Bear Creek, Alabama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bear Creek is a town in Marion County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,053. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the town had a population of 1,021. [1]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Local Features
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Bear Creek is located at 34°16′21″N, 87°42′12″W (34.272400, -87.703374)^GR1.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.6 km² (13.7 mi²). 35.0 km² (13.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.75%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,053 people, 428 households, and 309 families residing in the town. The population density was 30.1/km² (78.0/mi²). There were 475 housing units at an average density of 13.6/km² (35.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.15% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 428 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,813, and the median income for a family was $35,341. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $21,786 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,917. About 14.6% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 32.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Local Features

Local high school is Phillips High School. The first, wooden frame school building across the highway from the present location of Phillips School, held grades 1-9. This building caught fire around Christmas of 1925. Local churches provided temporary space for the teachers and pupils. Mrs. J. R. Phillips graciously donated land for a new school on April 16, 1926. Her husband ,who passed away in April 1925, wanted the addition of a high school. The community pulled together with its energetic volunteer labor and donated timber from virgin pines in Bear Creek. Members of the community sacrificed time and money in their participation with the construction of the new Phillips School. Logging was done by wagon and hauled to Veal's sawmill. Brick came by rail and was transported by wagon to the site. McKinley Campbell, assisted by his brother, was the contractor for the new facility. Family names are: Phillips, Tidwell, Fleming, Campbell, Morrow, Arnold, Vickery, Smith, Golden, Veal, Flippo and others.

   The first principal at Phillips School was Mr. Robert E. Moody of Joppa.  He worked diligently, prior to the beginning of school in the fall of 1927, to encourage drop outs  to reenter school.  Now they would not have to leave home to attend high school.  The first graduation was held  at Phillips High School in 1929.  Agricultural and home economics departments were added in 1935 and housed near the present location of the cafeteria.  The football field was located behind the main building, which was later replaced in 1969.  The only building presently standing  that was a part of the first campus is the band room.  It was formerly the community canning plant.

       Over the years, the J. R. Phillips family has given additional land by  Oscar, Horace Phillips and L. G. Phillips, and more recently Wayne Phillips.  Additional classrooms were added to the high school section in 1979 and 1982.  The elementary gym was erected in 1982.  The high school gym was renovated and the new lobby was erected in 1988.  In 1999-2000 an additional building was constructed near the band room, containing new elementary classes and bathrooms.  The school has grown to 260 high school students and 342 elementary students.  The faculty consists of approximately 21 high school teachers and 27 elementary teachers.

     On Saturday, September 2nd 2203, the Phillips football field (James E. Glass Stadium) was named after Coach James E. Glass in honor of the dedication he has given to the football team and school throughout the years.  Our football field was the first football field in the state of Alabama to be lighted.  This occurred in the fall of  ‘33.

Prominent citizens include: Wayne Phillips, James Philips, the late Eugene Lauderdale, Tim Barnett (on the 1992 NC University of Alabama team), Drennon Veal, Royce Frederick, Cherri Epperson, Sonny Frix, Frank (Frankie Joe) Martin, Mattie Fleming, Ed Franks, Scott Veal (1989 Northwest Vikings) , Jonathon Raper, John Coffield, Dawn McKinnish, Billy Raper & Gary McCarley. Cherri Epperson was voted to the 1986 Girls High School Basketball Converse All-American team as a senior. Scott Veal head boys basketball coach who is an esteamed alumni of Phillips High School. He dominated the hard wood in the late eighties and was voted "Top 5 Big Men" in the state of Alabama in 1989 by The Birmingham News. Despite Veal's greatness Joel Phillips remains the only graduate of Phillips High to score a field goal in a Division 1 men's basketball game. He hit a 3 pointer for Auburn University against LSU in 1991 as a walk-on. He remains one of the only players to go 100% from the floor for Auburn University.