Winfield, Alabama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Winfield is a city in Marion County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,540, the second largest city in the county.

Johnny Micheal Spann is a notable Winfield citizen. He was an employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the first American killed in combat after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

Winfield also has a consistently winning football program coached by Danny Adams (2003-current). Ever since he has taken over at the helm, his teams have had a 46-6 record. In 2004 the Winfield Pirates made it to the state championship for the first time ever and jumped out to a commanding 21-0 lead, only to lose the game in the second half. 4 straight years with the region title, and once again are in the playoffs. *As of 11-14-06

Winfield School system was also the place of employance of John Mark Karr for a brief period.

1 History
2 Geography and Climate
- 2.1 Geography
- 2.2 Climate
3 Demographics
4 Culture
- 4.1 Festivals
5 External links

[edit] History

Winfield is a small city situated in Northwest Alabama some 30 miles from the Mississippi State line. It lies in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain range which stretches from deep south all the way to Maine. This area has an interesting history. Long before the earliest settlers arrived, Indian tribes hunted in the forest and fished in the streams and along and around Winfield. The town was originally called Needmore, but when it was incorporated in about 1897, the name was changed to Winfield in honor of General Winfield Scott. This area was once the Chickasaw Indian domain. Although there were no Indian settlements within the county, several sites were maintained as hunting camps. The strong and independent spirit of the people is the foremost attribute, with heritage gained from the Indians that settled the area. Patriotism runs deep in this southern community with the people being proud Americans. Today, Winfield offers many of the advantages of a larger city, while providing the special touches of small town living. It has one of the best public education systems in the entire state, excellent health care, lovely and affordable homes denominational churches, small businesses, a strong and expanding industrial base, good restaurants, progressive city government and recreational activities.

[edit] Geography and Climate

[edit] Geography

Winfield is located at 33°55′42″N, 87°48′29″W (33.928258, -87.807990)^GR1.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.1 km² (16.3 mi²). 42.0 km² (16.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.31%) is water.

[edit] Climate

Winfield has a warm subtropical climate characterized by hot summers, mild winters, and abundant rainfall. January sees average daily high temperatures of 53.0 °F (11.7 °C) and lows of 31.8 °F (−0.1 °C). In July the average daily high is 90.6 °F (32.6 °C) and the low is 69.2 °F (20.7 °C). Snowfall is infrequent in the area, with a yearly average of only 0.5 inches (1 cm). The average yearly rainfall in Winfield is about 52 inches (1330 mm), with March being the wettest month and October the driest.

The spring and fall months are pleasant but variable, but cold fronts frequently bring strong to severe thunderstorms and occasional tornadoes to the region. The fall season features less rainfall and fewer storms, as well as lower humidity than the spring, but it is also a secondary severe weather season.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,540 people, 1,849 households, and 1,310 families residing in the city. The population density was 108.1/km² (279.9/mi²). There were 2,126 housing units at an average density of 50.6/km² (131.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.56% White, 4.21% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,849 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,317, and the median income for a family was $38,545. Males had a median income of $32,734 versus $21,184 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,814. About 11.1% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Festivals

The 4th Saturday in September each year, Winfield hosts an event that has been termed "One of the top 20 events in the Southeast" by Travel and Tourism magazine. Celebrating its 25th year anniversary, Mule Day has grown into a major event not only for the City of Winfield but also for the State of Alabama. Drawing crowds of over 25,000 each year, Mule Day features a variety of activities that appeal to any palate.