DeKalb County, Alabama

DeKalb County, Alabama

DeKalb County courthouse in Fort Payne
Map of Alabama highlighting DeKalb County
Location in the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded January 9, 1836
Named for Johan DeKalb
Seat Fort Payne
Largest city Fort Payne
Area
 • Total 779 sq mi (2,018 km2)
 • Land 777 sq mi (2,012 km2)
 • Water 1.6 sq mi (4 km2), 0.2%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 71,130
 • Density 92/sq mi (36/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.dekalbcountyal.us

Footnotes:  

  • County Number 28 on Alabama Licence Plates

DeKalb County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 71,109.[1] Its county seat is Fort Payne[2] and it is named after Major General Baron Johan DeKalb.

History

DeKalb County was created by the Alabama legislature on January 9, 1836,[3] from land ceded to the Federal government by the Cherokee Nation. It was named for Major General Baron Johann de Kalb, a hero of the American Revolution.[4]

DeKalb County was the one time home of the famous Cherokee Native American Sequoyah.

The county's eastern edge, along the state line, was also the epicenter of an earthquake on April 29, 2003, measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale. Power was knocked out in the area, mirrors and pictures thrown to the floor, foundations cracked, and one chimney fell to the ground. It was felt over a significant portion of the southeastern states, including quite strongly in northeastern Alabama and neighboring northwestern Georgia, and nearby eastern Tennessee (especially near Chattanooga). It was also felt slightly in western upstate South Carolina, far west-southwestern North Carolina, south and southeastern Kentucky, and east-northeastern Mississippi.

On the whole, DeKalb County is a dry county. In 2005, a change in local laws enabled Fort Payne to become the only location in the county to allow the legal sale of alcohol.[5] Collinsville later allowed alcohol sales.

DeKalb County saw the highest death toll in Alabama during a massive tornadic system in April 2011, the 2011 Super Outbreak, with 31 deaths reported in the county.

Geography

The "Old Union" or "Tallahatchie" covered bridge crosses the Little River.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 779 square miles (2,020 km2), of which 777 square miles (2,010 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18405,929—
18508,24539.1%
186010,70529.8%
18707,126−33.4%
188012,67577.9%
189021,10666.5%
190023,55811.6%
191028,26120.0%
192034,42621.8%
193040,10416.5%
194043,0757.4%
195045,0484.6%
196041,417−8.1%
197041,9811.4%
198053,65827.8%
199054,6511.9%
200064,45217.9%
201071,10910.3%
Est. 201571,130[7]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2015[1]

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 71,109 people, 26,842 households, and 19,361 families residing in the county. The population density was 92 people per square mile (36/km2). There were 31,109 housing units at an average density of 39.9 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% White(non-Hispanic), 1.5% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 9.9% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 13.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 64,452 people, 25,113 households, and 18,432 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile (32/km2). There were 28,051 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile (14/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.55% White(non-Hispanic), 1.68% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.10% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. 5.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the census of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in DeKalb County were English 78.31%, Scotch-Irish 8.29%, Scottish 3.33%, Irish 3.31%, Welsh 1.22%, and African 1.68%

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Government

DeKalb County vote
by party in presidential elections [14]
Year GOP DNC Others
2016 82.9% 21,779 14.0% 3,682 3.1% 817
2012 76.8% 18,316 22.0% 5,235 1.2% 291
2008 74.8% 17,957 23.5% 5,658 1.7% 400
2004 69.9% 16,904 29.4% 7,092 0.7% 173
2000 63.2% 12,827 34.8% 7,056 2.0% 402

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Alabama Counties". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 103.
  5. ↑ "Alcohol laws are changed," The Times-Journal, December 17, 2004
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  13. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 16, 2016.

External links

 Jackson County Dade County, Georgia
Marshall County Walker County, Georgia and Chattooga County, Georgia
   DeKalb County, Alabama  
Etowah County Cherokee County

Coordinates: 34°27′26″N 85°48′24″W / 34.45722°N 85.80667°W / 34.45722; -85.80667

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