DeKalb County, Alabama
| DeKalb County, Alabama | |
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DeKalb County courthouse in Fort Payne
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 Location in the U.S. state of Alabama |
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 Alabama's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | January 9, 1836 |
| Named for | Johan DeKalb |
| Seat | Fort Payne |
| Largest city | Fort Payne |
| Area | |
| • Total | 779 sq mi (2,018 km2) |
| • Land | 777 sq mi (2,012 km2) |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4 km2), 0.2% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2016) | 70,900 |
| • Density | 92/sq mi (36/km²) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website | www |
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Footnotes:
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DeKalb County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 71,109.[1] Its county seat is Fort Payne[2] and it is named after Major General Baron Johan DeKalb.
Contents
History[edit]
DeKalb County was created by the Alabama legislature on January 9, 1836,[3] from land ceded to the Federal government by the Cherokee Nation. It was named for Major General Baron Johann de Kalb, a hero of the American Revolution.[4]
DeKalb County was the one time home of the famous Cherokee Native American Sequoyah.
The county's eastern edge, along the state line, was also the epicenter of an earthquake on April 29, 2003, measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale. Power was knocked out in the area, mirrors and pictures thrown to the floor, foundations cracked, and one chimney fell to the ground. It was felt over a significant portion of the southeastern states, including quite strongly in northeastern Alabama and neighboring northwestern Georgia, and nearby eastern Tennessee (especially near Chattanooga). It was also felt slightly in western upstate South Carolina, far west-southwestern North Carolina, south and southeastern Kentucky, and east-northeastern Mississippi.
On the whole, DeKalb County is a dry county. In 2005, a change in local laws enabled Fort Payne to become the only location in the county to allow the legal sale of alcohol.[5] Collinsville later allowed alcohol sales.
DeKalb County saw one of the highest death tolls in Alabama during a massive tornadic system in April 2011, the 2011 Super Outbreak, with 31 deaths reported in the county.
Geography[edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 779 square miles (2,020 km2), of which 777 square miles (2,010 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6]
Adjacent counties[edit]
- Jackson County - north
- Dade County, Georgia - northeast (EST)
- Walker County, Georgia - east (EST)
- Chattooga County, Georgia - east (EST)
- Cherokee County - southeast
- Etowah County - south
- Marshall County - west
National protected area[edit]
Demographics[edit]
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 5,929 | — | |
| 1850 | 8,245 | 39.1% | |
| 1860 | 10,705 | 29.8% | |
| 1870 | 7,126 | −33.4% | |
| 1880 | 12,675 | 77.9% | |
| 1890 | 21,106 | 66.5% | |
| 1900 | 23,558 | 11.6% | |
| 1910 | 28,261 | 20.0% | |
| 1920 | 34,426 | 21.8% | |
| 1930 | 40,104 | 16.5% | |
| 1940 | 43,075 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 45,048 | 4.6% | |
| 1960 | 41,417 | −8.1% | |
| 1970 | 41,981 | 1.4% | |
| 1980 | 53,658 | 27.8% | |
| 1990 | 54,651 | 1.9% | |
| 2000 | 64,452 | 17.9% | |
| 2010 | 71,109 | 10.3% | |
| Est. 2016 | 70,900 | [7] | −0.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2016[1] |
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As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 71,109 people, 26,842 households, and 19,361 families residing in the county. The population density was 92 people per square mile (36/km2). There were 31,109 housing units at an average density of 39.9 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% White(non-Hispanic), 1.5% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 9.9% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 13.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 64,452 people, 25,113 households, and 18,432 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile (32/km2). There were 28,051 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile (14/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.55% White(non-Hispanic), 1.68% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.10% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. 5.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to the census of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in DeKalb County were English 78.31%, Scotch-Irish 8.29%, Scottish 3.33%, Irish 3.31%, Welsh 1.22%, and African 1.68%
Transportation[edit]
Major highways[edit]
Interstate 59
U.S. Route 11
State Route 35
State Route 40
State Route 68
State Route 75
State Route 117
State Route 176
State Route 227
Rail[edit]
Government[edit]
| Year | GOP | DNC | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 82.9% 21,779 | 14.0% 3,682 | 3.1% 817 |
| 2012 | 76.8% 18,316 | 22.0% 5,235 | 1.2% 291 |
| 2008 | 74.8% 17,957 | 23.5% 5,658 | 1.7% 400 |
| 2004 | 69.9% 16,904 | 29.4% 7,092 | 0.7% 173 |
| 2000 | 63.2% 12,827 | 34.8% 7,056 | 2.0% 402 |
DeKalb County is strongly Republican, 83% voted for Donald Trump in 2016.
Communities[edit]
Cities[edit]
- Fort Payne (county seat)
- Henagar
- Rainsville
Towns[edit]
- Collinsville (partly in Cherokee County)
- Crossville
- Fyffe
- Geraldine
- Hammondville
- Ider
- Lakeview
- Mentone
- Pine Ridge
- Powell
- Sand Rock (partly in Cherokee County)
- Shiloh
- Sylvania
- Valley Head
Unincorporated communities[edit]
Ghost towns[edit]
See also[edit]
- National Register of Historic Places listings in DeKalb County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in DeKalb County, Alabama
References[edit]
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Alabama Counties". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 103.
- ^ "Alcohol laws are changed," The Times-Journal, December 17, 2004
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Counties Population Totals Tables: 2010-2016". Retrieved May 22, 2017.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 16, 2016.
External links[edit]
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Jackson County | Dade County, Georgia | |
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| Marshall County |  |
Walker County, Georgia and Chattooga County, Georgia | ||
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| Etowah County | Cherokee County |
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Municipalities and communities of DeKalb County, Alabama, United States
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| Unincorporated communities |
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes |
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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Coordinates: 34°27′26″N 85°48′24″W / 34.45722°N 85.80667°W
