Lauderdale County, Alabama

Lauderdale County, Alabama
Location in the state of Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 6, 1818
Seat	Florence
Largest city	Florence
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	718.78 sq mi (1,862 km²) 669.46 sq mi (1,734 km²) 49.32 sq mi (128 km²), 6.86%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	92,709 138/sq mi (53.4/km²)

Lauderdale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel James Lauderdale, of Tennessee. It is part of the Florence - Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Statistical Area known as "The Shoals". As of 2010 the population was 92,709. Its county seat is Florence.

History

Lauderdale County was named in honor of Col. James Lauderdale who was born in Virginia about 1780. In the early 19th century, Lauderdale, who moved to West Tennessee, became a major in General John Coffee's cavalry of volunteers. Later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded a brigade of mounted riflemen, serving under Andrew Jackson in many battles against the Indians. According to reliable historians, Col. Lauderdale did not die in the Battle of New Orleans, but was wounded in the Battle of Talladega and died on December 23, 1814, seventeen days before Jackson's crushing defeat of the British at New Orleans. Several towns and counties in the southern states were named in his honor, though it is said that he never set foot in Lauderdale County.

Lauderdale County was established in 1818 , a year before Alabama became a state, Florence, the county seat of Lauderdale County, was also established in 1818. At this time a group of investors, under the name of Cypress Land Company purchased from the government 5,515 acres (22.32 km²) of land consisting of the original town site. Other towns in Lauderdale County competing for early settlers because of their proximity to the river were Savage's Spring, nine miles (14 km) below Florence and Waterloo, some 20 miles (32 km) downriver.

Among the older settlements in the county is Center Star, located between Killen and Rogersville. This area was once claimed by both the Chickasaw's and Cherokees, necessitating a cession of territory from each tribe before the settlement could be established. The remains of an old Indian village could be seen at one time southwest of Center Star. Other old settlements included Middleton and Elgin, the latter known first as Ingram's Elgin Cross Roads.

Rogersville, lying some 23 miles (37 km) to the east of Florence, was named for John Rogers, an Indian Trader, whose sons were fast friends of the great Sam Houston. The late Will Rogers is said to have been a descendant of this same family. An early ferry that operated for many years was Lamb's Ferry near Rogersville.

Lexington, Springfield, and Anderson lie to the north of the Lee Highway, the town of Lexington being a part of the territory once claimed by the Cherokees. Many of the settlers of that area came from Tennessee and the Carolinas. The first post office of record at Lexington was on the Loretto Road, north of town, in 1880. Mail at that time was brought in from Loretto, Tennessee, by horseback and carts.

The town of St. Florian was established in 1872 on the Jackson Highway and named by its German Catholic founders for their patron saint.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 718.78 square miles (1,861.6 km²), of which 669.46 square miles (1,733.9 km²) (or 93.14%) is land and 49.32 square miles (127.7 km²) (or 6.86%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 43
• U.S. Highway 72
• State Route 17
• State Route 20
• State Route 101
• State Route 64

National protected areas

• Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge
• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)

Rail

• Tennessee Southern Railroad

River

• Tennessee River

Adjacent counties

• Lawrence County, Tennessee - north
• Wayne County, Tennessee - north
• Giles County, Tennessee - northeast
• Limestone County, Alabama - east across the Elk River
• Lawrence County, Alabama - southeast across the Tennessee River
• Colbert County, Alabama - south across the Tennessee River
• Tishomingo County, Mississippi - west across the Tennessee River
• Hardin County, Tennessee - northwest

See also: List of counties bordering eight or more counties

Demographics

Lauderdale County, Alabama
Year	Pop.	±%
1820	4,963	—
1830	11,781	+137.4%
1840	14,485	+23.0%
1850	17,172	+18.6%
1860	17,420	+1.4%
1870	15,091	−13.4%
1880	21,035	+39.4%
1890	23,739	+12.9%
1900	26,559	+11.9%
1910	30,936	+16.5%
1920	39,556	+27.9%
1930	41,130	+4.0%
1940	46,230	+12.4%
1950	54,179	+17.2%
1960	61,622	+13.7%
1970	68,111	+10.5%
1980	80,546	+18.3%
1990	79,661	−1.1%
2000	87,966	+10.4%
2010	92,709	+5.4%
Sources: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.  through 1960

2010

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

• 86.4% White
• 10.0% Black
• 0.4% Native American
• 0.7% Asian
• 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 1.4% Two or more races
• 2.2% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 87,966 people, 36,088 households, and 25,153 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile (51/km²). There were 40,424 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.38% White, 9.85% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2005 87.8% of the county population was non-Hispanic whites. African Americans were 9.7% of the population and Latinos 1.2% of the population.

In 2000 there were 36,088 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,354, and the median income for a family was $41,438. Males had a median income of $33,943 versus $20,804 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,626. About 10.50% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

See the List of Registered Historic Places in Lauderdale County, Alabama. Lauderdale County is home to Joe Wheeler State Park, the W. C. Handy Home and Museum, and the Rosenbaum House.

Municipalities and census-designated places

• Anderson
• Florence
• Killen
• Lexington
• Oakland
• Rogersville
• St. Florian
• Underwood-Petersville
• Waterloo
• Zip City

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lauderdale County, Alabama
• Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Lauderdale County, Alabama

External links

• Lauderdale County Government