Monroe County, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Monroe County is a county
of the U.S. state
of Alabama
. Its name is in honor of James Monroe
, fifth President of the United States
. As of 2010, the population was 23,068. Its county seat
is Monroeville
. It is a dry county, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or prohibited.
. In historic times, it was primarily the territory of the Creek peoples, who became known to European-American settlers as one of the Five Civilized Tribes
of the Southeast.
Monroe County was established by European Americans on June 29, 1815. It is known as the county older than the state. The prominent Upper Creek chief, Red Eagle
(also known as William Weatherford
) of the prominent Wind Clan, settled here after the Creek War
(1813-1814), where he established a successful plantation
. He was of Creek and European descent, and had adopted chattel slavery
as a planter and horse breeder. Most of the Creek people were removed from Alabama to Indian Territory
(now Oklahoma
) in the 1830s. The area was settled by European Americans, who brought slave workers with them, or purchased more after acquiring land.
The county seat, Monroeville
, is the home of two notable 20th-century authors, Truman Capote
and Nelle Harper Lee
, who were childhood neighbors. The novelist Mark Childress
and journalist Cynthia Tucker
are also Monroe County natives. In 1997 the Alabama legislature designated Monroeville and Monroe County the "Literary Capital of Alabama."
The county has twice been declared a disaster area due to extensive hurricane damage: in September 1979 due to Hurricane Frederic
, and in September 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan
.
of 2000, there were 24,324 people, 9,383 households, and 6,774 families residing in the county. The population density
was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 11,343 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.75% White
, 40.07% Black
or African American
, 0.97% Native American
, 0.29% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.13% from other races
, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 9,383 households out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were married couples
living together, 16.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.30% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,093, and the median income for a family was $34,569. Males had a median income of $31,096 versus $18,767 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,862. About 18.20% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.00% of those under age 18 and 21.40% of those age 65 or over.
. The county also contains Claude Kelly State Park.
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...
. Its name is in honor of James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, fifth President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. As of 2010, the population was 23,068. Its 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 Monroeville
Monroeville, Alabama
Monroeville is a city in Monroe County, Alabama, United States, the county seat of Monroe County. At the 2000 census its population was 6,862. It is known as the home town of two prominent writers of the post World War II period, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, who were childhood friends in the...
. It is a dry county, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or prohibited.
History
For thousands of years the area was inhabited by 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....
. In historic times, it was primarily the territory of the Creek peoples, who became known to European-American settlers as one of the Five Civilized Tribes
Five Civilized Tribes
The Five Civilized Tribes were the five Native American nations—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole—that were considered civilized by Anglo-European settlers during the colonial and early federal period because they adopted many of the colonists' customs and had generally good...
of the Southeast.
Monroe County was established by European Americans on June 29, 1815. It is known as the county older than the state. The prominent Upper Creek chief, Red Eagle
Red Eagle
- People :*Jay Red Eagle, Cherokee flutist*William Weatherford , Creek Indian known as Red Eagle-Military Units:*4th Infantry Division , known as the Red Eagle Division...
(also known as William Weatherford
William Weatherford
William Weatherford, also known as Lamochattee by the Creek , was a Creek chief of the Upper Towns who led the Red Sticks offensive in the Creek War against the United States...
) of the prominent Wind Clan, settled here after the Creek War
Creek War
The Creek War , also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, began as a civil war within the Creek nation...
(1813-1814), where he established a successful plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
. He was of Creek and European descent, and had adopted chattel slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
as a planter and horse breeder. Most of the Creek people were removed from Alabama to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
(now 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...
) in the 1830s. The area was settled by European Americans, who brought slave workers with them, or purchased more after acquiring land.
The county seat, Monroeville
Monroeville, Alabama
Monroeville is a city in Monroe County, Alabama, United States, the county seat of Monroe County. At the 2000 census its population was 6,862. It is known as the home town of two prominent writers of the post World War II period, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, who were childhood friends in the...
, is the home of two notable 20th-century authors, Truman Capote
Truman Capote
Truman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
and Nelle Harper Lee
Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee is an American author known for her 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama...
, who were childhood neighbors. The novelist Mark Childress
Mark Childress
Mark Childress is an American novelist and southern writer.He has written the novels A World Made of Fire, V for Victor, Tender, Crazy in Alabama, Gone for Good, One Mississippi, and Georgia Bottoms.-Life:Childress grew up in Ohio, Indiana, Mississippi, and Louisiana.He graduated from The...
and journalist Cynthia Tucker
Cynthia Tucker
Cynthia Tucker is an American columnist and blogger for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate. She received a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007 "for her courageous, clear-headed columns that evince a strong sense of morality and persuasive knowledge of the...
are also Monroe County natives. In 1997 the Alabama legislature designated Monroeville and Monroe County the "Literary Capital of Alabama."
The county has twice been declared a disaster area due to extensive hurricane damage: in September 1979 due to Hurricane Frederic
Hurricane Frederic
Hurricane Frederic was the sixth tropical cyclone, third hurricane and second major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. Frederic was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. Gulf Coast at that particular time...
, and in September 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1034.53 square miles (2,679.4 km²), of which 1025.85 square miles (2,656.9 km²) (or 99.16%) is land and 8.67 square miles (22.5 km²) (or 0.84%) is water.Major highways
U.S. Highway 84
State Route 21State Route 21 (Alabama)State Route 21 is a state highway that extends from Piedmont in Calhoun County to the Florida state line near Atmore in Escambia County. The route runs almost the entire length of the state from the northeast to the southwest.-Route description:...
State Route 41
State Route 47
State Route 59State Route 59 (Alabama)State Route 59 is a state highway in Baldwin and Monroe counties in the southwestern portion of the state. The route extends from Gulf Shores on the Gulf of Mexico coast to Uriah in rural southwestern Alabama.-Route description:...
Adjacent counties
- Wilcox CountyWilcox County, AlabamaWilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lieutenant J. M. Wilcox, who fought in the wars against the Creek tribe. As of 2010, the population was 11,670...
(north) - Butler CountyButler County, AlabamaButler County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Captain William Butler, who was born in Virginia and fought in the Creek War, and who was killed in May 1818. As of 2010 the population was 20,947...
(east-northeast) - Conecuh CountyConecuh County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*51.3% White*46.5% Black*0.3% Native American*0.1% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.0% Two or more races*1.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(east) - Escambia CountyEscambia County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.1% White*31.9% Black*4.4% Native American*0.2% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*1.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(southeast) - Baldwin CountyBaldwin County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(southwest) - Clarke CountyClarke County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*54.5% White*43.9% Black*0.4% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*0.7% Two or more races*1.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(west)
Demographics
2010
Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:- 55.1% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 41.7% BlackAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 1.1% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
- 0.3% AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
- 1.4% Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
- 1.0% Hispanic or LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race)
2000
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 24,324 people, 9,383 households, and 6,774 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 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 11,343 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.75% 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...
, 40.07% 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...
, 0.97% 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...
, 0.29% 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...
, 0.13% 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 0.79% from two or more races. 0.78% 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 9,383 households out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% 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, 16.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.30% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,093, and the median income for a family was $34,569. Males had a median income of $31,096 versus $18,767 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 $14,862. About 18.20% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.00% of those under age 18 and 21.40% of those age 65 or over.
Towns
- BeatriceBeatrice, AlabamaBeatrice is a town in Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 301, down from the 2000 census where it was 412.-Geography:Beatrice is located at .According to the U.S...
- ExcelExcel, AlabamaExcel is a town in Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 582. The current mayor is Jenny Countryman. Excel is the birthplace of former University of Alabama and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan. Excel High School provides education for children...
- Frisco CityFrisco City, AlabamaFrisco City is a town in Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,460.-Geography:Frisco City is located at .According to the U.S...
- VredenburghVredenburgh, AlabamaVredenburgh is a town in Monroe County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 327.-Geography:Vredenburgh is located at .According to the U.S...
Unincorporated communities
- Buena VistaBuena Vista, AlabamaBuena Vista is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Alabama. The village of Buena Vista is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. Additionally, it has one other site listed, the Concord Baptist Church.-Geography:...
- Burnt CornBurnt Corn, AlabamaBurnt Corn is a small unincorporated community in Monroe County, Alabama, on the border of Conecuh County. Burnt Corn is located at a historic crossroads near the source of Burnt Corn Creek and the intersection of two trading paths.The town and the creek may have been named for an incident in...
- Mexia
- Old Salem
- Perdue HillPerdue Hill, AlabamaPerdue Hill is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Alabama. It has one site listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, the Perdue Hill Masonic Lodge. Country music agent Derek Johnson lived on the Bedsole Farm in the community...
- Peterman
- Tunnel SpringsTunnel Springs, AlabamaTunnel Springs is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Alabama. It has one site listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, the Old Scotland Presbyterian Church.-Geography:Tunnel Springs is located at and has an elevation of ....
- UriahUriah, AlabamaUriah is located in Monroe County in the southern United States state of Alabama. Uriah serves as the junction of State Route 21 and State Route 59.-Education:...
Places of interest
Monroe County is home to several attractions, such as the Alabama River Museum, the Monroe County Heritage Museum, and the Courthouse Museum which hosts the annual stage production of To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was instantly successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature...
. The county also contains Claude Kelly State Park.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Monroe County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Monroe County, Alabama
Further reading
- Wasmer, Robert A., “Partisan Warfare in Monroe County, Tennessee, during the Civil War: The Murder of Joseph M. Divine,” Tennessee Historical Quarterly, 68 (Spring 2009), 66–97.
External links
- Monroeville / Monroe County Chamber of Commerce
- Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Alliance
- Monroe County Heritage Museums
- Monroe County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
). - South Alabama Community Website
- The Monroe Journal
