Attalla, Alabama

Coordinates: 34°00′35″N 86°05′54″W / 34.009818°N 86.098413°W / 34.009818; -86.098413
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Not to be confused with Atala (disambiguation).
Attalla
FIPS code
01-03028
GNIS feature ID2403130[3]
Websitewww.attallacity.com

Attalla is a city in

2010 census, the population was 6,048.[4]

History

The U.S. Post Office in Attalla was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1983.

The town developed on the area of a former

Muscogee (Creek) village that was important during the Creek War. Most of the Creek people were forced out under the Indian Removal Act
of 1830. White European migrants from the coastal areas came into this area to acquire land. The wealthier ones developed cotton plantations based on the labor of enslaved African Americans.

Cherokee people had also lived in this area, after being encroached on in Tennessee and western North Carolina. David Brown (Cherokee) was assisted by the Rev. D. S. Butterick in preparing the Cherokee Spelling Book while he lived here.

Attalla was not founded until 1870; it was established on land donated by W. C. Hammond, a plantation owner. It was incorporated as a city government on February 5, 1872. The town was officially named "Attalla" in 1893, derived from a Cherokee language word meaning "mountain".[5]

Railroads served the town and connected it to other markets. When the railroads went into bankruptcy, Attalla's prosperity declined in the late 19th century financial troubles.[citation needed]

Attalla is the site of the first hydroelectric dam constructed to provide electricity for a cityi; it was built n 1887.[6]

20th century to present

Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi to publicize his support of civil rights with a letter for Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett. The suspected killer, Floyd Simpson, was never charged with the crime.[7]

Geography

Attalla is in Etowah County at 34°0′35″N 86°5′54″W / 34.00972°N 86.09833°W / 34.00972; -86.09833 (34.009818, -86.098413).[8] It is bordered to the east by the city of Gadsden, the county seat, and at its southernmost point by Rainbow City.

Interstate 59 runs along the eastern edge of the city, with access from Exits 181 and 183. U.S. Route 11 passes through the center of town as Third Street and runs generally parallel to I-59, leading northeast 36 miles (58 km) to Fort Payne and southwest 58 miles (93 km) to Birmingham. U.S. Routes 278 and 431 also pass through the center of Attalla, leading east 5 miles (8 km) to downtown Gadsden. US 431 runs north 20 miles (32 km) to Albertville, while US 278 leads west 47 miles (76 km) to Cullman. Alabama State Route 77 passes through the southern section of Attalla, leading north 3 miles (5 km) to US 431 and southeast 6 miles (10 km) to Rainbow City.

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18.1 km2), all of it land.[4] Big Wills Creek, a tributary of the Coosa River, flows southeasterly through the city. The southern end of Lookout Mountain
rises to the east overlooking the city.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880351—
18901,254257.3%
19001,69234.9%
19102,51348.5%
19203,46237.8%
19304,58532.4%
19404,8856.5%
19507,53754.3%
19608,2579.6%
19707,510−9.0%
19807,7373.0%
19906,859−11.3%
20006,592−3.9%
20106,048−8.3%
20205,827−3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

2000 census

At the

racial makeup of the city was 78.42% White, 13.5% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 1.64% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 2.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10]
Of the 2,620 households 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 29.0% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.

The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median household income was $27,444 and the median family income was $39,549. Males had a median income of $30,605 versus $19,693 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,727. About 16.4% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the

poverty line
, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the

racial makeup of the city was 81.5% White, 12.7% Black or African American, .4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. 4.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[11]
Of the 2,442 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.8% of households were one person and 13.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.07.

The age distribution was 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% 65 or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median household income was $32,426 and the median family income was $35,934. Males had a median income of $33,428 versus $25,441 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,457. About 13.9% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the

poverty line
, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Attalla racial composition[12]
Race Num. Perc.
White
(non-Hispanic) 		4,337 74.43%
Black or African American
(non-Hispanic) 		774 13.28%
Native American
 13 0.22%
Asian
 33 0.57%
Other/Mixed
 333 5.71%
Latino
 337 5.78%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,827 people, 2,151 households, and 1,364 families residing in the city.

Attalla Precinct/Division (1880-1970)

The Attalla Beat (Etowah County 17th Beat) first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census. In 1890, "beat" was changed to "precinct." In 1960, the precinct was changed to "census division" as part of a general reorganization of counties.[13] In 1980, Attalla census division was consolidated with Gadsden census division.

Education

The Attalla City School System is the public school district. As of 2006 it has some 1,823 students.[14]

The district includes the following schools:

  • Attalla Elementary School (Grades Pk-5)
  • Etowah Middle School (Grades 6–8)
  • Etowah High School (Grades 9-12)

The system formerly had Alma Hinson Junior High School. In 1962 the editor of The Etowah News Journal described the school as having a "nothing short of excellent" curricula and "a bright exception" to problems in other schools in the system.[15]

Notable people

Gallery

  • 4th Street, Attalla
    4th Street, Attalla
  • Bank of Attalla
    Bank of Attalla
  • Historic Alabama Power Company sign, Attalla
    Historic Alabama Power Company sign, Attalla
  • 5th Avenue, Attalla
    5th Avenue, Attalla
  • 5th Avenue, Attalla
    5th Avenue, Attalla
  • Country Music Opera House, Attalla
    Country Music Opera House, Attalla
  • First United Methodist Church, Attalla
    First United Methodist Church, Attalla
  • Seven Cedars, Attalla
    Seven Cedars, Attalla
  • Houses on 5th Avenue, Attalla
    Houses on 5th Avenue, Attalla
  • Walker's Drug Store building, Attalla
    Walker's Drug Store building, Attalla
  • Old Attalla Elementary School
    Old Attalla Elementary School

References

Notes

References

  1. ^ City of Attalla official website
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Attalla, Alabama
  4. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Attalla city, Alabama". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  5. ^ "The Names Stayed". Calhoun Times and Gordon County News. August 29, 1990. p. 64. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  6. ^ "Historic Attalla Alabama". City of Attalla. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  7. ^ "A Postman's 1963 Walk For Justice, Cut Short On An Alabama Road". National Public Radio. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  12. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  13. ^ http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/37721510v1p2ch2.pdf, 1960 AL Census
  14. ^ Attalla City Schools
  15. Newspapers.com
    .

External links

34°00′35″N 86°05′54″W / 34.009818°N 86.098413°W / 34.009818; -86.098413

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