Athens, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Athens, Alabama
City
City of Athens
Limestone County Courthouse in Athens
Location of Athens in Limestone County, Alabama
Athens, Alabama Location in Alabama Show map of Alabama Athens, Alabama Location in the United States Show map of the United States Athens, Alabama Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Limestone
Incorporated	November 19, 1818
Government
• Type	Mayor Council
Area
• Total	40.87 sq mi (105.85 km2)
• Land	40.60 sq mi (105.16 km2)
• Water	0.26 sq mi (0.68 km2)
Elevation	798 ft (243.1 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,406
• Density	625.70/sq mi (241.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	35611–35614–35613
Area codes	256
FIPS code	01-02956
GNIS feature ID	0113266

Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 21,897.

History

Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the State of Alabama, having been incorporated one year prior to the state's admittance to the Union in 1819. Limestone County was also created by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature in 1818. The town was first called Athenson, but was incorporated as Athens after the ancient city in Greece. The town's first mayor was Samuel Tanner, and the Tanner area, south of Athens, was named on his behalf.

The Athens area was the home of William Wyatt Bibb, the first Governor of Alabama, and its second Governor, his brother Thomas Bibb, who succeeded him in office when he died in a fall from his horse.

Founders Hall, Athens State University.
(WPA photo 1930s).

In 1822, local residents purchased 5 acres (20,000 m²) of land and constructed a building to house the Athens Female Academy. The school became affiliated with the Methodist church in 1842, and was eventually renamed Athens Female College. After becoming coeducational in 1932, the school changed its name again to Athens College. After being taken over by the State of Alabama in 1974, the college was converted to a “reverse junior college,” offering the last two years of instruction for graduates of area community colleges. It is today known as Athens State University.

Many homes in the central part of modern Athens date to the antebellum period, and are part of historic preservation districts.

On May 2, 1862, during the Civil War, Athens was seized by Union forces under the command of Col. John Basil Turchin.

Governor George S. Houston

Athens was the home of Governor George S. Houston, Alabama’s first post-Reconstruction Democratic governor, who served from 1874 through 1878. Houston was noted for reducing the debts incurred to benefit private railroad speculators and others by his Reconstruction Republican predecessors. During Reconstruction, Athens was the home of the Trinity School, a school founded for the children of former slaves by the American Missionary Association.

Athens was traditionally a cotton and railroad town, but since the local aerospace boom of the 1950s and 1960s, it has increasingly entered the orbit of nearby industry center Huntsville as the area's cotton production has steadily declined.

In 1934, Athens became the first city to get its electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Station
Nuclear Regulatory Commission photo

Athens is the home of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, a Tennessee Valley Authority installation first operated in 1974, that was once the world's largest nuclear plant. It provides many jobs to the area and most of the electricity for the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. On March 22, 1975, the Browns Ferry plant became the scene of what was, with the exception of the Three Mile Island accident, the most serious nuclear accident in United States history. A worker using a candle to check for air leaks started a fire among control wires, causing a temporary threat to operational control of the reactor (see Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant article on Unit One Fire).

Geography

Athens is midway between Nashville and Birmingham on Interstate 65. Athens shares a boundary with Huntsville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.4 square miles (102 km²), of which 39.3 square miles (102 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.23%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Athens has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Athens first appeared on the 1850 U.S. Census as an incorporated place. It did not appear on the 1860 census, but returned again in 1870 and every census to date.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 21,897 people, 9,038 households, and 5,881 families residing in the city. The population density was 557.2 people per square mile (214.9/km²). There were 9,862 housing units at an average density of 250.9 per square mile (96.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.0% White, 17.5% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.9% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. 8.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,038 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city, the age distribution of the population showed 22.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city of Athens was $42,127, and the median income for a family was $54,013. Males had a median income of $43,672 versus $31,601 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,136. About 15.5% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 45 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,406 people, 9,397 households, and 6,080 families residing in the city.

Transportation

• Interstate 65
• U.S. Highway 31
• U.S. Highway 72
• Norfolk Southern Railway
• CSX Transportation railroad
• Pryor Field Regional Airport (regional/municipal airport)

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines.

Education

Notable people

Images for kids

• 

  Limestone County Courthouse, Athens

• 

  Governor George S. Houston House, Athens

• 

  Athens Masonic Hall

• 

  Athens Former Post Office

• 

  Athens First Methodist Church

• 

  Pryor Field Regional Airport, Athens

See also

In Spanish: Athens (Alabama) para niños