Jacksonville, Alabama
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2011) |
| Jacksonville | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
 Jacksonville
|
|
| Coordinates: 33°48′57″N 85°45′38″W / 33.81583°N 85.76056°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Calhoun |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.3 sq mi (21.4 km2) |
| • Land | 8.3 sq mi (21.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 709 ft (216 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 12,548 |
| • Density | 1,012.5/sq mi (392.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 36265 |
| Area code(s) | 256 |
| FIPS code | 01-38272 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0159857 |
| Website | http://www.jacksonville-al.org/ |
Jacksonville is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. According to the 2010 Census the population is now 12,548 which is a 49% increase since 2000. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Jacksonville State University is located here, which is a center of commerce and one of the largest employers in the area.
Contents |
[edit] History
Jacksonville was founded in 1833 on land purchased from Creek Indian Chief "Du-Hoag" Ladiga. First called Drayton, it was renamed to honor President Andrew Jackson in 1834. There are a few Civil War monuments in town, including a statue of Major John Pelham in the city cemetery and a statue of Gen John H. Forney in the middle of the square. Jacksonville served as the county seat for Calhoun County until 1899 when it moved to Anniston. Jacksonville State University was founded here in 1883.
[edit] Geography
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, Jacksonville is located at 33°48'56.758" North, 85°45'37.681" West (33.815766, -85.760467)[1].
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21 km2), all of it land. Jacksonville is a beautiful, often foggy valley.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 8,404 people, 3,274 households, and 1,735 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,018.5 people per square mile (393.3/km²). There were 3,605 housing units at an average density of 436.9 per square mile (168.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.20% White, 20.18% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,274 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.6% under the age of 18, 31.4% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,726, and the median income for a family was $48,137. Males had a median income of $32,351 versus $22,534 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,035. About 13.0% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Transportation
Two Alabama state routes pass through Jacksonville:
[edit] Education
Jacksonville is the home of Jacksonville State University, a public, coeducational university with an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students. It offers degrees in business, communication, education, family sciences, liberal arts and sciences, nursing and technology in addition to continuing education programs. The university's campus is located a few blocks north of the square.
Jacksonville is also home to two public schools run by Jacksonville City Schools:
There are also two public schools located northwest of the city proper that serve the unincorporated communities of Pleasant Valley and Williams and are run by Calhoun County Schools:
- Pleasant Valley High School
- Pleasant Valley Elementary School
There is also a Christian school called Jacksonville Christian Academy (JCA) located within the city.
[edit] Restaurants & entertainment
Jacksonville is a minor center for the college bar activity in Northeast Alabama. Brother's Bar hosted unannounced Allman Brothers performances in the 1970s and is a popular venue for local musicians. Pelham's (formerly Fuller's, Gaterz, and the Galley Tavern) is another establishment JSU students often frequent. Pelham's is located on the southwest corner of the city square in the middle of town. Brother's Bar is just south of the square.
Other restaurant-style bars are scattered across town. These include:
- Cooter Brown's Rib Shack (located west of town on State Route 204)
- Jefferson's
- Struts
In addition to several fast-food chain restaurants, there are also a few local establishments of different tastes including:
- Baja California—a popular Mexican restaurant.
- Loco Mex - reported to have the best chips, salsa, and mango margaritas in town.
- Cecil's Place—Great for 50's-style ice cream desserts and hamburgers.
- Effina's Tuscan Grille (opened in 2008)
- Golden Dragon—a Chinese restaurant located on the square.
- Java Jolt (opened in early 2007)
- Rocket BBQ
- Roma's Pizza and Steak House
- Wake and Bake Pizza Company
- Village Inn
[edit] Media
Newspaper
- The Jacksonville News - Weekly, locally-owned newspaper.
- The Chanticleer - Student-run newspaper of Jacksonville State University.
Magazine
- House to House Heart to Heart - Bi-monthly Christian magazine distributed through Churches of Christ; circulation over 2 million circulation
Television
- WJXS TV 24 - Local news, sports and programming.
AM Radio
- WCHA Alabama 810 - Local news, sports and Classic Country music.
FM Radio
- WLJS 91.9 - College radio, limited NPR station.
[edit] Notable residents
- Harvey Jackson III, notable Alabama historian.
- Rick Bragg, won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 1996 while working for The New York Times.
- John Pelham (officer), celebrated Confederate officer.
- Neel Reid, prominent early-twentieth century architect.
- Herman Clarence Nixon, political scientist, historian, and member of the Nashville-based Southern Agrarians.
- Chris Clonts -Guitarist for the Christian rock band "Decyfer Down" was born in Jacksonville
[edit] References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- City of Jacksonville
- Jacksonville City Schools
- Kitty Stone Elementary School
- Jacksonville High School
- Jacksonville State University
Coordinates: 33°48′57″N 85°45′38″W / 33.815766°N 85.760467°W
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
