DeKalb County, Alabama

DeKalb County, Alabama
DeKalb County courthouse in Fort Payne, Alabama
Location in the state of Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded	January 9, 1836
Seat	Fort Payne
Largest city	Fort Payne
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	778.65 sq mi (2,017 km²) 777.91 sq mi (2,015 km²) 0.74 sq mi (2 km²), 0.10%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	71,109 91/sq mi (35/km²)

DeKalb County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Major General Baron Johan DeKalb. As of 2010 its population was 71,109. Its county seat is Fort Payne.

History

DeKalb County was created by the Alabama legislature on January 9, 1836, 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. [1]

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

The county's eastern edge, along the state line, was also the epicenter of a strong 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.

(See: 2003 Alabama earthquake)

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.^[1]

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 778.65 square miles (2,016.7 km²), of which 777.91 square miles (2,014.8 km²) (or 99.90%) is land and 0.74 square miles (1.9 km²) (or 0.10%) is water.^[2]

Major highways

• Interstate 59
• U.S. Highway 11
• State Route 35
• State Route 68
• State Route 75

Rail

• Norfolk Southern Railway

Adjacent counties

• Jackson County, Alabama - north
• Dade County, Georgia - northeast
• Walker County, Georgia - east
• Chattooga County, Georgia - east
• Cherokee County, Alabama - southeast
• Etowah County, Alabama - south
• Marshall County, Alabama - west

National protected area

• Little River Canyon National Preserve (part)

Demographics

DeKalb County, Alabama
Year	Pop.	±%
1840	5,929	—
1850	8,245	+39.1%
1860	10,705	+29.8%
1870	7,126	−33.4%
1880	12,675	+77.9%
1890	21,106	+66.5%
1900	23,558	+11.6%
1910	28,261	+20.0%
1920	34,426	+21.8%
1930	40,104	+16.5%
1940	43,075	+7.4%
1950	45,048	+4.6%
1960	41,417	−8.1%
1970	41,981	+1.4%
1980	53,658	+27.8%
1990	54,651	+1.9%
2000	64,452	+17.9%
2010	71,109	+10.3%
Sources: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.  through 1960

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 (the vast majority of whom were Guamanian or Chamorro), 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or more races and 13.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino or any race.^[3]

As of the census^[4] 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, 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.

There were 25,113 households out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.60% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,137, and the median income for a family was $35,801. Males had a median income of $28,878 versus $19,103 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,818. About 11.70% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Collinsville (part - part of Collinsville is in Cherokee County)
• Crossville
• Dawson
• Fort Payne
• Fyffe
• Geraldine
• Hammondville
• Henagar
• Ider
• Lakeview
• Mentone
• Pine Ridge
• Powell
• Rainsville
• Sand Rock (part - part of Sand Rock is in Cherokee County)
• Shiloh
• Sylvania
• Valley Head

See also

Alabama portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in DeKalb County, Alabama
• Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in DeKalb County, Alabama

References

1. ^ "Alcohol laws are changed," The Times-Journal, December 17, 2004
2. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
3. ^ 2010 general profile of population and housing characteristics for DeKalb County from the US Census
4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Landmarks of DeKalb County

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