Winston County, Alabama

Winston County, Alabama
Winston County courthouse in Double Springs, Alabama
Location in the state of Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 12, 1850
Seat	Double Springs
Largest city	Haleyville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	631.86 sq mi (1,637 km²) 614.44 sq mi (1,591 km²) 17.42 sq mi (45 km²), (2.76%)
Population  - (2010)  - Density	24,484 40/sq mi (15/km²)

Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858. Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs.

History

Winston County was established under the name Hancock County on February 12, 1850, from territory formerly in Walker County. It was originally named for John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts and famous signer of the American Declaration of Independence, with its county seat at Houston. On January 22, 1858, the county was renamed Winston County to honor Alabama Gov. John A. Winston.

During the American Civil War, the county gained fame for its opposition to secession, which was so strong that it was sometimes referred to as the Republic of Winston. The county today plays on its reputation as the "Free State of Winston" to attract tourists. The county's opposition to the Confederacy is briefly mentioned in the novels To Kill a Mockingbird and Addie Pray. Tap Roots, a 1948 movie based on a novel, presents a highly fictionalized and inaccurate version of Winston County's Civil War history.

In 1883 the county seat was moved to Double Springs to be near the center of the county, since Cullman County was created from the eastern portion of Winston. The famous civil rights judge Frank M. Johnson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit was born in Winston County, in the Delmar Community.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 631.86 square miles (1,636.5 km²), of which 614.44 square miles (1,591.4 km²) (or 97.24%) is land and 17.42 square miles (45.1 km²) (or 2.76%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 278
• State Route 5
• State Route 13
• State Route 33

Rail

• Norfolk Southern Railway

Adjacent counties

• Lawrence County (north)
• Cullman County (east)
• Walker County (south)
• Marion County (west)
• Franklin County (northwest)

National protected area

• William B. Bankhead National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	1,542		—
1860	3,576		131.9%
1870	4,155		16.2%
1880	4,253		2.4%
1890	6,552		54.1%
1900	9,554		45.8%
1910	12,855		34.6%
1920	14,378		11.8%
1930	15,596		8.5%
1940	18,746		20.2%
1950	18,250		−2.6%
1960	14,858		−18.6%
1970	16,654		12.1%
1980	21,953		31.8%
1990	22,053		0.5%
2000	24,843		12.7%
2010	24,484		−1.4%

As of the census of 2000, there were 24,843 people, 10,107 households, and 7,287 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 12,502 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.32% White, 0.038% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Nearly 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,107 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. Nearly 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,435, and the median income for a family was $32,628. Males had a median income of $26,206 versus $17,760 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,738. 17.1% of the population and 12.9% of families were below the poverty line. 21.8% of those under the age of 18 and 23% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

In keeping with its history from the American Civil War, Winston County was for many years an island of Republican Party voting in an otherwise heavily Democratic Party state. In 1912 Winston County joined three other Alabama counties in voting for the Bull Moose Party candidacy of Theodore Roosevelt.

Cities and towns

• Addison
• Arley
• Delmar
• Double Springs
• Haleyville (part - part of Haleyville is in Marion County)
• Lynn
• Natural Bridge
• Nauvoo (part - part of Nauvoo is in Walker County)
• South Haleyville (poverty line community in western Haleyville)
• Houston

See also

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

External links

• Winston County is covered by the Northwest Alabamian Newspaper.
• Winston County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of Alabama).

• Winston County, Alabama: The Free State of Winston [1]
• Winston County article in the Encyclopedia of Alabama