Harvest, Alabama
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| Harvest, Alabama | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Madison |
| Area | |
| - Total | 12.4 sq mi (32.2 km²) |
| - Land | 12.4 sq mi (32.2 km²) |
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0 km²) |
| Elevation | 833 ft (254 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 3,054 |
| - Density | 246.3/sq mi (94.8/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 35749 |
| Area code(s) | 256 |
| FIPS code | 01-33472 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0119829 |
Harvest is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the northwestern part of Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the community is 3,054.
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[edit] History
Harvest was part of the Cherokee lands until about 1810. It had been a settled community for many thousands of years prior to this. People often find artifacts of this early settlement including pottery, arrow heads and various Native American tools in the area. A rail road was extended south from Fayetteville, Tennessee to the community of Capshaw some 5 miles (8 km) south south west of present day Harvest. This rail road went bankrupt in the economic troubles that lead to the Great Depression of the 1930s. The track of this rail road remains to this day as "Old Railroad Bed Road."
Many families who formed the older settlement population are part Cherokee Indian. The oldest Church in the Area is Ford's Chapel United Methodist Church established in 1808 as a mission to the Cherokee Indians of the area. The largest Church in the Area is the Harvest Baptist Church.
On April 3, 1974 during the Super Outbreak tornado event, two violent tornadoes including one F5 struck the community within 30 minutes. Most of Harvest along with neighboring communities such as Tanner was destroyed. 50 people were killed by both tornadoes.
[edit] Geography
Harvest is located at (34.852827, -86.748047)[1].
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 12.4 square miles (32.2 km²), all of it land.
Capshaw Mountain is the only notable geologic feature in the area. It extends upwards about 800 feet above the general elevation in the area. The slopes of this small scrap of the Cumberland Plateau are forested and the approximately 2 square mile (5 km²) area of it is fast becoming the center of some very high value housing development.
The top of this small mountain is the site of several very substantial communications towers used by local radio stations. Capshaw Mountain forms a watershed that provides the water supply for the community. the elevation of Capshaw Mountain and its location make it uniquely valuable as the site for regional communications. From its towers Line of Sight Communications may be achieved as far as Nashville, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama. To the west this extends well into Mississippi and to the east to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The extent of such communications covers an area of nearly 125 miles (200 km) radially around the community.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,054 people, 1,092 households, and 898 families residing in the community. The population density was 245.8 people per square mile (94.9/km²). There were 1,146 housing units at an average density of 92.2/sq mi (35.6/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 76.56% White, 18.76% Black or African American, 1.28% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,092 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.5% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the community the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $61,319, and the median income for a family was $64,519. Males had a median income of $46,813 versus $30,114 for females. The per capita income for the community was $23,322. About 6.8% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Public services
The community is served by the Harvest-Monrovia Water and Sewer Authority. The water system maintains several large storage tanks and has a substantial new water treatment facility.
The Madison County Sheriff's Department administers law and order in Harvest.
The Harvest Volunteer Fire Department is a large volunteer fire department of approximately 40 members serving the residents of West Central Madison County. The fire department has 3 stations that house 5 engines along with other assorted rescue vehicles. [1] Harvest is assisted by Toney Fire to the north and Monrovia Fire to the south.
The Huntsville Madison County Public Library maintains a branch, The Monrovia Public Library, in the Monrovia Community Center on Allen Drake Dr. near Phillips Park. This branch library is part of a very well supported community library system in Madison County.
The Madison County School System [2] runs several schools in Harvest. Sparkman High School is the largest public high school in the county, with over 2300 students. Middle school students in Harvest are zoned for either Monrovia Middle in the Monrovia community, or Sparkman Middle in Toney. There are also two elementary schools in Harvest- Harvest and Endeavor. Due to the rapid growth of the area, a new freshman building has been constructed for Sparkman High, and a new elementary school is slated to begin construction soon.
Numerous large churches operate in Harvest. Most residents of the community are Protestant Christians.
[edit] Economy
The economy of Harvest depends a great deal on construction of housing. In 2003 over 650 new homes were built in Harvest and the adjacent Monrovia Community. In addition it is the site of numerous small to medium sized businesses. There is no particular single source of this income. Having no government to speak of the economy is largely self generated. Substantial numbers of the people work in industries in the City of Madison and City of Huntsville. They find the unregulated and untaxed community much to their advantage.
Retail trade is rapidly expanding as of 2008, with the construction of new stores and restaurants which coincide with continuing residential growth. The area's businesses serve a wide area, encompassing much of Northwest Madison County and Northeast Limestone County.
[edit] See also
[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.
[edit] External links
- Harvest, Alabama is at coordinates Coordinates:
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