Fort Payne, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Fort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama
, United States
. At the 2000 census the population was 12,938. The city is the county seat
of DeKalb County
. It bills itself as the "Official Sock
Capital of the World."
In the 19th century this was the site of Willstown, an important village of the Cherokee
s who relocated to Tahlequah, Oklahoma
during the Cherokee Trail of Tears
. For a time beginning in 1989, Fort Payne held the world record for "Largest Cake Ever Baked", for a cake of 128238 pounds (58,167.8 kg) baked to commemorate the city's centennial.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake
occurred here in 2003.
, Cherokee Nation
. For a time it was the home of Sequoyah
, who invented the Cherokee syllabary
, enabling reading and writing in the language. The settlement was commonly called Willstown, after its headman, a red-headed mixed-race man named Will. According to Major John Norton, a more accurate transliteration would have been Titsohili. The son of a Cherokee adoptee of the Mohawk, Norton grew up among Native Americans and traveled extensively throughout the region in the early 19th century. He stayed at Willstown several times,
During the 1830s prior to Indian removal
, the US Army under command of Major John Payne built a fort here that was used to intern Cherokees until relocation to Oklahoma
. Their forced exile became known as the Trail of Tears
.
By the 1860s, Fort Payne and the surrounding area were still sparsely settled. It had no strategic targets and was the scene of only minor skirmishes between Union
and Confederate
forces during the Civil War. About the time of the Second Battle of Chattanooga
, a large Union force briefly entered the county, but it did not engage substantial Confederate forces.{
In 1878 Fort Payne became the county seat, and in 1889 it was incorporated as a town. The community of Lebanon had served as the county seat since 1850. With the completion of rail lines between Birmingham
and Chattanooga
, Fort Payne began to grow, as it was on the rail line. County sentiment supported having the seat in a community served by the railroad.
In the late 1880s, Fort Payne experienced explosive growth as investors and workers from New England and the North flooded into the region to exploit coal and iron deposits discovered a few years earlier. This period is called the "Boom Days", or simply as the "Boom". Many of the notable and historic buildings in Fort Payne date from this period of economic growth, including the state's oldest standing theater, the Fort Payne Opera House; the former factory of the Hardware Manufacturing Company (today known as the W.B. Davis Mill Building, and home to an antiques mall and deli), and the Fort Payne Depot Museum, formerly the passenger station for the present-day Norfolk Southern Railway
. Today it serves as a museum of local history.
The iron and coal deposits turned out to be much smaller than expected. Many of the Boom promoters left the region, and Fort Payne experienced a period of economic decline. That downturn shifted in 1907, when the W.B. Davis Hosiery Mill began operations. This was the beginning of decades of hosiery manufacture in Fort Payne. By the beginning of the 21st century, the hosiery industry in Fort Payne employed over 7,000 people in more than 100 mills. It produced more than half of the socks made in the United States.
Beginning in the 1990s, the North American Free Trade Agreement
and the Central American Free Trade Agreement lowered tariffs on textile products imported into the United States, resulting in large increases in sock imports. Many businesses in Fort Payne accused foreign manufacturers, particularly those from China
, of engaging in dumping
of socks below cost, to force American companies out of the sock business. By 2005, hosiery mill employment in Fort Payne had declined to around 5,500, and several mills had closed. In later 2005 the federal government gained an agreement with the Chinese government to slow the schedule for the removal of tariffs, delaying their full removal until 2008.
Reacting more quickly to changes than at the end of the Boom, in the 1990s business and civic leaders in Fort Payne began to take steps to diversify the city's economy. Several new commercial and industrial projects were developed. The largest was the 2006 construction of a distribution center for The Children's Place
stores, a facility that employed 600 people in its first phase of operation.
, a 14000 acre National Park Service
facility established by Congress in 1992. The canyon itself is at Lookout Mountain
outside the city limits. Another attraction based on natural resources is DeSoto State Park, a smaller facility with a lodge, restaurant, cabins, and river access areas.
The country music group Alabama
is based in Fort Payne. The city also houses the group's Fan Club and Museum.
Fort Payne is within a 30-minute drive of substantial water recreational areas, notably Guntersville Lake
, and Lake Weiss, an artificial lake on the Coosa River
. Fort Payne is also near Mentone
, a popular mountain resort area known for summer children's camps and rustic hotels, restaurants and cabins.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56 square miles (145 km²) of which 55.9 square miles (144.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.14%) is water.
The town lies in a narrow valley on Big Wills Creek in the Cumberland Plateau region
immediately west of Lookout Mountain
, with Sand Mountain
somewhat more removed to the west. Drainage is through Big Wills Creek to the Coosa River
.
The town elevation is 899 feet (274 m) above sea level.
reached Fort Payne with hurricane-force winds. The 1993 Storm of the Century dumped more than 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow on Fort Payne, immobilizing the city and the surrounding area for days.
source: weatherbase.com
As of the census
of 2000, there were 12,938 people, 5,046 households, and 3,506 families residing in the city. The population density
was 231.5 PD/sqmi. There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 100 /sqmi
The racial makeup of the city was 83.22% White
, 4.53% Black
or African American
, 0.80% Native American
, 0.55% Asian
, 0.16% Pacific Islander
, 8.41% from other races
, and 2.33% from two or more races. 12.17% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,046 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples
living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,560, and the median income for a family was $40,200. Males had a median income of $29,731 versus $20,135 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,690. About 8.3% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Fort Payne is also served by the Northeast Alabama Community College
which is in Rainsville.
DeKalb County, Alabama
As of the 2010 Census DeKalb County had a population of 71,109. The median age was 37.5. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 81.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander , 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At the 2000 census the population was 12,938. The city is the 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 DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Alabama
As of the 2010 Census DeKalb County had a population of 71,109. The median age was 37.5. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 81.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander , 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or...
. It bills itself as the "Official Sock
Sock
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet. The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, as it is able to produce over of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease...
Capital of the World."
In the 19th century this was the site of Willstown, an important village of the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
s who relocated to Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Tahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It was founded as a capital of the original Cherokee Nation in 1838 to welcome those Cherokee forced west on the Trail of Tears. The city's population was 15,753 at the 2010 census. It...
during the Cherokee Trail of Tears
Cherokee removal
Cherokee removal, part of the Trail of Tears, refers to the forced relocation between 1836 to 1839 of the Cherokee Nation from their lands in Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina to the Indian Territory in the Western United States, which resulted in the deaths of approximately...
. For a time beginning in 1989, Fort Payne held the world record for "Largest Cake Ever Baked", for a cake of 128238 pounds (58,167.8 kg) baked to commemorate the city's centennial.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake
Fort Payne earthquake
The 2003 Alabama earthquake took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 at 3:59 A.M. Central Daylight Time eight miles east-northeast of Fort Payne, Alabama. The number of people who felt this quake was exceptionally high as the earthquake could be felt in 11 states across the East Coast as far north...
occurred here in 2003.
History
The site of Fort Payne was originally the important village of WillstownWillstown
Willstown was an important town in the southwesternmost part of the nation prior to the Indian removal of 1836...
, Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...
. For a time it was the home of Sequoyah
Sequoyah
Sequoyah , named in English George Gist or George Guess, was a Cherokee silversmith. In 1821 he completed his independent creation of a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible...
, who invented the Cherokee syllabary
Syllabary
A syllabary is a set of written symbols that represent syllables, which make up words. In a syllabary, there is no systematic similarity between the symbols which represent syllables with the same consonant or vowel...
, enabling reading and writing in the language. The settlement was commonly called Willstown, after its headman, a red-headed mixed-race man named Will. According to Major John Norton, a more accurate transliteration would have been Titsohili. The son of a Cherokee adoptee of the Mohawk, Norton grew up among Native Americans and traveled extensively throughout the region in the early 19th century. He stayed at Willstown several times,
During the 1830s prior to Indian removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
, the US Army under command of Major John Payne built a fort here that was used to intern Cherokees until relocation to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Their forced exile became known as the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
.
By the 1860s, Fort Payne and the surrounding area were still sparsely settled. It had no strategic targets and was the scene of only minor skirmishes between Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
and Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces during the Civil War. About the time of the Second Battle of Chattanooga
Second Battle of Chattanooga
The Second Battle of Chattanooga was a battle in the American Civil War, beginning on August 21, 1863, as the opening battle in the Chickamauga Campaign. The larger and more famous battles were the Battles for Chattanooga in November 1863.-Background:On August 16, 1863, Maj. Gen. William S...
, a large Union force briefly entered the county, but it did not engage substantial Confederate forces.{
In 1878 Fort Payne became the county seat, and in 1889 it was incorporated as a town. The community of Lebanon had served as the county seat since 1850. With the completion of rail lines between Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, Fort Payne began to grow, as it was on the rail line. County sentiment supported having the seat in a community served by the railroad.
In the late 1880s, Fort Payne experienced explosive growth as investors and workers from New England and the North flooded into the region to exploit coal and iron deposits discovered a few years earlier. This period is called the "Boom Days", or simply as the "Boom". Many of the notable and historic buildings in Fort Payne date from this period of economic growth, including the state's oldest standing theater, the Fort Payne Opera House; the former factory of the Hardware Manufacturing Company (today known as the W.B. Davis Mill Building, and home to an antiques mall and deli), and the Fort Payne Depot Museum, formerly the passenger station for the present-day Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
. Today it serves as a museum of local history.
The iron and coal deposits turned out to be much smaller than expected. Many of the Boom promoters left the region, and Fort Payne experienced a period of economic decline. That downturn shifted in 1907, when the W.B. Davis Hosiery Mill began operations. This was the beginning of decades of hosiery manufacture in Fort Payne. By the beginning of the 21st century, the hosiery industry in Fort Payne employed over 7,000 people in more than 100 mills. It produced more than half of the socks made in the United States.
Beginning in the 1990s, the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
and the Central American Free Trade Agreement lowered tariffs on textile products imported into the United States, resulting in large increases in sock imports. Many businesses in Fort Payne accused foreign manufacturers, particularly those from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, of engaging in dumping
Dumping (pricing policy)
In economics, "dumping" is any kind of predatory pricing, especially in the context of international trade. It occurs when manufacturers export a product to another country at a price either below the price charged in its home market, or in quantities that cannot be explained through normal market...
of socks below cost, to force American companies out of the sock business. By 2005, hosiery mill employment in Fort Payne had declined to around 5,500, and several mills had closed. In later 2005 the federal government gained an agreement with the Chinese government to slow the schedule for the removal of tariffs, delaying their full removal until 2008.
Reacting more quickly to changes than at the end of the Boom, in the 1990s business and civic leaders in Fort Payne began to take steps to diversify the city's economy. Several new commercial and industrial projects were developed. The largest was the 2006 construction of a distribution center for The Children's Place
The Children's Place
The Children’s Place is an American specialty retailer of children’s apparel and accessories founded in 1969. They became publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in 1997 under the ticker symbol PLCE...
stores, a facility that employed 600 people in its first phase of operation.
Local Attractions
Fort Payne houses the headquarters for the nearby Little River Canyon National PreserveLittle River Canyon National Preserve
Little River Canyon National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located on top of Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne, Alabama, and DeSoto State Park. Created by an act of Congress in 1992, the nearly preserve protects what is sometimes said to be the nation's longest mountaintop river,...
, a 14000 acre National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
facility established by Congress in 1992. The canyon itself is at Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain
thumb|right|See seven statesLookout Mountain is located at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southern border of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain, along with Sand Mountain to the northwest, makes up a large portion of the...
outside the city limits. Another attraction based on natural resources is DeSoto State Park, a smaller facility with a lodge, restaurant, cabins, and river access areas.
The country music group Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
is based in Fort Payne. The city also houses the group's Fan Club and Museum.
Fort Payne is within a 30-minute drive of substantial water recreational areas, notably Guntersville Lake
Guntersville Lake
Guntersville Lake is located in north Alabama between Bridgeport and Guntersville. Created by Guntersville Dam along the Tennessee River, it stretches 75 miles from Guntersville Dam to Nickajack Dam...
, and Lake Weiss, an artificial lake on the Coosa River
Coosa River
The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long altogether.The Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers...
. Fort Payne is also near Mentone
Mentone, Alabama
Mentone is a town in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 451.Mentone is home to many private summer camps, including Camp Desoto for girls, Camp Riverview for girls, Camp Laney for boys, Alpine Camp for boys, Camp Skyline Ranch for girls, Lookout...
, a popular mountain resort area known for summer children's camps and rustic hotels, restaurants and cabins.
Geography
Fort Payne is located at 34°27′14"N 85°42′24"W (34.453829, -85.706648).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56 square miles (145 km²) of which 55.9 square miles (144.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.14%) is water.
The town lies in a narrow valley on Big Wills Creek in the Cumberland Plateau region
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
immediately west of Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain
thumb|right|See seven statesLookout Mountain is located at the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Georgia, the northeast corner of Alabama, and along the southern border of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain, along with Sand Mountain to the northwest, makes up a large portion of the...
, with Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain (Alabama)
Sand Mountain is a sandstone plateau in northeastern Alabama and northwestern Georgia. It is part of the southern tip of the Appalachian mountain chain. Geologically a continuation of Walden Ridge, Sand Mountain is part of the Cumberland Plateau, separated from the main portion of the plateau by...
somewhat more removed to the west. Drainage is through Big Wills Creek to the Coosa River
Coosa River
The Coosa River is a tributary of the Alabama River in the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia. The river is about long altogether.The Coosa River is one of Alabama's most developed rivers...
.
The town elevation is 899 feet (274 m) above sea level.
Climate
Fort Payne is notable for a temperate, subtropical climate. Winters usually feature measurable, though infrequent, snow. The Cloudmont Ski Resort on Lookout Mountain, generates man-made snow as winter temperatures permit. The area is subject to occasional tornadoes. In the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1994, an F3 tornado passed just west of the city, and the city itself was hit by tornadoes in 1973 and 1982. Occasionally, a hurricane that has made landfall in the Gulf of Mexico will reach Fort Payne as a tropical storm or tropical depression. However, in 1995 the eye of Hurricane OpalHurricane Opal
Hurricane Opal was a Category 4 hurricane that formed in the Gulf of Mexico in September 1995.Opal was the ninth hurricane and the strongest of the abnormally active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season...
reached Fort Payne with hurricane-force winds. The 1993 Storm of the Century dumped more than 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow on Fort Payne, immobilizing the city and the surrounding area for days.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high °F (°C) |
50 (10) | 53 (12) | 60 (16) | 69 (21) | 78 (26) | 86 (30) | 87 (31) | 87 (31) | 82 (28) | 73 (23) | 60 (16) | 51 (11) | 69 (21) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
30 (-1) | 30 (-1) | 35 (2) | 42 (6) | 51 (11) | 60 (16) | 64 (18) | 62 (17) | 57 (14) | 44 (7) | 35 (2) | 30 (-1) | 44 (7) |
| Average rainfall: inches/mm | 5.3 / 134 |
5.3 / 134 |
6.1 155 |
4.9 124 |
4.3 110 |
4.2 108 |
5 128 |
4 102 |
3.5 89 |
3.1 79 |
3.9 99 |
5 127 |
54.6 / 1389 |
source: weatherbase.com
Demographics
Fort Payne had at the 2010 census a population of 14,012. There were 5,296 households. The racial makeup of the population was 72.0% non-Hispanic white, 4.2% black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.1% non-Hispanic from some other race, 2.5% reporting two or more races and 20.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.As of the census
Census
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 12,938 people, 5,046 households, and 3,506 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 231.5 PD/sqmi. There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 100 /sqmi
The racial makeup of the city was 83.22% 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...
, 4.53% 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...
, 0.80% 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...
, 0.55% 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...
, 0.16% 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...
, 8.41% 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 2.33% from two or more races. 12.17% 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 5,046 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,560, and the median income for a family was $40,200. Males had a median income of $29,731 versus $20,135 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 $19,690. About 8.3% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Fort Payne is served by the Fort Payne City Schools system which includes:- Wills Valley Elementary (K-2)
- Williams Avenue Elementary (3-4)
- Fort Payne Middle School (5-8)
- Fort Payne High School (9-12)
Fort Payne is also served by the Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College is a community college near Rainsville, Alabama. As of the Fall 2010 semester, NACC has an enrollment of 3,370 students. The college was founded in 1963, and built on the border between DeKalb and Jackson Counties....
which is in Rainsville.
Media
- Radio stations
- WFPA-AM 1400WFPA (AM)WFPA is an American radio station licensed to serve Fort Payne, Alabama. The station is owned and operated by Wallace Broadcasting Company, located in Fort Payne, Alabama....
(NewsNews RadioNews Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/TalkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) - WZOB-AM 1250WZOBWZOB is a radio station licensed to serve Fort Payne, Alabama. The station is owned by Central Broadcasting Company, Inc. It airs a Country music format....
(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...
)
- WFPA-AM 1400
- Newspapers
- The Times-JournalTimes-JournalThe Times-Journal is a daily newspaper published in Fort Payne, Alabama and serving the DeKalb County, Alabama region.The Times-Journal is a Southern Newspapers publication. The Times-Journal resulted from the merger in 1959 of the Fort Payne Journal, first published in 1878, and the Times-New Era...
- The DeKalb Advertiser
- The Times-Journal
Transportation
Interstate 59Interstate 59Interstate 59 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is near Slidell, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, at an intersection with Interstate 10 and Interstate 12, its northern terminus is at Wildwood, Georgia, at an intersection with Interstate 24.The road's...
U.S. Highway 11
Alabama State Route 35Alabama State Route 35State Route 35 is a long state route in the northeastern part of the state. The southern terminus of the route is at its junction with State Route 9 in rural Cherokee County northeast of Cedar Bluff and near the Alabama-Georgia state line. The northern terminus of the route is at Woodville in...- Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
- Isbell FieldIsbell FieldIsbell Field is a city-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles north of the central business district of Fort Payne, a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States...
(municipal airport)
Notable natives and residents
- Miles C. AllgoodMiles C. AllgoodMiles Clayton Allgood was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Chepultepec , Blount County, Alabama, Allgood attended the common schools of his native county and was graduated from the State Normal College at Florence, Alabama , in 1898.He taught school in Blount County...
(1878–1977), United States CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry,and Randy OwenRandy OwenRandy Owen is an American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of Alabama, a country rock band which saw considerable mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Although Alabama only records new albums on occasion, Owen himself has maintained a career...
, founders of the Country musicCountry 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...
band AlabamaAlabama (band)Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook... - Lt. Gen. Duward CrowDuward CrowDuward L. Crow was a United States Air Force lieutenant general.Crow graduated from DeKalb County High School in 1936 and entered the University of Alabama. He subsequently received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, in West Point, New York, graduating in 1941, and joined what was then...
(1919–1997), Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and Associate Deputy Administrator, NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... - Howard FinsterHoward FinsterHoward Finster was an American artist and Baptist reverend from Georgia. He claimed to be inspired by God to spread the gospel through the environment of Paradise Garden and over 46,000 pieces of art. His creations overlap folk art, outsider art, naïve art, and visionary art...
(1916–2001), religious folk artFolk artFolk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
ist and Baptist minister - Flock Family (NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
drivers) - Bob FlockBob FlockRobert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...
(1918–1964) - Fonty FlockFonty FlockTruman Fontello "Fonty" Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver.-Flock family:He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley...
(1921–1972) - Tim FlockTim FlockJulius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock and Fonty Flock.- NASCAR career :...
(1924–1998) - Ethel MobleyEthel MobleyEthel Mobley of Fort Payne, Alabama was tied for the second female to drive in NASCAR history. Her brother Tim Flock said she was named after the gasoline her father used in his car.-"Flying Flocks":...
(1920–1984) - Milford W. HowardMilford W. HowardMilford Wriarson Howard was a United States Representative from Alabama.Howard was first elected to the House of Representatives as a Populist in 1894. He was reelected in 1896 but did not seek another term in 1898. Howard returned to his hometown of Fort Payne, Alabama to practice law...
, United States CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and author - Lt. Gen. Forrest S. McCartneyForrest S. McCartneyForrest S. McCartney is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general and former director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center....
(ret.), USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center - Larry NelsonLarry NelsonLarry Gene Nelson is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.Nelson was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in Acworth, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta...
, professional golferProfessional golferIn golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;... - Philip OberPhilip OberPhilip Ober was an American actor.Ober often appeared in roles as a straight man in farcical circumstances. One of his most memorable stage role was in Lawrence Riley's Broadway hit Personal Appearance opposite Gladys George. From 1954 to 1967 he frequently appeared in television series...
(1902–1982), actor - Lilius Bratton RaineyLilius Bratton RaineyLilius Bratton Rainey was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Dadeville, Alabama, Rainey attended the common schools.He moved to Fort Payne, Alabama....
(1876–1959), United States CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Ron SparksRon Sparks (politician)Ronald D. Sparks is the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries for the state of Alabama. Sparks is a member of the Democratic party, and was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Alabama in the state's 2010 gubernatorial election.- Early life, education and career :Sparks is a graduate of...
, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee - Katherine StinsonKatherine StinsonKatherine Stinson was an early female flier. She was the fourth woman in the United States to obtain a pilot's certificate, which she earned on July 24, 1912, at the age of 21 while residing in Pine Bluff, AR...
, pioneer aviatrix, fourth woman in the U.S. to become a licensed pilot - CIMACIMA-Acronyms:*Canadian Independent Music Association, formerly the Canadian Independent Record Production Association*Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, Cayman Island's primary financial services regulator...
, rap star