Pell City, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Pell City is a city in St. Clair County
, Alabama
, United States
. The city is the county seat
of St. Clair County
along with Ashville
. At the 2000 census the population was 9,565. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695.
between Birmingham, Alabama
and Atlanta, Georgia
is the largest city in St. Clair County, Alabama. The city is 35 miles east of Birmingham and is located on the shores of Logan Martin Lake
, created by the construction of Logan Martin Dam in 1964 to provide hydro-electric power to the central region of the state. The city is surrounded by the unincorporated communities of Wattsville to the north, Cropwell to the south, Seddon to the east,and Chula Vista to the west.
of 2000, there were 9,565 people, 3,830 households, and 2,772 families residing in the city. The population density
was 389.3 people per square mile (150.3/km²). There were 4,275 housing units at an average density of 174.0 per square mile (67.2/km²). The population of the city is hard to pinpoint due to a large number of second residences, lake homes, and summer population influx. The racial makeup of the city was 83.41% White
, 15.38% Black
or African American
, 0.16% Native American
, 0.22% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.55% from two or more races. 1.25% of the population were ace degree or higher.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median household income in the city was $48,300. About 7.5% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. However, these figures provide an incomplete picture of the area. Many of the affluent neighborhoods along the lake shore that are often considered part of Pell City are actually just outside the city limits in unincorporated areas. These neighborhoods constitute a sizable population and income level, but are not reflected in official city census data.
This data is also present for the 2010 Census; however, the census website has an error in a drop down menu that keeps people from seeing data for cities that alphabetically come after Leroy. The following is what can be seen so far.
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,463 people. The population density
was 458.2 people per square mile (177.3/km²). There were 5,784 housing units at an average density of 212.6 per square mile (82.3/km²).
The residences of Sumter Cogswell and Green Evans (Pell City’s first mayor) are two of the earliest structures, dating from the late nineteenth century. The majority of the historic structures date from 1902 to 1905.
Ashville, Alabama
in the northern part of the St. Clair County, was the only county seat from 1821 to 1907. A constitutional amendment in 1907 established Pell City as the second county seat. For many years, St. Clair County was the only county in the country with two full-service county seats. Both county seats remain operational to this day although Pell City has far outstripped Ashville in growth thanks in no small part to the convergence of both I-20 and Logan Martin Lake.
The construction of the Logan Martin Dam in 1964 changed the geography of the town by creating a large lake. This also created a large recreational area which brought new businesses, temporary summer residents and tourists and hundreds of new permanent residents building new homes along the new lake.
On April 8, 1998, an F2 tornado struck north of the city limits after the F5 tornado expired in western Jefferson County
. This windstorm killed two people in a mobile home. It remained for 14 miles (22 km) but this rotation partially damaged a church, twenty-six homes and mobile homes including other buildings in Coal City. Ninety other homes and mobile homes suffered minor to major destruction. An additional twelve people were injured. The twister damaged a funeral home and twenty-five homes. The Bethel Baptist Church in Odenville
was destroyed a few minutes after its members left an Easter pageant rehearsal that had been cancelled early because of the storm. Their new sanctuary and family life center was almost finished, but under construction were also destroyed.
April 8, 1998 10:35 PM CST F2
, Duran Junior High School, Duran South, Iola Roberts Elementary, Walter M. Kennedy Elementary, Coosa Valley Elementary, Eden Elementary, and Elouise and Harold Williams Intermediate School. The system also operates a Trade School as an alternative to college prep courses.
In 2005 Jefferson State Community College
opened a new campus location in Pell City offering a wide variety of community college courses. The school announced in 2009 that it will begin offering nursing programs to support the recently confirmed Veterans Nursing Home and St. Vincent's St. Clair Hospital.
Plant in nearby Lincoln, Alabama
, a new industrial park on its northeastern border and by a new retail area on the north side of I-20 anchored by a Wal-Mart
, Home Depot, several fast food and casual dining restaurants and a planned movie theater.
The city has been selected to be the new location of a veterans nursing home and a new hospital serving the entire county. The veterans home will be an 280 bed facility built in a neighborhood style of several small cottage clusters instead of one large institution. The new hospital operated by the St. Vincents Health System will serve the entire county but be located within the city limits. It will replace the aging St. Vincents East formally known as St. Clair Regional.
As of March 2011, two of the city's schools (Iola Roberts Elementary and Pell City High School) are undergoing either complete renovations and/or expansions to their campuses. This work will be completed by early August.
Commercial development once again seems to be coming back to Pell City. A Publix Supermarket, small shopping center, and restaurants are under construction on the south end of Pell City. It is thought these developments will spur growth on an end of town that has a sizeable, affluent population (both in and outside the city near the lake) but has been underserved by commercial development.
Talk has been underway for years over the location and construction of a new, larger public library to serve the greater Pell City area. As of March 2011, the city has not followed through on making this a reality.
.
Pell City is served by two daily and two weekly newspapers. The Birmingham News serves the county, and The Daily Home
, which also represents Talladega County, maintains an office in the city. The weekly St. Clair News-Aegis and St Clair Times offer more local coverage. The latter is an offshoot of The Daily Home
.
St. Clair County, Alabama
St. Clair County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.It is a part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of General Arthur St...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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 St. Clair County
St. Clair County, Alabama
St. Clair County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.It is a part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of General Arthur St...
along with Ashville
Ashville, Alabama
Ashville is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States part of the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Its population was 2,260 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. This town is the county seat of St. Clair County along with Pell City. According to the 2005 U.S....
. At the 2000 census the population was 9,565. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²), of which, 24.6 square miles (63.7 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it (9.57%) is water.Pell City, situated on Interstate 20Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
between Birmingham, Alabama
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 Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
is the largest city in St. Clair County, Alabama. The city is 35 miles east of Birmingham and is located on the shores of Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin Lake is located in east central Alabama on the Coosa River approximately east of Birmingham, Alabama. This Coosa River reservoir was built in 1965 by Alabama Power Company. The lake, nicknamed Lake of a Thousand Coves by locals, has of shoreline along its length sandwiched between...
, created by the construction of Logan Martin Dam in 1964 to provide hydro-electric power to the central region of the state. The city is surrounded by the unincorporated communities of Wattsville to the north, Cropwell to the south, Seddon to the east,and Chula Vista to the west.
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 9,565 people, 3,830 households, and 2,772 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 389.3 people per square mile (150.3/km²). There were 4,275 housing units at an average density of 174.0 per square mile (67.2/km²). The population of the city is hard to pinpoint due to a large number of second residences, lake homes, and summer population influx. The racial makeup of the city was 83.41% 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...
, 15.38% 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...
, 0.16% 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...
, 0.22% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.26% 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 0.55% from two or more races. 1.25% of the population were ace degree or higher.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median household income in the city was $48,300. About 7.5% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. However, these figures provide an incomplete picture of the area. Many of the affluent neighborhoods along the lake shore that are often considered part of Pell City are actually just outside the city limits in unincorporated areas. These neighborhoods constitute a sizable population and income level, but are not reflected in official city census data.
This data is also present for the 2010 Census; however, the census website has an error in a drop down menu that keeps people from seeing data for cities that alphabetically come after Leroy. The following is what can be seen so far.
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,463 people. 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 458.2 people per square mile (177.3/km²). There were 5,784 housing units at an average density of 212.6 per square mile (82.3/km²).
History
It was founded in 1890 by railroad investors and named after Jonathan H. Pell of the Pell City Iron and Land Company, one of its financial backers.The city was incorporated on May 6, 1891, but it nearly failed during the Panic of 1893. However, it was revived in 1902 when Sumter Cogswell built the Pell City Manufacturing Company, which subsequently became Avondale Mills, which was a major landmark of the town until Thunder Enterprises, a Tennessee company, bought the building and began dismantling the factory in 2008. During the process, however, it was destroyed by an accidental fire. The mill was the economic and social center of the town during its development and early growth. Besides the textile mill, other economic endeavors included agriculture and mercantile establishments. Large cotton, soybean, and cattle farms were located in the area. Pell City increased its size in 1956 when the nearby towns of Eden and Oak Ridge were merged with the city.The first mayor was Green Evans.Green's mom was from [Eden,Alabama] and his dad from [Talladega,Alabama] Green still has relatives in [Talladega County,Alabama] and [Clay County,Alabama]The residences of Sumter Cogswell and Green Evans (Pell City’s first mayor) are two of the earliest structures, dating from the late nineteenth century. The majority of the historic structures date from 1902 to 1905.
Ashville, Alabama
Ashville, Alabama
Ashville is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States part of the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman Combined Statistical Area. Its population was 2,260 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town. This town is the county seat of St. Clair County along with Pell City. According to the 2005 U.S....
in the northern part of the St. Clair County, was the only county seat from 1821 to 1907. A constitutional amendment in 1907 established Pell City as the second county seat. For many years, St. Clair County was the only county in the country with two full-service county seats. Both county seats remain operational to this day although Pell City has far outstripped Ashville in growth thanks in no small part to the convergence of both I-20 and Logan Martin Lake.
The construction of the Logan Martin Dam in 1964 changed the geography of the town by creating a large lake. This also created a large recreational area which brought new businesses, temporary summer residents and tourists and hundreds of new permanent residents building new homes along the new lake.
On April 8, 1998, an F2 tornado struck north of the city limits after the F5 tornado expired in western Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
. This windstorm killed two people in a mobile home. It remained for 14 miles (22 km) but this rotation partially damaged a church, twenty-six homes and mobile homes including other buildings in Coal City. Ninety other homes and mobile homes suffered minor to major destruction. An additional twelve people were injured. The twister damaged a funeral home and twenty-five homes. The Bethel Baptist Church in Odenville
Odenville, Alabama
Odenville is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,131.-Geography:Odenville is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
was destroyed a few minutes after its members left an Easter pageant rehearsal that had been cancelled early because of the storm. Their new sanctuary and family life center was almost finished, but under construction were also destroyed.
April 8, 1998 10:35 PM CST F2
Schools
After a period of growth in the 1980s Pell City voted to split its school system off from the county system, becoming independent. The system has over 4500 students spread across Pell City High SchoolPell City High School
Pell City High School is the only high school serving the Pell City School system. The school has approx. 1,200 students in grades 9-12 and just recently finished adding on a $7.5 million dollar multi-purpose building which houses a 2200 seat sports arena as well as a 400 seat theatre...
, Duran Junior High School, Duran South, Iola Roberts Elementary, Walter M. Kennedy Elementary, Coosa Valley Elementary, Eden Elementary, and Elouise and Harold Williams Intermediate School. The system also operates a Trade School as an alternative to college prep courses.
In 2005 Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College, more often known as 'Jeff State', is a two-year college in the Alabama Community College System. The current campus locations are the Jefferson Campus in eastern Jefferson County, the Shelby-Hoover Campus in northern Shelby County, the St...
opened a new campus location in Pell City offering a wide variety of community college courses. The school announced in 2009 that it will begin offering nursing programs to support the recently confirmed Veterans Nursing Home and St. Vincent's St. Clair Hospital.
Development
In the Mid 2000's,, Pell City experienced a period of rapid residential and commercial growth (estimated population around 16,000, excluding the unincorporated residential areas just south of the city along the lakefront) spurred, partly, by the opening of the HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
Plant in nearby Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,577. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.-Geography:...
, a new industrial park on its northeastern border and by a new retail area on the north side of I-20 anchored by a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Home Depot, several fast food and casual dining restaurants and a planned movie theater.
The city has been selected to be the new location of a veterans nursing home and a new hospital serving the entire county. The veterans home will be an 280 bed facility built in a neighborhood style of several small cottage clusters instead of one large institution. The new hospital operated by the St. Vincents Health System will serve the entire county but be located within the city limits. It will replace the aging St. Vincents East formally known as St. Clair Regional.
As of March 2011, two of the city's schools (Iola Roberts Elementary and Pell City High School) are undergoing either complete renovations and/or expansions to their campuses. This work will be completed by early August.
Commercial development once again seems to be coming back to Pell City. A Publix Supermarket, small shopping center, and restaurants are under construction on the south end of Pell City. It is thought these developments will spur growth on an end of town that has a sizeable, affluent population (both in and outside the city near the lake) but has been underserved by commercial development.
Talk has been underway for years over the location and construction of a new, larger public library to serve the greater Pell City area. As of March 2011, the city has not followed through on making this a reality.
Media
Pell City, and all of St. Clair County, is located in Birmingham's designated market area for local news and weather coverage. The city has one dedicated AM radio station, WFHKWFHK
WFHK is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Pell City, Alabama, USA. The station broadcasts to the greater Birmingham, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Stocks Broadcasting, Inc...
.
Pell City is served by two daily and two weekly newspapers. The Birmingham News serves the county, and The Daily Home
The Daily Home
The Daily Home is a daily newspaper serving the Talladega County and St. Clair County, Alabama areas. Originally begun as a weekly in 1867 it was called Our Mountain Home until daily production began in 1909 at which point the name was changed to The Talladega Daily Home. In 1965 the paper was...
, which also represents Talladega County, maintains an office in the city. The weekly St. Clair News-Aegis and St Clair Times offer more local coverage. The latter is an offshoot of The Daily Home
The Daily Home
The Daily Home is a daily newspaper serving the Talladega County and St. Clair County, Alabama areas. Originally begun as a weekly in 1867 it was called Our Mountain Home until daily production began in 1909 at which point the name was changed to The Talladega Daily Home. In 1965 the paper was...
.