Pickens County, Alabama

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Pickens County, Alabama
Pickens County Courthouse 2.jpg
Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton
Map of Alabama highlighting Pickens County
Location in the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded December 20, 1820
Named for Andrew Pickens
Seat Carrollton
Largest city Aliceville
Area
 • Total 890 sq mi (2,305 km2)
 • Land 881 sq mi (2,282 km2)
 • Water 8.7 sq mi (23 km2), (1.0%)
Population
 • (2010) 19,746
 • Density 22/sq mi (8/km²)
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.pickensalabama.com
Footnotes:  
  • County Number 54 on Alabama Licence Plates

Pickens County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,746.[1] Its county seat is Carrollton.[2] It is a prohibition, or dry county, although the communities of Carrollton and Aliceville voted to become wet in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Pickens County is included in the Tuscaloosa, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area

History

Pickens County was established on December 20, 1820, and named for revolutionary war hero General Andrew Pickens of South Carolina. The county seat was relocated from Pickensville to Carrollton in 1830. The first courthouse in Carrollton was burned on April 5, 1865, by troops of Union General John T. Croxton. A second courthouse was also destroyed by fire on November 16, 1876. Though arson was suspected, no arrest was made until January 1878, when Henry Wells, an African American with some criminal history was arrested and locked in the garett of the new building, which had been erected in 1877. According to legend, Wells was peering down from the north garett window as a mob gathered to hang him. A bolt of lightning struck nearby and "etched" Wells' anguished face into the window glass. A vague image resembling a face can still be seen in that lower right-hand pane of that window. Also see: Pickens County Courthouse.

On April 8, 1998, a supercell thunderstorm produced an F3 tornado in Pickens County. This windstorm injured two people and damaged five homes including mobile homes. It rotated seventeen miles (27 km) from Holman to north of Northport. Twenty-four homes and thirteen mobile homes were also in destruction. Moments later, that same supercell thunderstorm produced an F5 tornado that struck northeastern Tuscaloosa near the Black Warrior River before entering western Jefferson County where it destroyed Oak Grove High School and killed thirty-two people in its path.

From 2000 to 2013 the county had been losing population. From July 2013 to July 2014 the population grew by 5.1%, making it the fourth-fastest growing county with at least 10,000 inhabitants, and in 2014 it became the fastest growing county in Alabama. This was due to the installation of the Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville federal women's prison.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 890 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 881 square miles (2,280 km2) is land and 8.7 square miles (23 km2) (1.0%) is water.[4]

The county is between Tuscaloosa County and the Alabama-Mississippi state line.[3]

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1830 6,622 —
1840 17,118 158.5%
1850 21,512 25.7%
1860 22,316 3.7%
1870 17,690 −20.7%
1880 21,479 21.4%
1890 22,470 4.6%
1900 24,402 8.6%
1910 25,055 2.7%
1920 25,353 1.2%
1930 24,902 −1.8%
1940 27,671 11.1%
1950 24,349 −12.0%
1960 21,882 −10.1%
1970 20,326 −7.1%
1980 21,481 5.7%
1990 20,699 −3.6%
2000 20,949 1.2%
2010 19,746 −5.7%
Est. 2014 20,365 [5] 3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010–2014[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,746 people in the county. 56.3% were White, 41.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 0.6% of some other race and 1.2% of two or more races. 1.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 20,949 people, 8,086 households, and 5,789 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 9,520 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 55.95% White, 42.96% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. About 0.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 8,086 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. Nearly 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.11.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,254, and the median income for a family was $32,938. Males had a median income of $28,843 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,746. About 20.10% of families and 24.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.30% of those under age 18 and 22.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kirby, Brendan. "How a prison made rural Alabama area one of America's fastest-growing counties" (Archive). Al.com. March 26, 2015. Updated April 30, 2015. Retrieved on December 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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References

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External links

 Lowndes County, Mississippi Lamar County Fayette County
Tuscaloosa County
  Pickens County, Alabama  
Noxubee County, Mississippi Sumter County Greene County

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