Valley, Alabama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valley is a city in Chambers County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 9,198. It is the principal city of and is included in the Valley, Alabama Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, Georgia-Alabama (part) Combined Statistical Area.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Valley is located at 32°48'40.993" North, 85°10'40.577" West (32.811387, -85.177938)^GR1.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.2 km² (9.7 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 9,198 people, 3,832 households, and 2,605 families residing in the city. The population density was 364.6/km² (944.2/mi²). There were 4,194 housing units at an average density of 166.3/km² (430.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.17% White, 28.78% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,832 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,395, and the median income for a family was $37,963. Males had a median income of $30,159 versus $21,325 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,008. About 12.0% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

The area where Valley, Alabama is located under went a major economic change after the Civil War. Prior to this conflict, the economy of this area was based on agriculture, but after the war, things began to change and the ‘Age of Textiles in the South’ began. This economic upheaval was the beginning of what would, over 100 years later, become the City of Valley, Alabama.

The City of Valley is a mere 25 years old, but its history dates back to the late 1860s when twin textile mills and towns, Langdale and Riverview, were built on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. In the early 1900s, two additional mills and mill villages, Shawmut and Fairfax, were built and in 1980 these 4 mill towns incorporated to form the City of Valley, Alabama. The entire incorporation process took only 15 months, which at the time was a record for incorporation in the State of Alabama.

For well over 100 years, the towns of Langdale, Riverview, Shawmut, and Fairfax were dependent upon the textile industry for their way of life and the area thrived and flourished as this was when 'Cotton was king'. West Point Manufacturing, which went through several name changes over the years and is today called West Point Home, Inc., furnished the towns with whatever they needed in the way of recreation, churches, stores, jobs, schools, ….everything.

Today, with the decline of the American Textile industry, Valley is faced with the necessity to once again reinvent itself as did its ancestors after the Civil War. But, with progressive and bold leaders willing to make the tough, yet necessary decisions required to move the city forward, Valley will face a future bright with prospect and opportunity.