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Guinness World Records

Guinness World Records, known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Sir Hugh Beaver created the concept, and twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter co-founded the book in London in August 1955.

The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of the 2024 edition, it is now in its 69th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 23 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database.

The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. The organisation employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records.

Following a series of owners, the franchise has been owned by the Jim Pattison Group since 2008, with its headquarters moved to South Quay Plaza, Canary Wharf, London, in 2017. Since 2008, Guinness World Records has orientated its business model away from selling books, and towards creating new world records as publicity exercises for individuals and organisations, which has attracted criticism.

History
On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries, went on a shooting party in the North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. After missing a shot at a golden plover, he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (the plover is faster, but neither is the fastest game bird in Europe). That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. Beaver knew that there must have been numerous other questions debated nightly among the public, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful. Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended university friends Norris and Ross McWhirter, who had been running a fact-finding agency in London. The twin brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of (Superlatives and now) Records, in August 1954. A thousand copies were distributed for free to pubs across Britain and Ireland as a promotional asset for the Guinness brand, and they became immensely popular with customers.

After the founding of The Guinness Book of Records office at the top of Ludgate House, 107 Fleet Street, London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British bestseller list by Christmas. The following year, it was introduced into the United States by New York publisher David Boehm and sold 70,000 copies. Since then, Guinness World Records has sold more than 150 million copies in 100 countries and 40 languages.

Because the book became a surprise hit, many further editions were printed, eventually settling into a pattern of one revision a year, published in September/October, in time for Christmas. The McWhirters continued to compile it for many years. Both brothers had an encyclopedic memory; on the British children's television series Record Breakers, based upon the book, which was broadcast on the BBC from 1972 to 2001, they would take questions posed by children in the audience on various world records and were able to give the correct answer. Ross McWhirter was assassinated by two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1975, in response to offering a £50,000 reward for information that would lead to capture of members of the organisation. Following Ross's assassination, the feature in the show where questions about records posed by children were answered was called Norris on the Spot. Norris carried on as the book's sole editor.

Guinness Superlatives, later Guinness World Records Limited, was incorporated in London in 1954 to publish the first book. Sterling Publishing owned the rights to the Guinness book in the US for decades until it was repurchased by Guinness in 1989 after an 18-month long lawsuit. The group was owned by Guinness PLC and subsequently Diageo until 2001, when it was purchased by Gullane Entertainment for £45.5 million ($65 million). Gullane was itself purchased by HIT Entertainment in 2002. In 2006, Apax Partners purchased HIT and subsequently sold Guinness World Records in early 2008 to the Jim Pattison Group, the parent company of Ripley Entertainment, which is licensed to operate Guinness World Records' Attractions. With offices in New York City and Tokyo, Guinness World Records' global headquarters remain in London, specifically South Quay Plaza, Canary Wharf, while its museum attractions are based at Ripley headquarters in Orlando, Florida.

Evolution
Recent editions have focused on record feats by individuals. Competitions range from obvious ones such as Olympic weightlifting to the longest egg tossing distances, or for longest time spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV or the largest number of hot dogs that were be consumed in three minutes. Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts such as the heaviest tumour, the most poisonous fungus, the longest-running soap opera and the most valuable life-insurance policy, among others. Many records also relate to the youngest people to have achieved something, such as the youngest person to visit all nations of the world, currently held by Maurizio Giuliano.

Each edition contains a selection of the records from the Guinness World Records database, as well as select new records, with the criteria for inclusion changing from year to year. The latest edition is the 70th, published on 15 September 2023. It is the fourth and last installment featuring Rod Hunt's illustrations on the cover with the topic of 'The ocean and the water'.

The retirement of Norris McWhirter from his consulting role in 1995 and the subsequent decision by Diageo Plc to sell The Guinness Book of Records brand have shifted the focus of the books from text-oriented to illustrated reference. A selection of records are curated for the book from the full archive but all existing Guinness World Records titles can be accessed by creating a login on the company's website. Applications made by individuals for existing record categories are free of charge. There is an administration fee of £5 (or $5) to propose a new record title.

A number of spin-off books and television series have also been produced. Guinness World Records bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York, in April 2009; at that time, he held 100 records.

In 2005, Guinness designated 9 November as International Guinness World Records Day to encourage breaking of world records. In 2006, an estimated 100,000 people participated in over 10 countries. Guinness reported 2,244 new records in 12 months, which was a 173% increase over the previous year. In February 2008, NBC aired The Top 100 Guinness World Records of All Time and Guinness World Records made the complete list available on their website.

The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records.

Defining records
For many records, Guinness World Records is the effective authority on the exact requirements for them and with whom records reside, the company providing adjudicators to events to determine the veracity of record attempts. The list of records which the Guinness World Records covers is not fixed, records may be added and also removed for various reasons. The public is invited to submit applications for records, which can be either the bettering of existing records or substantial achievements which could constitute a new record. The company also provides corporate services for companies to "harness the power of record-breaking to deliver tangible success for their businesses."

Ethical and safety issues
Guinness World Records states several types of records it will not accept for ethical reasons, such as those related to the killing or harming of animals. In the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records, Colombian serial killer Pedro López was listed as the "most prolific serial killer", having murdered at least 110 people (with Lopez himself claiming he murdered over 300 people) in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the late 1960s to 1980s. This was removed after complaints that the listing and category made a competition out of murder and was not just unethical but also immoral.

Several world records that were once included in the book have been removed for ethical reasons, including concerns for the well-being of potential record breakers. For example, following publication of the "heaviest pet" record, many owners overfed their pets beyond the bounds of what was healthy, and therefore such entries were removed. The Guinness Book also dropped records within their "eating and drinking records" section of Human Achievements in 1991 over concerns that potential competitors could harm themselves and expose the publisher to potential litigation. These changes included the removal of all spirit, wine and beer drinking records, along with other unusual records for consuming such unlikely things as bicycles and trees. Other records, such as sword swallowing and rally driving (on public roads), were closed from further entry as the current holders had performed beyond what are considered safe human tolerance levels. There have been instances of closed categories being reopened. For example, the sword swallowing category was listed as closed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records, but has since been reopened with Johnny Strange breaking a sword swallowing record on Guinness World Records Live. Similarly, the speed beer drinking records which were dropped from the book in 1991, reappeared 17 years later in the 2008 edition, but were moved from the "Human Achievements" section of the older book to the "Modern Society" section of the newer edition.

, it is required in the guidelines of all "large food" type records that the item be fully edible, and distributed to the public for consumption, to prevent food wastage. Chain letters are also not allowed: "Guinness World Records does not accept any records relating to chain letters, sent by post or e-mail." After Roger Guy English set the record for sleeplessness in 1974, the category was discontinued for being too dangerous. At the request of the U.S. Mint, in 1984, the book stopped accepting claims of large hoardings of pennies or other currency. Environmentally unfriendly records (such as the releasing of sky lanterns and party balloons) are no longer accepted or monitored, in addition to records relating to tobacco or cannabis consumption or preparation.

In 2024, Guinness World Records was alleged of laundering the reputation of the oppressive governments as it set world records for the UAE’s police forces and Egypt’s military. By 2024, the UAE achieved 526 records, of which 21 were credited to the Emirates’ police force. Matthew Hedges, a British academic who was forced to sign a false confession, asked the records body to take down the Abu Dhabi police department’s certificate for “most signatures on a scroll”, along with other such titles. Concerns were also raised around the activities around Egypt, which moved from 22 records to 110 within a decade until 2024. James Lynch, co-founder of FairSquare, said the records were legitimising Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s regime. The Guinness World Records stated that its record titles “cannot be purchased”.

Difficulty in defining records
For some potential categories, Guinness World Records has declined to list some records that are too difficult or impossible to determine. For example, its website states: "We do not accept any claims for beauty as it is not objectively measurable."

On 10 December 2010, Guinness World Records stopped accepting submissions for the "dreadlock" category after investigation of its first and only female title holder, Asha Mandela, determining it was impossible to judge this record accurately.

Change in business model
Traditionally, the company made a large amount of its revenue via book sales to interested readers, especially children. The rise of the Internet began to cut into book sales starting in the 2000s, part of a general decline in the book industry. According to a 2017 story by Planet Money of NPR, Guinness began to realise that a lucrative new revenue source to replace falling book sales was the would-be record-holders themselves. While any person can theoretically send in a record to be verified for free, the approval process is slow. Would-be record breakers that paid fees ranging from US$12,000 to US$500,000 would be given advisors, adjudicators, help in finding good records to break as well as suggestions for how to do it, prompt service, and so on. In particular, corporations and celebrities seeking a publicity stunt to launch a new product or draw attention to themselves began to hire Guinness World Records, paying them for finding a record to break or to create a new category just for them. As such, they have been described as a native advertising company, with no clear distinction between content and advertisement.

Guinness World Records was criticised by television talk show host John Oliver on the program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in August 2019. Oliver criticised Guinness for taking money from authoritarian governments for pointless vanity projects as it related to the main focus of his story, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. Oliver asked Guinness to work with Last Week Tonight to adjudicate a record for "Largest cake featuring a picture of someone falling off a horse", but according to Oliver, the offer did not work out after Guinness insisted on a non-disparagement clause. Guinness World Records denied the accusations and stated that they declined Oliver's offer to participate because "it was merely an opportunity to mock one of our record-holders," and that Oliver did not specifically request the record for the largest marble cake. As of 2021, the Guinness World Record for "Largest marble cake" remains with Betty Crocker Middle East in Saudi Arabia. Following Oliver's episode, Guinness World Records ' ethics were called into question by human rights groups.

Museums
In 1976, a Guinness Book of World Records museum opened in the Empire State Building. Speed shooter Bob Munden then went on tour promoting The Guinness Book of World Records by performing his record fast draws with a standard weight single-action revolver from a Western movie-type holster. His fastest time for a draw was 0.02 seconds. Among exhibits were life-size statues of the world's tallest man, Robert Wadlow, and world's largest earthworm, an X-ray photo of a sword swallower, repeated lightning strike victim Roy Sullivan's hat complete with lightning holes and a pair of gem-studded golf shoes on sale for $6,500. The museum closed in 1995.

In more recent years, the Guinness company has permitted the franchising of small museums with displays based on the book, all currently located in towns popular with tourists: Tokyo, Copenhagen, San Antonio. There were once Guinness World Records museums and exhibitions at the London Trocadero, Bangalore, San Francisco, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Orlando museum, which closed in 2002, was branded The Guinness Records Experience; the Hollywood, Niagara Falls, Copenhagen, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee museums also previously featured this branding.

Television series
Guinness World Records has commissioned various television series documenting world record breaking attempts, including:

Specials:
 * Guinness World Records: 50 Years, 50 Records – on ITV (UK), 11 September 2004

Gamer's edition
In 2008, Guinness World Records released its gamer's edition, a branch that keeps records for popular video game high scores, codes and feats in association with Twin Galaxies. The Gamer's Edition contains 258 pages, over 1,236 video game related world records and four interviews including one with Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day. Editions were published for the years 2008 through 2020, with the 2009 edition in hardcover.

The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles was a music reference book first published in 1977. It was compiled by BBC Radio 1 DJs Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read with brothers Tim Rice and Jonathan Rice. It was the first in a number of music reference books that were to be published by Guinness Publishing with sister publication The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums coming in 1983. After being sold to Hit Entertainment, the data concerning the Official Chart Company's singles and albums charts were combined under the title British Hit Singles & Albums, with Hit Entertainment publishing the book from 2003 to 2006 (under the Guinness World Records brand). After Guinness World Records was sold to The Jim Pattison Group, it was effectively replaced by a series of books published by Ebury Publishing/Random House with the Virgin Book of British Hit Singles first being published in 2007 and with a Hit Albums book following two years later.

Board game
In 1975, Parker Brothers marketed a board game, The Guinness Game of World Records, based on the book. Players compete by setting and breaking records for activities such as the longest streak of rolling dice before rolling doubles, stacking plastic pieces, and bouncing a ball off alternating sides of a card, as well as answering trivia questions based on the listings in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Video games
A video game, Guinness World Records: The Videogame, was developed by TT Fusion and released for Nintendo DS, Wii and iOS in November 2008.

Film
In 2012, Warner Bros. announced the development of a live-action film version of Guinness World Records with Daniel Chun as scriptwriter. The film version will apparently use the heroic achievements of record holders as the basis for a narrative that should have global appeal.

title: Guinness World Records


text:
Blue Springs, Alabama

Blue Springs is a town in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 84. The town is the home of Blue Springs State Park.

Geography
Blue Springs is located at 31°39'51.588" North, 85°29'45.308" West (31.664330, -85.495919).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.9 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 121 people, 49 households, and 36 families residing in the town. The population density was 41.8 PD/sqmi. There were 54 housing units at an average density of 18.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.17% White and 0.83% Black or African American.

There were 49 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,000, and the median income for a family was $38,250. Males had a median income of $27,000 versus $21,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,224. There were 6.5% of families and 4.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 33.3% of those over 64.

Points of interest

 * Blue Springs State Park is a 103 acre property along the West Fork Choctawhatchee River near the center of town. It features a spring pool, campground and picnicking.
 * Blue Reindeer Creek is a designated site of historical interest.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Blue Springs, Alabama


text:
Clayton, Alabama

Clayton is a town in and the county seat of Barbour County, Alabama, United States. The population was 3,008 at the 2010 census, up from 1,475 in 2000.

History
Clayton has been the county seat since 1834, two years after the creation of Barbour County. Clayton is located geographically in the center of the county. The town was located at the headwaters of the Pea and Choctawhatchee rivers on the historic road from Hobdy's Bridge over the Pea River to Eufaula on the Chattahoochee River. By 1818, there were a few settlers in the area around Clayton, but settlement began in earnest around 1823. The town was named for Augustin S. Clayton, a Georgia jurist and congressman. Clayton became the county seat of Barbour County in 1833 and was laid out on a central courthouse square plan. The first Circuit Court was held in Clayton on September 23, 1833. The Clayton post office was established in September 1835 with John F. Keener as postmaster. Clayton, with a population of 200, was incorporated on December 21, 1841, by the Alabama Legislature. Its first mayor, after incorporation, was John Jackson.

Clayton has a rich heritage with four properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known for its Whiskey Bottle Tombstone, which was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!.

Governor George Wallace was born in nearby Clio and began his legal and political career in Clayton. In March 1956, Wallace attended at the Clayton football stadium the first public meeting of the Barbour County White Citizens' Council, with an estimated 4,500 persons attending the white supremacist rally, "the largest rally in the history of the county seat."

Geography
Clayton is located at 31°52'39.014" North, 85°26'56.486" West (31.877504, -85.449024).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.3 sqkm, all land.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Clayton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,265 people, 569 households, and 359 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,008 people, 552 households, and 349 families residing in the town. The population density was 450 PD/sqmi. There were 649 housing units at an average density of 96.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 63.8% Black or African American, 35.8% White, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. .6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 552 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.2% were married couples living together, 27.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 11.9% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 46.1% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 317.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,629, and the median income for a family was $17,778. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $26,964 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,288. About 27.4% of families and 29.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Clayton is served by Barbour County Schools. Barbour County High School and Barbour County Primary School are located in the town of Clayton.

Notable people

 * Katherine Jackson, mother of entertainer Michael Jackson
 * George W. Andrews, U.S. House of Representatives
 * Billy Beasley, Alabama politician
 * Jere Beasley (born 1935), two-term Lieutenant Governor of Alabama and acting Governor of Alabama
 * Thomas J. Clarke (Alabama politician), a farmer, state legislator and constable during the late 19th century
 * Bertram Tracy Clayton (1862–1918), U.S. House of Representatives representing New York and U.S. Army officer killed in World War I
 * Henry DeLamar Clayton, Sr. (1827–1889), major general in the Confederate army; President of the University of Alabama
 * Henry De Lamar Clayton, Jr. (1857–1929), U.S. House of Representatives, author of the Clayton Antitrust Act
 * Travis Grant (born 1950), college and professional basketball player
 * Clarence Clement "Shovel" Hodge (1893–1967), Major League Baseball pitcher
 * McDowell Lee, Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
 * Albert J. Lingo, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety from 1963 to 1965
 * Ann Lowe (1899–1981), designer of wedding dress for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis for her marriage to John F. Kennedy
 * George Wallace (1919–1998), Governor of Alabama and U.S. presidential candidate
 * George C. Wallace, Jr. (born 1951), Alabama State Treasurer
 * Lurleen Wallace (1926–1968), Governor of Alabama
 * Ariosto A. Wiley, U.S. Representative from 1901 to 1908

title: Clayton, Alabama


text:
Clio, Alabama

Clio is a city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. The population was 1,399 at the 2010 census, down from 2,206 in 2000, at which time it was a town. It is the birthplace of former Alabama governor George C. Wallace, as well as Baseball Hall of Famer and former Atlanta Braves broadcaster Don Sutton.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.1 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.09%, is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,220 people, 442 households, and 238 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,399 people, 514 households, and 321 families residing in the town. The population density was 139 PD/sqmi. There were 634 housing units at an average density of 62.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 36.5% Black or African American, 32.0% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 30.2% from other races, and .4% from two or more races. 36.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 514 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the town the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,806, and the median income for a family was $33,438. Males had a median income of $32,908 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,722. About 28.3% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.1% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * McDowell Lee, member of the Alabama House of Representatives and Mayor of Clio.
 * George Corley Wallace, four-term Governor of Alabama and four-time candidate for U.S. President.
 * Don Sutton, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer.
 * Elton Bryson Stephens, Sr., founder of EBSCO Industries.

Points of interest

 * Blue Springs State Park
 * Easterling Correctional Facility

title: Clio, Alabama


text:
Eufaula, Alabama

Eufaula is the largest city in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census the city's population was 13,137.

History
The site along the Chattahoochee River that is now modern-day Eufaula was occupied by three Muscogee Creek tribes, including the Eufaulas. By the 1820s the land was part of the Creek Indian Territory and supposedly off-limits to white settlement. By 1827 enough illegal white settlement had occurred that the Creeks appealed to the federal government for protection of their property rights. In July of that year, federal troops were sent to the Eufaula area to remove the settlers by force of arms, a conflict known as the "Intruders War".

The Creeks signed the Treaty of Washington in 1826, ceding most of their land in Georgia and eastern Alabama to the United States, but it was not fully effective in practice until the late 1820s. The 1832 Treaty of Cusseta, by which the Creeks ceded all land east of the Mississippi River to the United States, allowed white settlers to legally buy land from the Creek. However, the treaty's terms did not require any natives to relocate. By 1835 the land on which the town was built had been mostly purchased by white settlers, and had a store, owned in part by William Irwin, after whom the new settlement was named "Irwinton".

By the mid 1830s downtown Irwinton was platted out and development was well underway. Much of its historic character has been preserved and is now known as the Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District. In 1842 or 1843  Irwinton was renamed "Eufaula", possibly  to end postal confusion ensuing from its proximity to Irwinton, Georgia. The town was officially incorporated under that name in 1857.

In 1850 secessionists in the town formed a vigilante committee which terrorized any white people who had abolitionist sympathies. Thus captain Elisha Bett was driven from the town and only returned after he had signed a written agreement not to express his views again.

Significant numbers of Jewish settlers came to Eufaula in the middle of the nineteenth century from Germany and from neighboring states. The community founded a cemetery; the first burial took place in 1845.

By the late 1850s, Eufaula's advantageous location on the Chattahoochee made it a major shipping center for cargo bound for the Port of Apalachicola and, from there, to major world markets such as Liverpool and New York City. By this time, planning for the Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad, which was to include a new bridge over the Chattahoochee, was well underway. By November 1859 the railroad company authorized its president to purchase slaves worth $150,000 to use for the construction of the railroad. Grading for the track bed began in January 1860. By 1861, when it had become clear that the American Civil War was imminent, work on the railroad was suspended to allow the laborers to lay track between Montgomery, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, to facilitate the transport of Confederate troops to the Gulf of Mexico. Work on the railroad was resumed after the war, and, in October 1871, the tracks finally reached the city limits of Eufaula and a depot agent, John O. Martin, was appointed to run that terminal station.

The Civil War in Eufaula
Very little is known about the history of Eufaula during the American Civil War because very few contemporary records or newspapers survive. Alabama seceded from the United States on January 11, 1861. By the end of the month a military encampment was founded at Eufaula with soldiers ready to decamp to Fort Pickens or elsewhere as needed at the onset of hostilities. Ultimately six companies of the Confederate States Army (CSA) were raised at Eufaula and Barbour County. One of these was the Eufaula Zouaves, one of dozens of military units on both sides that adopted that name, patterning their uniforms and order of battle after the French light infantry units on which they were modeled.

The CSA operated a military hospital in Eufaula during the conflict. Eufaula's strategic position on the Chattahoochee river involved it in the naval component of the Confederate war effort, and at least one ironclad warship was constructed in the city. By April 1865, the Union Army had occupied Selma, Alabama, and plans were made to move the Alabama state government to Eufaula should Montgomery fall to Federal troops.

Montgomery was captured on April 12 and governor Thomas H. Watts, with other state officials, fled to Eufaula, establishing what the New York Daily Tribune called "the fugitive seat of Government of Alabama". On April 29, 1865, Union general Benjamin Grierson had reached Clayton, Alabama, and word had finally made it to Eufaula that the war was over. The mayor of Eufaula and some members of the city council rode over to Clayton to escort Grierson into Eufaula, thus ensuring a generally peaceful transition to Federal control of the city.

Eufaula was the site of what may have been the last battle of the Civil War. On May 19, 1865, at Hobdy's Bridge near Eufaula a Confederate detachment attacked a 44-man detachment from companies C and F of the Union's 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment, resulting in one soldier killed and three wounded.

By May 1865 the Daily Intelligencer of Atlanta reported that 10,000 Union troops had occupied Eufaula. In the immediate aftermath of the occupation there was a food riot and an "attempt to illegally distribute the public stores". By the end of May Eufaula was sufficiently pacified that a special agent of the United States Post Office was able to deliver mail from Providence, Rhode Island, to the town via Macon, Georgia, without need for any of the twenty-five armed guards he had brought with him to defend him with violence.

Reconstruction in Eufaula
By August 1865 cotton shipping out of Eufaula was increasing again, mostly in barter for household goods, which were arriving by ship in increasing quantities. However, the quantity of cotton being shipped out was nowhere near antebellum levels, and ships bound for Apalachicola were far below capacity. In November 1865 the Federal garrison that had been occupying Eufaula was relieved of duty by two companies of the 8th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, whose commander, John Bell, assured the citizens that they would not "be disturbed in their lawful business."

In March 1867, the United States Congress passed the first of four Reconstruction Acts and the Reconstruction Era began in earnest. Alabama, and therefore Eufaula, was placed in the Third Military District under the command of General John Pope. By the time the first elections were held under the new regime, in October 1867, Barbour County had about 5,000 registered voters, with about 1,500 white and 3,500 black.

Municipal elections were held in March 1870 and white candidates won all offices except for the two fourth (of four) ward positions as aldermen, which were won by black candidates Washington Burke and Melvin Patterson. Election officials set aside Burke's and Patterson's victories for election fraud and replaced them with their white competitors R. A. Solo and T. E. Morgan as fourth ward aldermen. In the same election a radical republican candidate named Keills won the post of City Court Judge. According to the Mobile Register, Keills's "election turned upon sectional differences. The negroes made their usual noisy demonstrations, marching in from the country with fife and drum."

On November 3, 1874, members of the White League instigated the Election Riot of 1874 in Eufaula on election day, massacring at least 7 black Republicans, shooting at least 70 more, and preventing over 1,000 others from voting. They hijacked the vote count, fraudulently electing white candidates by excluding votes cast by blacks. Federal officials attempted to hold the white mob members accountable, but police falsely charged and convicted a witness with perjury, intimidating other witnesses. By 1876, with Reconstruction ended and black voters intimidated with lynching, there were just 10 black voters in the city, compared to 1,200 in February 1874.

By 1866 there was a general movement of black Baptists to separate from the white churches and form their own congregations. Black Baptists applied for permission to separate in May 1866. The permission was granted, and, after negotiations, the black Baptists were allowed to purchase an old church building to house their own congregation. This congregation formed the basis of the Eufaula Association, one of two black Baptist associations formed in Alabama prior to the founding of the state association of black Baptist churches in 1868. By 1869 the site for the new white First Baptist Church of Eufaula had been purchased and $16,000 out of an estimated $25,000 necessary for its construction had been raised.

Eufaula housing case
For a number of years after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision Brown v. Board of Education, which overturned Plessy v. Ferguson by declaring racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional, the schools in Eufaula remained unintegrated. In 1955 the Eufaula Housing Authority sought to use eminent domain to condemn land on which a number of black families had lived since emancipation in order to build public housing, a park, and an expansion of the white high school. The residents of the neighborhood, surrounded on all sides by white areas, thought that the city's motive was actually to keep their children out of a newly built high school once the now-inevitable racial integration occurred.

In 1958 civil rights attorneys Fred Gray and Constance Baker Motley filed a suit in the U.S. District court claiming that their clients' constitutional rights were being violated by the plan. The federal case was dismissed, but Gray (now appearing without Motley) appealed to the Alabama Circuit Court, where the case was heard by then-judge George Wallace. As before, Gray claimed that since the new development would allow white residents only, their civil rights were being violated by the City. Although his appeal of the constitutional issue was unsuccessful, Gray also appealed the city's valuations of his clients' properties and, arguing before all-white juries in Wallace's court, managed in most of the cases to win much higher prices.

Voting Rights Act of 1965
After the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 the United States Department of Justice sent federal observers into 24 southern counties to enforce its provisions regarding voter registration for the Fall 1965 elections. Many of these counties saw a significant increase in black registration, but Eufaula, not having federal supervision, had comparatively low rates. For instance, on August 16, 1965, 600 black citizens waited in line at the County courthouse in Eufaula to register, but by the time the office closed, only 265 had managed to fill out the paperwork.

In 1966 the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) responded by appointing a local Eufaulan, Daddy Bone, to organize voter registration drives in Eufaula. Bone initiated a series of nonviolent protests and boycotts of local stores that refused to hire blacks which attracted SNCC supporters from around the Southeastern United States. The city of Eufaula, under some pressure from the businessmen whose stores were targeted, passed anti-picketing laws and began arresting demonstrators en masse for violating them. Bone brought in civil rights lawyer S. S. Seay to defend the protestors, who were mostly convicted, and in such numbers as to overwhelm the county jail.

School integration
In July 1968 the United States Department of Justice filed suit against 76 Alabama school districts, including that of Eufaula, in an attempt to bring them into compliance with Brown v. Board of Education.

Schools in Eufaula remained segregated by race until the fall of 1966 and the first blacks graduated with the senior class of 1967. After integration began the school stopped sponsoring social events, such as proms although unofficial segregated events were still held. By 1990, students at Eufaula High School had begun pressuring school officials to allow them to hold integrated proms, and the first such was held in 1991 without incident.

Other recent history
In 1963, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Walter F. George Lake (unofficially named Lake Eufaula) behind the lock and dam of Fort Gaines, Georgia, once again assuring Eufaula's importance as an inland port.

In the early 1960s, the United States Coast Guard set up an Aids to Navigation Team in Eufaula that is still active today servicing from Columbus, Georgia, to Apalachicola, Florida, and the Flint River.

In 1964, the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge was established along Lake Walter F. George to serve and protect many endangered and threatened species such as the American bald eagle, the American alligator, the wood stork and the peregrine falcon. The refuge is a major tourist attraction for visitors from around the country.

On March 3, 2019, a tornado hit the city as part of a larger tornado outbreak. On March 31, 2020, another tornado struck the city. There were no reports of fatalities or injuries.

Eufaula has never had an African American mayor. Jack Tibbs Jr. won his third term as mayor in 2020.

Geography
Eufaula is located at 31°53'21.732" North, 85°9'13.586" West (31.889370, -85.153774).

The city is located along U.S. Highways 82 and 431 in southeast Alabama on the Georgia state line, adjacent to the city of Georgetown, Georgia, which is east across the Chattahoochee River from the city. U.S. 431 runs through the city from north to south as Eufaula Avenue, leading north 47 mi to Phenix City and southwest 51 mi to Dothan. U.S. 82 runs from west to east through the city, concurrent with U.S. 431 through the northern part of the city until it reaches the downtown area, where it then runs east-west as Barbour Street. U.S. 82 leads southeast 26 mi to Cuthbert, Georgia and northwest 41 mi to Union Springs. Montgomery, the state capital, is located 90 mi to the northwest via U.S. 82.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.5 sqmi, of which 59.4 sqmi is land and 14.1 sqmi (19.13%) is water. It sits on a reservoir called Walter F. George Lake, or Lake Eufaula to locals.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Eufaula has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,882 people, 4,969 households, and 3,215 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 13,137 people, 5,237 households, and 3,630 families residing in the city. There were 5,829 housing units at an average density of 79.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 51.0% White, 44.6% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. 4.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,237 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the population's age was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,025, and the median income for a family was $44,234. Males had a median income of $37,985 versus $23,890 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,515. About 18.0% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 20.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Eufaula is served by Eufaula City Schools which has two elementary schools. It has a middle school, Admiral Moorer Middle School, named after Admiral Thomas Hinman Moorer. The local high school is Eufaula High School and their mascot is a tiger. It is also served by a private accredited school, Lakeside School. The Lakeside athletic teams are known as the Chiefs. Eufaula also has a smaller unaccredited school, Parkview Christian School. Eufaula was home to the Eufaula Female Academy, a female seminary founded in 1844.

Historic buildings
Many of Eufaula's historic buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historic buildings include the Eufaula First United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church of Eufaula. The Seth Lore and Irwinton Historic District, with 667 contributing properties, is the second-largest historic district in Alabama.

The Shorter Mansion was built in 1884 by Eli Shorter and is recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The bottom floor is often host to many receptions and events, while the second floor serves as a museum honoring the six Alabama governors from Barbour County, as well as Admiral Thomas Moorer, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Holleman-Foy House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. and stands in 215 W Broad St. The building was designed by George Franklin Barber and built in 1907 for Judge Henry Holleman. According to the National Register of Historic Places nomination the house was published in the 5th edition of Modern Dwellings (1905) under the title "An Ideal Home". In 1909 the house was sold to William Foy.

Fendall Hall, built from 1856 to 1860, is an Italianate-style historic house museum owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.

Sports
Lake Eufaula is known as the "Big Bass Capital of the World".

Eufaula was home to a minor league baseball team, the Eufaula Millers, in 1952 and 1953.

Movie location
In the 2002 film Sweet Home Alabama, the historic homes shown in Melanie's (Reese Witherspoon) return to Pigeon Creek were shot in Eufaula.

Tree That Owns Itself
The Tree That Owns Itself is an oak tree in Eufaula that has been replaced several times. It was given the ownership of its land by the governor in 1936, with each of the two replacements receiving the ownership to the land too. Confederate soldier Captain John A. Walker previously owned the land.

Notable people

 * Alpheus Baker, brigadier general in the Confederate States Army
 * Peyton Brown, model and Miss Alabama USA 2016
 * Daryon Brutley, former professional football defensive back
 * Edward Bullock, Confederate officer and two-term Alabama state senator
 * Frank Clark, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
 * James S. Clark, speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1987 to 1999
 * S. Hubert Dent Jr., U.S. representative from 1909 to 1921
 * Lula Mae Hardaway, mother of entertainer Stevie Wonder
 * William Henry Harrison Hart, African American attorney
 * Bertha "B" Holt (born August 16, 1916), representative in the North Carolina General Assembly
 * Jerrel Jernigan, professional football player
 * Walter Kehoe, U.S. representative from Florida from 1917 to 1919
 * Reuben Kolb, Alabama politician
 * Charles S. McDowell, tenth lieutenant governor of Alabama
 * Thomas Hinman Moorer, chief of Naval Operations and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
 * Martha Reeves, Motown singer, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Detroit city councilwoman
 * Walter Reeves (born December 15, 1965), professional football player
 * Simon F. Rothschild (1861–1936), merchant
 * Eli Sims Shorter, U.S. representative from 1855 to 1859
 * John Gill Shorter, 17th governor of Alabama
 * Les Snead, general manager of the NFL Los Angeles Rams
 * Courtney Upshaw, professional football player
 * George Wallace Jr., former Alabama public service commissioner and state treasurer
 * Dave Watson, former professional football offensive lineman
 * Edwin "Pa" Watson, U.S. Army major general, friend and senior aide to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
 * Xavier Woodson-Luster, professional football player
 * Hunter Wyatt-Brown, former bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Harrisburg (Central Pennsylvania)

Literature

 * Alsobrook, David Ernest. Southside: Eufaula's Cotton Mill Village and its People, 1890-1945. Mercer University Press.

title: Eufaula, Alabama


text:
Louisville, Alabama

Louisville is a town in Barbour County, Alabama, United States. Originally named "Lewisville" and still pronounced as such. At the 2020 census, the population was 395.

Geography
Louisville is 10 mi southwest of Clayton, the county seat, and 6 mi northeast of Clio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.1 km$2$), all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 395 people, 238 households, and 141 families residing in the town.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 612 people, 242 households, and 168 families in the town. The population density was 222.8 PD/sqmi. There were 271 housing units at an average density of 98.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 52.94% White, 40.69% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 5.23% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 6.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 242 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.9% of households were one person and 16.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.

The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median household income was $20,859 and the median family income was $27,014. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,151. About 22.4% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 34.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * George M. Grant, former U.S. Representative
 * Jeremiah Norman Williams, U.S. Representative from Alabama's 2nd congressional district from 1875 to 1877

title: Louisville, Alabama


text:
Brent, Alabama

Brent is a city in Bibb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 2,972.

History
Brent was founded in 1898 along the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad line in the southern portion of Bibb County, named after surveyor Brent H. Armstrong. The community was incorporated in 1913.

On May 27, 1973, Brent was almost completely destroyed by an F4 tornado during an outbreak of violent weather in the Deep South, killing 5 people and injuring 56 in the area. The tornado was on the ground for 139 miles (224 km), currently the longest track to date in Alabama history, beginning just northeast of Demopolis in Hale County and eventually dissipating at Cheaha Mountain in Clay County. Adjacent Centreville received significant damage as well as locations in nearby counties. Brent was able to be rebuilt before being hit by another EF3 on March 25, 2021, also damaging the adjacent town of Centreville were to have the Bibb County Airport rendering the airport a total loss.

Geography
Brent is located near the center of Bibb County at 32°56'24.864" North, 87°10'29.935" West (32.940240, -87.174982). It lies in the Cahaba River valley and is adjacent to the city of Centreville, the county seat, which is across the Cahaba River from the city. U.S. Route 82 passes through the northern part of town, bypassing the town center, and leads northwest 32 mi to Tuscaloosa and southeast 73 mi to Montgomery, the state capital.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Brent has a total area of 22.8 km2, of which 22.7 km2 is land and 0.1 sqkm, or 0.34%, is water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Brent has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,972 people, 1,055 households, and 762 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,947 people, 1,178 households, and 788 families residing in the city. The population density was 564 PD/sqmi. There were 1,323 housing units at an average density of 150.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 53.5% Black or African American, 45.1% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. 2.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,178 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 23.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.6% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 209.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 278.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,044, and the median income for a family was $42,440. Males had a median income of $43,211 versus $22,010 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,799. About 14.9% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.1% of those under age 18 and 38.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Brent is governed via the mayor-council system. The city council consists of five members each elected from single member districts. The mayor, currently Bobbie White, is elected by the entire city.

The Alabama Department of Corrections operates the Bibb Correctional Facility in Brent.

The United States Postal Service operates the Brent Post Office.

Transportation
Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines.

Notable people

 * Charles Cleveland, former professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers
 * The visionary art environment of outsider artist and Methodist minister George Paul Kornegay was based on a hill near Brent.

title: Brent, Alabama


text:
Centreville, Alabama

Centreville is a city in Bibb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 2,800. The city is the county seat of Bibb County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Centreville has a total area of 24.9 sqkm, of which 24.5 sqkm are land and 0.4 sqkm, or 1.52%, is water. The city is bordered to the west by the city of Brent by the Cahaba River.

The city is located in the central part of the state along U.S. Route 82, which runs from southeast to northwest to the north of the city, leading southeast 70 mi to Montgomery, the state capital, and northwest 35 mi to Tuscaloosa. Alabama State Routes 25 and 219 both run through the center of the city from south to north. AL-25 leads northeast 21 mi to Montevallo and southwest 38 mi to Greensboro. AL-219 leads north 7 mi to Alabama State Route 5 north of Brent and south 42 mi to Selma.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Centreville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps.

Centreville is the site of the highest recorded temperature in the state of Alabama, when on September 6, 1925, the temperature reached 112 °F. The data below are for the years 1916 to 1974.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,800 people, 947 households, and 599 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,778 people, 1,066 households, and 729 families residing in the city. The population density was 294 PD/sqmi. There were 1,178 housing units at an average density of 122 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 72.2% White, 23.7% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 3.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,066 households, of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.07

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,642, and the median income for a family was $58,000. Males had a median income of $37,614 versus $17,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,172. About 13.5% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.

History
The Cahaba River falls near Centreville, which made the town a strategic location for transportation through the region. The first post office in Bibb County was established in Centreville in 1821. Sarah Willis Chotard obtained a patent for land in this area in 1823 and began moving squatters off the land and laid out a plot for the new town of Centreville.

In 1829, Centreville became the permanent seat for Bibb County after several years of debate and different locations of the county courthouse, and the town was incorporated in 1832. Centreville's historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

On May 27, 1973, a violent tornado struck the city, causing major damage across the area.

On March 25, 2021, a violent tornado hit the southern and eastern portions of Centreville, causing significant damage to the area and rendering the Bibb County Airport a total loss.

1910 lynching
In 1910, a white woman by the name of Mrs. Crow gave birth to a child of "doubtful color", who was thought by many to be the product of a relationship between Crow and an African American, and she was accused of having such a relationship. At first she vigorously denied it, but then – under intense peer pressure – she confessed to the baby's origin but claimed that she had been raped. When asked if she knew who raped her, Crow gave them the name of Grant Richardson, an African American who lived near the Braehead Slope Mine Camp, northeast of Centreville. The miners and other local residents were so incensed at the affair that they decided to apply "summary vengeance" to Richardson as soon as they knew that the sheriff had apprehended him.

Deputy Sheriff Cam Riley apprehended Richardson on October 12, 1910, and was returning him to the jail at Centreville for processing and trial, but was waylaid by a lynch mob. The mob took Richardson from Riley and shot the suspect. Chief Deputy Sheriff Charles Oakley investigated the scene as soon as word of the incident reached him, but other than the body, the shells, and the blood, there was little usable evidence to be found, much less witnesses. A coroner's inquest was held as soon as a special coroner was appointed, but there is no known result of that inquest. This was the first recorded lynching to take place in Bibb County.

It is unknown whether charges of either filing false charges resulting in a murder or miscegenation were filed against Crow, but it is known by those aware of Richardson that he had lived in the area for a number of years with a fair reputation prior to the incident.

Education
Centreville is served by the Bibb County Public School District. Schools in Centreville include Bibb County High School (grades 9 through 12) and Centreville Middle School (grades 5 through 8). Cahawba Christian Academy is a private school serving grades pre-K to 12.

Media

 * WBIB 1110 AM (Southern Gospel)
 * The Bibb Voice BibbVoice.com (Online News Publication)
 * Centreville Press (Local News Paper)

Notable people

 * Henry Damon Davidson, educator and church elder
 * Matt Downs, former Major League Baseball player, current Marion Military Institute baseball coach
 * Franklin Potts Glass Sr., newspaper publisher and U.S. Senator-designate
 * Henry James, former NBA player
 * Ben Jones, offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans
 * Zac Stacy, former Vanderbilt University football player and running back for the New York Jets
 * Fresco Thompson, major league baseball player and executive

title: Centreville, Alabama


text:
Vance, Alabama

Vance is a town in Tuscaloosa and Bibb counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,529. It is most famous for the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant, currently the only one in North America. The current mayor of Vance is Brenda Morrison.

The Tuscaloosa County portion of Vance is part of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Bibb County portion is part of the Birmingham–Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The town of Vance was first settled in 1830 by David M. Lindley. At that time, the town was called Trion and it was a trading post on the Old Huntsville Road.

In 1872, Trion was renamed Smallwood in honor of sawmill owner Charles Smallwood.

In 1879, Smallwood was renamed its current name Vance in honor of Dr. William Vance of North Carolina. It appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the village of Vance's Station.

It formally incorporated in 1972.

Council members

 * Mayor – Brenda Morrison
 * Place 1 – Debbie Minor
 * Place 2 – Ginger Turner
 * Place 3 – Jay Kelley
 * Place 4 – Amanda Bell
 * Place 5 – Dianne Averett
 * Town Clerk – Tracy Burt

Police department
Police Officers
 * Chief of Police - W. T. Graham
 * Assistant Chief - JONATHAN MITCHELL
 * INVESTIGATOR J.C SMITH
 * CHRISTOPHER WHITE

Fire department

 * Fire Chief – Harold McAdory

Education
Tuscaloosa County Schools operates these public schools in Vance:
 * Vance Elementary School

Geography
Most of the town of Vance is located in southeastern Tuscaloosa County, with the town center at 33°9'52.276" North, 87°13'54.185" West (33.164521, -87.231718). The town extends south into Bibb County. U.S. Route 11 passes through the center of the town, leading west 21 mi to Tuscaloosa and northeast 36 mi to downtown Birmingham. Interstate 59 parallels Route 11 and serves Vance via Exit 89, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz plant.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.5 km2, of which 26.4 sqkm is land and 0.1 sqkm, or 0.29%, is water.

Climate
Average annual rainfall is 54.9 in.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,092 people, 515 households, and 380 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,529 people, 537 households, and 400 families residing in the town. The population density was 150 PD/sqmi. There were 592 housing units at an average density of 58.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 88.8% White, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.7% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 5.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 537 households, out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,938, and the median income for a family was $70,114. Males had a median income of $49,583	 versus $38,450 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,406. About 3.4% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Vance, Alabama


text:
West Blocton, Alabama

West Blocton is a town in Bibb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,217. The current mayor is Daniel Sims.

History
It was built on land once owned by Uriah Smith, near the company town Blocton. Many of its non-native residents were immigrants from various European countries, with Italians being the largest, as they came to do mining in the area. West Blocton has a neighborhood previously named "Dago Hollow" and now called Little Italy.

Geography
West Blocton is located in northern Bibb County at 33.11861°N, -87.12278°W (33.118733, -87.122875), at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.

It is on a midway point between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.

Alabama State Route 5 passes through the town, west of the town center, leading north 7 mi to Woodstock and south 12 mi to Brent and Centreville, the county seat.

The community is 7 mi south of Interstate 20 and Interstate 59.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.9 km2, of which 11.8 km2 is land and 0.1 km2, or 0.52%, is water.

West Blocton Coke Ovens Park blends history with nature, providing a place to relax and learn about the history of the industrial era of Alabama and how the Coke Ovens supplied the steel of the South.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,217 people, 472 households, and 295 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,240 people, 494 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density was 271 PD/sqmi. There were 576 housing units at an average density of 125.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 85.6% White, 13.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. 0.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 494 households, out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,844, and the median income for a family was $59,875. Males had a median income of $37,384 versus $31,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,224. About 11.3% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The community's original economy was coal. By 2002 industry left the town. Robert Dewitt of the Tuscaloosa News stated that the community remained active despite the lack of jobs, and that "While downtown West Blocton is a shell of its former self, the place isn’t a ghost town."

Notable people

 * Mel Allen, broadcaster for the New York Yankees, was a frequent visitor to West Blocton, where his grandfather, Julius Israel, resided as a boy.
 * Another member of the Israel family was Mel Allen's first cousin, Elmo Israel Ellis, pioneer radio broadcaster, WSB/ Cox Broadcasting Corporation in Atlanta, GA. Ellis was Valedictorian of West Blocton High School, Class of 1936.
 * Sammie Lee Hill, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, was born in West Blocton in 1986. He is a graduate of West Blocton High School and Stillman College.
 * Debra Marshall, known from her days with the WCW and WWE, was raised in West Blocton.
 * Frank Pratt, former baseball player for the Chicago White Sox, was born in Blocton, a town to the east of West Blocton that no longer exists.
 * Mildred Lee Scudder, author of children's books, was born in Blocton on February 19, 1908.
 * Colonel James B. Swindal, U.S. Air Force, pilot of Air Force One during the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson; including Texas trip during which Kennedy was assassinated; born in West Blocton.
 * Rufus Parker, a well known Inventor who has created and patented inventions such as a carbon steel wheel lock for 18 wheelers, His most noted invention was an "oil jaw lock" after an oil company commissioned his help after a string of crude oil thefts. Mr. Parker was born and raised in West Blocton, leaving in 1949, briefly staying in Chicago IL and Cleveland OH. Unable to find satisfaction in either town, Mr. Parker enlisted in the US Army where he served in Korea, earning medals along the way. Upon his return to the states and discharge from the Army, Mr. Parker became the very first individual in United States history to receive a small business loan, acquiring a Peterbilt 18 wheeler with it. Growing tired of highway runs, Parker sold his Peterbilt and went into business with blues legend Albert King, buying a nightclub in St. Louis.

Education
Bibb County School District operates West Blocton High School.

Trivia

 * Blocton Coke Ovens.jpg Blocton is known for its historic beehive ovens, built in the late 1880s for coke production.
 * A feature-length documentary, West Blocton: Small Town, Big Heart, was made in 2012 by Michael J. Logan, an independent filmmaker whose family is from the town. The film covers the history of West Blocton from its inception in 1884 as a coal mining town until present day.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, West Blocton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

title: West Blocton, Alabama


text:
Allgood, Alabama

Allgood, formerly known as Chepultepec, is a town in Blount County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 548.

History
One source said the town's name comes from a family of homesteaders from South Carolina who settled in the area in the early 19th century. However, another states that the original name of the village, Chepultepec, probably named for the Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican–American War, was changed to "Allgood" in December 1915. A local lime manufacturer believed he was not getting repeat business because of the difficulty in spelling the name of the village and persuaded the local postmaster to change the name, with the postmaster giving the village his own name of Allgood. The town was formally incorporated in 1959. In 2010, it became the first locality in Alabama to achieve a Hispanic plurality.

Geography
Allgood is located in south-central Blount County at 33.90417°N, -86.51639°W (33.904216, −86.516428). It is in the Murphree Valley, with Straight Mountain to the southeast and Red Mountain and Sand Mountain to the northwest. Alabama State Route 75 passes through the town, leading northeast 3 mi to Oneonta, the county seat, and southwest 38 mi to Birmingham.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land.

Allgood
Allgood first appeared on the 1960 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.

2020 Census data
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 548 people, 208 households, and 152 families residing in the town.

2000 Census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 629 people, 189 households, and 140 families residing in the town. The population density was 606.6 PD/sqmi. There were 198 housing units at an average density of 190.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 83.94% White, 0.32% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 12.08% from other races, and 3.18% from two or more races. 43.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 189 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.80.

In the town, the population dispersal was 30.7% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $29,583, and the median income for a family was $30,750. Males had a median income of $31,058 versus $25,486 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,729. About 23.4% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.9% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Chepultepec/Allgood Precinct (1890–1950)
The precinct containing Allgood first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census under its earlier name of Chepultepec, as the 11th precinct of Blount County. In 1950, the precinct was renamed Allgood. In 1960, the precinct was merged as part of a larger reorganization of counties into the census division of Oneonta.

Water system controversy
The town received international press coverage when it posted a notice that residents who failed to "HAVE AN ALABAMA DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ALABAMA PICTURE ID CARD ON FILE AT THIS OFFICE" may lose water service. The notice is reported to be a reaction to an anti-illegal immigration bill, Alabama HB 56.

Notable people

 * Miles C. Allgood, U.S. Representative from Alabama's 5th congressional district from 1923 to 1935
 * Albert A. Murphree, president of Florida State University from 1897 to 1909 and president of the University of Florida from 1909 to 1927

title: Allgood, Alabama


text:
Altoona, Alabama

Altoona is a town in Etowah County (and a small portion of Blount County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is part of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 census, the population was 948.

History
Altoona had its start in the year 1900 as a mining town, and was named for another coal town, Altoona, Pennsylvania. A post office has been in operation at Altoona since 1900. It incorporated in 1908.

Geography
Altoona is located in western Etowah County at 34.02917°N, -86.32056°W (34.029259, -86.320687). The town extends west into Blount County. It is located in the Murphree Valley at the base of Altoona Mountain. Straight Mountain is a small, narrow ridge which runs nearly through the center of the town. Alabama State Route 132 (Main Street) leads southwest 10 mi to Oneonta, the Blount County seat, and northeast towards Gadsden via U.S. Route 278.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.2 km2, of which 0.03 km2, or 0.23%, is water.

Demographics
Altoona first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated town. See also Altoona precinct/division below.

2000 Census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 984 people, 397 households, and 271 families residing in the town. The population density was 258.7 PD/sqmi. There were 437 housing units at an average density of 114.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.43% White, 2.54% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.91% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 2.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 397 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,469, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $30,250 versus $22,344 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,168. About 21.8% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

Altoona Precinct/Division (1910-)
Altoona Precinct (Etowah County 32nd Precinct) first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census. In 1960, it was changed to the Altoona Census Division as part of a general reorganization of counties. The census division only includes the Etowah County portion of the town of Altoona. The Blount County portion is in the Clarence Census Division.

title: Altoona, Alabama


text:
Blountsville, Alabama

Blountsville is a town in Blount County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,684.

Blount County was created by the Alabama territorial legislature on February 6, 1818, from land ceded to the federal government by the Creek Nation on August 9, 1814. It was named for Gov. Willie G. Blount of Tennessee, who provided assistance to settlers in Alabama during the Creek War of 1813–14. It lies in the northeastern section of the state, generally known as the mineral region.

History
What became Blountsville appears on an 1819 map as the mixed Creek/Cherokee Native American village of "Wassausey" (meaning Bear Meat Cabin, the name of an Indian translator who lived there). The town was established by Caleb Fryley and Johnny Jones in 1816 as Bear Meat Cabin. It became a popular stop for westward-bound settlers who streamed into the area at the end of the Creek War. The post office was opened as Blountsville on October 20, 1825, and incorporated on December 13, 1827. It was the county seat until 1889 when the government was moved to Oneonta.

There were many schools in the town in the early years: The Academy, Blount College and the District Agricultural School, plus the public schools. The Blount County Courthouse and jail was built in 1833 and remained there until it was moved to Oneonta. A major crossroads in early Alabama, Blountsville became a Confederate depot for the cavalry. Confederate forces led by General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Union forces led by General Abel Streight skirmished briefly in the town on May 1, 1863, and Major General Lovell H. Rousseau and his Union cavalry occupied the town in July 1864. Blount College was in the building that was originally the courthouse. It was established in 1890. The beautiful Blountsville United Methodist Church was established in 1818 and is the oldest building in Blountsville and is still in use today. Another old building in Blountsville was once known as the Barclift House. Built in 1834 as Hendricks Tavern, it is now owned and is being restored by the Ortiz family.

Geography
Blountsville is located in northern Blount County, in the Blountsville Valley at the intersection of County Highway 26 and U.S. Highway 231. Route 231 leads south 6 mi to Cleveland and 14 mi to Oneonta, the county seat, and north 50 mi to Huntsville. Alabama Highway 79 runs through the southern corner of Blountsville, leading northeast to Guntersville and southwest to Birmingham.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Blountsville has a total area of 14.2 km2, of which 14.0 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 1.27%, is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,826 people, 702 households, and 486 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,684 people, 654 households, and 439 families residing in the town. The population density was 311 PD/sqmi. There were 791 housing units at an average density of 143.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 87.3% White, 0.7% Black, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 8.8% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 15.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 654 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% 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 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,238, and the median income for a family was $41,042. Males had a median income of $23,839 versus $24,940 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,372. About 13.0% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 20.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education
J.B. Pennington High School (PHS) and Blountsville Elementary School (BES), the town's only two schools, are located in the center of Blountsville. They are both in the Blount County School District.

Attractions
The Freeman House, built circa 1825, was damaged by a storm, and the two-story brick dwelling was rebuilt, using the same bricks, into a one story. The porches face the historic Meat Cabin Road, and the other porch faces U.S. Highway 231. The structure has been renovated by the Blountsville Historical Society and now serves as a museum and visitors' center. Several other buildings of the period have been added to the park and are furnished with period furnishings. The park is open to the public for tours.

The Thomas Nation House, circa 1835, is now a ruin due to a storm that took all but one and one half walls down in 1998 before the house could be stabilized. The ruins can still be seen from U.S. Highway 231.

Blountsville is also home to the Spring Valley Beach Water Park, one of the few water parks in the lower Sand Mountain area. Spring Valley Beach contains one of the largest swimming pools in the South and seven water slides. It is also home to the 360 Rush water slide, the only one of its kind in the world.

title: Blountsville, Alabama


text:
User talk:Twonavels

Twonavels here.

title: User talk:Twonavels


text:
Cleveland, Alabama

Cleveland is a town in Blount County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,245.

History
Cleveland was settled in the 1820s, and had grown into a small community by the early 1880s. It was initially known as Dry Creek Crossroads, and afterward as Blackwood's Crossroads, after local entrepreneur John Blackwood. When a post office was established in the community, it was named in honor of President Grover Cleveland. The town incorporated in 1964.

Geography
Cleveland is located in central Blount County at 33°59'31.326" North, 86°34'33.823" West (33.992035, -86.576062). The Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River flows past the northwest side of the town. The National Register-listed Swann Covered Bridge, which spans the river, lies just west of Cleveland. U.S. Route 231 intersects Alabama State Route 79 north of the center of town. Route 231 leads southeast 7 mi to Oneonta, the county seat, and north 56 mi to Huntsville. Route 79 leads northeast 31 mi to Guntersville and southwest 37 mi to Birmingham.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 20.4 km2, of which 20.3 km2 is land and 0.1 km2, or 0.64%, is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,245 people, 522 households, and 360 families residing in the town.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,303 people, 464 households, and 358 families residing in the town. The population density was 166 PD/sqmi. There were 504 housing units at an average density of 63.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 89.2% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 8.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 18.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 464 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,786, and the median income for a family was $53,818. Males had a median income of $37,344 versus $25,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,250. About 11.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Kevin Sherrer, college football player at Alabama and successful high school, college, and NFL football coach

title: Cleveland, Alabama


text:
Spock's Beard

Spock's Beard is an American progressive rock band formed in Los Angeles.

The band was formed in 1992 by brothers Neal (lead vocals, keyboards, guitar) and Alan Morse (guitars), John Ballard (bass) and Nick D'Virgilio (drums). Ballard was replaced by Dave Meros before the release of their debut album, The Light (1995), and Ryo Okumoto (keyboards) joined soon after. Neal Morse left the band following the release of their sixth album, Snow (2002), and D'Virgilio took over as the band's frontman. In 2011, D'Virgilio also left and was replaced by Jimmy Keegan (drums) and Ted Leonard (lead vocals) from Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep (2013) onwards. To date, the band have released thirteen studio albums, and numerous live releases.

The band, particularly the Neal Morse line-up, are considered to be at the forefront of modern progressive rock music. Four of their first six albums featured in the Prog Report's "Top 50 Prog Albums 1990–2015", with The Light and Snow featuring in the top ten.

Neal Morse era (1992–2002)
Spock's Beard was formed in Los Angeles in 1992 by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Both had played together in bands in the 1980s and initially intended that their new project would be just the two of them, with Neal Morse performing lead vocals and keyboards and Alan Morse on guitar. The brothers soon decided to form a full band and recruited Nick D'Virgilio on drums after meeting him at a blues jam in Los Angeles. John Ballard, a friend of Neal Morse's, was brought in to play bass, but was replaced by Dave Meros before the band began recording demos for their first album. The band's name is a reference to the 1967 "Mirror, Mirror" episode of Star Trek. According to Alan Morse:

"Spock's Beard was sort of a phrase that we'd say to each other - my brother and I - when something weird would happen. We'd say, "Wow, that's like Spock's Beard," meaning, "that only happens in a parallel universe, right?" Anyway, Spock only has that beard in the one episode, and it's when he's in the parallel universe in "Mirror, Mirror". So, that was just something we'd say to each other as an inside joke. I put Spock's Beard on the list sort of as a joke. Everybody seemed to like it the best, and so we picked that one."

The band's debut album, The Light, was recorded independently throughout 1994 and released later that year. While Neal Morse had performed the keyboard parts on the album, Ryo Okumoto was hired to fill in for live performances. One of their first major live appearances was at the Los Angeles Progfest in 1995, where they were introduced to Thomas Waber. Waber, a founding member of Giant Electric Pea and InsideOut Records, signed the band to Giant Electric Pea and licensed The Light for release in Europe.

Nick D'Virgilio era (2002–2011)
Immediately following the release of Snow, Neal Morse announced that he was leaving Spock's Beard. Having recently converted to Christianity, Morse wanted to explore that aspect of his life more through his music, but did not want to impose his beliefs upon the band. He urged them to continue without him and Nick D'Virgilio took over as the band's lead singer. D'Virgilio would continue to play drums on studio albums, while Jimmy Keegan was hired to fill in for him as drummer during live performances.

On July 8, 2003 the band released its first album without Neal Morse, Feel Euphoria. Without their principal songwriter, the band adopted a more collaborative approach, as well as enlisting the help of John Boegehold and Stan Ausmus with songwriting, both of whom would go on to contribute to all of the band's subsequent albums. The result was a musical departure from the band's previous albums, with a conscious shift towards a more modern sound, and was met with a mixed response from fans. On February 1, 2005 the band released their eighth album, Octane which received a generally more positive reception from fans. Several concerts from the Octane tour were recorded and the highlights released as Gluttons for Punishment, the band's first live album since the departure of Neal Morse.

On May 21, 2006, Dave Meros confirmed that the band had begun working on their ninth studio album. The album, titled Spock's Beard, was released on November 21, 2006 to a mixed reaction from fans. The band continued to tour sporadically over the next few years, with a 2007 show in the Netherlands released as a live album. On July 23, 2009, the band announced that had begun work on their tenth album, to be released independently rather than through a record label. The production costs were covered by pre-orders through the band's website. The album, X, was released as a limited edition for those who had pre-ordered in May 2010. A standard edition was released at the end of August 2010 through Mascot Records, four years after the release of Spock's Beard, the longest gap the band has had between albums. Mascot Records also released a live album, The X Tour Live, recorded at the only US show in support of the X album.

Ted Leonard era (2011–present)
Spock's Beard played the Sweden Rock Festival in June and the High Voltage Festival in July 2011. On both occasions Enchant singer Ted Leonard filled in for Nick D'Virgilio, who was unavailable to perform. The High Voltage performance featured an appearance by Neal Morse, who reunited with the band for the end of "The Light" and "June", and was later released as a live album. On November 18, 2011, D'Virgilio announced his departure from the band, citing personal reasons and other commitments. Two days later it was announced on the band's official website that Leonard and touring drummer Jimmy Keegan would be the new singer and drummer of the band, respectively.

On April 2, 2013 the band released Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep, their first studio album with Leonard and Keegan as official members. The recording and mastering of the album was funded using the crowdsourcing site Indiegogo and featured song-writing contributions from Neal Morse. On April 22, 2015 the band announced that their twelfth album would be The Oblivion Particle, and would be released later that year. The album was released on August 21, 2015. Later that year the band released The First Twenty Years, a compilation album spanning the band's entire career. The compilation also included a new song written by Neal Morse, "Falling For Forever", which featured every past and current member of the band except John Ballard due to his aforementioned departure in 1993 and death in 1999.

In July 2016 the current line-up of the band reunited with D'Virgilio and Neal Morse for shows at Morsefest in Cross Plains, Tennessee and at the Night of the Prog festival in Lorelei, Germany to perform Snow in its entirety. On October 12, 2016 Keegan announced that he was leaving the band for personal reasons. D'Virgilio filled in on drums and backing vocals for their performance on Cruise to the Edge 2017. On March 25, 2017 it was confirmed that D'Virgilio had agreed to play on their upcoming thirteenth album, with recording expected to begin in May of that year On February 28, 2018 Dave Meros announced that the new album would be titled Noise Floor, and would be released May 25, 2018. The announcement also included the album's track listing and the confirmation of D'Virgilio's involvement in the recording of the album. On June 13, the band announced a tour in support of the album, with former Saga drummer Mike Thorne as a touring drummer.

In 2018, a spinoff of Spock's Beard, Pattern-Seeking Animals, was formed by Ted Leonard, Dave Meros, Jimmy Keegan, and John Boegehold. As of 2023, they have released four studio albums.

Musical style
Spock's Beard plays progressive rock with pop music leanings, drawing much influence from Yes, Genesis and Gentle Giant. The band is known for their intricate, multi-part vocal harmonies and use of counterpoint vocals.

Members
Current members
 * Alan Morse – guitars, backing and occasional lead vocals (1992–present)
 * Dave Meros – bass, backing and occasional lead vocals (1993–present), occasional keyboards (2002–present)
 * Ryo Okumoto – keyboards, backing vocals (1995–present)
 * Ted Leonard – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (2011–present)

Collaborators
 * John Boegehold – song co-writer, backing vocals (2003–present)
 * Stan Ausmus – song co-writer (2003–present)
 * Mike Thorne – drums, percussion, backing vocals (live member: 2018–present)
 * Nick Potters – drums, percussion, backing vocals (live member: 2024)

Former members
 * John Ballard – bass (1992–93; died 1999)
 * Neal Morse – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar, synths (1992–2002; guest: 2008, 2011, 2014)
 * Nick D'Virgilio – drums, percussion (official member: 1992–2011, live and studio member: 2017–2018, guest: 2014, 2015), backing vocals (1992–2002, 2017–2018) , lead vocals (occasionally 1992–2002; full-time 2002–2011) , guitar, keyboards (2002–2011)
 * Jimmy Keegan – drums, percussion, backing and occasional lead vocals (2011–2016; live member: 2002–2011)

Timeline

Discography

 * The Light (1995)
 * Beware of Darkness (1996)
 * The Kindness of Strangers (1998)
 * Day for Night (1999)
 * V (2000)
 * Snow (2002)
 * Feel Euphoria (2003)
 * Octane (2005)
 * Spock's Beard (2006)
 * X (2010)
 * Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep (2013)
 * The Oblivion Particle (2015)
 * Noise Floor (2018)

title: Spock's Beard