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Albertville, Alabama facts for kids

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Albertville, Alabama
Albertville in 2012
Albertville in 2012
Nickname(s): 
The Heart of Sand Mountain
Location in Marshall County, Alabama
Location in Marshall County, Alabama
Albertville, Alabama is located in Alabama
Albertville, Alabama
Albertville, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Albertville, Alabama is located in the United States
Albertville, Alabama
Albertville, Alabama
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Alabama
County Marshall
Incorporated February 18, 1891
Government
 • Type Mayor Council
Area
 • Total 27.04 sq mi (70.0 km2)
 • Land 26.94 sq mi (69.8 km2)
 • Water 0.10 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation
1,089 ft (332 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 22,386
 • Density 830.99/sq mi (320.85/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
35950-35951
Area codes 256/938
FIPS code 01-00988
GNIS feature ID 0112970

Albertville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 22,386. It is the largest city in Marshall County.

History

The area which today includes Albertville was inhabited by the Cherokee Indians until their removal to Oklahoma in the 1830s. It was, however, near the territory of the Creek nation, and several major trails which afforded communication (or military action) between the two nations crossed the area. It is believed to have been crossed by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto during his expeditions in 1540.

During the American Civil War, the area around Albertville was the scene of several mid-level clashes between Union and Confederate forces.

The first non-indigenous settlement in what is today Albertville began in the 1850s, and the settlement was named for Thomas A. Albert, an early settler who moved from Georgia and was a town leader until his death in 1876. The city was incorporated in 1891. A post office was established in 1910.

Albertville Cyclone2
Tornado damage from “The Great Cyclone of 1908,” Albertville, Alabama.

At about 4:10 p.m. on April 24, 1908, the city was virtually wiped out by a tornado that became commonly called "The Great Cyclone," or "The Cyclone of 1908." The storm is believed to have killed 35 people across northeastern Alabama, including 15 in Albertville. Relief was largely delivered by railroad, particularly from the nearby city of Gadsden. Trains from Gadsden transported doctors, nurses, and the Queen City Guards, the Alabama militia company based in Gadsden. The commander of the latter, future Gadsden mayor and Col. R.A. Mitchell, reported in a dispatch to Governor B.B. Comer:

... The destruction of property here is, I think, unprecedented in the history of the state. I have never seen anything like it, so complete and absolute as to leave little of worth in the path of the storm through town. On viewing the wreckage, covering easily forty acres or more in the heart of town, it appears incredible that any living being could have escaped the fury of the storm and death ...

In 1893, the Alabama Legislature passed an act for the erection of an agricultural college in each of the state's Congressional districts. After some competition, Albertville was awarded the school for the Seventh District. This is the school that evolved into today's Albertville High School, whose sports teams are still known as the "Aggies."

In 1910 Albertville had a population of 1,544.

Before the New Deal, when the Tennessee Valley Authority built Guntersville Dam, flooding on the Tennessee River would frequently leave the county courthouse in Guntersville inaccessible for residents of Albertville and other areas atop Sand Mountain. In 1919, the Alabama Legislature responded by requiring the erection of a courthouse at Albertville, in which cases arising in that part of the county would be heard.

In 1950 Albertville had a population of 5,397.

On June 1, 2009 the city council voted to establish English as the town's official language.

On April 24, 2010, an EF-3 tornado ripped through downtown Albertville. The storm resulted in no deaths. The High School was severely damaged, nearly every home had some type of damage, and many were destroyed beyond repair.

Geography

Albertville is located at 34°15′55″N 86°12′41″W / 34.26528°N 86.21139°W / 34.26528; -86.21139 (34.265362, -86.211261).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.0 square miles (67.3 km2), of which 26.0 square miles (67.3 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) (0.38%) is water.

The current slogan of Albertville is "The Pride is Alive" and can be seen on the welcome sign coming into the city.

Climate

Climate data for Albertville, Alabama
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 51.2
(10.7)
54.1
(12.3)
62.3
(16.8)
71.8
(22.1)
79.6
(26.4)
86.9
(30.5)
88.7
(31.5)
88.2
(31.2)
83.5
(28.6)
73.9
(23.3)
61.2
(16.2)
52.9
(11.6)
71.2
(21.8)
Average low °F (°C) 32.5
(0.3)
33.7
(0.9)
40.4
(4.7)
48.8
(9.3)
56.9
(13.8)
63.8
(17.7)
66.9
(19.4)
66.0
(18.9)
60.4
(15.8)
49.6
(9.8)
39.2
(4.0)
33.8
(1.0)
49.3
(9.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.3
(130)
5.0
(130)
6.3
(160)
4.6
(120)
4.3
(110)
3.5
(89)
4.7
(120)
3.6
(91)
3.4
(86)
2.9
(74)
3.6
(91)
5.1
(130)
52.4
(1,330)
Source: Weatherbase

Demographics

City of Albertville

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,544
1920 1,666 7.9%
1930 2,716 63.0%
1940 3,651 34.4%
1950 5,397 47.8%
1960 8,250 52.9%
1970 9,963 20.8%
1980 12,039 20.8%
1990 14,507 20.5%
2000 17,247 18.9%
2010 21,160 22.7%
2020 22,386 5.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
2018 Estimate

Albertville first appeared as an incorporated town on the 1910 U.S. Census. It was also the same name as its precinct/census division, which preceded it in reporting on the census since 1880 (See Albertville Precinct below).

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 21,160 people in 7,497 households, including 5,270 families, in the city. The population density was 813.8 people per square mile (314.9/km2). There were 8,128 housing units at an average density of 312.6 per square mile (121.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.9% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 18.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. 27.9% of the population are Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, of the 7,497 households 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.6% of households were one person and 11.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.27.

The age distribution was 28.2% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% 65 or older. The median age was 32.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.2 males.

The median household income was $35,843 and the median family income was $41,862. Males had a median income of $30,164 versus $25,700 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,839. About 15.8% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.6% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Albertville racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 12,821 57.27%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,030 4.6%
Native American 73 0.33%
Asian 178 0.8%
Pacific Islander 14 0.06%
Other/Mixed 725 3.24%
Hispanic or Latino 7,545 33.7%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,386 people, 7,249 households, and 5,099 families residing in the city.

Popular culture

When the 1992 Winter Olympics were held in Albertville, France, the citizens of its heteronymic counterpart in Alabama took full advantage of the opportunity to put their town on display. Mock winter games were held in this subtropical city, and one New Orleans radio station offered listeners a chance to win a trip to "the Albertville games" - those in Alabama.

Transportation

  • US 431.svg U.S. Highway 431
  • Alabama 75.svg Alabama Highway 75
  • Alabama 205.svg Alabama State Route 205
  • Thomas J. Brumlik Field (Albertville Regional Airport)
  • Alabama and Tennessee River Railway

Gallery


Education

Public schools are overseen by Albertville City Schools. There are six schools in the city:

  • Albertville Kindergarten and Pre-K - Kindergarten
  • Albertville Primary School- 1st and 2nd grades
  • Albertville Elementary School- 3rd and 4th grades
  • Albertville Intermediate School - 5th and 6th grades
  • Albertville Middle School- 7th and 8th grades
  • Albertville High School - 9th through 12th grades

Notable people

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Albertville (Alabama) para niños

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