Cullman, Alabama

Cullman, Alabama
Buildings on 1st Avenue SE
Motto: " A City of character"
Location in Cullman County and the state of Alabama
Coordinates: 34°10′39″N 86°50′41″W / 34.17750°N 86.84472°W / 34.17750; -86.84472
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Cullman
Settled	1873
Incorporated	1878
Founded by	Colonel Johann Gottfried Cullmann
Named for	Colonel Johann Gottfried Cullmann
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	19.2 sq mi (49.6 km2)
• Land	18.3 sq mi (47.4 km2)
• Water	0.9 sq mi (2.2 km2)
Elevation	898 ft (251 m)
Population (2011)
• Total	14,799
• Density	837.6/sq mi (282.2/km2)
Time zone	Central Standard Time (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	35055-35058
Area code(s)	256
Mayor	Max Townson
FIPS code	01-18976
GNIS feature ID	0116948
Website	City of Cullman Official Website

Cullman is a city in Cullman County, State of Alabama. Cullman is located along Interstate 65, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Birmingham, and about 55 miles (89 km) south of Huntsville. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 14,799.^[1] Cullman is the seat of Cullman County, Alabama.

History

In the time before European settlement, the area that today includes Cullman was originally in the territory of the Cherokee Nation. The region was traversed by a trail known as the Black Warrior's Path, which led from the Tennessee River near the present location of Florence, Alabama, to a point on the Black Warrior River south of Cullman. This trail figured significantly in Cherokee history, and it featured prominently in the American Indian Wars prior to the establishment of the state of Alabama and the relocation of several American Indian tribes, including the Creek tribe westward along the Trail of Tears. During the Creek Indian War in 1813, General Andrew Jackson of the U.S. Army dispatched a contingent of troops down the trail, one of which included the famous frontiersman Davy Crockett.^[2]

During the American Civil War, the future location of Cullman was the site of the minor Battle of Day's Gap. On April 30, 1863, Union forces under the command of Colonel Abel Streight won a victory over forces under Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This battle was part of a campaign and chase known collectively as Streight's Raid. Although Streight got the upper hand in this battle, Forrest would have the last laugh. In one of the more humorous moments of the war, Streight sought a truce and negotiations with Forrest in present-day Cherokee County near present-day Gaylesville. Although Streight's force was larger than Forrest's, while the two were negotiating, Forrest had his troops march repeatedly in a circuitous route past the site of the talks. Thinking himself to be badly outnumbered, Streight surrendered to Forrest on the spot.^[3]

Colonel John Cullmann, founder of Cullman (1823–1895)

Cullman itself was founded in 1873 by Colonel John G. Cullmann, a German refugee who had arrived in America in 1865. (The city's name was Americanized to "Cullman", although some sources state that Cullmann had earlier Americanized his name from "Kullmann". Stanley Johnson, his only surviving American descendant, told The Cullman Times in 1998 that there are no German records indicating the name "Kullmann", and that "Cullmann" had always been the correct spelling.)^[4] Cullmann had been an advocate of democratic reforms in his native Bavaria, and he fled when the autocratic Prussian-dominated regime emerged ascendant after the Revolutions of 1848. In 1873, Cullmann negotiated an agreement to act as agent for a tract of land 349,000 acres (1,410 km²) in size, owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, on which he established a colony for German immigrants.^[5][6]

Five German families moved to the area in March 1873; in 1874, the town was incorporated and named after Colonel Cullmann. Over the next twenty years, Cullmann encouraged around 100,000 Germans to immigrate to the United States, with many settling in the Cullman area. Cullmann drew on his military engineering training in laying out and planning the town. During this period, Cullman underwent considerable growth. German continued to be widely spoken, and Cullmann himself was the publisher of a German-language newspaper. When Cullmann died in 1895, at the age of 72, his funeral was marked by the attendance of Governor William C. Oates.^[5] The site Cullmann selected for his headquarters is now his gravesite.

For many years Cullman was a college town, with Saint Bernard College serving as the home of several hundred students. In the mid-1970s, St. Bernard briefly merged with Sacred Heart College (a two-year Benedictine women’s college), to become Southern Benedictine College. That college closed in 1979, and it now operates as Saint Bernard Preparatory School. The former site of Sacred Heart College is now the Sacred Heart Monastery, which serves as a retreat center operated by the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery.^[7]

During the twentieth century, Cullman developed a more diverse economy, including several manufacturing and distribution facilities. However, its economy remains primarily based on agriculture and providing services to the agricultural workforce. Cullman County has the highest agricultural production in the state, and is one of the sixty largest agricultural-production counties in dollar terms in the United States.^[8]

Cullman gained national attention in early 2008, when a special election was held to fill a vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives. Although Cullman is known throughout the region as a former sundown town, the district that included Cullman elected James C. Fields, an African-American, in that special election.^[9]

Cullman's German heritage was repressed during World War I and World War II, as the United States was fighting Germany. This was reversed in the 1970s, with renewed interest in the city's history and heritage. Today, Cullman holds an annual Oktoberfest.^[10] An honorary "Bürgermeister" is elected for each Oktoberfest. For many years the Oktoberfest did not include alcohol because Cullman was dry, but, starting in 2011, the Oktoberfest can offer beer.^[11]

Tornado

2011 Tornado Damage

On April 27, 2011, a powerful tornado from the April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak struck downtown Cullman. Rated an EF4, it destroyed many buildings in downtown and in a residential area on the east side of Cullman. There were no deaths in the city limits, although there were 2 reported for the county. The twister moved northeast towards Arab and Guntersville, killing six or more all told.^[12]

Geography

Cullman is located on top of Brindley Mountain plateau at 34°10′39″N 86°50′42″W / 34.17750°N 86.84500°W / 34.17750; -86.84500 (34.177508, −86.844996).^[13] This is a close offshoot of the long geographic ridge called Sand Mountain, a southmost extension of the Appalachian Mountains. The elevation is 826 feet (252 m), close to the watershed between the Tennessee River and the Black Warrior River. Cullman provides its own town water supply from a city-owned lake within the city limits, Lake Catoma.^{[citation needed]}

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.1 square miles (49 km²). 18.3 square miles (47 km²) of this is land, with water making up 4.5%, or 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²).^[14]

Education

The Cullman City School System operates five schools:

Cullman Primary School (Pre-K – First Grade),
East Elementary (Second Grade – Sixth Grade),
West Elementary (Second Grade – Sixth Grade),
John G. Cullman Middle School (Seventh and Eighth Grades),
and Cullman High School (Ninth Grade – Twelfth Grade).^[15]

Other schools in Cullman include:

Saint Bernard Preparatory School, a Benedictine boarding and day school (Ninth grade – Twelfth grade),
Saint Bernard Middle School (Seventh and Eighth Grade),
Sacred Heart Elementary School (Pre-K – Sixth Grade),
Saint Paul's Lutheran School (Pre-K – Sixth Grade),
and Cullman Christian School (Pre-K – Twelfth Grade).

Demographics

As of the census^[17] of 2010, there were 14,775 people and 6,957 households.^[18] The population density was 765.0 inhabitants per square mile (295.4 /km²). There were 6,957 housing units at an average density of 365.1 per square mile (141.0 /km²).^[1] The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, and 1.1% from two or more races. 8.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[18]

There were 6,957 households, out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.85.^[18]

In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.^[18]

The median income for a household in the city was $29,164, and the median income for a family was $41,313. Males had a median income of $32,863 versus $21,647 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,484. About 9.4% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.^[18]

Cullman was ranked among Bloomberg Businessweek's 50 Best Places to Raise Your Kids in 2012^[19] based on the city's educational and economic factors, crime level, air quality, amenities, and ethnic diversity.

Media

Radio stations

• WFMH 1340 AM (Sports/Talk)
• WKUL 92.1 FM (Country/Talk)
• WMCJ 1460 AM (Southern Gospel)
• WYDE-FM 101.1 FM (Talk Radio)

Newspaper

• The Cullman Times (daily)
• The Cullman Tribune (weekly)
• Cullman Sense (weekly)

Television

Cullman is in the TV broadcasting areas of both Birmingham, Alabama, and Huntsville, Alabama.

Also, there are two low-power broadcasting stations in Cullman: CATV-2 and WCQT-LP TV-27. Cullman also has a PEG station, CCTV55, which is run by students at Cullman High School. CCTV55 was known as CATS-55 at one time.

Health care

• Cullman Regional Medical Center – a 115-bed hospital.

Transportation

• Interstate 65
• U.S. Highway 31
• U.S. Highway 278
• Alabama State Route 69
• Alabama State Route 157
• CSX Transportation Railroad
• Folsom Field municipal airport

Sister city

• Frankweiler (Germany)

Notable persons from Cullman

• JoJo Billingsley, singer/songwriter
• Wesley Britt, National Football League player
• Jamelle Folsom, First Lady of Alabama 1948 – 1951 and 1955 – 1959^[20]
• James E. "Big Jim" Folsom, Governor of Alabama 1947 – 1951 and 1955 – 1959
• James E. "Little Jim" Folsom, Jr., Governor of Alabama 1993 – 1995, former Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
• Robert Hall, professional make-up artist
• Roger Hallmark, country musician
• Kurt Heinecke, composer and voice actor
• Charles Kleibacker, fashion designer
• Harold E. Martin, journalist and 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner
• William C. Martin, physicist
• Julian L. McPhillips candidate for Attorney General of Alabama in 1978.
• Josh Rutledge, Major League Baseball player
• Frank Stitt, nationally acclaimed and James Beard Award-winning chef.
• Channing Tatum, actor/model
• Zac Tubbs, American football offensive lineman
• Holly Williams, country music singer (and daughter of Hank Williams, Jr.)
• Larry Willingham, professional football player
• Morgan Smith Goodwin, actress, 2012 - 2013 Wendy's spokesperson

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cullman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[21]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cullman, Alabama.

• City of Cullman, Alabama web site
• History of Cullman, on the Cullman High School web site
• Cullman Schools web Site

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v t e Municipalities and communities of Cullman County, Alabama, United States County seat: Cullman Cities Arab‡ Cullman Hanceville Towns Baileyton Colony Dodge City Fairview Garden City‡ Good Hope Holly Pond South Vinemont West Point CDPs East Point Joppa Unincorporated communities Arkadelphia Battleground Berlin Black Bottom Bremen Brooklyn Bug Tussle Corinth Crane Hill Logan Spring Hill Vinemont Welti Wilburn Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties