Marion County, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marion County
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Marion County Courthouse in Hamilton
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Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
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Alabama's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States |
State | Alabama |
Founded | February 13, 1818 |
Named for | Francis Marion |
Seat | Hamilton |
Largest city | Hamilton |
Area | |
• Total | 744 sq mi (1,930 km2) |
• Land | 742 sq mi (1,920 km2) |
• Water | 1.3 sq mi (3 km2) 0.2% |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 29,341 |
• Estimate
(2021)
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29,246 |
• Density | 39.437/sq mi (15.227/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 4th |
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Marion County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 29,341. The county seat is Hamilton. The county was created by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on February 13, 1818. The county seat was originally established in Pikeville in 1820, and moved to Hamilton in 1881. The county was named for General Francis Marion of South Carolina.
Marion County is located in the northwestern part of the state, bounded on the west by the state of Mississippi. It encompasses 743 square miles (1,920 km2). The county is a prohibition or dry county, however, the sale of alcohol is permitted within the cities of Guin, Hamilton, and Winfield.
Contents
History
The county was created by the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on February 13, 1818, preceding Alabama's statehood by almost two years. It was created from land acquired from the Chickasaw Indians by the Treaty of 1816. Marion County included all of its current territory and parts of what are now Winston, Walker, Fayette, and Lamar counties in Alabama as well as portions of present-day Lowndes, Monroe, and Itawamba counties in Mississippi. The county was named in honor of General Francis Marion (1732–1795), an American Revolutionary War hero from South Carolina who was known as "The Swamp Fox." Most early settlers of Marion County came from Kentucky and Tennessee after General Andrew Jackson established the Military Road. The first towns in the area were Pikeville, Hamilton (formerly Toll Gate), Winfield, and Guin.
Old Marion County Courthouse in 1818, the first county courthouse, was constructed at Cotton Gin Port, near Amory. It was moved in 1819 to the home of Henry Greer along the Buttachatchee River. Pikeville served as Marion County's first permanent county seat from 1820–82. The town is now abandoned, but the home of Judge John Dabney Terrell Sr., which served as the third county courthouse, still stands. In 1883, Hamilton became the county seat. The first courthouse in Hamilton was destroyed by fire on March 30, 1887, and the second courthouse, constructed in the same place, also burned. A new courthouse, constructed of local sandstone opened in 1901. In 1959, the building was significantly remodeled to give the structure its current 1950's "international style" design theme.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 744 square miles (1,930 km2), of which 742 square miles (1,920 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) (0.2%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Franklin County (north)
- Winston County (east)
- Walker County (southeast)
- Fayette County (south)
- Lamar County (southwest)
- Monroe County, Mississippi (southwest)
- Itawamba County, Mississippi (west)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1830 | 4,058 | — | |
1840 | 5,847 | 44.1% | |
1850 | 7,833 | 34.0% | |
1860 | 11,182 | 42.8% | |
1870 | 6,059 | −45.8% | |
1880 | 9,364 | 54.5% | |
1890 | 11,347 | 21.2% | |
1900 | 14,494 | 27.7% | |
1910 | 17,495 | 20.7% | |
1920 | 22,008 | 25.8% | |
1930 | 25,967 | 18.0% | |
1940 | 28,776 | 10.8% | |
1950 | 27,264 | −5.3% | |
1960 | 21,837 | −19.9% | |
1970 | 23,788 | 8.9% | |
1980 | 30,041 | 26.3% | |
1990 | 29,830 | −0.7% | |
2000 | 31,214 | 4.6% | |
2010 | 30,776 | −1.4% | |
2020 | 29,341 | −4.7% | |
2021 (est.) | 29,246 | −5.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 30,776 people, 12,651 households, and 8,676 families living in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile (16/km2). There were 14,737 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.6% White, 3.8% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 12,651 households 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 28.4% of households were one person and 13.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.
The age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% 65 or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.
The median household income was $32,769 and the median family income was $44,223. Males had a median income of $34,089 versus $24,481 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,030. About 13.3% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
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White (non-Hispanic) | 26,093 | 88.93% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,094 | 3.73% |
Native American | 82 | 0.28% |
Asian | 75 | 0.26% |
Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.05% |
Other/Mixed | 1,120 | 3.82% |
Hispanic or Latino | 863 | 2.94% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29,341 people, 11,997 households, and 8,030 families residing in the county.
Events
- Jerry Brown Arts Festival - Hamilton (March)
- Neighbor Day - Hackleburg (Last Saturday in April)
- MayFest - Guin (Second Saturday in May)
- CoalFest - Brilliant (Memorial Day)
- Mule Day - Winfield (September)
- Buttahatchee River Fall Fest - Hamilton (October)
Transportation
Major highways
- Interstate 22
- U.S. Highway 43
- U.S. Highway 78
- U.S. Highway 278
- State Route 13
- State Route 17
- State Route 19
- State Route 44
- State Route 74
- State Route 129
Rail
- BNSF Railway
- Norfolk Southern Railway
Air
- Marion County-Rankin Fite Airport
Communities
Cities
- Guin
- Haleyville (partly in Winston County)
- Hamilton (county seat)
- Winfield (partly in Fayette County)
Towns
- Bear Creek
- Brilliant
- Glen Allen (partly in Fayette County)
- Gu-Win (partly in Fayette County)
- Hackleburg
- Twin
Unincorporated communities
- Barnesville
- Bexar
- Pigeye
- Pull Tight
- Shottsville
- South Haleyville
- Texas
- Gravel Springs
- Byrd
Ghost town
Education
Two public school systems, Marion County Schools and Winfield City Schools, operate in the county. Hamilton is home to a campus of Bevill State Community College. Marion County School System
- Philips Elementary and High School (Bear Creek)
- Brilliant Elementary School
- Brilliant High School
- Guin Elementary School
- Marion County High School (Guin)
- Hackleburg Elementary and High School
- Hamilton Elementary School
- Hamilton Middle School
- Hamilton High School,
Winfield City School System
- Winfield Elementary School
- Winfield Middle School
- Winfield High School
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Marion (Alabama) para niños