Jump to content

Albertville, Alabama

Coordinates: 34°15′55″N 86°12′41″W / 34.265362°N 86.211261°W / 34.265362; -86.211261
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.178.83.3 (talk) at 15:00, 25 April 2011 (→‎History). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Albertville
City
Location in Marshall County and the state of Alabama
Location in Marshall County and the state of Alabama
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyMarshall
Government
 • TypeMayor Council
 • MayorLindsey Lyons
Area
 • Total26.1 sq mi (67.5 km2)
 • Land26 sq mi (67.2 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation
1,089 ft (332 m)
Population
 (2007)[1]
 • Total19,536
 • Density660.8/sq mi (255.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
35950-35951
Area code256
FIPS code01-00988
GNIS feature ID0112970
Websitehttp://www.cityofalbertville.com/

Albertville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 17,247. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 18,615.[2]

History

The area which today includes Albertville was settled by the Cherokee Indians until their removal to Oklahoma in the 1830s. It was, however, near the territory of the Creek nation, and several major trails which afforded communication (or military action) between the two nations crossed the area. It is believed to have been crossed by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto during his expeditions in 1540.[3]

During the American Civil War, the area around Albertville was the scene of several mid-level clashes between Union and Confederate forces.[3]

The first white settlement in what is today Albertville began in the 1850s, and the settlement was named for Thomas A. Albert, an early settler who moved from Georgia and was a town leader until his death in 1876. The city was incorporated in 1891.[4] A post office was established in 1910.[5]

Tornado damage from “The Great Cyclone of 1908,” Albertville, Alabama.

At about 4:10 p.m. on April 24, 1908, the city was virtually wiped out by a tornado that became commonly called "The Great Cyclone," or "The Cyclone of 1908."[6] The storm is believed to have killed 35 people across northeastern Alabama, including 15 in Albertville.[7] Relief was largely delivered by railroad, particularly from the nearby city of Gadsden. Trains from Gadsden transported doctors, nurses, and the Queen City Guards, the Alabama militia company based in Gadsden. The commander of the latter, future Gadsden mayor and Col. R.A. Mitchell, reported in a dispatch to Governor B.B. Comer:

... The destruction of property here is, I think, unprecedented in the history of the state. I have never seen anything like it, so complete and absolute as to leave little of worth in the path of the storm through town. On viewing the wreckage, covering easily forty acres or more in the heart of town, it appears incredible that any living being could have escaped the fury of the storm and death ...[8]

In 1893, the Alabama Legislature passed an act for the erection of an agricultural college in each of the state's Congressional districts. After some competition, Albertville was awarded the school for the Seventh District. This is the school that evolved into today's Albertville High School, whose sports teams are still known as the "Aggies."[6]

Before the New Deal, when the Tennessee Valley Authority built Guntersville Dam, flooding on the Tennessee River would frequently leave the county courthouse in Guntersville inaccessible for residents of Albertville and other areas atop Sand Mountain. In 1919, the Alabama Legislature responded by requiring the erection of a courthouse at Albertville, in which cases arising in that part of the county would be heard.[9]

On June 1, 2009 the city council voted to establish English as the town's official language.[10]

On April 24, 2010, exactly 102 years after the "Cyclone of 1908", an EF-3 tornado ripped through downtown Albertville. While the storm resulted in no deaths, the twister damaged the new Albertville High School and "Aggie Stadium." Nearly every home had some type of damage and many were destroyed beyond repair.[11]

Geography

Albertville is located at 34°15′55″N 86°12′41″W / 34.26528°N 86.21139°W / 34.26528; -86.21139 (34.265362, -86.211261)Template:GR. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.0 square miles (67.3 km2), of which 26.0 square miles (67.3 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) (0.38%) is water.

Albertville is home to the award winning Albertville "Aggie" Band, and the nationally award winning Albertville Show Choir "CenterStage!".

The current slogan of Albertville is "The Pride is Alive"[12] and can be seen on the welcome sign coming into the city.[13]

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 17,247 people, 6,566 households, and 4,615 families residing in the city. The population density was 664.6 people per square mile (256.6/km²). There were 7,090 housing units at an average density of 273.2 per square mile (105.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.15% White, 2.05% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 9.78% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 16.08% of the population are Hispanic or Latino. By 2007, the Hispanic population was estimated at 25%.[14]

There were 6,566 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,893, and the median income for a family was $38,508. Males had a median income of $30,076 versus $20,275 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,336. About 14.1% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 21.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools are overseen by Albertville City Schools. There are six schools in the city. Big Spring Lake Kindergarten School-Kindergarten Albertville Primary School-1st and 2nd grades Albertville Elementary School-3rd and 4th grades Evans Elementary-5th and 6th grades Albertville Middle School-7th and 8th grades Albertville High School-9th through 12th grades

Health care

  • Marshall Medical Center South, 150 bed facility, serves the region.

Industry

Albertville is home to the Mueller Company, which produces fire hydrants, thus Albertville holds the title of "Fire Hydrant Capital of the World." To commemorate the one millionth fire hydrant a chrome fire hydrant was placed outside the Albertville Chamber of Commerce.[15]

When the 1992 Winter Olympics were held in Albertville, France, the citizens of its heteronymic counterpart in Alabama took full advantage of the opportunity to put their town on display. Mock winter games were held in this subtropical city, and one New Orleans radio station offered listeners a chance to win a trip to "the Albertville games" - those in Alabama.[16]

In 2008, Albertville was featured in an episode in the fifth season of the A&E Television documentary series Intervention titled "Meth Mountain". Among the featured Albertville residents was Dr. Mary Holley, an obstetrician whose methamphetamine-addicted brother committed suicide, and who founded the anti-methamphetamine group, Mothers Against Methamphetamine.[17]

Transportation

Persons from Albertville

References

  1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Alabama". United States Census Bureau. 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  2. ^ "Population Estimates". United States Census. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  3. ^ a b "History". www.marshallco.org. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  4. ^ "Albertville, Alabama". www.u-s-history.com. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  5. ^ Foscue, Virginia. Place Names in Alabama. University: University of Alabama Press, 1989.
  6. ^ a b Dennis Burgess, Images of America: Albertville pp. 53-57, 67-70 (Charleston, SC Arcadia Publishing 2004)
  7. ^ "Deadly Tornadoes of April 1908". The Weather Doctor Almanac 2008. www.islandnet.com. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  8. ^ "1908: After the Storm," The Gadsden Times, April 20, 2008, p. C1
  9. ^ Alabama Local Acts 1919, no. 23, p. 14
  10. ^ Doyle, Niki (June 2, 2009). "Albertville adopts English as official language". Huntsville, AL. Retrieved 10 August 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |newspapser= ignored (help)
  11. ^ "Tornado causes major damage to Albertville and Geraldine". www.waff.com. May 25, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  12. ^ Christopher, Charlotte. "Sand Mountain Reporter". Sand Mountain Reporter. Albertville, AL: Southern Newspapers, Inc. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  13. ^ Saxon, Pat. "Letters to the Editor". Sand Mountain Reporter. Albertville, AL: Southern Newspapers, Inc. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  14. ^ Bob Sims, "Birmingham News," May 17, 2009 http://blog.al.com/bn/2009/05/immigration.html
  15. ^ Maney, Kevin (May 20, 2005). "Claims to Fame". USA Today. Gannet Co. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  16. ^ "Albertville Basks in Olympian Glow of its French Sister City," The Huntsville Times, January 31, 1992, p. B1
  17. ^ "Intervention - Episode Guide". A&E TV. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  18. ^ "Campfire Cafe- Johnny Nix" (PDF). RFD-TV. Retrieved 14 July 2010. [dead link]

34°15′55″N 86°12′41″W / 34.265362°N 86.211261°W / 34.265362; -86.211261

Template:Huntsville-Decatur Metropolitan Area

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albertville,_Alabama&oldid=425833502"