Calhoun County, Alabama
Calhoun County, Alabama | |
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Calhoun County courthouse in Anniston | |
![]() Location in the state of Alabama | |
![]() Alabama's location in the U.S. | |
Founded |
December 18, 1832 as Benton County |
Named for | John C. Calhoun |
Seat | Anniston |
Largest city | Anniston |
Area | |
• Total | 612 sq mi (1,585 km2) |
• Land | 606 sq mi (1,570 km2) |
• Water | 6.4 sq mi (17 km2), 1.0% |
Population | |
• (2010) | 118,572 |
• Density | 196/sq mi (76/km²) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Website |
www |
Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 118,572.[1] Its county seat is Anniston.[2] Its name is in honor of John C. Calhoun, famous member of the United States Senate from South Carolina.
Calhoun County is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Benton County was established on December 18, 1832, named for Thomas Hart Benton, a member of the United States Senate from Missouri, with its county seat at Jacksonville. Benton, a slave owner, was a political ally of John C. Calhoun, another slaveholder and a U.S. senator from South Carolina. Through the 1820s-1840s, however, Benton's and Calhoun's political interests diverged, with Calhoun increasingly using secession as a weapon to maintain and expand slavery throughout the United States. Benton, on the other hand, was slowly coming to the conclusion that slavery was wrong and that preservation of the union was paramount. On January 29, 1858, Alabama supporters of slavery, objecting to Benton's change of heart, renamed Benton County as Calhoun County. The county seat was moved to Anniston after years of controversy and a State Supreme Court ruling in June 1900. An F4 tornado struck here on Palm Sunday March 27, 1994. It destroyed Piedmont's Goshen United Methodist Church twelve minutes after the National Weather Service of Birmingham issued a tornado warning for northern Calhoun, southeastern Etowah, and southern Cherokee.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 612 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 606 square miles (1,570 km2) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km2) (1.0%) is water.[3]
Adjacent counties
- Cherokee County, Alabama - northeast
- Cleburne County, Alabama - east
- Talladega County, Alabama - south
- St. Clair County, Alabama - west
- Etowah County, Alabama - northwest
National protected areas
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 78
U.S. Highway 278
U.S. Highway 431
State Route 9
State Route 21
State Route 144
State Route 200
State Route 202
State Route 204
Rail
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1840 | 14,260 | — | |
1850 | 17,163 | 20.4% | |
1860 | 21,539 | 25.5% | |
1870 | 13,980 | −35.1% | |
1880 | 19,591 | 40.1% | |
1890 | 33,835 | 72.7% | |
1900 | 34,874 | 3.1% | |
1910 | 39,115 | 12.2% | |
1920 | 47,822 | 22.3% | |
1930 | 55,611 | 16.3% | |
1940 | 63,319 | 13.9% | |
1950 | 79,539 | 25.6% | |
1960 | 95,878 | 20.5% | |
1970 | 103,092 | 7.5% | |
1980 | 119,761 | 16.2% | |
1990 | 116,034 | −3.1% | |
2000 | 112,249 | −3.3% | |
2010 | 118,572 | 5.6% | |
Est. 2013 | 116,736 | −1.5% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[4] 1790-1960[5] 1900-1990[6] 1990-2000[7] 2010-2013[1] |
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 112,249 people, 45,307 households, and 31,307 families residing in the county. The population density was 184 people per square mile (71/km2). There were 51,322 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile (33/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 78.88% White, 18.54% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 45,307 households out of which 29.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 13.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,768, and the median income for a family was $39,908. Males had a median income of $30,847 versus $21,076 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,367. About 12.40% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Year | GOP | DEM | Others |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | 65.7% 32,348 | 33.2% 16,334 | 1.1% 560 |
2004 | 65.9% 29,814 | 33.3% 15,083 | 0.8% 352 |
2000 | 57.3% 22,306 | 40.6% 15,781 | 2.1% 822 |
1996 | 49.0% 18,088 | 42.6% 15,725 | 8.4% 3,098 |
1992 | 48.2% 20,623 | 38.4% 16,453 | 13.4% 5,724 |
1988 | 58.3% 19,806 | 36.7% 12,451 | 5.0% 1,711 |
1984 | 61.2% 23,291 | 33.5% 12,752 | 5.4% 2,039 |
1980 | 49.2% 17,475 | 47.9% 17,017 | 2.9% 1,049 |
1976 | 36.0% 11,763 | 62.6% 20,466 | 1.4% 471 |
1972 | 76.9% 20,364 | 22.0% 5,832 | 1.0% 275 |
1968 | 11.4% 3,061 | 15.5% 4,146 | 73.0% 19,568 |
1964 | 63.1% 10,635 | 0.0% 0 | 36.9% 6,210 |
1960 | 33.0% 4,821 | 65.6% 9,590 | 1.5% 218 |
Calhoun is a staunchly Republican county in Presidential and Congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. In 2008, Republican John McCain won 66% of the county's vote.
Calhoun is part of Alabama's 3rd congressional district, which is held by Republican Mike D. Rogers.
Communities
Cities
- Anniston
- Glencoe (part of Glencoe is in Etowah County)
- Jacksonville
- Oxford (part of Oxford is in Talladega County and in Cleburne County)
- Piedmont (part of Piedmont is in Cherokee County)
- Southside (part of Southside is in Etowah County)
- Weaver
Towns
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns
Places of interest
Calhoun County is home to Jacksonville State University, the Anniston Museum of Natural History, the Berman Museum of World History and the Coldwater Covered Bridge. It also contains a portion of the Talladega National Forest.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Calhoun County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Calhoun County, Alabama
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
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Etowah County | Cherokee County | ![]() | |
St. Clair County | |
Cleburne County | ||
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Talladega County |
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Coordinates: 33°46′10″N 85°49′15″W / 33.76944°N 85.82083°W