In 1843, local resident John H. Alexander discovered a shield and pair of copper scales while plowing his fields.

The shield was engraved with the word "Hispana," which most historians have recognized as evidence that Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto likely passed through Pickens County.

Local legend claims that De Soto and his men spent a winter on the hill where Ethelsville Baptist Church stands.

[4] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2), all land.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49 people, 52 households, and 42 families residing in the town.