Randolph County, Alabama

Randolph County, Alabama
County courthouse in Wedowee

Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Randolph County
Location in the state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded December 18, 1832[1]
Named for John Randolph of Roanoke
Seat Wedowee
Largest city Roanoke
Area
 • Total 584 sq mi (1,513 km2)
 • Land 581 sq mi (1,505 km2)
 • Water 3.6 sq mi (9 km2), 0.56%
Population
 • (2010) 22,913
 • Density 39/sq mi (15/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website randolphcountyalabama.gov

Randolph County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.[1] As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,913.[2] Its county seat is Wedowee.[1][3] Its name is in honor of John Randolph, a member of the United States Senate from Virginia.[1] Randolph County was a prohibition or dry county until 2012 when the citizens of Randolph County voted to repeal prohibition.

History

Randolph County was established by the Alabama Legislature on December 18, 1832,[1] and named in honor of John Randolph, a well known Virginia congressman. Randolph County was one of several counties created out of the last Creek cession formulated by the Treaty of Cusseta, on March 24, 1832. It lies within the Piedmont region, which extends from Alabama to Pennsylvania.[1]

The first settlers noted that the county was ideally located between three cities of Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery and that the county had an abundance of the "purest and coldest freestone water in the world." The area was also noted for its gentle rolling hills.[4] The first county seat for Randolph County was established in 1833 at Hedgeman Triplett's Ferry on the west bank of the Big Tallapoosa River, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Wedowee.[1] In 1835 (2 years later), the county seat was moved by the commissioners to nearby Wedowee. Wedowee lies in the center of Randolph County, on a fork of the Little Tallapoosa River. Wedowee was named after a tribal chief "Wah-wah-nee" (or "Wah-dow-wee") whose village stood near the present site of the town.[1]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 584 square miles (1,510 km2), of which 581 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.6%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18404,973—
185011,581132.9%
186020,05973.2%
187012,006−40.1%
188016,57538.1%
189017,2193.9%
190021,64725.7%
191024,65913.9%
192027,0649.8%
193026,861−0.8%
194025,516−5.0%
195022,513−11.8%
196019,477−13.5%
197018,331−5.9%
198020,0759.5%
199019,881−1.0%
200022,38012.6%
201022,9132.4%
Est. 201322,727−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 22,380 people, 8,642 households, and 6,222 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km2). There were 10,285 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.38% White (non-Hispanic), 22.24% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 3.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,642 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 56.20% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. Nearly 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,675, and the median income for a family was $34,684. Males had a median income of $27,069 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,147. About 12.60% of families and 17.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.10% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Towns

CDPs

Unincorporated communities

Places of interest

Randolph County is home to Lake Wedowee, a section of the Tallapoosa River.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "ACES Randolph County Office" (links/history), Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), 2007, webpage: ACES-Randolph.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ Randolph County By Lois Walls George, Paula Burson Lambert, Wyner S. Phillips page 113
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.

External links

 Cleburne County Carroll County, Georgia
Clay County Heard County, Georgia
   Randolph County, Alabama  
Tallapoosa County Chambers County Troup County, Georgia

Coordinates: 33°17′21″N 85°27′37″W / 33.28917°N 85.46028°W