Lawrence County, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Lawrence County is a county
of the U.S. state
of Alabama
, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area
, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
. It was named after James Lawrence
, a captain in the United States Navy
from New Jersey
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,339, with the most Native American
residents of any county in the state. The county seat
is Moulton
. It is a wet county.
. People of the Copena culture in the Middle Woodland period
(1-500 CE) built complex earthworks as part of their religious and political system. Their burial mound and ceremonial platform mound
, the largest in the state, are preserved at Oakville Indian Mounds Park and Museum. The museum includes exhibits on the Cherokee
, who inhabited the area at the time of European encounter.
Other historic Native American
tribes were Choctaw
and Creek. Lawrence County was established by European Americans on February 6, 1818. With the Indian Removal Act
of 1830, the U.S. government forced most tribes to go west to Indian
Territory on the other side of the Mississippi River
, to make way for American settlers and development. Nonetheless, numerous Cherokee and mixed-race European-Cherokee descendants, sometimes called "Black Dutch
", stayed in the Lawrence County area. The county has the highest number of Native Americans in the state.
of 2000, there were 34,803 people, 13,538 households, and 10,194 families residing in the county. The population density
was 50 people per square mile (19/km2). There were 15,009 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.77% White
, 13.36% Black
or African American
, 5.36% Native American
, 0.10% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.33% from other races
, and 3.08% from two or more races. 1.05% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 13,538 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples
living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.70% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,549, and the median income for a family was $38,565. Males had a median income of $31,519 versus $20,480 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,515. About 13.10% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 24.50% of those age 65 or over.
, Oakville Indian Mounds, and Jesse Owens
Memorial Park. The Black Warrior Path, which starts in Cullman County, runs through this county and passes the Oakville Indian Mounds. It was used by Native Americans for hundreds of years, and was later used by pioneer settlers.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area
Decatur Metropolitan Area
The Decatur Metropolitan Area is a moderately urban region of North-Central Alabama. The 2008 estimate population is 150,125, one third of which resides within the boundaries of its core city, Decatur, Alabama....
, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA...
. It was named after James Lawrence
James Lawrence
James Lawrence was an American naval officer. During the War of 1812, he commanded the USS Chesapeake in a single-ship action against HMS Shannon...
, a captain in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,339, with the most Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
residents of any county in the state. 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....
is Moulton
Moulton, Alabama
Moulton is a city in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,260. The city is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Moulton is located at ...
. It is a wet county.
History
For thousands of years, this area was inhabited by differing cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. People of the Copena culture in the Middle Woodland period
Woodland period
The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
(1-500 CE) built complex earthworks as part of their religious and political system. Their burial mound and ceremonial platform mound
Platform mound
A platform mound is any earthwork or mound intended to support a structure or activity.-Eastern North America:The indigenous peoples of North America built substructure mounds for well over a thousand years starting in the Archaic period and continuing through the Woodland period...
, the largest in the state, are preserved at Oakville Indian Mounds Park and Museum. The museum includes exhibits on 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...
, who inhabited the area at the time of European encounter.
Other historic Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribes were Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
and Creek. Lawrence County was established by European Americans on February 6, 1818. With the Indian Removal Act
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830.The Removal Act was strongly supported in the South, where states were eager to gain access to lands inhabited by the Five Civilized Tribes. In particular, Georgia, the largest state at that time, was involved in...
of 1830, the U.S. government forced most tribes to go west to Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
Territory on the other side of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, to make way for American settlers and development. Nonetheless, numerous Cherokee and mixed-race European-Cherokee descendants, sometimes called "Black Dutch
Black Dutch
Black Dutch is a term with several different meanings in United States dialect and slang. It generally refers to racial, ethnic, or cultural roots. Its meaning has varied in different parts of the nation and at different times...
", stayed in the Lawrence County area. The county has the highest number of Native Americans in the state.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 718.07 square miles (1,859.8 km²), of which 693.38 square miles (1,795.8 km²) (or 96.56%) is land and 24.68 square miles (63.9 km²) (or 3.44%) is water.Major highways
U.S. Highway 72 Alternate
Alabama 20State Route 20 (Alabama)State Route 20 ' runs from the Tennessee state line northwest of Florence, Alabama, east to I-65 east of Decatur in the northwestern Alabama...
Alabama 24
Alabama 33
Alabama 36
Alabama 101
Alabama 157
Alabama 184Alabama State Route 184State Route 184 or SR-184 is a state highway that serves as an east-west connection between Sheffield and SR-101. SR-185 intersects US-43/US-72 at its western terminus and SR-101 at its eastern terminus in Lawrence County.-Route description:...
Adjacent counties
- Limestone CountyLimestone County, AlabamaLimestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
(northeast) - Morgan CountyMorgan County, AlabamaMorgan County is the most populous county in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, and the second most populous county in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area in the U.S. State of Alabama. It was created by the Alabama Territorial legislature on February 6, 1818 from land acquired from the...
(east) - Cullman CountyCullman County, AlabamaCullman County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. As of 2010, the population was 80,406. Its county seat is the town of the same name, Cullman, Alabama. It is a "moist" county in terms of availablity of alcoholic beverages, which means...
(southeast) - Winston CountyWinston County, AlabamaWinston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858.Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs....
(south) - Franklin CountyFranklin County, AlabamaFranklin County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Benjamin Franklin, famous statesman, scientist, and printer. As of 2010, the population was 31,704...
and Colbert CountyColbert County, AlabamaColbert County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee....
(west) - Lauderdale CountyLauderdale County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.4% White*10.0% Black*0.4% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.4% Two or more races*2.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(northwest)
Education
Lawrence County is home to four high schools: East Lawrence High School (4A), Hatton High School (2A), Lawrence County High School (5A), and R.A. Hubbard High School (1A). Lawrence County also has six elementary schools and two middle schools. Other educational facilities include the Lawrence County Center of Technology and the Judy Jester Learning Center.Famous residents
- Lucas BlackLucas BlackLucas York Black is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the CBS television series American Gothic as well as roles in films such as Sling Blade, Jarhead, Friday Night Lights, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Legion, Get Low, and All the Pretty Horses.-Personal...
, actor - Mary Lee CagleMary Lee CagleMary Lee Cagle was one of the first influential women and pastors in the Church of the Nazarene. She was married to the Rev. R. L. Harris, and took over his work upon his death. In 1894 Cagle and Harris organized a fourteen member church in Milan, Tennessee called New Testament Church of Christ....
(b. 1864), one of the founders of the Nazarene ChurchChurch of the NazareneThe Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the... - Antonio LanghamAntonio LanghamCollie Antonio Langham , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 187 lb cornerback from the University of Alabama, Langham played in seven NFL seasons from 1994-2000...
, former University of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and NFL star, and 1992 SEC Championship Game MVP - Jesse OwensJesse OwensJames Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
, four-time OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist - Joseph WheelerJoseph WheelerJoseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...
, General in the Confederate Army and legislator - Kimberly ConradKimberley Conrad-Personal life:She is probably best known for marrying Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in July 1989, an event which sparked worldwide media attention. The comic strip Doonesbury referred to the event as the belated end of the 1970s. The Hefners had two sons together: Marston Glenn Hefner and Cooper...
, actress - William S. Mudd, Judge, Owner of Arlington Plantation
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 34,803 people, 13,538 households, and 10,194 families residing in the county. 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 50 people per square mile (19/km2). There were 15,009 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.77% 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...
, 13.36% 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...
, 5.36% 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...
, 0.10% 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...
, 0.01% 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...
, 0.33% 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 3.08% from two or more races. 1.05% 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 13,538 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% 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, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.70% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,549, and the median income for a family was $38,565. Males had a median income of $31,519 versus $20,480 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 county was $16,515. About 13.10% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 24.50% of those age 65 or over.
Municipalities
- CourtlandCourtland, AlabamaCourtland is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 769.-Geography:...
- HillsboroHillsboro, AlabamaHillsboro is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 608.-Geography:...
- MoultonMoulton, AlabamaMoulton is a city in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,260. The city is the county seat of Lawrence County.-Geography:Moulton is located at ...
- North CourtlandNorth Courtland, AlabamaNorth Courtland is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 799.-Geography:...
- Town CreekTown Creek, AlabamaTown Creek is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
Communities
- CaddoCaddo, AlabamaCaddo is an unincorporated community along Alabama State Highway 24 between Decatur and Moulton in Lawrence County, Alabama, United States. Caddo is a feeder community or suburb of Decatur and is part of both the Decatur Metropolitan Area and the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
- Chalybeate
- Five PointsFive Points, AlabamaFive Points is a town in Chambers County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 146.-History:Five Points was incorporated in 1915.Five Points is home to the first consolidated high school in the State of Alabama...
- Hatton
- Landersville
- Langtown
- Mallard Creek
- Mount Hope
- OakvilleOakville, AlabamaOakville is a small community located in the southeast corner of Lawrence County, Alabama. The community is unincorporated. The community has two parks, one dedicated to 20th-century African-American athlete Jesse Owens and the other to Middle Woodland period and Cherokee Native Americans.The...
- PittsburgPittsburg, AlabamaPittsburg, Alabama is a community in Lawrence County, Alabama. It has a latitude of 34.52528 and a longitude of -87.20583. Its elevation is . The community was named after the industrial heritage of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
- Red Bank
- SpeakeSpeake, AlabamaSpeake is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, Alabama, United States. On April 27, 2011, a tornado reportedly hit ground in the Speake area ....
- WheelerWheeler, AlabamaWheeler is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, Alabama. Wheeler had a post office at one time, but it no longer exists. Wheeler has two sites on the National Register of Historic Places, the Tidewater-type cottage known as Bride's Hill and the former home of Joseph Wheeler, Pond...
- Wren
- Wolf Springs
Places of interest
Lawrence County is home to part of the William B. Bankhead National ForestWilliam B. Bankhead National Forest
The William B. Bankhead National Forest is Alabama's largest National Forest, with , and is home of Alabama's only National Wild and Scenic River, the Sipsey Fork. It is located in northwestern Alabama, around the town of Double Springs; it is named in honor of William B. Bankhead, a longtime U.S...
, Oakville Indian Mounds, and Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
Memorial Park. The Black Warrior Path, which starts in Cullman County, runs through this county and passes the Oakville Indian Mounds. It was used by Native Americans for hundreds of years, and was later used by pioneer settlers.
Events
Every year Lawrence County hosts numerous events, including the Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival in Moulton, the AHSAA Cross Country state championships at the Oakville Indian Mounds, the Lawrence County Basketball Tournament in Moulton, and the Alabama Indian Festival at the Oakville Indian Mounds.See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Lawrence County, Alabama