Eutaw, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eutaw
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| City of Eutaw | |
Downtown Eutaw, Alabama, in 2009
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Location of Eutaw in Greene County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Greene |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.01 sq mi (31.10 km2) |
| • Land | 11.93 sq mi (30.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2) |
| Elevation | 217 ft (66 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,937 |
| • Density | 246.12/sq mi (95.03/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
35462
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| Area code(s) | 205 & 659 |
| FIPS code | 01-24664 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0118059 |
Eutaw ( YOO-taw) is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 2,937. The city was named in honor of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas.
Contents
History
Eutaw was laid out in December 1838 at the time that Greene County voters chose to relocate the county seat from Erie, which was located on the Black Warrior River. It was incorporated by an act of the state legislature on January 2, 1841.
During the Reconstruction Era, Eutaw was the site of a number of Klan murders and rebellion acts. On March 31, 1870, the county solicitor, Alexander Boyd, was taken from his hotel and murdered by a group of Klan members (a self-avowed historian of the klan claims it was a group from Mississippi). In the fall of that same year, in the run-up to the gubernatorial election, after the killing of two black politicians in Greene County, the Eutaw riot took place outside the county courthouse, during which up to four blacks were killed by whites.
Eutaw has twenty-seven antebellum structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Twenty-three of these are included in the Antebellum Homes in Eutaw multiple property submission. The Coleman-Banks House, Old Greene County Courthouse, First Presbyterian Church, and Kirkwood are listed individually. Additionally, the Greene County Courthouse Square District is a historic district in the heart of downtown. A nearby property, Everhope Plantation, is also listed in the register.
James Bevel, the main strategist and architect of the Civil Rights Movement and its 1963 Birmingham Children's Crusade, 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, and 1966 Chicago Open Housing Movement, was buried in Eutaw on December 29, 2008.
Eutaw is home to the Roman Catholic Convent of Our Lady of Consolata, the Consolata Sisters, a small monastery for nuns in West Alabama; they are known throughout Greene County for their humanitarian efforts.
Geography
Eutaw is located east of the center of Greene County at 32°50′26″N 87°53′21″W / 32.840680°N 87.889037°W. U.S. Routes 11 and 43 pass through the center of town. The highways enter together from the northeast as Tuscaloosa Street; US 11 exits the city to the west as Boligee Street, while US 43 leaves to the south as Demopolis Highway. Alabama State Route 14 passes through the city as Greensboro Street to the southeast and Mesopotamia Street to the northwest. Interstates 20 and Interstate 59 run through the northwest corner of the city, with access from Exit 40 (Highway 14), 3 miles (5 km) northwest of the center of town. Tuscaloosa is 34 miles (55 km) to the northeast via Interstate 20/59, and Meridian, Mississippi, is 60 miles (97 km) to the southwest. Demopolis is 24 miles (39 km) south via US 43, Greensboro is 21 miles (34 km) to the southeast via Highway 14, and Aliceville is 27 miles (43 km) to the northwest via 14.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Eutaw has a total area of 12.0 square miles (31.1 km2), of which 11.9 square miles (30.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.63%, is water. The center of town is 3 miles (5 km) west of the Black Warrior River, accessible to boats at Finches Ferry Public Use Area.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 2,000 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,101 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,115 | 1.3% | |
| 1900 | 884 | −20.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,001 | 13.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,359 | 35.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,721 | 26.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,895 | 10.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,348 | 23.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,784 | 18.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,805 | 0.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,444 | −12.9% | |
| 1990 | 2,281 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,878 | −17.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,934 | 56.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,937 | 0.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 447 | 15.22% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,408 | 81.99% |
| Native American | 2 | 0.07% |
| Asian | 5 | 0.17% |
| Other/Mixed | 48 | 1.63% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27 | 0.92% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,937 people, 1,041 households, and 551 families residing in the town.
2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 2,934 people in 1,203 households, including 760 families, in the city. The population density was 408.3 people per square mile (159.2/km2). There were 1,355 housing units at an average density of 294.6 per square mile (114.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.2% Black or African American, 18.1% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.6% from two or more races. 1.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,203 households 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 28.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 34.2% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.10.
The age distribution was 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.
The median household income was $29,196 and the median family income was $39,722. Males had a median income of $43,125 versus $28,077 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,126. About 27.4% of families and 28.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.7% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.
Events
The city hosts annual parades for Christmas, the Homecoming parade for surrounding schools in the area, and a parade for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Preceding the Christmas parade is the annual Christmas tree lighting by the city's mayor and a special Christmas program on that night, on the lawn of the Historic Courthouse Square. The National Day of Prayer is held on the historic courthouse square and so is Veteran's Day. Eutaw is known for its architecture and so the Historic Parade and viewing of homes is popular in this town and the event attracts many tourists.
In popular culture
Eutaw is the home town of the protagonist in the Old Crow Medicine Show song "Big Time in the Jungle," released in 2004. The band also released an album in 2001 entitled "Eutaw." In addition, the town's name is referenced in the song "Don't Ride That Horse," among the other cities of Winnipeg, Joliet, Saskatoon, and Wawa.
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, Eutaw has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Notable people
- Benjamin F. Alexander, state representative during the Reconstruction era
- Oliver H. Cross, U.S. Representative from Texas
- Edward deGraffenried, U.S. Representative from Alabama's 6th congressional district
- Cob Jarvis, basketball player and head basketball coach for the University of Mississippi
- Bill Lee, professional football player
- Matthew Leonard, Sergeant First Class who posthumously received the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart for his actions in the Vietnam War
- James McQueen, president of Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Company
- Willie Powell, baseball pitcher in the Negro leagues
- Bo Scarbrough, professional football player
Images for kids
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Confederate statue in Eutaw's Mesopotamia Cemetery
See also
In Spanish: Eutaw para niños
