Colbert County, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colbert County
U.S. county
Colbert County Courthouse in Tuscumbia
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	February 6, 1867
Named for	George and Levi Colbert
Seat	Tuscumbia
Largest city	Muscle Shoals
Area
• Total	622 sq mi (1,610 km2)
• Land	593 sq mi (1,540 km2)
• Water	30 sq mi (80 km2)  4.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	57,227
• Estimate  (2021)	57,474
• Density	92.00/sq mi (35.523/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
County Number 20 on Alabama Licence Plates

Colbert County Courthouse Square District Historic Marker, September 2007

Colbert County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The county seat is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals. The county is named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs.

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

History

Colbert County was originally established on February 6, 1867 after it split from Franklin County over political issues after the American Civil War. It was abolished eight months later on November 29, 1867 by an Alabama constitutional convention and then reestablished on February 24, 1870. It is also the location of Ivy Green, the birthplace of noted author Helen Keller. Colbert County is also home of the towns Sheffield and Muscle Shoals where many popular musicians such as Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones recorded music. Colbert County is the home of the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard established in 1937.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km²), of which 593 square miles (1,540 km²) is land and 30 square miles (78 km²) (4.7%) is water.

National protected area

• Natchez Trace Parkway (part)

River

• Tennessee River

Adjacent Counties

• Lauderdale County - north
• Lawrence County, Alabama - southeast
• Franklin County, Alabama - south
• Tishomingo County, Mississippi - west

Transportation

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 43
• U.S. Highway 72
• State Route 13
• State Route 17
• State Route 20
• State Route 133
• State Route 157
• State Route 184
• State Route 247
• Natchez Trace Parkway

Rail

• Norfolk Southern Railway - freight lines going South, East, and West.

Airports

• Big River Airpark
• Northwest Alabama Regional Airport

Demographics

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 54,984 people, 22,461 households, and 16,037 families residing in the county. The population density was 92 people per square mile (36/km²). There were 24,980 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.52% White or European American (non-Hispanic), 16.62% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2010

According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau:

• 80.4% White (non-Hispanic)
• 14.0% Black
• 0.4% Native American
• 0.7% Asian
• 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 0.91% Two or more races
• 2.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

There were 22,461 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.10% 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 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,954, and the median income for a family was $39,294. Males had a median income of $32,112 versus $20,107 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,533. About 11.10% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

2020

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 57,227 people, 21,880 households, and 14,797 families residing in the county.

Communities

Cities

• Muscle Shoals
• Sheffield
• Tuscumbia (county seat)

Towns

• Cherokee
• Leighton
• Littleville

Unincorporated communities

In popular culture

• Colbert County was featured in a three-part comedy feature on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report from November 28–30, 2006.
• Colbert County is the setting for the Drive-by Truckers song, "Putting People on the Moon"

Education

Colleges

• Northwest Shoals Community College

Public School Systems

Colbert County School System

• Cherokee Elementary School
• Cherokee High School
• Colbert County High School
• Colbert Heights Elementary School
• Colbert Heights High School
• Hatton Elementary School
• Leighton Elementary School
• New Bethel Elementary School

Muscle Shoals City School System

• Muscle Shoals High School
• Muscle Shoals Middle School
• Muscle Shoals Career Academy
• Highland Park Elementary School
• Howell Graves Preschool
• McBride Elementary School
• Webster Elementary School

Sheffield City School System

• Sheffield High School
• Sheffield Junior High School
• L.E. Wilson Elementary School
• W.A. Threadgill Primary School

Tuscumbia City School System

• Deshler High School
• Deshler Middle School
• Deshler Career Technical Center
• G.W. Trenholm Primary School
• R.E. Thompson Intermediate School

Notable People

• Arthur Alexander
• Jason Allen - American football
• Beverly Barton
• Lefty Bates
• Deion Belue
• Boyd Bennett
• Robert Byrne - songwriter
• Marcel Black
• John A. Caddell
• Archibald Hill Carmichael
• Pete Carr
• Amanda Chase
• George Colbert
• Levi Colbert
• Mike Cooley (musician)
• Dominique Croom
• Ben Cunningham (activist)
• Rece Davis
• Bobby E. Denton
• James Deshler
• Leon Douglas
• Cecil Dowdy
• Alecia Elliott
• Henry S. Foote
• Douglas A. Foster
• Al Gamble
• Wayne Greenhaw
• Wendell Wilkie Gunn
• Rick Hall
• Howell Heflin
• Kelvin Holly
• Dennis Homan
• David Hood
• Patterson Hood
• Jimmy Hughes
• Richard H. Jackson
• Rick James (baseball)
• Jimmy Johnson (session guitarist)
• Helen Keller
• John W. Keys
• Adam Lazzara
• Maud McKnight Lindsay
• Robert B. Lindsay
• Frank Manush
• Heinie Manush
• Kenny Mims
• Guy Morton
• Alfred Huger Moses
• Stan Munsey
• Ozzie Newsome
• Gary Nichols
• Jimmie Orr
• Margaret Pellegrini
• Anthony Piccione
• Will Reynolds
• Willie Ruff
• Wimp Sanderson
• William Henry Sawtelle
• Mark Sears
• Herschel Sizemore
• Joseph Humphrey Sloss
• William H. Steele (judge)
• Phillip Swann
• Percy Sledge
• Leigh Tiffin
• Chris Tompkins
• Fred Thompson
• Ken Tribble
• Wilson D. Watson
• Ed West
• John Paul White
• William Willis (artiest)

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Colbert para niños