Centre, Alabama
Centre, Alabama | |
|---|---|
 Location in Cherokee County and the state of Alabama | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Cherokee |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor/Council |
| • Mayor | Tony Wilkie |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.1 sq mi (28.7 km2) |
| • Land | 11 sq mi (28.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 663 ft (202 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 3,216 |
| • Density | 289.7/sq mi (112.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 35960 |
| Area code | 256 |
| FIPS code | 01-13648 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0115902 |
Centre is a city in Cherokee County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 3,273.[1] The city is the county seat of Cherokee County, and is part of the 'Gadsden, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area'.
History
Cherokee County was created on January 9, 1836 and was named for the Cherokee Indians who once lived in the area. The famous Cherokee chief Pathkiller lived in Turkeytown near the present day town of Centre. In 1836 the newly founded town of Cedar Bluff became the county seat, but in 1844 the county seat was moved to the more centrally located town of Centre.[2] The name was chosen, and carries the old English spelling, because of this central location in the county.[3] In 2011, Centre became a wet city, and is no longer a dry city.
Geography
Centre is located at 34°9'33.052" North, 85°40'29.071" West (34.159181, -85.674742)Template:GR.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.1 square miles (29 km2) of which 11.0 square miles (28 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[4]
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,216 people, 1,324 households, and 877 families residing in the city.[5] The population density was 293.2 inhabitants per square mile (113.2/km2). There were 1,515 housing units at an average density of 138.1 per square mile (53.3/km2).[4] The racial makeup of the city was 87.88% White, 10.01% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.2%, 0.31% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[5]
There were 1,324 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.81.[5]
In the city the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males.[5]
The median income for a household in the city was $24,000, and the median income for a family was $35,250. Males had a median income of $31,636 versus $22,035 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,997. About 18.7% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.6% of those under age 18 and 21.5% of those age 65 or over.[5]
Education
The Cherokee County Board of Education provides public education for Centre. Schools in Centre include Cherokee County High School, Cherokee County Career and Technology Center, Centre Middle School, and Centre Elementary School.
Media
Radio Stations
Newspaper
- Cherokee County Herald (weekly)
- The Post (weekly)
Recreation
Centre is located near Weiss Lake, a man-made reservoir and self-proclaimed "[Crappie] Capital of the World".
Notable residents
- John Ross, Cherokee leader
- John J. Pratt, inventor of the pterotype (1865), an early form of typewriter.
References
- ^ http://www.bestplaces.net/city/profile.aspx?ccity=&city=Centre_AL
- ^ "Centre". Encyclopedia of Alabama. December 10, 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- ^ "History". Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Geographic Comparison Table- Alabama". American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Fact Sheet- Centre city, Alabama". American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
External links
- Official Centre City Web site
- Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce
- Cherokee County Board of Education
34°09′33″N 85°40′29″W / 34.159181°N 85.674742°W
Municipalities and communities of Cherokee County, Alabama, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |