Monroe County, Alabama

Monroe County, Alabama
Monroe County courthouse in Monroeville, Alabama
Location in the state of Alabama
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded	June 29, 1815 (Prior to Statehood)
Seat	Monroeville
Largest city	Monroeville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,034.53 sq mi (2,679 km²) 1,025.85 sq mi (2,657 km²) 8.67 sq mi (22 km²), (0.84%)
Population  - (2010)  - Density	23,068 22/sq mi (8.6/km²)

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.

History

For thousands of years the area was inhabited by indigenous peoples. 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.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1,034.53 square miles (2,679.4 km²), of which 1,025.85 square miles (2,656.9 km²) (or 99.16%) is land and 8.67 square miles (22.5 km²) (or 0.84%) is water.^[1]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 84
• State Route 21
• State Route 41
• State Route 47
• State Route 59

Adjacent counties

• Wilcox County (north)
• Butler County (east-northeast)
• Conecuh County (east)
• Escambia County (southeast)
• Baldwin County (southwest)
• Clarke County (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	8,838		—
1830	8,782		−0.6%
1840	10,680		21.6%
1850	12,013		12.5%
1860	15,667		30.4%
1870	14,214		−9.3%
1880	17,091		20.2%
1890	18,990		11.1%
1900	23,666		24.6%
1910	27,155		14.7%
1920	28,884		6.4%
1930	30,070		4.1%
1940	29,465		−2.0%
1950	25,732		−12.7%
1960	22,372		−13.1%
1970	20,883		−6.7%
1980	22,651		8.5%
1990	23,968		5.8%
2000	24,324		1.5%
2010	23,068		−5.2%
[2][3][4]

2010

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

• 55.1% White
• 41.7% Black
• 1.1% Native American
• 0.3% Asian
• 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 1.4% Two or more races
• 1.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

2000

As of the census^[5] 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.

Settlements

City

• Monroeville

Towns

• Beatrice
• Excel
• Frisco City
• Vredenburgh

Unincorporated communities

• Buena Vista
• Burnt Corn
• Mexia
• Old Salem
• Perdue Hill
• Peterman
• Tunnel Springs
• Uriah

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 Mockingbird. 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

References

1. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
2. ^ http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/files/al190090.txt
3. ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov
4. ^ http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

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 Alabama).
• South Alabama Community Website
• The Monroe Journal

Coordinates: 31°34′15″N 87°22′11″W / 31.57083°N 87.36972°W / 31.57083; -87.36972