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Calhoun County, Alabama

Coordinates: 33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.76944°N 85.82083°W / 33.76944; -85.82083
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Calhoun County
County
Map of Alabama highlighting Calhoun County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.769444444444°N 85.820833333333°W / 33.769444444444; -85.820833333333
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 18, 1832
as Benton County
SeatAnniston
Largest cityAnniston
Area
 • Total612.32 sq mi (1,585.9 km2)
 • Land608.46 sq mi (1,575.9 km2)
 • Water3.86 sq mi (10.0 km2)  0.63%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total118,572
 • Density195/sq mi (75.2/km2)
Websitewww.calhouncounty.org

Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of John C. Calhoun, famous member of the United States Senate from South Carolina. As of 2010 the population was 118,572. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Anniston.

History

Benton County was established on December 18, 1832, named for Thomas Hart Benton, a member of the United States Senate from Missouri, with its county seat at Jacksonville. Benton, a slave owner, was a political ally of John C. Calhoun, another slaveholder and a U.S. senator from South Carolina. Through the 1820s-1840s, however, Benton's and Calhoun's political interests diverged, with Calhoun increasingly using secession as a weapon to maintain and expand slavery throughout the United States. Benton, on the other hand, was slowly coming to the conclusion that slavery was wrong and that preservation of the union was paramount. On January 29, 1858, Alabama supporters of slavery, objecting to Benton's change of heart, renamed Benton County as Calhoun County. The county seat was moved to Anniston after years of controversy and a State Supreme Court ruling in June 1900. An F4 tornado struck here on Palm Sunday March 27, 1994. It destroyed Piedmont's Goshen United Methodist Church twelve minutes after the National Weather Service of Birmingham issued a tornado warning for northern Calhoun, southeastern Etowah, and southern Cherokee.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 612.32 square miles (1,585.9 km2), of which 608.46 square miles (1,575.9 km2) (or 99.37%) is land and 3.86 square miles (10.0 km2) (or 0.63%) is water.[1]

Major highways

Rail

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1840 14,260—    
1850 17,163+20.4%
1860 21,539+25.5%
1870 13,980−35.1%
1880 19,591+40.1%
1890 33,835+72.7%
1900 34,874+3.1%
1910 39,115+12.2%
1920 47,822+22.3%
1930 55,611+16.3%
1940 63,319+13.9%
1950 79,539+25.6%
1960 95,878+20.5%
1970 103,092+7.5%
1980 119,761+16.2%
1990 116,034−3.1%
2000 112,249−3.3%
2010 118,572+5.6%
Sources: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. through 1960 Benton County until 1858

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 112,249 people, 45,307 households, and 31,307 families residing in the county. The population density was 184 people per square mile (71/km2). There were 51,322 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile (33/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.88% White, 18.54% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 45,307 households out of which 29.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 13.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,768, and the median income for a family was $39,908. Males had a median income of $30,847 versus $21,076 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,367. About 12.40% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Places of interest

Calhoun County is home to the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum of World History. It also contains a portion of the Talladega National Forest.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.

33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.76944°N 85.82083°W / 33.76944; -85.82083

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