Alabama, Cahaba thrived until floods forced the state government to move to Tuscaloosa in 1826. The site of a Confederate prison camp during the American Civil War, Cahaba remained the seat of Dallas county until it was replaced by Selma in 1865. Only ruins of the original buildings remain, but the area is now preserved as Old Cahawba Archaeological Park. The Cahawba Festival is held in May.