Fultondale, Alabama

Fultondale
City
Motto: "A Friendly City"

Location in Jefferson County and the state of Alabama
Coordinates: 33°36′54″N 86°48′4″W / 33.61500°N 86.80111°W
Country United States
State Alabama
County Jefferson
Government
 • Mayor Jim Lowery
Area
 • Total 12.3 sq mi (31.7 km2)
 • Land 12.3 sq mi (31.7 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 610 ft (186 m)
Population (2013)[1]
 • Total 8,752
 • Density 536.2/sq mi (208/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 35068
Area code(s) 205
FIPS code 01-28552
GNIS feature ID 0118760
Website City of Fultondale

Fultondale is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a northern suburb of Birmingham. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 8,380.

History

Fulton was a mining town in the 1900s. Fulton was incorporated in 1947.[2] The town's name is derived from the combination of the names of two nearby communities, Fulton Springs and Glendale.[3]

This area was once known as Fulton Springs. Prior to the building of Interstate 65, US 31 was the main route for travelers northbound from Birmingham towards Nashville, Tennessee. As a result, hotels such as the Keystone Lodge and Buchmann Motor Inn prospered. On the city's southern edge was located one of the few drive-in theatres in the Birmingham area (the "Skyview") This was torn down when I-65 was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Pine Bowl bowling alley is still a long time fixture in the city.Traces of the old routing of US 31 are still noticeable in the city. From just south of the city hall to an old bridge on this city's northern side, most of this old routing is known as Stouts Road or in some case simply "old US 31."[4]

Fultondale was a relatively stagnant community until the last decade. Growth has occurred in residential areas mainly west of Interstate 65, while retail development has focused along and near the I-65/Walkers Chapel Road exit.

Fultondale passed a smoke-free ordinance on July 11, 2011 which is believed to be the strictest ban on smoking in Alabama.

Geography

Fultondale is located at 33°36′55″N 86°48′5″W / 33.61528°N 86.80139°W (33.615202, -86.801293).[5]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.2 square miles (32 km2), all of it land. Fultondale is located along one of the many ridgelines that comprise the southern end of the Appalachian Mountain chain. The area has been thoroughly mined for coal and other minerals in the past 100 years. The city is served by two major north/south highways, Interstate 65 and US Highway 31. The new Interstate 22 encroaches on the city's western edge and by the year 2011 will intersect with I-65 just south of Fultondale. I-22 will provide direct interstate access to Memphis, Tennessee. Upon completion of Interstate 22, Fultondale will become the only Alabama city besides Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile to be directly served by more than one two-digit interstate highway (I-65 & I-22). The only east/west thoroughfare of note is Walkers Chapel Road (west of US 31) and New Castle Road (east of US 31). Rail lines run north/south along the city's eastern edge from Boyles Yard in Tarrant to points north and east. Air travel is available from nearby Birmingham International Airport.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19501,304—
19602,00153.5%
19705,163158.0%
19806,21720.4%
19906,4002.9%
20006,5953.0%
20108,38027.1%
Est. 20138,7524.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
2013 Estimate[7]

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,595 people, 2,722 households, and 1,927 families residing in the city. The population density was 538.3 people per square mile (207.9/km²). There were 2,871 housing units at an average density of 234.3 per square mile (90.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.60% White, 5.34% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 1.00% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 1.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,722 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% 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 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,006, and the median income for a family was $44,073. Males had a median income of $33,447 versus $25,700 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,656. About 7.9% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Due to the growth spurt of commercial businesses, Fultondale is also experiencing strong growth in new residential development throughout the city.

Government

The current mayor is Jim Lowery, who is serving his fourth four-year term. Members of the City Council are Joe Bolton (mayor pro tem), Darrell Hubbert, Tommy Loden, Greg Morris and Josh Bryant.

On August 28, 2012, Jim Lowery won the election against candidate John Douglas, which began Jim Lowery's fourth four-year term.[8] Douglas had been in a dispute with Lowery and the city of Fultondale over whether or not he needed new building permits to reconstruct his bar and grill, Home Field Sports Grill, since the devastating tornado outbreak in 2011 partially destroyed the building.[9]

Media

Fultondale is located in the Birmingham TV and radio market. Newspapers include The Birmingham News (Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and The North Jefferson News (weekly). On May 24, 2012, Advance Publications announced that its three Alabama newspapers (in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville) would do away with their print editions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The move was a result of the continuing decline in advertising revenue and circulation for its traditional print products. The move places increased emphasis on their website, al.com, and reorganizes the Alabama properties into two companies: Alabama Media Group, the editorial side; and Advance Central Services Alabama, which will handle production, distribution and back-office services.[2] The changes took effect on October 1, 2012, making Birmingham the second-largest city in the United States not to be served by a daily newspaper; New Orleans became the largest that same day.

Education

Fultondale has a new elementary school located along US 31 in the southern part of the city. Fultondale High School is located on Carson Road on the northeast side of the city. The school nickname is Wildcats and the school colors are orange and navy blue.

Colonial Promenade Fultondale

The development is a project of Colonial Properties and a portion opened in the fall of 2007. Target is the anchor tenant in the development along with Books-A-Million and Best Buy. Target features a Starbucks and Books-A-Million a Joe Muggs. Ashley Furniture HomeStores is located at the southern end of the shopping complex. Phase II of the Promenade opened in the fall of 2008 with a JCPenney, rue21 and Ross Dress For Less. Additionally, there are several restaurants opening in and around this development including: Chili's, Stix (Japanese), Logan's Roadhouse, and Full Moon BBQ.

Retail and commercial

Due to difficult topography, for many years Fultondale was limited in its ability to grow. However, as technology improved, the ability to convert what had been difficult to unusable land for retail and commercial purposes improved. Besides the retail development of Colonial Promenade, other retail development nearby includes Lowe's and various chain restaurants such as O'Charley's and Outback Steakhouse. Other older, more mature business establishments line US 31 in the center of the community including supermarkets, casual fast food, banks, a bowling alley and skating rink.

2011 tornado

The City was damaged by a tornado on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 during the multi-state Southern U.S. April 2011 tornado outbreak - the same powerful EF4 tornado that obliterated parts of Tuscaloosa and the western suburbs of Birmingham.

External links

Coordinates: 33°36′55″N 86°48′05″W / 33.615202°N 86.801293°W

References

  1. ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  2. ↑ "History". City of Fultondale. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  3. ↑ "Profile for Fultondale, Alabama, AL". ePodunk. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  4. ↑ "History". City of Fultondale. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013". Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ Osburn, Lisa. "Fultondale's Jim Lowery handily wins re-election as mayor". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Carter, Robert. "Judge denies motion to reconsider in Home Field Sports Grill's case against Fultondale". The North Jefferson News. Retrieved 10 May 2014.