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Alabama Counties

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Alabama Counties

Alabama currently has sixty-seven counties. The oldest county, Washington, was created on June 4, 1800, when what is now Alabama was then part of the Mississippi Territory. The newest county is Houston, created on February 9, 1903.

In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36, with Indians still occupying land in northeast and far western Alabama. By 1840, 49 counties had been created; 52 by 1850; 65 by 1870; and the present 67 counties by 1903.

Cherokee County, Alabama

Cherokee County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Centre
Year Organized: 1836
Square Miles: 553

Court House:

102 Main Street, Room 201
County Annex Courthouse
Centre, AL 35960-1532

Etymology - Origin of County Name

It was named for the Cherokee Indians, who ceded the land that now comprises the county to the Federal government by the treaty of New Echota, 1835 Dec. 29.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Cherokee County, Alabama

Formed by the Alabama legislature on 1836 Jan. 9. It was named for the Cherokee Indians, who ceded the land that now comprises the county to the Federal government by the treaty of New Echota, 1835 Dec. 29. Cherokee County is located in the northeastern portion of the state, in the Appalachian Mountains. Cherokee County encompasses 553 square miles. It is bordered on the north by DeKalb County, on the west by Etowah County, on the south by Calhoun and Cleburne, and the east by Chattooga and Floyd Counties, GA.

For the first ten years, the residents of Cherokee County quarreled over the location of a county seat. In 1837, the AL legislature authorized the seat of county government to be established at Cedar Bluff. In 1844 an election was held and the county seat was moved to the town of Centre. Other towns and communities include Jamestown, Gaylesville, Forney, and Rock Run.

According to the census of 2000, there were 23,988 people, 9,719 households, and 7,201 families living in the county. The population density was 17/km² (43/mi²). There were 14,025 housing units at an average density of 10/km² (25/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.83% White, 5.54% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.85% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,719 households out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,874, and the median income for a family was $36,920. Males had a median income of $29,978 versus $20,958 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,543. About 11.80% of families and 15.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of that age 65 or over.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Chattooga County, Ga.
East: Floyd County, Ga.
Southeast: Polk County, Ga.
South: Cleburne County
Southwest: Calhoun County; Etowah County
Northwest: DeKalb County

Cities and Towns:

- Cedar Bluff	town	Incorporated Area
- Centre (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Gaylesville	town	Incorporated Area
- Leesburg	town	Incorporated Area
- Sand Rock	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."