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Redstone Arsenal

Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base adjacent to Huntsville, Alabama in the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. A census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, it is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a host to over 75 tenant agencies including the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and NASA's largest field center, the Marshall Space Flight Center.

The Arsenal today contains a government and contractor workforce that averages 36,000 to 40,000 personnel daily. The base has benefited from decisions by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission and has a residential population of 837 as of 2020.

Established during World War II as a chemical manufacturing facility, in the immediate post-war era the Arsenal was used for research and development by German rocket scientists who were brought to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip. The team first worked on ballistic missiles, starting with derivatives of the V-2 rocket, before moving on to a series of ever larger designs. In 1956 the Army was relieved of most of its ballistic missiles in favor of similar weapons operated by the US Air Force. The German design team was spun off to become part of the newly founded NASA. The Cold War had moved to space, and the U.S. intended to compete with the Soviet Union there and across the globe. The Arsenal served as the primary site for space launch vehicle design and testing into the 1960s.

Geography

Redstone Arsenal is located at 34.68417°N, -86.65403°W. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Redstone CDP has a total area of 20.1 sqkm, all land. Redstone Arsenal contains extensive wetland areas associated with the Tennessee River and several local springs, much of which is maintained by the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.

Tenant organizations, commands and units

 * Department of Defense
 * Missile Defense Agency
 * Defense Intelligence Agency
 * Missile and Space Intelligence Center
 * United States Army
 * US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command
 * US Army Materiel Command
 * US Army Aviation and Missile Command
 * US Army Contracting Command
 * US Army Security Assistance Command
 * US Army Engineering and Support Center
 * US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center
 * Logistics Data Analysis Center (LDAC)
 * Redstone Test Center
 * PEO Aviation
 * PEO Missiles and Space
 * National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
 * Marshall Space Flight Center
 * Blue Origin (Space Industry Support - Rocket Development/Testing)
 * Department of Justice
 * Federal Bureau of Investigation
 * Operations and Analytical Support Headquarters
 * Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC)
 * Hazardous Device School
 * Tennessee Valley Regional Computer Forensics Lab (TVRCFL)
 * Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
 * National Center for Explosives Training and Research

Pre-1941
A total of 651 prehistoric archaeological sites were archived at Redstone Arsenal to date. At least 22 have components dating to the Paleo-Indian period (9200 to 8000 BC). The Paleo-Indian projectile point called the Redstone Point was named after Redstone Arsenal where it was first identified.

Euro-Americans settlers began to establish homesteads on the land that is now Redstone Arsenal by the first decade of the 19th century. Prior to the Civil War, the landscape was dominated by several large plantations, the remains of which survive as archaeological sites. The land played a peripheral role during the Civil War with activity limited to the posting of pickets along the Tennessee River bank. Following the war, many of the large plantations were increasingly divided into smaller parcels owned by small farmers, who included former slaves and their descendants. By the start of the 20th century, many of the farms were owned by absentee owners, with the land being worked by tenants and sharecroppers. The remains of hundreds of tenant and sharecropper houses still dot the landscape around the installation.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the approximately 57 sqmi area of rolling terrain, which contained some of the richest agricultural land in Madison County, included such small farming communities as Spring Hill, Pond Beat, Mullins Flat, and Union Hill. Although there was no electricity, indoor plumbing, or telephones, few roads, and fewer cars or tractors, the people who lived in the area that one former resident recalled as being "nearly out of the world" prospered enough to support their own stores, mills, shops, gins, churches, and schools. A total of 46 historic cemeteries including slave cemeteries, plantation family cemeteries, and late 19th to early 20th century community cemeteries are maintained on the installation as Redstone Arsenal cemeteries.

Huntsville Arsenal
As part of the mobilization leading to U.S. involvement in World War II, Huntsville Arsenal was established in 1941 to create a second chemical weapons plant in addition to one in Edgewood, Maryland. It was announced by the War Department on July 3, 1941. Over 550 families were displaced when the Army acquired the land, including over 300 tenants and sharecroppers. Most of the landowners were allowed to salvage their assets and rebuild elsewhere. The remaining buildings were almost all razed by the War Department. A land-use agreement was arranged with the Tennessee Valley Authority for the Army to use about 1250 acre of land along the Tennessee River.

The military installation was originally composed of three separate entities: the Huntsville Arsenal and the Huntsville Depot (later the Gulf Chemical Warfare Depot), which were operated under the auspices of the Chemical Warfare Service; and the Redstone Ordnance Plant, operated by the United States Army Ordnance Department. The name Redstone drew on the region's red rocks and soil.

Established during World War II as a chemical manufacturing facility, in the immediate post-war era the Arsenal was used for research and development by German weapons rocket scientists who were brought to the U.S. as part of Operation Paperclip. The team first worked on ballistic missiles, starting with V-2 rocket derivatives, before moving on to a series of ever larger designs. Many of their tests were carried out at White Sands Missile Range and flights between the two locations were common. In late 1956 the Army was relieved of most of its ballistic missiles in favor of similar weapons operated by the US Air Force.

The German design team was spun off to become part of the newly founded National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Cold War had moved to space, and the US intended to compete with the Soviet Union there as well as across the globe. The Arsenal served as the primary site for space launch vehicle design into the 1960s.

In its early years, the arsenal produced and stockpiled chemical weapons such as phosgene, Lewisite, and mustard gas. The use of toxic gases in warfare was banned under the Geneva Protocol of 1925, but the U.S. signed with the reservation that it be allowed to use chemical weapons against aggressors who used them. The facility also produced carbonyl iron powder (for radio and radar tuning), tear gas, and smoke and incendiary devices. The arsenal also produced small pyrotechnic devices including small solid-fuel rockets during the war. In recognition of its production record, the arsenal received the Army-Navy "E" Award four times, the first on October 31, 1942. The ordnance plant was renamed Redstone Arsenal in 1943. Through the war years, more than 27,000,000 items of chemical munitions were produced and 45,200,000 ammunition shells were loaded. Redstone Army Airfield was established in 1943 for the 6th Army Air Force to test incendiary devices in preparation for the firebombing of Japanese cities.

Three days after the announcement of the Japanese surrender, production facilities at the installation were put on standby. After the war, Huntsville Arsenal was briefly used as the primary storage facility for the Chemical Warfare Service, and for manufacture of gas masks and dismantling of surplus incendiary bombs. Most of the wartime civilian workforce was furloughed, dropping to 600 from a wartime high of around 4,400. Much of the arsenal land was leased for agriculture, and many of the buildings were leased for local industry. By 1947, the installation was declared to be excess, the first step toward demilitarization.

Major political and commercial efforts were made in searching for government or business tenants for the space. In early 1948, several buildings of Huntsville Arsenal were leased by the newly formed Keller Motors Corporation with the intention of establishing a major automobile manufacturing complex. Only 18 Keller prototype vehicles were built before the firm's president and primary organizer, George Keller, suddenly died and the operation folded.

The Army Air Forces was searching for a site to establish a major air development center and considered Huntsville Arsenal. In 1949, a competing site near Tullahoma, Tennessee was selected. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army then directed that Huntsville Arsenal be advertised for sale by 1 July 1949. The proposed sale never happened, because the Army found it needed the land for the new mission of developing and testing rocket systems. Thiokol Corporation moved operations to Redstone Arsenal from Maryland in the summer of 1949 to research and develop rocket propellants, while Rohm and Haas began work on rockets and jet propulsion. On June 30, 1949, Huntsville Arsenal was deactivated and consolidated with the other two entities to become Redstone Arsenal. Command responsibilities were assumed by Redstone.

Army Ordnance Corps
At the close of World War II, a number of key German scientists and engineers were brought to the United States under Operation Paperclip. Colonel Holger Toftoy arranged for 127 individuals, including Wernher von Braun, to receive contracts for work on Army missiles. In late 1945, they began arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas, where, using components brought from Germany, started upgrading the V-2 missile. Testing was done at the nearby White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico.

On June 1, 1949, the Chief of Ordnance of the United States Army designated Redstone Arsenal as the Ordnance Rocket Center, its facility for ordnance rocket research and development. In April 1950, the Fort Bliss missile development operation, then with 130 German contract employees, 120 civil-service employees, and 500 military personnel, was transferred to Redstone Arsenal. This became the Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC), with Major James Hamill as acting commander and von Braun as technical director. An initial project was the Major tactical missile.

Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, OGMC was given the mission of developing a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with an objective range of 500 mi. Starting with an upgraded Major missile, the design went through a series of improvements and ultimately became the PGM-11 with the popular name Redstone rocket. To expedite development, an existing engine was used, greatly reducing the operational range to between 58 and 200 miles.

During the Korean War, ammunition production was resumed at Redstone Arsenal. From July 1951 through July 1955, around 38,700,000 rounds of chemical artillery munitions were produced.

The Ordnance Missile Laboratories (OML) was formed in 1952 to coordinate research and development within the OGMC. Holger Toftoy, who had originally recruited von Braun and his team of missile specialists, was assigned to Huntsville and promoted to Brigadier General as director of the OML. Test operations were under Kurt Debus, who set up the Interim Test Stand and the launch facility at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Redstone static fire testing began in the spring of 1953, followed by the first launch at Cape Canaveral on August 20, 1953.

In addition to the Redstone rocket development, the OML had many other research and development programs. Under Toftoy, the organization included the R&D Division under Col. Miles Birkett Chatfield, the Field Service Division under Maj. Ben Keyserling, and the Industrial Division. In the R&D Division there were the Surface-to-Air Projects under Maj. Rudy Axelson, the Surface-to-Surface Division under Maj. Dan Breedon, and Special Projects under Lt. Colonel John O'Conner. Projects in Surface-to-Air included the Nike B (later called the Nike Hercules), Hawk and others. Surface-to-Surface projects were the Honest John, Little John, Lacrosse, and Corporal Type III; the liquid-fueled Corporal Type III was soon canceled and the solid Thiokol fueled Sergeant project started. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology was an Army research operation at that time, as NASA did not exist at the time. It was JPL that designed the Corporal system and later was the R&D designer of the Sergeant.

At a 1954 meeting of the Spaceflight Committee of the American Rocket Society, von Braun proposed placing a satellite into orbit using the Redstone with clusters of small solid-fuel rockets on top. The proposal, Project Orbiter, was rejected in 1955.

Ordnance schools
In March 1952, the commanding officer at Redstone Arsenal officially established the Provisional Redstone Ordnance School. In December, the Ordnance Guided Missile School (OGMS) was established, taking over the provisional operation. The OGMS greatly expanded through the years, occupying a large land area with many buildings and providing a wide variety of missile and munitions courses for thousands of students from the U.S. as well as many foreign countries. The name was later changed to the Missile and Munitions Center & School in 1966 and then to the Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center and School in the mid-1980s. In 1994, the School Brigade disbanded and was replaced by the reformed 59th Ordnance Brigade, which had previously disbanded in Europe in 1992. The school was then renamed the Ordnance Munitions and Electronic Maintenance School in 2002 and moved to Fort Lee in 2011.

Army Ballistic Missile Agency

The Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), commanded by Maj. Gen. John Medaris, was formed on 1 February 1956, taking over from Redstone Arsenal the facilities and personnel of OGMC. Von Braun was the Director of ABMA's Development Operations Division. Redstone Arsenal then became an Army post, supporting the ABMA and, in the future, other agencies. Medaris also commanded RSA, and BG Toftoy was deputy.

The ABMA's primary mission was developing and fielding the Army's first intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Jupiter. By August 1958, the system was delivered to the Air Force for early deployment overseas. Jupiter later proved to be a significant bargaining chip in the Cuban Missile Crisis. During his command, Medaris' operation also fielded the PGM-11 Redstone and MIM-23 Hawk missiles, accelerated the development of the Nike Zeus system, and began development of the MGM-31 Pershing missile system, which later played a role in ending the Cold War.

As part of the 1957–58 International Geophysical Year, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union proposed to launch a scientific satellite. Although von Braun had proposed in 1954 that the OML could place a satellite in Earth orbit, the Naval Research Laboratory, using its Vanguard rocket, was given this assignment.

On October 4, 1957, the USSR orbited Sputnik I, the first Earth satellite. A second Sputnik was launched a month later. On December 6, 1957, a first attempt to launch a satellite-carrying Vanguard failed. Toftoy, Medaris, and von Braun immediately pleaded for the opportunity to show what the Army's "space team" could do. The go-ahead was given and on 31 January 1958, America's first satellite, Explorer I, was placed into orbit using a modified Jupiter launch vehicle (a four-stage system designated Juno I).

By 1958, 20,000 civilian, military, and contractor workers were employed within Redstone Arsenal.

The Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) was formed in March 1958. Headquartered at Redstone Arsenal and commanded by Maj. Gen. Medaris, AOMC had several subordinate elements, including ABMA, White Sands Missile Range, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology. Another local activity, the Army Rocket and Guided Missile Agency (ARGMA), was formed and added to AOMC in June.

Six months after Explorer I, President Dwight Eisenhower created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on July 29, 1958. On October 21, 1959, he approved the transfer of all Army space-related activities to NASA. This was accomplished effective July 1, 1960, when 4,670 civilian employees, about $100 million worth of buildings and equipment, and 1840 acre of land transferred from RSA/ABMA's Development Operations Division to NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Von Braun was MSFC's first director.

Army Missile Command
The U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) was activated on August 1, 1962 at Redstone Arsenal, absorbing all of the personnel, facilities, and projects remaining in the prior AOMC. On March 12, 1964, the Francis J. McMorrow Missile Laboratories were dedicated in memory of MICOM's first commander, who died while in command.

Dating from the start of AMC, Project Nike involving anti-aircraft missiles had been conducted. As the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) came into being, a much higher-performance system was needed for ICBM defense. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) examined the requirements and recommending a system, designated Nike-X, incorporating phased-array radars, high-performance computers, and separate low-altitude (Sprint) and high-altitude (Spartan) high-velocity interceptor missiles. To manage this development, in 1963 MICOM created the Nike-X Project Office headed by Colonel (later Brigadier General) Ivy O. Drewry.

The People's Republic of China exploded its first thermonuclear bomb in June 1967. Hence, ABM system requirements were revised and the Sentinel System was born, replacing Nike-X. In 1968, the Army Ballistic Missile Defense Agency (ABMDA) was formed, taking over Sentinel and other ballistic missile defense projects previously under MICOM. Commanded by B. G. Drewry, ABMDA established operations adjacent to Redstone Arsenal in the Cummings Research Park. In May 1974, all ballistic missile defense efforts were consolidated under a single manager in the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, which eventually evolved into today's U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.

On July 17, 1997, the former Army Missile Command combined with the aviation portion of the U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command (ATCOM), creating a new organization at RSA, the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM).

Today
Redstone Arsenal remains the center of testing, development, and doctrine for the Army's missile programs. Besides the U.S. Army Materiel Command and the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command, Redstone houses the Tactical UAV Project Office, Redstone Test Center (RTC), the Missile Defense Agency, the Missile and Space Intelligence Center, and other operations.

After operating as a tenant on Redstone Arsenal for over half a century, the Ordnance Munitions and Maintenance School was moved to Fort Lee (now Fort Gregg-Adams), Virginia.

Redstone Arsenal continues to host the Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA's largest field center for propulsion analysis and development, which developed the Saturn rocket family in the 1960s and propulsion systems for the Space Shuttle in the 1970s and 1980s.

Redstone Scientific Information Center (RSIC), a 450,000-volume library established by NASA and the Army in 1962, was shuttered on September 30, 2019. The cost-saving measure was announced by Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center (AvMC); selected documents from RSIC were acquired by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Demographics
Redstone Arsenal saw a decline in population in 2024 estimates.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,353 people, 487 households, and 446 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 300.8 PD/sqmi. There were 879 housing units at an average density of 111.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.5% White, 31.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 3.3% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. 9.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 487 households, out of which 79.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 8.4% were non-families. 7.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.48 and the average family size was 3.67.

The population was spread out, with 32.9% under the age of 18, 19.2% from 18 to 24, 43.2% from 25 to 44, 4.6% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 150.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 170.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,435, and the median income for a family was $40,208. Men had a median income of $29,053 versus $24,063 for females. The per capita income was $14,860. About 9.0% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,946 people, 343 households, and 301 families residing in the CDP. There were 379 housing units. The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.1% White, 20.8% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. 10.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 343 households, out of which 68.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.6% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.2% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 3.56.

The population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 36.1% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 5.8% from 45 to 64, and 0.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 203.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 249.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,142, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Men had a median income of $31,018 versus $25,500 for females. The per capita income was $24,739. About 0% of families and 0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education
The CDP, which includes on-base housing, is in the Madison County Schools school district.

title: Redstone Arsenal


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Triana, Alabama

Triana is a town in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area. The population was 2,890 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 3,961 in 2022.

History
Triana was originally incorporated on November 13, 1819, as the second town in Madison County. It purportedly was named after Rodrigo de Triana, the crewman who first sighted land while sailing with Christopher Columbus on their first voyage to the Americas. For a time in the 19th century, it was a thriving riverport on the Tennessee River prior to the construction of the railroads. Its incorporation later lapsed and it was reincorporated on July 13, 1964, with the help of Clyde Foster, who later became Triana's mayor. Until the 2020 census, it was the only incorporated community in Madison County with a majority black population.

Geography
Triana is located in southwestern Madison County at 34.58889°N, -86.74889°W (34.5888265, -86.7489274), on a bluff on the north bank of the Tennessee River. It is 16 mi southwest of the center of Huntsville. It is served by nearby Madison for education, and is a part of Madison City Schools

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.824 sqmi, of which 2.801 sqmi is land and 0.023 sqmi, or 0.34%, is water.

Demographics
Triana has been one of the fastest growing areas in Alabama recently, with its growing the fastest out of all places in Alabama in the 2020 US Census.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 2,890 people, 1,102 households, and 775 families residing in the town. There were 1,180 housing units.

2000 census
As of the census, there were 458 people, 162 households, and 116 families residing in the town. The population density was 360.4 PD/sqmi. There were 176 housing units at an average density of 138.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 11.35% White, 86.46% Black or African American, 1.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 162 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 34.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $30,750. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $16,538 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,012. About 27.3% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

DDT pollution
In 1977, the EPA issued warnings that fish and waterfowl from the Huntsville Spring Branch had shown high levels of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in their bodies. Two years later, the EPA began to investigate how the pollutant had contaminated the water supply of the area. The findings indicated that the pollutant came from the Olin Corporation's production of the chemical on Redstone Arsenal. Lawsuits were filed against Olin Corporation by residents of Triana, as well as the United States Department of Justice. These lawsuits were eventually settled.

The water near Triana was monitored by the EPA from 1982–1995 to track the levels of DDT that was still in the Huntsville Spring Branch. During that time, the amount of DDT in the water was reduced by 97%. The EPA now considers the physical cleanup process for the site to be complete. Despite this, it is still on the Agency's Superfund list.

Education
It is served by the Madison City Schools school district.

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

title: Triana, Alabama


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Dayton, Alabama

Dayton is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. The population was 28 at the 2020 census.

History
Dayton began to be settled in the early 19th century, with a town survey done and a "public well" established in 1832. The post office was established in 1837. It was incorporated on January 13, 1844. A devastating tornado hit the town in 1852. By 1860 the town had male and female academies, a hotel, cotton gin, oil mill, blacksmith shop, tavern, cabinet shop, drug store, and several general merchandise stores. The town also had several large homes, though most are now gone. One of the survivors, the William Poole House, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The decrease in agricultural activity over the last century has reduced the population to a fraction of what it once was.

Geography
Dayton is located in northeastern Marengo County at 32.34972°N, -87.64111°W (32.349733, -87.641247). It is 11 mi northeast of Linden, the county seat, and 20 mi southeast of Demopolis, the largest city in the county.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Dayton has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land. The town sits on a ridge that drains southeast to Dry Creek and northwest to Little Dry Creek, both tributaries of Chickasaw Bogue, which flows west across the county to the Tombigbee River.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 28 people, 7 households, and 4 families residing in the city. There were 12 housing units.

2000 Census
As of the 2000 census, there were 60 people, 20 households, and 15 families residing in the town. There were 28 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 65% Black or African American and 35% White.

There were 20 households, out of which 20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50% were married couples living together, 20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25% were non-families. 25% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 36.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 13.3% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $12,500, and the median income for a family was $6,250. Males had a median income of $32,917 versus $30,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,235. There were 66.7% of families and 58.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including 50.0% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.

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, Dayton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Notable people

 * Sarah Byrd Askew, public librarian who pioneered the establishment of county libraries in the United States
 * Bill Poole, politician

title: Dayton, Alabama


text:
Demopolis, Alabama

Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the 2020 census.

The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and Tombigbee River. It is situated atop a cliff composed of the Demopolis Chalk Formation, known locally as White Bluff, on the east bank of the Tombigbee. It is at the center of Alabama's Canebrake region and is also within the Black Belt region.

Demopolis was founded in the early 1800s after the fall of Napoleon's empire. It was named by a group of French expatriates, a mix of exiled Bonapartists and other French refugees who had settled in the United States after the overthrow of the colonial government in Saint-Domingue by enslaved workers. Napoleon had sent troops there in a last attempt to regain control of the island, but they were defeated, largely by high mortality due to yellow fever.

The name, meaning in Greek "the People's City" or "City of the People" (from Ancient Greek δῆμος + πόλις), was chosen to honor the democratic ideals behind the endeavor. First settled in 1817, it is one of the oldest continuous settlements in the interior of Alabama. French colonists had founded Mobile on the coast in the early 18th century. Demopolis was incorporated on December 11, 1821.

Colonization
Organizing first in Philadelphia, French expatriates petitioned the U.S. Congress to sell them property for land to colonize. Congress granted approval by an act on March 3, 1817, that allowed them to buy four townships in the Alabama Territory at $2 per acre, with the provision that they cultivate grape vines and olive trees. Following advice obtained from experienced pioneers, they determined that Alabama would provide a good climate for cultivating these crops. By July 14, 1817, a small party of pioneers had settled at White Bluff on the Tombigbee River, at the present site of Demopolis, founding the Vine and Olive Colony.

Among the wealthiest and most prominent of the group was Count Lefebvre Desnouettes, who had been a cavalry officer under Napoleon, with the rank of lieutenant-general. He had ridden in Napoleon's carriage during his failed invasion of Russia. Other prominent figures among the immigrants included Lieutenant-General Baron Henri-Dominique Lallemand, Count Bertrand Clauzel, Joseph Lakanal, Simon Chaudron, Pasqual Luciani, Colonel Jean-Jerome Cluis, Jean-Marie Chapron, Colonel Nicholas Raoul, and Frederic Ravesies. Most of these expatriates had little interest in pioneer life and sold their shares in the colony, remaining in Philadelphia. By 1818, the colony consisted of only 69 settlers.

The party encountered a variety of adversities. Following a survey in August 1818, they learned that their new properties did not fall under the territories encompassed by the congressional approval, and the Vine and Olive Colony was soon forced to move. Their actual land grants began less than a mile to the east of their newly cleared land. After abandoning the settlement of Demopolis, they soon established two other towns, Aigleville and Arcola.

American settlement

Upon learning of the survey and that the French grants lay elsewhere, American settlers began to quickly purchase the property of the former French settlement, intending to develop it as a major river port on the Tombigbee. A land company, the White Bluff Association (later renamed as the Company of the Town of Demopolis), was formed in 1819 with the express purpose to purchase the land and lay off a town. George Strother Gaines was named as the company spokesman, and he bought the town site atop White Bluff as soon as it was offered for sale. Commissioners for the company were George Strother Gaines, James Childress, Walter Crenshaw, Count Charles Lefebvre Desnouettes, and Dr. Joseph B. Earle.

The commissioners were responsible for overseeing the site survey, lot sales, and the early operations of the town. The commissioners laid off the site into streets, blocks, and lots, with a block of roughly two acres divided into eight lots. Demopolis Town Square, encompassing one city block, was established in 1819. The first lots were sold beginning on April 22, 1819. When Count Desnouettes died in 1822, Allen Glover was appointed to replace him. As other commissioners retired, they were succeeded by David E. Moore, William H. Lyon, Thomas McGee, and George N. Stewart.

The streets were laid off using a grid plan, with the city of Philadelphia as a model. The original streets running north–south were named for trees, such as Ash, Cedar, Cherry, and Chestnut. Exceptions were made for Commissioners, Strawberry, and Market (now Main) streets. Several short north–south streets were also named for commissioners, such as Desnouettes, Earle, Glover, Griffin, and McGee. The east–west streets were named for national and local heroes, as well as commissioners, such as Childress, Fulton, Gaines, Lyon, Monroe, Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and Jackson. Most streets were designed to be 66 ft wide. A strip of land that remained public property, for the use of all, was the land adjoining the Tombigbee River. This extended from where Riverside Cemetery is today, to the southwest of the city proper, to the Upper Landing in the north, with Arch Street following the route along the top of the cliff. Only the portion of Arch Street adjacent to the cemetery remains intact.

Some flaws and limitations of the original town plan became apparent by the late 1820s and 1830s. The typical town lots, at 75 ft wide and 150 ft deep, were not conducive to construction of the stately homes desired by the more prosperous residents. Some grand mansions were completed by the late 1820s. One of the first was the brick $2 1/2$-story Federal-style Allen Glover house at the foot of Capitol Street. It was one of the, if not the first, neoclassical structures to be built in Marengo County. Glover built Bluff Hall (1832) for his daughter, Sarah Serena, and son-in-law, Francis Strother Lyon.

The town plan was also lacking a clearly defined business district, resulting in commercial and residential buildings mixed together all over town. As development shifted, some areas became blighted because of less desirable uses. Some stores opened around the town square, however, and warehouses started to appear adjacent to the town's three major river landings, Upper Landing, above the modern Demopolis Yacht Basin and Marina; Webb's Landing at the western terminus of Washington Street; and Lower Landing to the west of Riverside Cemetery and the Whitfield Canal.

By the 1830s Demopolis had developed into a regional commercial river hub, attracting American and European-born craftsmen and merchants, including the Beysiegle, Breitling, Breton, Dupertuis, Foster, Hummell, Kirker, Knapp, Marx, Michael, Mulligan, Oberling, Rhodes, Rudisill, Rosenbaum, Schmidt, Shahan, Stallings, and Zaiser families. Numerous plantation owners also established townhouses in the community or on its outskirts, including the Allen, Ashe, Curtis, DuBose, Foscue, Glover, Griffin, Lane, Lyon, McAllister, Prout, Reese, Strudwick, Tayloe, Whitfield, and Vaughan families.

But Demopolis was not dominated by a homogeneous elite planter class, as happened in other towns of the region. During these years and in the future, the river trade also brought numerous people with a desire for raucous entertainment. This created a profitable and brisk trade for those operating taverns and did much to earn early Demopolis a reputation for decadence.

During the 1840s many of the streets laid out by the town fathers had yet to be opened to traffic. The town council focused attention on clearing the intended streets and opening them to traffic, making other street improvements, and building wooden sidewalks along major thoroughfares to lift pedestrians above the mud. The council also approved measures to protect trees in the common areas and streets.

Several town ordinances were enacted in 1842 to restrain the enslaved African-American population. They were prohibited from selling or purchasing any article or commodity from or to a slave without written permission from their master or overseer. No slave was allowed to purchase alcohol without written consent; if any slave were convicted of assault upon "any white man, negro, or mulatto", the owner would be fined $50; any slave caught running "any horse, gelding, or mule" through town would be subject to fifteen lashes unless the owner paid a fine of $1; any slave caught driving any wagon or cart or driving a horse or mule on or across the sidewalks of the town would be subject to 10 lashes, unless the owner paid a fine of 50 cents.

The robust, frontier river town did not support the orderly organization of churches. A group of Methodist ministers who convened nearby in 1843 said that Demopolis was "wholly irreligious". Mainline Protestant churches were slow to take root; no churches were built in Demopolis until 1840. Prior to that time, various denominations met in a log assembly house on the town square. It was torn down in 1844. A Baptist group was established in the 1820s but disbanded due to a lack of support. The Episcopalians established a congregation in 1834, but did not build Trinity Episcopal Church until 1850. A Presbyterian congregation was established in 1839 and completed its first church in 1843, a brick structure on the town square. The Methodist congregation was established in 1840 and completed its first building in 1843.

Present in Demopolis from the beginning, with the French Catholic immigrants, the Catholic congregation in town was listed in 1851 as a mission of Saint John the Baptist in Tuscaloosa. It was switched to being supported by a church in Selma in 1880. They met in a small frame church and private homes until 1905, when the current Saint Leo the Great was built.

The Jewish congregation, B'nai Jeshurun, was established in 1858, although the community had been present since the 1840s. B'nai Jeshurun was the fourth Jewish congregation established in Alabama. They initially met in homes and businesses until eventually building a Moorish Revival-style temple in 1893.

By the 1850s several palatial steamboats were visiting the town as a regular stop on the Mobile to Columbus, Mississippi, route along the Tombigbee. These included the Forest Monarch, Alice Vivian, and the ill-fated Eliza Battle. Several others were dedicated almost exclusively to Demopolis and the cotton trade, including the Allen Glover, Canebrake, Cherokee, Demopolis, Frank Lyon, Marengo, and the Mollie Glover. Major hotels during this same period included the Planter's Hotel, later known as Madison House Hotel, and the River Hotel.

In 1853 a yellow fever epidemic struck the city. Some people were buried in an ill-defined two-acre cemetery to the north of town in the river bend. The Jewish Cemetery was established in 1878 to the east of town on Jefferson Street. The Glover Mausoleum had been completed on the banks of the Tombigbee in 1845, with the burial of many family members in and around it. Finally the city established its main burial ground, Riverside Cemetery, selling plots to the public in 1882.

A circular Gothic Revival-style amphitheater, complete with a crenelated roof-line, was completed in 1859 north of town in Webb's Bend at the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds and its buildings covered approximately 20 acre and hosted a variety of events until the outbreak of the Civil War.

By 1860, the population within the town limits had grown to approximately 1,200 people. The town began to attract new entertainments, such as musical and dramatic performances, concert artists, lecturers, circuses, and carnivals.

Civil War and aftermath

Marengo County, with its large number of slaveholders, favored secession from the Union and the formation of the Confederate States of America. White residents of Demopolis shared these sentiments. Prominent secessionists included Nathan B. Whitfield, Francis S. Lyon, Goodman G. Griffin, Kimbrough C. DuBose, George B. Lyon, Dr. James D. Browder, and George E. Markham. But many other powerful men in town opposed secession, including Benjamin Glover Shields, William H. Lyon, Jr., William B. Jones, Pearson J. Glover, Gaius Whitfield, Alfred Hatch, Joel C. DuBose, Robert V. Montague, and Henry Augustine Tayloe. In the end, most men on both sides of the argument joined in the Confederate cause once secession was inevitable. It is not known whether the Jewish community supported or not the Union or opposed slavery.

With the start of the Civil War, several Confederate companies recruited from the population of Demopolis and Marengo County. The 4th, 11th, 21st, 23rd, and 43rd Alabama Infantry Regiments, in addition to the 8th Alabama Cavalry, Company E of the Jeff. Davis Legion, and Selden's Battery, were all established by local men. During the course of the war, more of these men would be lost to disease, exhaustion, and malnutrition than to battle casualties, as happened in both armies.

The city, based on two navigable rivers and a railroad, was used as the base for a number of Confederate installations and offices. These included commissary and quartermaster offices and warehouses, engineers' offices and workshops, a large ordnance depot, two large hospitals, and offices of the medical purveyor of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana. A huge military encampment was established at the fairgrounds in Webb's Bend. After the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson in July, 1863, several regiments of paroled Confederate troops were sent to a camp at Demopolis to await exchange. Thousands of soldiers entered the town at a time, which had only one thousand inhabitants prior to the war. Residents struggled to provide and secure sufficient food and accommodations.

Many hundreds of the soldiers who died in the hospitals during the war were buried in a Confederate cemetery on the south end of Webb's Bend. Today the site is underwater, following the damming of the river below Demopolis in the 20th century.

After the loss of its primary east–west railroad during the war, in 1862 the Confederate government completed the Alabama and Mississippi Rivers Railroad from Selma through Demopolis and to Meridian, Mississippi. The project had been in the works since the 1850s, but several miles between Demopolis and Uniontown had not been finished when war erupted. As the war raged in all directions around Demopolis in 1864, the city was subjected to a huge influx of war refugees. Nathan B. Whitfield noted in his journal that those from Mobile had taken every available vacant house, and others were crowded with local people, along with their descendants and relatives.

In March 1865 the people of Demopolis prepared to defend the town against Union threats, and fortified key positions. Three circular batteries, surrounded by earthworks, were constructed and other fortifications built across the southern reaches of town. With the impending fall of Selma in early April, during Wilson's Raid, all of the railroad's rolling stock was sent full of supplies westward through Demopolis and on to Meridian. A flotilla of eighteen Confederate gunboats and packet ships were relocated to the Tombigbee River at Demopolis around this same time. These included the CSS Nashville, CSS Morgan, CSS Baltic, the Southern Republic, Black Diamond, Admiral, Clipper, Farrand, Marengo and St. Nicholas.

With the surrender of the last of the Confederates, Demopolis found itself a much different city from what it had been prior to the war. At the end of May 1865, the townspeople learned that an occupying force of Federal soldiers, the 5th Minnesota Infantry, were en route to occupy the town. Once there, they occupied the former fairgrounds. Despite the usual unpleasantness associated with the occupation of many defeated Southern towns, two of the Minnesota commanders, Colonel William B. Gere and General Lucius Frederick Hubbard, apparently came to be well-liked by the townspeople. Despite some bright spots in relations, the Episcopal Church in the South was slow to give up on the notion of the Confederacy, resulting in the military governor of Alabama closing all Episcopal churches in the state, effective on September 20, 1865. Trinity Episcopal Church in Demopolis was put under Federal guard, and during this time the church mysteriously burned down. Blame was placed on the soldiers for intentionally burning it, but this has never been borne out by the facts. Aside from all of this, the more pressing matter was the devastated economy of the community and surrounding countryside, a problem that would continue through the Reconstruction era.

During Reconstruction, the new authorities in charge of the government decided to move the county seat of Marengo from its central location in Linden to Demopolis by an act approved on December 4, 1868. The county appointed Richard Jones Jr., Lewis B. McCarty, and Dr. Bryan W. Whitfield to build or buy a new courthouse in Demopolis. They negotiated the purchase of the Presbyterian church on the town square, now known as Rooster Hall, for the sum of $3,000. It was conveyed to the county on April 8, 1869. The county built a fireproof brick building next door to the former church in 1869–70 to house the probate and circuit clerk offices. This building serves as Demopolis City Hall today. The move of the county seat was highly controversial, and the Alabama Legislature set April 18, 1870, as the date for a county-wide referendum to decide if Dayton, Demopolis, or Linden would become the county seat. Due to the closeness of the vote and voting irregularities, a run-off between Linden and Demopolis was set for May 14, 1870. Irregularities appeared again and votes from Dayton, mostly in favor of Linden, were rejected by the board of supervisors. Linden continued an attempt to persuade the state legislature to move the county seat back to their town, with success in February 1871. The former courthouse buildings reverted from county ownership to Demopolis and remain city property today.

20th century
The struggle to rebuild the economy of Demopolis and the surrounding region continued into the 20th century. The growing, trading, and milling of cotton continued to be a major basis of the economy up until the World War I-era. The boll weevil infestations of the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s finally ended the one-crop farming system.

Demopolis had electric lights, water works and a sewerage system, chert-covered streets, paved sidewalks, and a fire department by the second decade of the 20th century. It was increasingly serving as a major banking and retail hub in the region during this time. Major financial institutions included the Commercial National Bank, City Bank and Trust Company, and Robertson Banking Company. One of the first large department stores of note in the area, Mayer Brothers, built its three-story brick building across from the public square in 1897 and operated for most of the 20th century. That building is now utilized by Robertson Banking Company. The Rosenbush Furniture Company was established in 1895 and operated until 2002. The J. H. Spight Grocery was established in 1901 as one of the earliest and most successful grocery stores for more than 50 years, prior to the era of corporate chain stores. Although the community had many newspapers throughout its first 100 years, the only one to survive into the 21st century, The Demopolis Times, was established in 1904.

Theaters sprang up in the city, beginning in the late 19th century. Rooster Hall, following its incarnations as a church, courthouse, and then a city property, was leased for use as the Demopolis Opera House from 1876 to 1902. It hosted live dramatic performances, civic lectures, and minstrel shows. The Braswell Opera House, with its ornate interior and private box galleries, opened on October 23, 1902, with a performance of Louisiana playwright Epsy William's Unorna, from Francis Marion Crawford's The Witch of Prague. It continued as an entertainment venue into the 1920s and was eventually demolished in 1972–73. The first theater built for the presentation of motion pictures, the Elks Theater, opened on October 1, 1915. It was renamed the Si-Non in 1916. The building was restored during the 1990s.

Following the demise of cotton production, beef cattle farming and, more recently, catfish aquaculture became new major agricultural pursuits. Industrial activities became the major sources of employment by mid-century, with the cement, lumber, and paper industries playing a prominent role in the city's economy into the 21st century.

Geography
This city is located at 32.5175°N, -87.83639°W (32.5176361, -87.8364020).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.066 sqmi, of which 17.744 sqmi is land and 0.322 sqmi, is water.

Demopolis is on the northern edge of Marengo County, bordered to the north, across the Black Warrior River, by Greene County and to the northwest, across the Tombigbee River, by Sumter County.

U.S. Route 43 passes through the city center as North Walnut Avenue, East Capitol Street, and South Cedar Avenue, while U.S. Route 80 runs along the southern edge of the downtown. US 43 leads north 24 mi to Eutaw and south 17 mi to Linden, while US 80 leads east 20 mi to Uniontown and west 34 mi to Cuba.

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, Demopolis has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 7,162 people, 2,973 households, and 1,883 families residing in the city. The population density was 403.6 PD/sqmi There were 3,400 housing units.

2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 7,483 people, 3,049 households, and 1,998 families residing in the city. The population density was 613.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,417 housing units at an average density of 280.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 50.1% Black or African American, 47.3% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, none Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,049 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.6% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 31.2% 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 2.42 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,583, and the median income for a family was $49,973. Males had a median income of $50,734 versus $31,520 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,116. About 19.1% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 27.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 7,540 people, 3,014 households, and 2,070 families residing in the city. The population density was 616.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,311 housing units at an average density of 270.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 50.90% Black or African American, 47.75% White, 0.09% Native American, 0.20% Asian, none Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,014 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 22.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% 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 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,481, and the median income for a family was $35,752. Males had a median income of $37,206 versus $20,265 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,687. About 26.0% of families and 30.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.3% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over.

Historic sites
Gaineswood is an antebellum historic house museum on the National Register of Historic Places and is a listed National Historic Landmark. It was built between 1843 and 1861 in an asymmetrical Greek Revival style. It features domed ceilings, ornate plasterwork, columned rooms, and most of its original furnishings. Gaineswood is owned and operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.

Bluff Hall is an antebellum historic house museum on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1832 in the Federal style and modified in the 1840s to reflect the Greek Revival style. It is owned and operated by the Marengo County Historical Society.

Laird Cottage is a restored 1870 residence with a mix of the Greek Revival and Italianate styles. It currently serves as the headquarters of the Marengo County Historical Society and also houses history exhibits and the works of Geneva Mercer, a Marengo County native who gained fame as an artist and sculptor. She served as an intern to Giuseppe Moretti, the sculptor who created Birmingham's monumental Vulcan. Following her internship, she lived and worked with Moretti and his wife until his death.

Other historic sites in Demopolis include White Bluff, the Demopolis Historic Business District, Demopolis Town Square, Lyon Hall, Ashe Cottage, the Curtis House, the Glover Mausoleum, and the Foscue-Whitfield House.

Government
Demopolis is governed by a mayor–council system. The mayor is elected at large to a four-year term and functions as the executive officer, appointing department heads and advisory board members and signing off on all motions, resolutions and ordinances passed by the council.

The city council consists of five members who are elected from single member districts. The council controls all legislative and policy-making for the city through the use of ordinance, resolution or motion. The council also adopts the annual budget and confirms appointments made by the mayor.

Education
The city runs its own citywide public school system, the Demopolis City School District. Private schools in the city included one integrated Christian school, West Alabama Christian School, which closed in 2018. The city is also home to the Demopolis Higher Education Center. The facility, which opened in 2004, is a 15,000 square foot structure, including a library and open area student atrium, a science lab, conference room, six multimedia classrooms, and two computer labs; Community Rooms provide one of the largest and most modern meeting spaces in Marengo County.

Transportation

 * [[Image:US 80.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 80
 * [[Image:US 43.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 43
 * [[Image:Alabama 28.svg|25px]] State Route 28
 * [[Image:Alabama 69.svg|25px]] State Route 69

Major roads include two U.S. Highways: U.S. Route 80 (US 80) runs east–west through the city and US 43 runs north–south. Alabama state highways include State Route 8 (SR 8), SR 13, and nearby SR 69 and SR 28. A proposed Interstate 85 (I-85) extension from I-59/I-20 near the Mississippi state line to I-65 near Montgomery is planned to pass near the city. A bus system is operated by West Alabama Transportation.

Demopolis is served by several railway companies, including Norfolk Southern Railway, BNSF Railway, and the Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway.

The Alabama State Port Authority has inland docks at the Port of Demopolis with direct access to inland and Intracoastal waterways serving the Great Lakes, the Ohio and Tennessee rivers and the Gulf of Mexico via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

The Demopolis Municipal Airport is located northwest of the city, adjacent to Airport Industrial Park and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It has a 5,000-foot runway and a ten-unit hangar.

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines.

Notable people

 * A. G. Gaston, business man and supporter of civil rights
 * Spencer Turnbull, professional baseball pitcher
 * Theo Ratliff, professional basketball player

In popular culture

The Marx and Newhouse families of Demopolis were reputedly the inspiration for The Little Foxes, a Broadway play. The melodrama was written by Lillian Hellman, whose maternal ancestors were all natives of Demopolis. It was first performed in 1939, with Alabama-born actress Tallulah Bankhead in the lead role of Regina. This production ran a year on Broadway. The 1941 film version was directed by William Wyler and starred Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall and Teresa Wright. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1941. In 1949 the play was adapted into an opera by Marc Blitzstein, under the title Regina.

Lillian Hellman's 1946 play, Another Part of the Forest, was also loosely based on her Demopolis ancestors.

The 1949 film The Fighting Kentuckian is set in Demopolis and tells a story about an interaction with the original French settlers. The basic plot features two Kentuckians returning from service with Andrew Jackson's forces in the War of 1812. Their unit passes through the port of Mobile, Alabama, where John Breen, played by John Wayne, meets the pretty Fleurette De Marchand, played by Vera Ralston, from Demopolis. He makes sure the unit passes through Demopolis on its way back home and he stays there as the unit leaves. He discovers that De Marchand is about to marry a wealthy riverman and a love triangle ensues, with Breen eventually winning out.

The 2015 play Alabama Story has a subplot featuring the characters Joshua Moore and Lily Whitfield, who grew up in Demopolis as childhood friends on Lily's father's cotton plantation, now estranged.

title: Demopolis, Alabama


text:
Faunsdale, Alabama

Faunsdale is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 90, down from 98 in 2010. Faunsdale is home to a community of Holdeman Mennonites, the only such community outside of Greensboro, Alabama. The town has the only Holdeman Mennonite Church in the area, Cedarcrest Mennonite Church.

History
A post office called Faunsdale has been in operation since 1841. The town was named for nearby Faunsdale Plantation, named after a Roman god and owned since 1843 by Dr. Thomas Alexander Harrison. The town was named in his honor.

The plantation had been founded in the 1830s by Messrs Pearson and Henry Augustine Tayloe. The latter was also the local land agent for his older brothers Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, William Henry Tayloe, Edward Thornton Tayloe, and George Plater Tayloe, who all invested some of their great wealth in several plantations in this area. A 20th-century historian said they were "considered the most important pioneer cotton planters of the Canebrake, as to the extent of their enterprise there."

Faunsdale was incorporated as a town in 1907.

Geography
Faunsdale is located at 32.45917°N, -87.59333°W. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 sqmi, all land. The elevation is 220 ft.

Attractions
Every spring the town sponsors the annual Faunsdale Crawfish Festival, serving authentic Southern cooking on the street, with music and dancing. The same week, the bi-annual Faunsdale Biker Rally is within walking distance. It is an adult-only event, with bikers from all over the state in attendance.

A number of National Register of Historic Places-listed plantations are located a few miles from Faunsdale. They include Battersea, Bermuda Hill, Cedar Crest, Cedar Grove Plantation, Cedar Haven, Cuba Plantation, Faunsdale Plantation, and Roseland Plantation.

2020 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 87 people, 34 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density was 389.2 PD/sqmi. There were 36 housing units at an average density of 161.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 42.98% White and 57.02% Black or African American. 4.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $50,417. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,697. There were no families and 3.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

title: Faunsdale, Alabama


text:
Linden, Alabama

Linden is a city in and the county seat of Marengo County, Alabama, United States. The population was 1,930 at the 2020 census, down from 2,123 at the 2010 census.

History
Settled prior to 1818, the community was first known as "Screamersville", since the cry of wild animals could still be heard during the night. It became the county seat in 1819 and was then known as the "Town of Marengo". This was changed to "Hohenlinden" in 1823, to honor the county's earliest European settlers, French Bonapartist refugees to the Vine and Olive Colony. The name commemorated the battle in 1800 at Hohenlinden, Bavaria, where the French defeated the armies of both Austria and Bavaria. The spelling was later shortened to just "Linden."

Geography
Linden is located in central Marengo County at 32.30111°N, -87.79278°W (32.301154, −87.792650). It is 16 mi south of Demopolis, the largest city in Marengo County, 11 mi west of Thomaston, and 28 mi north of Thomasville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.6 sqmi, of which 0.03 sqmi, or 0.94%, are water. The city drains north to Chickasaw Bogue, a west-flowing tributary of the Tombigbee River, and south to Sycamore Creek, a tributary of Chickasaw Bogue.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 2,424 people, 938 households, and 662 families living in the city. The population density was 675.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,084 housing units at an average density of 302.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 52.43% White, 46.20% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.33% Asian, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 938 households 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 27.8% of households were one person and 14.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.3 males.

The median household income was $22,303 and the median family income was $30,733. Males had a median income of $38,964 versus $17,857 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,536. About 23.8% of families and 29.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.8% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 2,123 people, 877 households, and 555 families living in the city. The population density was 589.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 281.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 51.1% White, 46.7% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. 2.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 877 households 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 21.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 34.3% of households were one person and 14.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.88.

The age distribution was 20.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% 65 or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.

The median household income was $20,145 and the median family income was $35,714. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,701. About 31.1% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,930 people, 672 households, and 349 families residing in the city.

Transportation

 * [[Image:US 43.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 43
 * [[Image:Alabama 28.svg|25px]] State Route 28
 * [[Image:Alabama 69.svg|25px]] State Route 69

Linden is accessed by way of one U.S. Highway: US 43 which runs north-south through the city as Main Street connecting the city to Demopolis to the north and Thomasville to the south. SR 28 runs east-west through the city as Coats Avenue connecting the city to US 80 to the northwest and the towns of Thomaston and Camden to the southeast. SR 69 runs north-south through the city cosigned with US 43 before leaving US 43 at the far south end of town heading southwest towards Myrtlewood and connecting to Butler by way of SR 10.

In her 2021 State of the State address, Governor Kay Ivey confirmed that her administration would be moving forward with a long proposed plan to expand US 43 to four lanes from "Thomasville to Tuscaloosa." Upon completion, the expansion to US 43 will most likely pass around Linden by way of a bypass.

Media
The Linden Leader, a weekly newspaper, is based in Linden.

Education
The city runs its own citywide school system, Linden City Schools. It also had one private school, Marengo Academy, founded in 1969; one of many segregation academies as they are known, which cropped up in the South after segregation was made illegal. Marengo Academy closed in 2019.

Notable people

 * Ralph Abernathy, civil rights leader
 * William J. Alston, United States Representative to the Thirty-first Congress
 * Frank Evans, professional baseball player in the Negro leagues
 * Autherine Lucy Foster, civil rights trailblazer; first African-American student at the University of Alabama
 * Sean Richardson, safety for the Green Bay Packers
 * Roy Rogers, professional basketball player and coach

title: Linden, Alabama


text:
Myrtlewood, Alabama

Myrtlewood is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 70, down from 130 in 2010.

History
A post office has been in operation at Myrtlewood since 1886. Myrtlewood was incorporated as a town in 1957. The town was named for a grove of crepe myrtle trees near the original town site.

Geography
Myrtlewood is located in western Marengo County at 32.24722°N, -87.94722°W (32.247254, -87.947141), along Alabama State Route 114. It is 11 mi southwest of Linden, the county seat, and 7 mi northeast of Pennington in Choctaw County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 sqmi, all land. The town sits on high ground 100 ft above the valley of the Tombigbee River, which flows southwards 3 mi to the west.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 139 people, 59 households, and 45 families residing in the town. The population density was 53.6 PD/sqmi. There were 76 housing units at an average density of 29.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 79.14% White and 20.86% Black or African American. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 59 households, out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% 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 2.76.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,188, and the median income for a family was $50,114. Males had a median income of $51,667 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,262. There were 4.8% of families and 7.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including 7.1% of under eighteens and 13.0% of those over 64.

title: Myrtlewood, Alabama


text:
Providence, Alabama

Providence is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 167, down from 223 at the 2010 census. It incorporated sometime in the 1970s.

Geography
Providence is located in north-central Marengo County at 32.34889°N, -87.77833°W (32.348986, -87.778309), along U.S. Route 43. It is 3 mi north of Linden, the county seat, and 13 mi south of Demopolis, the largest city in the county. It is bordered to the north by Chickasaw State Park.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.7 sqmi, all land. Chickasaw Bogue, a small river, passes just south of the town, flowing west to the Tombigbee River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 311 people, 124 households, and 99 families residing in the town. The population density was 175.8 PD/sqmi. There were 133 housing units at an average density of 75.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 83.92% White, 15.11% Black or African American and 0.96% Asian. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 124 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% 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 2.81.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $33,542, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $24,821 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,382. About 6.5% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Providence, Alabama


text:
Talk:Constitutional history of Australia

Similarities to Canada not reflected
Australia, in its constitutional history does have equivalents to most of these Canadian constitutional changes but the primary nor history page reflects this.

Changes in Canada's Constitutional Framework as found in Constitution of Canada
 * Act of Settlement (1701)
 * Treaty of Paris (1763)
 * Royal Proclamation (1763)
 * Quebec Act (1774)
 * Constitution Act (1791)
 * Act of Union (1840)
 * Constitution Act (1867)
 * British North America Acts (1867-1975)
 * Statute of Westminster (1931)
 * Succession to the Throne Act (1937)
 * Letters Patent (1947)
 * Canada Act (1982)
 * Constitution Act (1982)
 * Their are similarities, of course. One could remark that the Constitution Act 1986 is parrallel to the Constitution Act 1982, and the Act of Union 1840 might bear some resemblance to Federation in 1901. But Australia's constitutional history is quite independent to that of Canada. What value would making such comparisons have?Gazzster (talk) 01:49, 14 June 2013 (UTC)

English Monarchy
203.202.5.75 aside from putting your real name are you going to put a portion on what would happen if the monarchy ended in the UK? i somehow doubt we would stayt a monarchy in that event.

-- Paul Melville Austin

I suspect that may be me - as I didn't provide a name at all (I let it all default, as per usual and like the other fellow). But I never gave a false name.

No, of course not, for the following reasons:-

- it's highly speculative, i.e. it cannot simply be inferred from existing structures;

- it belongs under a wider heading to do with wider commonwealth and constitutional issues; and

- the wider question includes not only whether Australia would "become" a republic but also whether it would cease to have a viable constitutional system and would go through a period of transition (after all, when Brazil went republican it promptly started the usual unstable Latin American pattern).

For what it's worth, we do have some examples of what happened overseas when European events changed things in a number of "mother" countries: the French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War period. That actually produced an independent Brazilian monarchy, after a generation. But the analogy is too loose to draw much from. It does seem remotely possible that we would get a break up, since that is what happened to former Spanish possessions. PML.

- Of course nothing lasts forever and that most likely will include the monarchy - i just hope the transition you mentioned won't be too painfull. As to the Republican movement - the split between parliamentary and direct-election republicans could have been crucial in the result of the referendum or it could have been a culmination of alot of things as you said in the article.

--- Paul Melville Austin

Expansion
In a moment I'm going to replace the existing last para with a longer, more detailed thing. I'm not happy with it, (a) as it leaves out several things that ought to be included (I confess to having been very bored by the whole thing, and have forgotten most of it already, bar the glorious fun of watching Phil Cleary and Brownyn Bishop participate in a debate on the same side), and (b) because I don't think it is very balanced as it stands. I'm going to post it anyway because, unless I miss my guess, it will stimulate a few people to complete it.

BTW, it may be appropriate to move it to another page somewhere. Tannin 14:48 Jan 6, 2003 (UTC)

Changes
I've added in a couple of changes;
 * mentioned the impact of the Royal Titles Act in changing the monarch from being monarch in Australia to monarch ''of Australia. It is of fundamental importance yet for some reason few people seem to cop on to the constitutional significance;
 * NPOVed some of the language. Terms with different judgmental meanings were used when writing about the yes or no side in the referendum. Why was Hawke and Frasier an unlikely alliance but alliances on the no side an extra-ordinary spectacle? NPOV should mean a same weighting of language for both. Wasn't the Frasier/Hawke an equally extraordinary spectacle? Or the conservative/radical left link up an unlikely alliance? I've used unlikely alliance for both sides. Equally, calling Howard an unashamed'' royalist implies there is something to be ashamed about in being one, or that that was the 'widely' held view. It is not Wiki's role to suggest that. I've changed that to a more neutral term. JTD 23:42 Jan 19, 2003 (UTC)

This article has clearly improved because of your changes, JTD. I applaud all of them bar two, and oddly enough, they are the very two you mention above. Where, for example, you replaced the clumsy the ARM worked to abolish with the better sought to abolish ("worked" was a word I was unhappy with in the first place), these two you mention were carefully chosen and deliberate.

 * Wasn't the Frasier/Hawke an equally extraordinary spectacle? No! Not even close. Fraser and Hawke, despite being on opposite sides of the Liberal/Labour divide, are both from the political centre. They are both very much a part of the Canberra mainstream, and seeing them together was unusual, but hardly extraordinary. Bishop, on the other hand, was from the conservative hard right of the Liberal Party, a much more controversial figure than Fraser or Hawke. Fraser and Hawke wear business suits and look much like any other politician: Bishop wears clothes so conservative that cartoonists and comic impersonators have a field day with them, and has views to match. But if Bishop was just about as far right as you can get and yet still belong to the Liberal Party, Cleary was so far to the green and left side that he didn't belong to the ALP - indeed, he took Bob Hawke's old seat, a traditional blue ribbon working class inner-city Labor seat, standing as an independant against the Labour candidate. Cleary was an ex-footballer who talked with a rough accent, dressed like a labourer, had a beard and long unruly hair, and swore on radio from time to time. If you could have picked just one federal politician who stood against everything Cleary stood for, then you might have considered Peter Reth for a minute, but you would almost certainly have chosen Bishop. As opposite as it's possible to get. Trust me, it was an "extraordinary spectacle" seeing those two share a podium. (Many press people commented on this at the time, of course.) Fraser and Hawke together was "interesting" or "novel", Bishop and Cleary was "extraordinary".
 * "Unashamed royalist" as a description of Howard is appropriate. Many Royalists were rather ashamed of their view, or at least seen that way (and no doubt still are). Republicans tend to simply state their view, but royalists usually state it in a qualified way: for example, "Well, I'm as patriotic an Australian as the next man, but ..." It seems to me that these grounds are sufficient to reinstate the original phrase. But perhaps I should cite my source for it in any case: John Howard himself. He used that word repeatedly and deliberately to describe himself. I daresay he still does.

I'll adjust the entry shortly.

(Please note that these are the only issues I take with your edit JTD, which I otherwise see as a valuable addition.) Tannin

"Many Royalists were rather ashamed of their view, or at least seen that way" - no, it was a media misrepresentation thing. Knowing that the media wanted to make it tightly focussed on the "royalist" thing, and not about the whole broad church approach that brought in real anti-republic objections as well as pro-monarchy ones, a lot of monarchists didn't want to have that emphasised and put out of context by a media with an agenda. When we (I'm not ashamed!) did that, it was playing a dead bat. The media fell back on a second line: claim there was something the monarchists wanted to hide, something to be ashamed of, e.g. "why won't they mention the Queen?". The only "shame" in all this is something cooked up as an explanation by a media that could not see any other motive for playing a dead bat. PML.

Rename
Rename Constitutional history of Australia? --Jiang

I have removed the reference to head of state, which is not defined and is a matter of varied opinion. The Queen neither possesses nor exercises any significant powers and her only remaining role is to appoint the Governor-General, which she does on the sole advice of the Australian Prime Minister. Skyring 06:11, 27 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Eureka Stockade
I don't know why the Eureka Stockade is mentioned in this article. South Australia has full male franchise for their colonial parliament before the Eureka incident even took place.

Blocking of supply?
I have a problem with this:

''Can the Senate refuse supply or refuse to discuss supply? ''

This was implied to be an "unanswered question." I tend to disagree. I think it is pretty obvious that the Senate CAN do that if they so desire. Where they should or not is another issue entirely, but they are well within their powers to say "no." Of course, the party in control of the senate would probably get lynched in today's political atmosphere, but that's a different story. I tentatively suggest we rephrase the question... maybe "should" the senate refuse supply? Although that's a bit iffy...

I also added a couple of headings to the discussion page to make it easier to read - I got very confused reading through it :D Hope that's alright. GreenGopher 03:40, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

 * I would agree with the rephrase. I don't think there's much doubt the Senate is able to refuse supply, or delay voting on supply. --Robert Merkel 06:33, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

Individual authors?
Can any one please inform me and perhaps add to this article who the individual authors of the Australian Constitution are? (Thank you in advance.)~ 203.206.92.154 07:40, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Too many questions
the crisis in 1975 section asks qestions but does not give specific answers, how could it be fixed? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.242.96.89 (talk) 12:11, 17 September 2010 (UTC)

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CfD nomination of Category:History of Australia topical overviews
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text:
Sweet Water, Alabama

Sweet Water is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. It was founded during the 1840s and named for Sweet Water Creek, which runs through a section of the community. The population was 228 at the 2020 census, down from 258 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Sweet Water is located in southern Marengo County at 32.09737°N, -87.86751°W and has an elevation of 184 ft. It is 20 mi by road south of Linden, the county seat. Alabama State Route 10 passes through the town, leading southeast 20 mi to Pine Hill and west 22 mi to Butler.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Sweet Water has a total area of 2.4 sqmi, all of it recorded as land. Sweet Water Creek forms the southern border of the town and flows southwest to Horse Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Tombigbee River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 258 people, 94 households, and 72 families residing in the town. There were 111 housing units, of which 94 were occupied. The racial makeup of the town was 91.1% White, 7.8% Black or African American, and 1.2% from some other races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 94 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.4% were non-families. 22.3% 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 2.74 and the average family size was 3.22.

The population was spread out, with 70.9% 18 years and over, 68.2% 21 years and over, 20.5% 62 years and over, and 19.4% who were 65 years and over. The median age was 39 years.

Education
The town is home to Sweet Water High School, part of the Marengo County Public School System. The current school was founded during the early 1870s.

Transportation
Alabama State Route 10

Notable people

 * David Beverly, former American football punter for the Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers
 * Bob Harrington, evangelist known as the "Chaplain of Bourbon Street"

title: Sweet Water, Alabama


text:
Thomaston, Alabama

Thomaston is a town in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 326, down from 417 at the 2010 census.

History
Thomaston was platted in 1901 when the railroad was extended to that point. Thomaston was named for C. B. Thomas, a town promoter. A post office called Thomaston has been in operation since 1892. It was incorporated on November 15, 1901.

Historic sites
Thomaston has one historic district, the Thomaston Central Historic District, which encompasses the core of the town. Additionally, there are three individually listed properties on the National Register of Historic Places: the Thomaston Colored Institute, C. S. Golden House, and Patrick Farrish House. The town is home to the Alabama Rural Heritage Center, and the Thomaston Community Market, (both now defunct), both community projects of Auburn University's Rural Studio. Thomaston is also home to the Alabama Whitetail Records Museum.

Geography
Thomaston is located in eastern Marengo County at 32.2695°N, -87.62486°W. Alabama State Route 28 (Second Avenue) passes through the town, leading west 11 mi to Linden, the county seat, and southeast 30 mi to Camden. State Route 25 (Range Street) crosses SR 28 in the center of town and leads north 32 mi to Greensboro and south 29 mi to Thomasville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Thomaston has a total area of 2.0 sqmi, all land. The town drains west to Michigan Creek, which flows north to Chickasaw Bogue and is part of the Tombigbee River watershed.

2020 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 383 people, 163 households, and 105 families residing in the town. The population density was 190.3 PD/sqmi. There were 212 housing units at an average density of 105.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 50.13% Black or African American, 48.56% White, and 1.31% from two or more races. 2.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 163 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,972, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $32,404 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,390. About 22.1% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.2% of those under age 18 and 33.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Amelia L. Johnson High School is a small public school in Thomaston serving students from PK to high school. It is one of three high schools in Marengo County. Most of its students are African American and economically disadvantaged.

Government
Thomaston is governed by an elected mayor and council of five. Police protection is provided by the Thomaston Police Department. Thomaston has a small volunteer fire department. A rural health clinic is located in Thomaston and can handle small emergencies. It is open weekdays to offer medical care.

title: Thomaston, Alabama