Grand Bay, Alabama
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| Grand Bay, Alabama | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Mobile |
| Area | |
| - Total | 8.7 sq mi (22.5 km²) |
| - Land | 8.7 sq mi (22.4 km²) |
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 82 ft (25 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 3,918 |
| - Density | 450.3/sq mi (174.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 36541 |
| Area code(s) | 251 |
| FIPS code | 01-31024 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0155081 |
Grand Bay is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area. At the 2000 census the population was 3,918.
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[edit] Geography
Grand Bay is located at (30.474055, -88.341836)[1].
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 8.7 square miles (22.5 km²), of which, 8.7 square miles (22.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.34%) is water.
While the Northern and Eastern borders of Grand Bay are rather flexibly defined, both the Southern and Western edges of town are clearer, because Grand Bay extends to the state line on the west and the Gulf of Mexico on the South (although technically westernmost residents who consider themselves to live in Grand Bay may even stretch just over the state line into Mississippi).
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,918 people, 1,364 households, and 1,078 families residing in the community. The population density was 452.3 people per square mile (174.7/km²). There were 1,441 housing units at an average density of 166.4/sq mi (64.2/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 89.00% White, 8.88% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 0.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,364 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the community the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $38,941, and the median income for a family was $43,654. Males had a median income of $33,177 versus $21,920 for females. The per capita income for the community was $15,741. About 6.9% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Grand Bay is served by the Mobile County Public School System for Grades K-12. Castlen Elementary and Breitling Elementary are both K-5, Grand Bay Middle School is 6-8th Grade, and Bryant High School is 9-12 shared with nearby communities surrounding Bayou La Batre, Alabama. As of 2007, the elementary schools had around 500 students and the high school had around 1,500.
Grand Bay has been the often fortunate, sometimes unfortunate recipient of several school building projects that have somehow touched every one of the schools in the town between 1991 and 2007.
In 1991, Castlen Elementary built a new wing expansion on the North side of the school.
In 1998, Bryant High School was built to house students of the former Grand Bay High (now Grand Bay Middle) and Alba High (now Alba Middle, in Bayou La Batre, AL).
In 2005, Breightling Elementary was built to alleviate Castlen's further overcrowding.
In 2007, Grand Bay Middle School was partly demolished following damage done during Hurricane Katrina, and work is currently being done there. Iroically, the part of High School torn down had just been superficially remodeled around 1995-96, and the historical section of the building which was one of the few county schools surviving as long as it had, since 1929[1], surpassed perhaps by the old Baker High Building. In comparison, Murphy High, the "oldest school in the state" dates from 1926.[2]
Mascots for the schools are Castlen Cubs (formerly Castlen Cowboys until the mid-90s), Breightling Bears, Grand Bay Middle Tigers, Bryant Hurricanes.
Bryant High's Football team currently holds the record for the most shut-out high school quarters of football for their 1998 first football season. The Hurricanes also went undefeated until the playoffs against Vigor High where they lost their only game of the year.
Interestingly, Bryant High School encompasses students from only Grand Bay Middle and Alba Middle Schools exactally, the districts are synonymous. However, Grand Bay Middle's District slightly overhangs other elementary schools. Castlen Elementary and Breightling Elementary students all go to Grand Bay Middle. Also, most of St. Elmo Elementary attends Grand Bay Middle and a tiny portion of Dixon Elementary students in Irvington and Meadowlake Elementary students just north of Grand Bay have in the past gone to Grand Bay Middle.
A phrase heard less often now that was definitely common to Grand Bay vernacular prior to 1998 was for students to go "up the hill" referring to the fact that Grand Bay High was up the hill from Castlen Elementary. A student at Castlen that was asked if in 7th Grade whether or not they would go to a private or parochial school or transfer schools to a Magnet School would likely say that 'No, they were going Up the hill instead'. Also, When Castlen was first built in the early 70s, the students, who were then attending the high school using what are now the surviving downstairs/basement rooms actually walked down the hill with their teachers to attend their new school.
[edit] Government and Local Services
While the town is not incorporated, the Grand Bay area is served by the Grand Bay Water Works Board for water service and the Mobile County Commission, a 3 member panel, for all other governmental services.
The entire town of Grand Bay is a part of District 3 of the Mobile County Commission, current commissioner, 2007, is Mike Dean(R). Statewide, Grand Bay is represented by House District 105, current representative is Spencer Collier (R). In the State Senate nearly all of the town of Grand Bay is located within District 34 which includes all of Western Mobile County including much of the city of Mobile's western commercial and suburban corridor. This District is currently represented by Rusty Glover, 2007. Prior to 2002, most of the town of Grand Bay was located within the 35th District which encompasses southeastern Mobile County. Very few, of any residents of Grand Bay reside within this district under the latest reapportionment, which is dictated by the state government as much of the local matters due to Alabama's lack of county or city home rule. Essentially, the state government must grant the extent of all power that is given to any county or municipality.
In the US House, Grand Bay, and all of Mobile County is located within the 1st Congressional District. Currently, 2007, Jo Bonner(R) is the representative.
[edit] Watermelon Festival
Every July 4th Grand Bay has a Watermelon Festival at the Baseball Park west of town. Much like a local fair, there are games and activities in addition to lots of Watermelon.
[edit] Pecans and Fruit
Much of the rural land around Grand Bay is planted in Pecan trees. Earlier in the last century between much of the area between pecan trees there were fruit trees planted, particularly peach trees. However, despite Grand Bay's normally mild winters, today much of the pecan orchards have considerable space between the trees where the fruit trees were killed by frost or blight. Grand Bay Watermelons, however, are likely the produce most identifies with the town.
[edit] Grand Bay-St Elmo Community Center
The Grand Bay-St. Elmo Community Center was built in 2005. It is located at 11610 Hwy 90 in Grand Bay and is a multipurpose use rental facility.
[edit] Central Business Community
The business section of Grand Bay stretches East to West along Highway 90 for about two miles from Festival Park Road to Highway 188, and North to South along Grand Bay Wilmer Road from Highway 90 to Old Pascagoula Road
Restaurants in Grand Bay include
Gabe's Fajita House (est. 2007) ,Subway (2007) ,Sam's Super Burger South Location ,Sam's Super Burger North Location ,Pizza Inn ,Dairy Queen (closed 2006) ,Stuckey's ,Country Home Kitchen-Truck Stop ,Chicago's Best Pizza ,Hardee's ,Snow Cones ,Waffle House ,Blimpie Subs
Service Businesses include:
C&D Tire ,Century Bank ,Azalea Realty ,ALFA Insurance ,Contemporary Cuts & Styles ,Sweep & Swirl ,Grand Bay Medical Center ,Chevron ,GB Oil ,TA Truck Stop , Grand Bay Video ,Larson & Son Sign Studio , Video Express (closed around 1988) , Skateland, Grand Bay Animal Clinic
Shopping Businesses include:
Savannah's Gifts ,Greer's Food Tiger ,Walgreens ,Advance Auto Parts ,CVS ,Dollar General ,Family Dollar ,Larson & Son Sign Studio
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- [3] information on metropolitan statistics
[edit] External links
- GrandBayFriends.com
- Citizens For A Better Grand Bay Official Site
- Online community and bulletin board
- "The South's Best Fajitas!"
- Grand Bay, Alabama is at coordinates Coordinates:
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