County in Alabama, United States
County in Alabama
Colbert County Courthouse Square District Historic Marker, September 2007
Colbert County
(
)
[1]
is a
county
located in the
northwestern
part of the
U.S. state
of
Alabama
. As of the
2020 census
the county's population was 57,227.
[2]
The
county seat
is
Tuscumbia
.
[3]
The largest city is
Muscle Shoals
.
The county is named in honor of brothers
George
and
Levi Colbert
, who were
Chickasaw
chiefs in the early 19th century in this territory.
[4]
Ultimately the federal government forced the
removal
of most of the Chickasaw and other historic tribes from the Southeast.
Colbert County is part of the
Florence?Muscle Shoals
, AL
metropolitan statistical area
, also known as "The Shoals".
History
[
edit
]
The Chickasaw and Cherokee peoples are the earliest known inhabitants of Colbert County, an area that was part of their territories for hundreds of years. Before they emerged, there were earlier cultures of indigenous peoples who established settlements and seasonal villages for thousands of years in the area.
In the 1810s, settlers began to settle in an area at a crossroads that developed as
Leighton, Alabama
. Colbert County was originally established during the Reconstruction era after the
American Civil War
on February 6, 1867. The state legislature split it from
Franklin County
over political issues. It was abolished eight months later on November 29, 1867
[5]
by an Alabama
constitutional convention
, and reestablished by the legislature on February 24, 1870.
In 1890, the eastern boundary of Colbert County was changed from County Line Road to Town Creek; this resulted in all of the town of Leighton placed within Colbert County.
[4]
Colbert County is the location of
Ivy Green
, the
birthplace
of noted author and activist
Helen Keller
.
[4]
Colbert County includes the cities of Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, where many popular American and British musicians, such as
Aretha Franklin
and the
Rolling Stones
, respectively, recorded music.
Also located in Colbert County is the
Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard
established in 1937.
[6]
Coon dogs were bred and trained for hunting in this region.
Geography
[
edit
]
According to the
United States Census Bureau
, the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km
2
), of which 593 square miles (1,540 km
2
) is land and 30 square miles (78 km
2
) (4.7%) is water.
[7]
The county's elevation ranges from 410 feet at the Tennessee River in northwestern Colbert County to 980 feet in southeastern Colbert County at the broadcast facility's tower of WQPR-FM/WFIQ-TV.
National protected area
[
edit
]
River
[
edit
]
Major creeks
[
edit
]
- Bear Creek
- Cane Creek
- Mulberry Creek
- Spring Creek
- Town Creek
Waterfalls
[
edit
]
- Cane Creek Canyon Waterfall
- Rainbow Branch Waterfall
- Wilson Dam Waterfall
Notable springs
[
edit
]
- Big Spring at Tuscumbia
- Buzzard Roost Spring at Margerum
- Chalybeate Spring at Littleville
- Milk Springs at Colbert Heights
- Shegog Spring at Ford City
Notable mountains
[
edit
]
- Bald Knob
- Coburn Mountain
- Colbert Mountain
- Hawk Pride Mountain
- LaGrange Mountain
- Mountain Mills Ridge
- Sand Mountain
- Underwood Mountain
- Wagnon Mountain
- Wheeler Mountain
Adjacent counties
[
edit
]
Transportation
[
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]
Major highways
[
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]
Rail
[
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]
Airports
[
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]
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical population
Census
| Pop.
| Note
| %±
|
1870
| 12,537
| | ?
|
---|
1880
| 16,153
| | 28.8%
|
---|
1890
| 20,189
| | 25.0%
|
---|
1900
| 22,341
| | 10.7%
|
---|
1910
| 24,802
| | 11.0%
|
---|
1920
| 31,997
| | 29.0%
|
---|
1930
| 29,860
| | ?6.7%
|
---|
1940
| 34,093
| | 14.2%
|
---|
1950
| 39,561
| | 16.0%
|
---|
1960
| 46,506
| | 17.6%
|
---|
1970
| 49,632
| | 6.7%
|
---|
1980
| 54,519
| | 9.8%
|
---|
1990
| 51,666
| | ?5.2%
|
---|
2000
| 54,984
| | 6.4%
|
---|
2010
| 54,428
| | ?1.0%
|
---|
2020
| 57,227
| | 5.1%
|
---|
2023 (est.)
| 58,361
| [9]
| 2.0%
|
---|
2020 census
[
edit
]
Colbert County, Alabama ? Racial and Ethnic Composition
(
NH = Non-Hispanic
)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity
|
Pop 2000
[14]
|
Pop 2010
[15]
|
Pop 2020
[16]
|
% 2000
|
% 2010
|
% 2020
|
White
alone (NH)
|
44,470
|
43,334
|
43,241
|
80.88%
|
79.62%
|
75.56%
|
Black or African American
alone (NH)
|
9,096
|
8,702
|
9,222
|
16.54%
|
15.99%
|
16.11%
|
Native American
or
Alaska Native
alone (NH)
|
195
|
262
|
222
|
0.35%
|
0.48%
|
0.39%
|
Asian
alone (NH)
|
127
|
224
|
432
|
0.23%
|
0.41%
|
0.75%
|
Pacific Islander
alone (NH)
|
11
|
14
|
9
|
0.02%
|
0.03%
|
0.02%
|
Some Other Race
alone (NH)
|
30
|
35
|
135
|
0.05%
|
0.06%
|
0.24%
|
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial
(NH)
|
437
|
764
|
2,233
|
0.79%
|
1.40%
|
3.90%
|
Hispanic or Latino
(any race)
|
618
|
1,093
|
1,732
|
1.12%
|
2.01%
|
3.03%
|
Total
|
54,984
|
54,428
|
57,227
|
100.00%
|
100.00%
|
100.00%
|
As of the
census
of 2020, there were 57,227 people, 21,880 households, and 14,797 families residing in the county.
2010 census
[
edit
]
According to the
2010 United States census
Bureau:
There were 22,461 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were
married couples
living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,954, and the median income for a family was $39,294. Males had a median income of $32,112 versus $20,107 for females. The
per capita income
for the county was $17,533. About 11.10% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the
poverty line
, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
[
edit
]
As of the
census
[17]
of 2000, there were 54,984 people, 22,461 households, and 16,037 families residing in the county. The
population density
was 92 people per square mile (36 people/km
2
). There were 24,980 housing units at an average density of 42 units per square mile (16 units/km
2
). The racial makeup of the county was 78.52%
White
or
European American
(non-Hispanic), 16.62%
Black
or
African American
, 0.37%
Native American
, 0.24%
Asian
, 0.02%
Pacific Islander
, 0.34% from
other races
, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were
Hispanic
or
Latino
of any race.
Government
[
edit
]
Colbert County is governed by a County Commission that is composed of six members, elected from single-member districts, numbered one through six, by the qualified voters residing within each district. The term of office is 4 years.?The six districts are apportioned as provided by law. ?Each Commissioner resides in the same district he or she represents at the time of qualifying for office and during his or her tenure. ?The Chair of the Commission rotates among the six members of the commission with each Commissioner serving as chair for one-sixth of his or her four-year term of office. Regularly-scheduled meetings of the Colbert County Commission are held in the evenings of the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
United States presidential election results for Colbert County, Alabama
[18]
Year
|
Republican
|
Democratic
|
Third party
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
2020
|
19,203
|
68.86%
|
8,343
|
29.92%
|
340
|
1.22%
|
2016
|
16,746
|
67.21%
|
7,312
|
29.35%
|
857
|
3.44%
|
2012
|
13,936
|
59.44%
|
9,166
|
39.10%
|
342
|
1.46%
|
2008
|
14,739
|
59.33%
|
9,703
|
39.06%
|
401
|
1.61%
|
2004
|
13,188
|
55.10%
|
10,598
|
44.28%
|
149
|
0.62%
|
2000
|
10,518
|
48.85%
|
10,543
|
48.96%
|
471
|
2.19%
|
1996
|
8,305
|
40.88%
|
10,226
|
50.33%
|
1,787
|
8.80%
|
1992
|
8,073
|
35.98%
|
12,206
|
54.40%
|
2,160
|
9.63%
|
1988
|
7,775
|
42.25%
|
10,397
|
56.49%
|
232
|
1.26%
|
1984
|
9,530
|
45.31%
|
11,008
|
52.34%
|
494
|
2.35%
|
1980
|
6,619
|
33.07%
|
12,550
|
62.71%
|
844
|
4.22%
|
1976
|
4,471
|
26.55%
|
11,996
|
71.23%
|
375
|
2.23%
|
1972
|
11,215
|
67.71%
|
4,811
|
29.04%
|
538
|
3.25%
|
1968
|
1,727
|
11.06%
|
2,291
|
14.67%
|
11,603
|
74.28%
|
1964
|
5,267
|
48.59%
|
0
|
0.00%
|
5,573
|
51.41%
|
1960
|
2,815
|
26.79%
|
7,550
|
71.85%
|
143
|
1.36%
|
1956
|
1,819
|
20.35%
|
7,007
|
78.40%
|
111
|
1.24%
|
1952
|
1,381
|
18.90%
|
5,920
|
81.01%
|
7
|
0.10%
|
1948
|
488
|
15.62%
|
0
|
0.00%
|
2,637
|
84.38%
|
1944
|
496
|
12.75%
|
3,386
|
87.07%
|
7
|
0.18%
|
1940
|
365
|
8.35%
|
3,998
|
91.47%
|
8
|
0.18%
|
1936
|
251
|
6.92%
|
3,365
|
92.75%
|
12
|
0.33%
|
1932
|
312
|
9.62%
|
2,908
|
89.64%
|
24
|
0.74%
|
1928
|
1,249
|
31.64%
|
2,596
|
65.75%
|
103
|
2.61%
|
1924
|
576
|
25.29%
|
1,503
|
65.98%
|
199
|
8.74%
|
1920
|
650
|
25.18%
|
1,869
|
72.41%
|
62
|
2.40%
|
1916
|
352
|
23.02%
|
1,132
|
74.04%
|
45
|
2.94%
|
1912
|
228
|
15.25%
|
946
|
63.28%
|
321
|
21.47%
|
1908
|
353
|
27.88%
|
849
|
67.06%
|
64
|
5.06%
|
1904
|
203
|
17.47%
|
936
|
80.55%
|
23
|
1.98%
|
Communities
[
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]
Cities
[
edit
]
Towns
[
edit
]
Unincorporated communities
[
edit
]
Education
[
edit
]
Colleges
[
edit
]
Public School Systems
[
edit
]
Colbert County School System
[
edit
]
- Cherokee Elementary School
- Cherokee High School
- Colbert County High School
- Colbert Heights Elementary School
- Colbert Heights High School
- Hatton Elementary School
- Leighton Elementary School
- New Bethel Elementary School
Muscle Shoals City School System
[
edit
]
- Muscle Shoals High School
- Muscle Shoals Middle School
- Muscle Shoals Career Academy
- Highland Park Elementary School
- Howell Graves Preschool
- McBride Elementary School
- Webster Elementary School
Sheffield City School System
[
edit
]
- Sheffield High School
- Sheffield Junior High School
- L.E. Wilson Elementary School
- W.A. Threadgill Primary School
Tuscumbia City School System
[
edit
]
- Deshler High School
- Deshler Middle School
- Deshler Career Technical Center
- G.W. Trenholm Primary School
- R.E. Thompson Intermediate School
Parks and Recreation
[
edit
]
- Alabama Wildlife Refuge Area at Pleasant Site
- Avalon Park, Tuscumbia
- Buzzard Roost Park, Margerum
- Colbert County Park, Pride and Margerum
- Highland Park, Tuscumbia
- John W. Gattman Park, Muscle Shoals
- Colbert Ferry Park, Cherokee
- North Alabama State Fair Park, Tuscumbia
- Park West, Tuscumbia
- Rivermont Park on the Tennessee River, Tuscumbia
- Rosetrail Park, Margerum
- Spring Park, Tuscumbia
- Tenth Avenue Park, Sheffield
- Thomas State Wildlife Refuge, Barton
- York Terrace Park, Sheffield
Historical Sites and Attractions
[
edit
]
- Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Tuscumbia
- Barton Hall, Cherokee - National Historic Landmarks
- Belle Mont Mansion/Plantation
- Cane Creek Canyon and Natural Preserve
- Colbert County Courthouse Square Historic District, Tuscumbia
- Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard of Key-Underwood, Cherokee
- F.A.M.E. Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals
- Ivy Green - Birthplace of Helen Keller, Tuscumbia
- LaGrange College Site and Monument, Leighton
- Natchez Trace Parkway
- Nitrate Village Number 1 Historic District, Sheffield
- Old Railroad Bridge of 1839 on the Tennessee River
- Rosenwald School site, Cherokee
- Tennessee Valley Art Museum, Tuscumbia
- Tuscumbia Railroad Depot Museum
- TVA Walking Trails and Recreation Area
- Wilson Lock and Dam, Muscle Shoals
See also:
Annual Events
[
edit
]
- Belle Mont Celtic Fest - May
- Muscle Shoals Area Street Rods Car Show Festival - May
- Recall LaGrange Commemorations - May
- North Alabama African Heritage Festival - June
- Leighton Juneteenth Celebration - June
- Helen Keller Festival - June
- W.C. Handy Music Festival - July
- Coon Dog Labor Day Celebration - September
- "Oka Kapassa" ? Return to Cold Water American Indian Festival - September
- Annual Christmas Parades of Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield - December
In popular culture
[
edit
]
Notable People
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Foscue, Virginia O. (1989).
Place Names in Alabama - Virginia O. Foscue - Google Books
.
ISBN
9780817304102
. Retrieved
August 4,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
"State & County QuickFacts"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
September 14,
2023
.
- ^
"Find a County"
. National Association of Counties. Archived from
the original
on May 31, 2011
. Retrieved
June 7,
2011
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Colbert County Website"
. Retrieved
May 16,
2007
.
- ^
"Alabama Counties: Colbert County"
.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
. Montgomery, AL: Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 20, 2009
. Retrieved
April 30,
2012
.
- ^
Kazek, Kelly (August 19, 2014).
"Legendary Coon Dog Cemetery to once again host Labor Day celebration with live music, crafts, barbecue"
.
The Huntsville Times
.
Huntsville, AL
. Retrieved
August 20,
2014
.
- ^
"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"
.
United States Census Bureau
. February 12, 2011
. Retrieved
April 23,
2011
.
- ^
Alabama Railway Map
Archived
March 12, 2012, at the
Wayback Machine
. 2008. Alabama Department of Transportation. Accessed March 15, 2012.
- ^
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
March 27,
2024
.
- ^
"U.S. Decennial Census"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
May 16,
2014
.
- ^
"Historical Census Browser"
. University of Virginia Library. Archived from
the original
on May 30, 2019
. Retrieved
May 16,
2014
.
- ^
"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
May 16,
2014
.
- ^
"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000"
(PDF)
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
May 16,
2014
.
- ^
"P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE ? 2000: DEC Summary File 1 ? Colbert County, Alabama"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE ? 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) ? Colbert County, Alabama"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) ? Colbert County, Alabama"
.
United States Census Bureau
.
- ^
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
January 31,
2008
.
- ^
"Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections"
. Retrieved
November 16,
2016
.
External links
[
edit
]
Places adjacent to Colbert County, Alabama
|
---|
|
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|
34°40′36″N
87°49′02″W
/
34.67667°N 87.81722°W
/
34.67667; -87.81722