Saraland, Alabama
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| Saraland, Alabama | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Mobile |
| Area | |
| - Total | 22 sq mi (57 km²) |
| - Land | 21.9 sq mi (56.7 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 12,288 |
| - Density | 558.5/sq mi (215.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 36571 |
| Area code(s) | 251 |
| FIPS code | 01-68160 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0153329 |
Saraland is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, in the United States, and a suburb of Mobile, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 12,288. It is a part of the Mobile metropolitan statistical area. Saraland is the third largest city in Mobile County.
Royal Dutch Shell operates the Shell Saraland Refinery in Saraland [1].
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[edit] Geography
Saraland is located at (30.825186, -88.091932)[1].
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.0 square miles (57.0 km²), of which, 21.9 square miles (56.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.50%) is water.
[edit] History
The area that was to become the present day Saraland was included in a Spanish land grant to Don Diego Alvarez. Hence, descendants of Alvarez were the ones to give the community its first name - Alvarez Station. Later land squatters moved into the area and were able, legally, in 1800 to begin purchasing property. In 1807 a land office was opened in St. Stephens to handle all land transactions. Some of the pioneer families who seized the opportunity to buy up sections were named Alvarez, Rice, Hartley, Moore, LaCoste, Williams, Tool and Cleveland. Ultimately, Alvarez Station was called Cleveland Station. The present name of the city is reported to have been given by C.J. DeWitt, a retired minister editor who moved south in 1890 for health reasons. He opened the first post office on the Southern Railroad in 1895. The Community is purported to be the namesake of his beloved wife, Sara.
Saraland was sparsely populated during the first part of the 20th century, until an industrial and population boom occurred in neighboring Mobile. Northward expansion of Mobile in the 1940's and 50's brought about the incorporation of Saraland in 1957. At the time of incorporation, the city reported only 125 residents. By the 1960 U.S. Census, annexations had swelled the population to 4,595. In 1980, census figures cited 9,844 Saraland residents. Current census records report that as of 2000, Saraland's population has grown to 12,288.
The worst rail disaster in the history of Amtrak occurred near Saraland on Big Bayou Canot on September 22, 1993. At approximately 2:53 AM, Amtrak's Sunset Limited train, powered by three locomotives, and en route from Los Angeles, California to Miami, Florida with 220 passengers and crew aboard, crossed the Bayou Canot bridge at high speed and derailed at a kink in the track. Forty-seven people, of which 42 were passengers, were killed, many by drowning, others by fire.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 12,288 people, 4,810 households, and 3,602 families residing in the city. The population density was 560.9 people per square mile (216.5/km²). There were 5,138 housing units at an average density of 234.5/sq mi (90.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.50% White, 8.97% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,810 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,318, and the median income for a family was $43,471. Males had a median income of $35,431 versus $22,787 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,470. About 7.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Saraland is served by the Mobile County Public School System [2] [3]. In June 2006, Saraland voted for its own city school system. Saraland officials expect to have the new school system in operation by 2009 [4]. In September 2006 officials planned to have a superintendent by November 2006 [5]. In October 2006 the city hired Robert C. Campbell III, an attorney who resigned from the Mobile County school system in the summer of 2003 after working for the Mobile County system for 27 years, so that negotiations could begin in a short matter of time. The city hopes to take over Saraland Elementary and Nelson Adams Middle School by the start of the 2008-2009 school year and construct and open a new $19 million United States dollars high school by 2009.
The city has two choices for the high school site [6]:
- Off Interstate 65, southeast of Alabama 158
- Three miles north of Interstate 65, off Celeste Road
The city is served by Saraland Elementary School and Adams Middle School, both of which are within the city. The city is served by Satsuma High School in nearby Satsuma and Vigor High School in nearby Prichard.
Private schools within Saraland include Evangel Christian School and North Mobile Christian School.
[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
- Saraland, Alabama is at coordinates Coordinates:
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