Elba, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Elba is a city in Coffee County, Alabama
. At the time of the 2000 U.S. census, its population was 4,185.
Elba is the official county seat
of Coffee County, though Coffee County has two County Courthouses, with the other one being located in the town of Enterprise
. Such arrangements are not unusual in the United States
, with Jefferson County, Alabama
, also having two, and the tall, narrow, Brevard County, Florida
, having four, with ones in Cocoa
, Titusville, Melbourne, and Rockledge.
in the early 1830s. Originally called Bridgeville, a U.S. Post Office
was established in the town by 1841. In 1851, a lottery to determine a new name for the town was held. One citizen had been reading a biography
of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his suggestion of "Elba
" as its name was the winner when it was drawn from a hat before any of the other suggestions. Elba became the county seat of Coffee County
in 1852.
A logging railroad first reached Elba, Alabama on March 20, 1892, with the first permanent rail line arriving in October 1898. The "Dorsey Trailer Company" was constructed at the end of this railroad line, and this company manufactured the highway
trailers that served on railroads and highways starting with the piggyback railroad
or containerized cargo
boom of the second half of the 20th century. The new railroad line ended in West Elba, where the "New Town" industrial section of the town was located. The Seaboard System Railroad
ceased all railroad service to Elba, including freight service, on November 27, 1984.
The Pea River is an essential component of the history of Elba. The river was originally called the Talakatchee River by the Creek Indians (In the Creek language, talak means pea and hatchee means small river.) The Pea River frequently flood
ed, causing great damage to the town. The Lincoln flood of 1865, named for the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
in the same year, was the first to destroy the town. Another devastating flood occurred in 1929 when the river crested at a depth of 43.5 feet (13.3 m) early on March 15. Airplanes were used to drop supplies to the completely inundated town. There was only one death from the flood, an African-American man named "Phoe" Larkins. A child born at the Elba Hotel during this flood was named "Noah Tucker" after the biblical character Noah
. Vivian Harper received the Theodore N. Vail Silver Medal for her heroic actions during the flood.
A levee
was built around the town in 1930. Flood gates were erected and drainage systems improved. Floods continued, however, with especially severe inundations in 1938, 1959 and 1975. The worst flood ever recorded in Elba occurred in 1990, with a river crest of 48 feet (14.6 m). The levee broke and Whitewater Creek overflowed into the town. Elba was completely flooded for four days, and the town was nearly destroyed. More floods struck Elba in 1994 and 1998.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²) of which 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.52%) is water.
Elba is located beside the banks of the Pea River.
of 2000, there were 4,185 people, 1,593 households, and 1,099 families residing in the city. The population density
was 272.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,873 housing units at an average density of 121.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 63.92% White
, 34.29% Black
or African American
, 0.65% Native American
, 0.02% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.19% from other races
, and 0.91% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,593 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples
living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,021, and the median income for a family was $29,563. Males had a median income of $25,756 versus $21,052 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,382. About 25.8% of families and 30.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.7% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee. As of 2010 the population was 49,948. Its county seats are Elba and Enterprise....
. At the time of the 2000 U.S. census, its population was 4,185.
Elba is the official county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Coffee County, though Coffee County has two County Courthouses, with the other one being located in the town of Enterprise
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
. Such arrangements are not unusual in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
, also having two, and the tall, narrow, Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
, having four, with ones in Cocoa
Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Cocoa was...
, Titusville, Melbourne, and Rockledge.
History
The town which eventually became Elba originated near a ferry across the Pea RiverPea River
The Pea River is a tributary of the Choctawhatchee River near Geneva, Alabama. It is a popular destination for those with canoes and other small boats, as well as fishermen seeking bass, sunfish, or mullet....
in the early 1830s. Originally called Bridgeville, a U.S. Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
was established in the town by 1841. In 1851, a lottery to determine a new name for the town was held. One citizen had been reading a biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his suggestion of "Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
" as its name was the winner when it was drawn from a hat before any of the other suggestions. Elba became the county seat of Coffee County
Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee. As of 2010 the population was 49,948. Its county seats are Elba and Enterprise....
in 1852.
A logging railroad first reached Elba, Alabama on March 20, 1892, with the first permanent rail line arriving in October 1898. The "Dorsey Trailer Company" was constructed at the end of this railroad line, and this company manufactured the highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
trailers that served on railroads and highways starting with the piggyback railroad
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
or containerized cargo
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
boom of the second half of the 20th century. The new railroad line ended in West Elba, where the "New Town" industrial section of the town was located. The Seaboard System Railroad
Seaboard System Railroad
The Seaboard System Railroad was a former Class I railroad created by merging the railroads of the Family Lines System. Although sharing common ownership, the railroads of the Family Lines System used different names when conducting business...
ceased all railroad service to Elba, including freight service, on November 27, 1984.
The Pea River is an essential component of the history of Elba. The river was originally called the Talakatchee River by the Creek Indians (In the Creek language, talak means pea and hatchee means small river.) The Pea River frequently flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ed, causing great damage to the town. The Lincoln flood of 1865, named for the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in the same year, was the first to destroy the town. Another devastating flood occurred in 1929 when the river crested at a depth of 43.5 feet (13.3 m) early on March 15. Airplanes were used to drop supplies to the completely inundated town. There was only one death from the flood, an African-American man named "Phoe" Larkins. A child born at the Elba Hotel during this flood was named "Noah Tucker" after the biblical character Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
. Vivian Harper received the Theodore N. Vail Silver Medal for her heroic actions during the flood.
A levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
was built around the town in 1930. Flood gates were erected and drainage systems improved. Floods continued, however, with especially severe inundations in 1938, 1959 and 1975. The worst flood ever recorded in Elba occurred in 1990, with a river crest of 48 feet (14.6 m). The levee broke and Whitewater Creek overflowed into the town. Elba was completely flooded for four days, and the town was nearly destroyed. More floods struck Elba in 1994 and 1998.
Geography
Elba is located at 31°25′2"N 86°4′39"W (31.417263, -86.077442).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²) of which 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.52%) is water.
Elba is located beside the banks of the Pea River.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,185 people, 1,593 households, and 1,099 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 272.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,873 housing units at an average density of 121.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 63.92% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 34.29% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.65% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.91% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,593 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,021, and the median income for a family was $29,563. Males had a median income of $25,756 versus $21,052 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,382. About 25.8% of families and 30.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.7% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public Education is provided by the Elba City Public School District. There are two schools in the city:- Elba High School (grades 7 through 12)
- Elba Elementary School (grades K through 6)
Media
- Radio stations
- WELBWELBWELB is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Elba, Alabama. The station is owned by Rhett S. Snellgrove. It airs a mixed Classic Country and Southern Gospel music format....
1350 AM (Classic CountryClassic countryClassic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
and Southern GospelSouthern GospelSouthern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
) - WVVLWVVLWVVL is a radio station licensed to serve Elba, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Elba Radio Company. WVVL broadcasts a Country music format....
101.1 FM (CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
)
Notable residents
- James E. "Big Daddy" Folsom, only Coffee County native to become governor of Alabama.
- Ronald McKinnonRonald McKinnonRonald McKinnon is an American football linebacker, currently a free agent in the NFL. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals out of the University of North Alabama where he won three division II National Championships...
, National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player. - Cornelia Ellis WallaceCornelia WallaceCornelia Ellis Wallace, previously Cornelia Ellis Snively , was the First Lady of Alabama from 1971–1978 and the second wife of Democratic Governor George C. Wallace . Mrs...
(1939–2009), the second wife of GovernorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
George C. Wallace, Jr. and the First LadyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of Alabama from 1971–1978.