Lauderdale County, Alabama

Lauderdale County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census the population was 92,709.[2] Its county seat is Florence.[3] Its name is in honor of Colonel James Lauderdale, of Tennessee.

Lauderdale County
U.S. county
Lauderdale County Courthouse in Florence
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°53′57″N 87°39′01″W
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedFebruary 6, 1818[1]
Named forJames Lauderdale
SeatFlorence
Largest cityFlorence
Area
 • Total721 sq mi (1,870 km2)
 • Land668 sq mi (1,730 km2)
 • Water53 sq mi (140 km2)  7.4%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total92,709
 • Estimate 
(2019)
92,729
 • Density130/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitehttps://lauderdalecountyal.gov/
 
  • County Number 41 on Alabama License Plates

Lauderdale is part of the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as "The Shoals".

History

Lauderdale County was named in honor of Col. James Lauderdale[4] who was born in Virginia about 1780. In the early 19th century, Lauderdale, who moved to West Tennessee, became a major in General John Coffee's cavalry of volunteers. Later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded a brigade of mounted riflemen, serving under Andrew Jackson in many battles against the Indians. According to reliable historians, Col. Lauderdale did not die in the Battle of New Orleans, but was wounded in the Battle of Talladega and died on December 23, 1814, seventeen days before Jackson's crushing defeat of the British at New Orleans. Several towns and counties in the southern states were named in his honor, though it is said that he never set foot in Lauderdale County.

Lauderdale County was established in 1818,[1] a year before Alabama became a state. Florence, the county seat of Lauderdale County, was also established in 1818. At this time a group of investors, under the name of Cypress Land Company purchased from the government 5,515 acres (22.32 km2) of land consisting of the original town site. Other towns in Lauderdale County competing for early settlers because of their proximity to the river were Savage's Spring, nine miles (14 km) below Florence and Waterloo, some 20 miles (32 km) downriver.

Among the older settlements in the county is Center Star, located between Killen and Rogersville. This area was once claimed by both the Chickasaws and Cherokees, necessitating a cession of territory from each tribe before the settlement could be established. At one time, the remains of an old Indian village could be seen southwest of Center Star. Other old settlements included Middleton and Elgin, the latter known first as Ingram's Elgin Cross Roads.

Rogersville, lying some 23 miles (37 km) to the east of Florence, was named for John Rogers, an Indian trader, whose sons were fast friends of the great Sam Houston. The late Will Rogers is said to have been a descendant of this same family. An early ferry that operated for many years was Lamb's Ferry near Rogersville.

Lexington, Springfield, and Anderson lie to the north of the Lee Highway, the town of Lexington being a part of the territory once claimed by the Cherokee. Many of the settlers of that area came from Tennessee and the Carolinas. The first post office of record at Lexington was on the Loretto Road, north of town, in 1880. Mail at that time was brought in from Loretto, Tennessee, by horseback and carts.

The town of St. Florian was established in 1872 on the Jackson Highway and named by its German Catholic founders for their patron saint.

Four Alabama governors were from the county - Hugh McVay, Robert M. Patton, Edward A. O'Neal and Emmett O'Neal.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 721 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 668 square miles (1,730 km2) is land and 53 square miles (140 km2) (7.4%) is water.[6]

National protected areas

Rivers

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18204,963—
183011,781137.4%
184014,48523.0%
185017,17218.6%
186017,4201.4%
187015,091−13.4%
188021,03539.4%
189023,73912.9%
190026,55911.9%
191030,93616.5%
192039,55627.9%
193041,1304.0%
194046,23012.4%
195054,17917.2%
196061,62213.7%
197068,11110.5%
198080,54618.3%
199079,661−1.1%
200087,96610.4%
201092,7095.4%
Est. 201992,729[7]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2018[2]

2010

According to the 2010 United States Census:

2000

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 87,966 people, 36,088 households, and 25,153 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile (51/km2). There were 40,424 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.38% White or European American, 13.85% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2005 87.8% of the county population was non-Hispanic whites. African Americans were 11.7% of the population and Latinos 1.2% of the population.

According to the census[13] of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Lauderdale County were English 41.9%, African 13.85%, Scots-Irish 9.66%, Scottish 4.11%, Irish 3.19% and Welsh 2.5%

In 2000 there were 36,088 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.00% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,354, and the median income for a family was $41,438. Males had a median income of $33,943 versus $20,804 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,626. About 10.50% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways
  • U.S. Highway 43
  • U.S. Highway 72
  • State Route 17
  • State Route 20
  • State Route 64
  • State Route 101
  • State Route 133
  • State Route 157
  • State Route 207

Rail

Points of interest
See also: List of Registered Historic Places in Lauderdale County, Alabama and Florence's Culture and Events

Lauderdale County is home to the W. C. Handy Home and Museum and the Rosenbaum House.

Recreation
  • Joe Wheeler State Park
  • North Alabama Birding Trail - collection of birdwatching areas.
  • Natchez Trace Parkway - 444 miles (715 km) of linear park and roadway that travel from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. It has road pull-offs with educational kiosks with information about the land, history, and native species.
  • Shoal Creek Preserve Tract - a 298 acres (121 ha) tract for the preservation of native plants and animals. Also, the land has recreational opportunities, including bird watching, a horse trail loop that is 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) of hiking trails and limited hunting.[14] This tract is located north of St. Florian, Alabama.

Government
Presidential elections results
Lauderdale County vote
by party in presidential elections[15]
Year GOP Dem Others
2016 70.6% 27,899 25.2% 9,952 4.2% 1,674
2012 64.6% 23,911 33.8% 12,511 1.7% 610
2008 63.2% 24,068 35.0% 13,329 1.9% 707
2004 59.7% 22,161 39.4% 14,628 0.9% 318
2000 54.4% 17,478 43.2% 13,875 2.4% 784
1996 46.2% 14,058 44.8% 13,619 9.1% 2,759
1992 40.7% 13,728 47.2% 15,936 12.1% 4,092
1988 49.4% 12,942 49.1% 12,862 1.4% 376
1984 53.6% 15,354 45.0% 12,907 1.4% 398
1980 38.4% 10,467 56.5% 15,379 5.1% 1,397
1976 31.2% 7,226 67.1% 15,549 1.8% 410
1972 71.7% 14,410 25.4% 5,112 2.9% 586
1968 15.6% 2,952 11.5% 2,166 72.9% 13,765
1964 47.6% 5,978 52.5% 6,593
1960 29.2% 3,570 70.1% 8,565 0.7% 84
1956 21.0% 2,458 78.3% 9,150 0.7% 84
1952 21.2% 1,910 78.6% 7,097 0.2% 20
1948 14.3% 546 85.7% 3,276
1944 12.8% 590 86.8% 4,001 0.4% 20
1940 9.0% 507 90.4% 5,065 0.6% 34
1936 7.6% 390 91.4% 4,685 1.0% 50
1932 11.4% 432 88.0% 3,336 0.6% 21
1928 33.8% 1,410 66.2% 2,763 0.0% 1
1924 25.9% 823 71.3% 2,266 2.8% 89
1920 30.1% 1,164 68.3% 2,644 1.6% 62
1916 17.5% 369 79.6% 1,678 2.9% 60
1912 13.0% 263 68.7% 1,386 18.3% 369
1908 26.1% 427 71.9% 1,177 2.0% 33
1904 19.7% 316 79.0% 1,269 1.3% 21

Education

Lauderdale County School District serves areas outside of Florence, while Florence City Schools serves people in Florence itself.

Communities
Florence
Lexington

City

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. A digest of the laws of the State of Alabama: containing the statutes and resolutions in force at the end of the General Assembly in January, 1823. Published by Ginn & Curtis, J. & J. Harper, Printers, New-York, 1828. Title 10. Chapter XII. Pages 85. An Act to establish the western and southern Boundaries of Madison County, and to establish the Counties of Limestone and Lauderdale--Passed February 6, 1818.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182.
  5. "The History of Lauderdale County". Lauderdale County, Alabama Government. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  14. "26. The Shoal Creek Preserve Tract". Forever Wild Program Land Tracts. Outdoor Alabama: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  15. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 21, 2016.

Further reading

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