Randolph County, Alabama

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Randolph County, Alabama
File:Randolph County Alabama Courthouse.JPG
County courthouse in Wedowee
Seal of Randolph County, Alabama
Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Randolph 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 18, 1832[1]
Named for John Randolph of Roanoke
Seat Wedowee
Largest city Roanoke
Area
 • Total 584 sq mi (1,513 km2)
 • Land 581 sq mi (1,505 km2)
 • Water 3.6 sq mi (9 km2), 0.56%
Population
 • (2010) 22,913
 • Density 39/sq mi (15/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website randolphcountyalabama.gov
Footnotes:  
  • County Number 56 on Alabama Licence Plates

Randolph County is a county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Alabama.[1] As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,913.[2] Its county seat is Wedowee.[1][3] Its name is in honor of John Randolph, a member of the United States Senate from Virginia.[1] Randolph County was a prohibition or dry county until 2012 when the citizens of Randolph County voted to repeal prohibition.

History

Randolph County was established by the Alabama Legislature on December 18, 1832,[1] following Indian Removal of the Creek people. It was named in honor of John Randolph, a well-known Virginia congressman. Randolph County was one of several counties created out of the last Creek cession formulated by the Treaty of Cusseta, on March 24, 1832. It lies within the Piedmont region, which extends from Alabama to Pennsylvania.[1]

The first European-American settlers noted that the county was ideally located between three major cities of Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery. They said that the county had an abundance of the "purest and coldest freestone water in the world." The area was also noted for its gentle rolling hills.[4] The first county seat for Randolph County was established in 1833 at Hedgeman Triplett's Ferry on the west bank of the Big Tallapoosa River, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Wedowee, Alabama.[1]

In 1835 (2 years later), the county seat was moved by the commissioners to nearby Wedowee. This city lies in the center of Randolph County, on a fork of the Little Tallapoosa River. Wedowee was named after a Creek tribal chief "Wah-wah-nee" (or "Wah-dow-wee") whose village stood near the present site of the town.[1] The county was developed for agriculture, specifically cotton plantations, which were worked by African-American slaves brought by migrants to the region or transported during the domestic slave trade. It was part of what was known as the Black Belt of Alabama, an area of plantation development in the uplands, where short-staple cotton was cultivated. In 2010 some 20 percent of the population was African American, reflecting this history of agriculture based on slavery.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 584 square miles (1,510 km2), of which 581 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.6%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840 4,973 —
1850 11,581 132.9%
1860 20,059 73.2%
1870 12,006 −40.1%
1880 16,575 38.1%
1890 17,219 3.9%
1900 21,647 25.7%
1910 24,659 13.9%
1920 27,064 9.8%
1930 26,861 −0.8%
1940 25,516 −5.0%
1950 22,513 −11.8%
1960 19,477 −13.5%
1970 18,331 −5.9%
1980 20,075 9.5%
1990 19,881 −1.0%
2000 22,380 12.6%
2010 22,913 2.4%
Est. 2014 22,539 [6] −1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2014[2]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 22,380 people, 8,642 households, and 6,222 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km2). There were 10,285 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.38% White (non-Hispanic), 22.24% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 3.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,642 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 56.20% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. Nearly 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,675, and the median income for a family was $34,684. Males had a median income of $27,069 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,147. About 12.60% of families and 17.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.10% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 22,913 people, 9,164 households, and 6,357 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15/km2). There were 11,982 housing units at an average density of 20.6 per square mile (8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.5% White (non-Hispanic), 20.1% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,164 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 51.0% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. Nearly 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46, and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,593, and the median income for a family was $43,528. Males had a median income of $31,305 versus $27,908 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,844. About 14.7% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.0% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

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Places of interest

Randolph County is home to Lake Wedowee, a section of the Tallapoosa River.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "ACES Randolph County Office" (links/history), Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), 2007, webpage: ACES-Randolph.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lois Walls George, Paula Burson Lambert, Wyner S. Phillips, Randolph County, page 113
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

 Cleburne County Carroll County, Georgia
Clay County Heard County, Georgia
  Randolph County, Alabama  
Tallapoosa County Chambers County Troup County, Georgia

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