Eva is located at the intersection of Alabama Highways 35 and 55, nine miles east of Interstate 65 (Falkville–Eva Exit 322) and nine miles north of Cullman. Its location near the interstate gives residents easy access to Hartselle, Decatur, Huntsville, Cullman, and Birmingham. The town sits on the high plateau of Brindlee Mountain in the southeastern part of Morgan County.
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The community was first settled in 1820 and was originally known as Cowhead. At that time, the population was about 170 and farming was the main source of income. In those early years the town had a buggy shop, gas station, cotton gin, and a restaurant.
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The naming of the town has two well-known stories. Many old timers claim the community was named for the wife or daughter of its first postmaster, William J. Rook, who began a post office in 1887 under the name Cowhead. The post office closed after a month and later re-opened under the name Eva, which some say was in honor of Rook’s wife or daughter.

Another version, passed down by Ora Keller Holmes, theyoungest daughter of Dr. Louis M. Keller, tells it differently. According toMrs. Holmes, on October 3, 1883, her father delivered a baby girl named EvaHowell. That same evening, Wiley Stewart, a prominent businessman who owned alarge sawmill and commissary, called a meeting to select a name for the town inorder to obtain a post office. When Dr. Keller arrived late to the meeting,Stewart asked him for a suggestion. Dr. Keller replied that he had justdelivered a fine baby girl named Eva, and since the baby and the town were“coming in at the same time,” why not name the town Eva. This version placesthe town’s naming four years earlier than the Rook story. Either way, residentsagree they are thankful the community did not keep the name Cowhead.

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Eva was incorporated in 1963 with 170 inhabitants. Mr. Shorty Ryan was elected the first mayor and served until his death. Following his passing, a new mayor was elected and continues in office to this day. At the time of incorporation the population was 170, and by the 2000 Census Eva had 491 residents. Today the town has grown to approximately 550.Over the years Eva has developed into a thriving community.

More than 30 businesses now operate within the town, including restaurants, banks, a supermarket, a hardware and building supply store, a seed and feedstore, a florist, and several antiques shops. The town also has a medical and dental clinic, a post office, six churches, two restaurants, and a library that houses thousands of books and serves as a hub for community events. A new school building was constructed in 2005–06 and today serves about 300 students and teachers.

Eva hosts the annual Frontier Days festival. The week of festivities includes singing, a beauty pageant, cooking and baking contests, and concludes on the last Saturday of September. Large crowds gather for a parade featuring bands, horses, motorcycles, antique cars, and tractors. Craftsmen display their skills, and one of the highlights is the hayride, which was listed in the Guinness Book of Records in 2007 as the world’s largest hayride.

From its humble beginnings as Cowhead to its present day as a growing small town, Eva has always lived up to its motto:

‍The Little Town with a Big Heart.