text:
Ardmore, Alabama

Ardmore is a town in Limestone County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. The population was 1,321 at the 2020 census, It borders its sister city Ardmore, Tennessee.

History
The settlement was originally named Austin, after Alex Austin, who selected the location as a site for a station along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The railroad company later renamed the town Ardmore, for the community of Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Ardmore, Alabama was incorporated in 1922.

Geography
Ardmore is located at 34.98694°N, -86.84333°W (34.987052, -86.843228). It is the northernmost settlement in the state of Alabama. The town is concentrated along Alabama State Route 53, which runs south to north along Ardmore Avenue before veering east along the state line, where it runs congruent with Tennessee State Route 7 on Main Street. Interstate 65, which connects Nashville and Birmingham, passes just west of Ardmore.

Main Street is the state line. The road heading northbound/westbound is in Tennessee, while southbound/eastbound is in Alabama.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.050 sqmi, of which 2.042 sqmi is land and 0.008 sqmi, is water.

Demographics
Ardmore first appeared on the 1930 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 1,321 people, 571 households, and 344 families residing in the town. There were 636 housing units.

2010 census
As of the 2010 census there were 1,194 people, 505 households, and 333 families in the town. The population density was 517 PD/sqmi. There were 578 housing units at an average density of 289 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.3% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 1.3%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 505 households 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.5% of households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36, and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 24.9% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% 65 or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median household income was $32,196 and the median family income was $36,779. Males had a median income of $31,600 versus $37,841 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,931. About 13.0% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 1,034 people, 460 households, and 276 families in the town. The population density was 506.8 PD/sqmi. There were 506 housing units at an average density of 248.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.23% White, 0.87% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. 1.74% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 460 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 36.5% of households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.25, and the average family size was 2.96.

The age distribution was 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.

The median household income was $28,352 and the median family income was $40,673. Males had a median income of $29,531 versus $19,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,447. About 10.7% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 30.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
It is in the Limestone County School District.

There is a high school in Ardmore, Alabama called “Ardmore High School” and it has around 1,008 students. The high school consists of two separate parts: the middle school, where grades six through eight attend, and the high school, where grades nine through twelve attend. The school was founded in 1915; the five acres of land cost a total of five dollars and was generously donated to the school. Residents of Ardmore helped construct the school building for an entire year. The original school building was only two stories tall. There were classrooms, a library, and a study hall area on the first floor, and they put a stage on the second floor of the building.

In 1917, the doors of the school opened to welcome its first students. Ten years later, Ardmore High School received its accreditation.

The school's mission statement since its opening has been: "The mission and purpose of Ardmore High School is to provide appropriate learning opportunities that promote academic, physical, and ethical growth of students enabling them to become productive citizens in an ever-changing society."

In popular culture
Ardmore is the setting of a song by Old Crow Medicine Show called "Alabama High-Test," on the album Tennessee Pusher.

Notable People

 * David Fanning, country music singer, songwriter, and record producer
 * Lee Hodges, PGA Tour golfer

title: Ardmore, Alabama


text:
Athens, Alabama

Athens is a city in and the county seat of Limestone County, in the U.S. state of Alabama; it is included in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 25,406.

History
Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the state, having been incorporated one year prior to the state's admittance to the Union in 1819. Limestone County was also created by an act of the Alabama Territorial Legislature in 1818. The town was first called Athenson, but was incorporated as Athens after the ancient city in Greece. The town's first mayor was Samuel Tanner, and the Tanner area, south of Athens, was named on his behalf.

The Athens area was the home of William Wyatt Bibb, the first governor of Alabama, and its second governor, his brother Thomas Bibb, who succeeded him in office when he died in a fall from his horse.

In 1822, local residents purchased 5 acre of land and constructed a building to house the Athens Female Academy. The school became affiliated with the Methodist church in 1842, and was eventually renamed Athens Female College. After becoming coeducational in 1932, the school changed its name again to Athens College. After being taken over by the State of Alabama in 1974, the college was converted to a “reverse junior college,” offering the last two years of instruction for graduates of area community colleges. It is today known as Athens State University.

Many homes in the central part of modern Athens date to the antebellum period, and are part of historic preservation districts.

On May 2, 1862, during the Civil War, Athens was seized by Union forces under the command of Col. John Basil Turchin. After occupying the town on May 2, 1862, Turchin assembled his men and reportedly told them: "I shut my eyes for two hours. I see nothing." He did, in fact, leave the town to reconnoiter defensive positions, during which time his men ransacked the town. The incident was controversial, and Lost Cause supporters vilified Turchin.

Athens was the home of Governor George S. Houston, Alabama's first post-Reconstruction Democratic governor, who served from 1874 through 1878. Houston was noted for reducing the debts incurred to benefit private railroad speculators and others by his Reconstruction Republican predecessors. During Reconstruction, Athens was the home of the Trinity School, a school founded for the children of former slaves by Mary Fletcher Wells and funded by the American Missionary Association.

Athens was traditionally a cotton and railroad town, but since the local aerospace boom of the 1950s and 1960s, it has increasingly entered the orbit of nearby industry center Huntsville as the area's cotton production has steadily declined.

Athens is the home of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, a Tennessee Valley Authority installation first operated in 1974, that was once the world's largest nuclear plant. It provides many jobs to the area and most of the electricity for the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. On March 22, 1975, the Browns Ferry plant became the scene of what was, with the exception of the Three Mile Island accident, the most serious nuclear accident in United States history. A worker using a candle to check for air leaks started a fire among control wires, causing a temporary threat to operational control of the reactor (see Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant article on Unit One Fire).

Geography
Athens is midway between Nashville and Birmingham on Interstate 65. Athens shares a boundary with Huntsville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.4 sqmi, of which 39.3 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.23%) is water.

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

Demographics
Athens first appeared on the 1850 U.S. Census as an incorporated place. It did not appear on the 1860 census, but returned again in 1870 and every census to date. Athens was one of the fastest growing areas in Alabama in the 2023 census estimates with 30,904 people recorded in the estimates.

2000 Census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,967 people, 7,742 households, and 5,140 families residing in the city. The population density was 482.3 PD/sqmi. There were 8,449 housing units at an average density of 214.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 77.72% White, 18.26% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 4.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,742 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city, the age distribution of the population showed 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city of Athens was $33,980, and the median income for a family was $44,544. Males had a median income of $37,191 versus $22,748 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,315. About 13.7% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 45 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 21,897 people, 9,038 households, and 5,881 families residing in the city. The population density was 557.2 PD/sqmi. There were 9,862 housing units at an average density of 250.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 73.0% White, 17.5% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.9% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. 8.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,038 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% 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 2.96.

In the city, the age distribution of the population showed 22.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city of Athens was $42,127, and the median income for a family was $54,013. Males had a median income of $43,672 versus $31,601 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,136. About 15.5% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 45 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,406 people, 9,397 households, and 6,080 families residing in the city.

Athens Precinct/Division (1870–)
Athens, the 1st Beat/Precinct of Limestone County first reported on the 1870 U.S. Census. This included both the town/city of Athens and the surrounding area. It did not report a figure for 1880, but returned in 1890 and every census to date. In 1870, when racial demographics were reported, it had a Black majority in that beat. In 1960, Athens precinct was changed to a census division as part of a general reorganization of counties.

Health care

 * Athens-Limestone Hospital 101-bed facility

Transportation
Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines.
 * [[Image:I-65.svg|25px]] Interstate 65
 * [[Image:US 31.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 31
 * [[Image:US 72.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 72
 * Norfolk Southern Railway
 * CSX Transportation railroad
 * [[Image:Czech Republic road sign A 20.svg|25px]] Pryor Field Regional Airport (regional/municipal airport)

Education

 * Athens-Limestone Public Library
 * Athens City Schools
 * Athens Bible School
 * Lindsay Lane Christian Academy K3-12
 * Athens State University

Media

 * The News Courier, daily newspaper
 * WVNN 770 AM
 * WKAC 1080 AM
 * WZYP 104.3 FM
 * WTZT-CD TV channel 11

Notable people

 * Woody Abernathy, former professional baseball outfielder
 * Sheila Andrews, country music singer
 * Bill Arnsparger, defensive coordinator in the National Football League (NFL) for Miami Dolphins teams that won consecutive Super Bowls (1972 and 1973); head coach of the LSU Tigers Football team.
 * Keith Askins, NBA assistant coach, former player Miami Heat
 * Don Black, KKK Grand Wizard, Neo Nazi, White Nationalist.
 * Michael Boley, NFL Outside linebacker New York Giants
 * George Ruffin Bridgeforth, professor Tuskegee Institute, first Black alumnus, University of Massachusetts Amherst
 * Wally Bullington, head football coach for Abilene Christian University from 1968 to 1976
 * Tom Calvin, former NFL halfback
 * Dick Coffman, former Major League Baseball player
 * Slick Coffman, former Major League Baseball player
 * Billy Davis, former member of the Arizona State Senate
 * P. O. Davis, early radio pioneer, agricultural editor and Alabama Cooperative Extension Service educator and administrator
 * Anderson East, R&B singer who is featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack
 * Richard Hendrix, professional basketball player
 * Jake Hess, Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer
 * Brittany Howard, singer and guitarist with Alabama Shakes
 * C. Eric Lincoln, African-American scholar
 * Patti J. Malone, noted African-American mezzo-soprano singer
 * Bobby Marlow, former Canadian Football League running back
 * John Mason Martin, U.S. Representative from 1885 to 1887
 * Mitch McConnell, U. S. Senator from Kentucky, lived in Athens from 1942 to 1950
 * Alfred McCullough, American football player
 * Kevin Miller, radio talk show host
 * Roger Murrah, songwriter
 * Andy Nelson, former safety for the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants
 * Edmund Pettus, lawyer, soldier, and U.S. Senator from 1897 to 1907
 * Luke Pryor, served as a U.S. Senator in 1880, and as a U.S. Representative from 1883 to 1885
 * Wayne Redmond, former baseball player for the Detroit Tigers
 * William N. Richardson, U.S. Representative from 1900 to 1914
 * Philip Rivers, NFL quarterback, San Diego Chargers
 * Charles Henry Sykes, editorial cartoonist
 * Charles Coleman Thach, president of Auburn University from 1902 to 1920
 * Alice Vassar LaCour, Fisk Jubilee singer and teacher
 * Lee Vickers, professional football player for the Omaha Nighthawks
 * James C. Watkins, ceramic artist
 * Quez Watkins, professional football player
 * Henry A. White, Alabama educator and state representative; served on the Athens City Council
 * Pryor Williams, former professional football player

In popular culture
Athens was the primary filming location of Brittany Howard's "Stay High" music video. The video stars Terry Crews as a blue-collar man driving home from a job at a nearby Decatur plant. The video also stars several Athens citizens and members of Howards' family. Howard, an Athens native and member of Alabama Shakes, wrote in a press release that "Terry Crews plays a man who isn't out to change the world, he plays a man who just wants to come home to those who understand and love him best." The video features Crews singing along to the Grammy-winning "Stay High" while visiting local landmarks and establishments, such as Decatur's US-72 ALT Bridge, and Athens's Hometown Grocery, Dub's Burgers, and historic Kreme Delite. The video was dedicated to Howard's father, K.J. Howard.

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

title: Athens, Alabama


text:
Decatur, Alabama

Decatur is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. Nicknamed "The River City," it is located in northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake along the Tennessee River. The population was 57,938 at the 2020 census.

Decatur is the core city of the two-county large Decatur metropolitan area, with an estimated population of 157,425 in 2022. Combined with the Huntsville Metropolitan Area, the two create the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, of which Decatur is the second-largest city.

Like many southern cities in the early 19th century, Decatur's early success was based upon its location along a river. Railroad routes and boating traffic pushed the city to the front of North Alabama's economic atmosphere. The city rapidly grew into a large economic center within the Tennessee Valley and was a hub for travelers and cargo between Nashville and Mobile, as well as Chattanooga and New Orleans. Throughout the 20th century, the city experienced steady growth but was eclipsed as the regional economic center by the fast-growing Huntsville during the space race. Decatur now finds its economy heavily based on manufacturing, mining, cargo transit, chemical, and high-tech companies such as Vulcan Materials, Daikin, Toray, and United Launch Alliance.

History
Initially, the area was known as "Rhodes Ferry Landing", named for Dr. Henry W. Rhodes, an early landowner who operated a ferry that crossed the Tennessee River in the 1810s at the present-day location of Rhodes Ferry Park. The city was incorporated as Decatur in 1821. It was named in honor of Stephen Decatur; after he was killed in a duel in 1820, President Monroe directed that the Alabama town be named for him.

In the early 1830s, Decatur was the eastern terminus of the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad, the first railway built west of the Appalachian Mountains. In 1850, the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur was incorporated into the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.

Because of its location on the Tennessee River at the strategically important crossing of two major railroads, Decatur was the site of several encounters during the American Civil War. When the Union Army occupied the city early in the war, the commanding general ordered all but four buildings in the town to be destroyed. Bricks from some of the churches in town were used to build stoves and chimneys for the buildings that housed soldiers. Three of the buildings that remained are still standing - the Old State Bank, the Dancy-Polk House, and the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. After the Union victory in the Battle of Atlanta, a Confederate army under the command of General John Bell Hood briefly sparred with a vastly outmanned garrison during the 1864 Battle of Decatur, when the city was referred to as "A Tough Nut to Crack."

While the city was under Confederate control, plans for the Battle of Shiloh were mapped out within the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. These activities make the house one of the most historic buildings in Decatur.

New Decatur was a city that rose out of the ashes of former Decatur west of the railroad tracks. New Decatur was founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1889. However, residents of the older Decatur resented the new town, founded and occupied by people who moved down from northern states. Animosity was built until New Decatur renamed their town "Albany" after Albany, New York, in September 1916. The impetus to meld the two towns came from the need for a bridge, instead of a ferry, across the Tennessee River. The Decatur Kiwanis Club was formed with an equal number of members from each town to organize efforts to get the state to build the bridge. In 1925, the two cities merged to form one City of Decatur. There is a noticeable difference between the two sides of town. The cities developed differently at different times and still to this day have somewhat different cultures. Eastern portions of Decatur tend to act more suburban and traditional, while western portions tend to look more metropolitan and contemporary.

The Old State Bank, on the edge of downtown, is the oldest bank building in the State of Alabama, being 190 years old. The first wave pool in the United States was built in Decatur and is still in operation at the Point Mallard Aquatic Center. The city has the largest Victorian-era home district in the state of Alabama.

In the past, its industries included repair shops of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, car works, engine works, bottling plants, and manufacturers of lumber, sashes and blinds, tannic acid, fertilizers, cigars, flour, cottonseed oil, and various other products.

Geography
The Tennessee River has traditionally been the northern border of the city and Morgan County, but a small portion of the city extends across the river into Limestone County between U.S. 31 and I-65. Major bodies of water in the city include Wheeler Lake on the Tennessee River itself, plus Flint Creek, and Dry Branch, tributaries of the Tennessee River. The city extends to the other side of Flint Creek and the Refuge in the Indian Hills and Burningtree subdivision areas.

The northern portion of Decatur sits on top of a short hill that overlooks the Tennessee River; this creates a very steep dropoff to the river shore at Rhodes Ferry Park. This hill allows the "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridge to leave the mainland at grade without any major sloping required to cross the river while not interfering with Decatur's heavy barge traffic. This hill extends from the banks of the river about 1.5 mi south to the 14th St./Magnolia St. intersection with 6th Avenue (US 31).

South past the 14th St. and 6th Ave. intersection, land remains flat. South, and also west, past S.R. 67 there are a few minor ridges that sit within the city limits.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 61.020 sqmi, of which 54.594 sqmi is land and 6.426 sqmi, is water. Decatur is 25 mi southwest of Huntsville, 86 mi north of Birmingham, and 44 mi east of Muscle Shoals.

Climate
Decatur has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with four distinct seasons.

Winters are generally mild, with a January daily average temperature of 40.6 °F. On average, the low temperature falls to the freezing mark or below on 59 days a year, and to or below 20 °F on 9.2 days. Winters usually do not produce much snow; a large amount of snow is rare within the city limits. A small, measurable amount of snow can be experienced a few times each year. In 2011, Decatur received up to 8 in of snow in a single storm. It tied for the most since 1963. Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average temperature of 79.6 °F. There are 51–52 days of 90 °F+ highs annually and 1.7 days of 100 °F+ highs. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months. The latter part of summer tends to be drier. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early-December, tends to be similar to spring in terms of temperature and precipitation, although it begins relatively dry.

Precipitation averages about 53.4 inches per year and on average, is relatively (and uniformly) heavy from November to July, with December the single wettest month on average; August through October are slightly drier months on average. Occasionally, severe thunderstorms occur. These storms can produce damaging winds and large hail in addition to the usual hazards of lightning and very heavy rain. There is also the risk of tornadoes. Severe thunderstorms can occur at any time of the year, but are most common during the spring months. A secondary severe weather season peaks in November. Occasionally from July to October, the Decatur area experiences strong winds and/or heavy to excessive rain from tropical disturbances. These commonly make landfall along the Gulf Coast as hurricanes but lose intensity as they move inland.

The highest recorded temperature was 108 °F on July 28, 1952, and August 16, 1954, while the lowest recorded temperature was −19 °F on January 30, 1966.

Neighboring cities/towns

 * Athens (north) - Limestone County
 * Hartselle (south) - Morgan County
 * Hillsboro (west) - Lawrence County
 * Huntsville (northeast) - Madison/Limestone counties
 * Madison (northeast) - Madison/Limestone counties (however Huntsville completely separates the two)
 * Mooresville (northeast) - Limestone County
 * Moulton (southwest) - Lawrence County
 * Priceville (east) - Morgan County
 * Trinity (west) - Morgan County

Neighborhoods
Decatur is divided into four different regions of town (Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest). Southeast and Northeast Decatur lie east of the CSX Railroad's mainline. North of Lee Street, the dividing line is Bank Street which runs a block east of and parallel to the railroad. Northeast and Southeast and are divided by Moulton Street. Southwest consists of the area west of the CSX Railroad and south of Moulton Street. Northwest is bordered by Moulton Street, the CSX Railroad from Moulton Street to Lee Street and then by Bank Street from Lee Street to the Tennessee River. While there are few major cultural differences between the East and the West, minute differences such as street grid patterns, zoning patterns, and architectural styles are noticeable.

Northwest

 * West Decatur (the portion north of Moulton Street)

Northeast

 * Albany (New Decatur)
 * Downtown Decatur
 * East Acres
 * Old Decatur
 * Bank Street and Second Avenue (Downtown Shopping District)
 * Harborview (Riverfront)
 * Irvington (Limestone County)
 * Whiteside (Limestone County)

Southeast

 * Bayside
 * Brookmeade
 * Burleson Mountain
 * Burningtree Mountain
 * Cedar Lake
 * Fairview
 * Flint
 * Hickory Hills
 * Indian Hills
 * Point Mallard Estates

Southwest

 * Autumn Ridge
 * Austinville
 * Basham
 * Braswell
 * Cedar Ridge
 * Chapel Hill
 * Chula Vista
 * City View Estates
 * Deerfoot Estates
 * Dogwood Estates
 * Dunbarton
 * Flint
 * Graystone
 * Griffin Addition
 * Longleaf Estates
 * Moulton Heights
 * Oak Lea
 * Oakworth
 * Timberlake
 * Russell Village
 * Vestavia
 * West Decatur (the portion south of Moulton Street)
 * Westmeade
 * Woodtrail

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 57,938 people, 23,570 households, and 14,864 families residing in the city. There were 25,351 housing units.

2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 55,683 people, 22,576 households, and 14,918 families residing in the city. The population density was 953.5 PD/sqmi. There were 24,538 housing units at an average density of 420.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 66.5% White, 21.7% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.9% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 12.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 22,576 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,090, and the median income for a family was $55,158. Males had a median income of $42,146 versus $27,477 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,615. About 12.8% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 53,929 people, 21,824 households, and 14,753 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,009.7 PD/sqmi. There were 23,950 housing units at an average density of 448.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 75.50% White, 19.56% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 2.22% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. 5.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 21,824 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,192, and the median income for a family was $47,574. Males had a median income of $37,108 versus $22,471 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,431. About 11.9% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Decatur has grown to be the busiest river port on the Tennessee River. The Port of Decatur sees large amounts of barge traffic from up and down the Tennessee River, which has led to twelve Fortune 500 companies opening plants in the city. Major employers include General Electric, 3M, Wayne Farms, United Launch Alliance, Nucor, Bunge Limited, Daikin, Hyosung, Ascend Performance Materials, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Decatur is also known as the "Home of Meow Mix", after the company bought a 200000 sqft facility in town, and now utilizes its riverfront property to ship the finished product up and down the Tennessee River.

Being part of the Huntsville-Decatur CSA, the city lies within the region having the most engineers per capita in the nation.

A recent BRAC Base realignment will bring a population, conservatively estimated at 5,000−10,000 people (not including their families), to the area surrounding Redstone Arsenal.

Approval of the United Launch Alliance combined Lockheed-Martin and Boeing's rocket manufacturing contracts to a central location at the plant in Decatur. All satellite launching rockets used by the U.S. government will be built in Decatur. This approval brought over 230 new jobs to the Decatur area. The ULA plant utilizes the Tennessee River to ship the rockets to Cape Canaveral.

In March 2008, a $1.3 billion development, including a Bass Pro Shops was announced for the Interstate 65/Interstate 565 interchange inside the city limits. The development, named Sweetwater, would have included more than 1000000 sqft of retail space, 825000 sqft of medical and office space, 2,700 residences, and an entertainment venue with seating for up to 8,000 people. A school, fire department, parks and lakes were expected to support the future development. As of Spring 2010, this project still seems to be on the horizon, but there is no set date for the project to start. As of 2012, Bass Pro Shop has removed Decatur from its list of stores "Coming Soon" on its webpage. In 2013, Mayor Don Kyle announced that the "Sweet Water" complex was back on track, but has not announced whether Bass Pro Shops will be involved or not. Research from the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity suggests that the economic impact of Bass Pro Shops is typically limited despite the large subsidies the company often receives.

Tourism
Tourism is a major part of Decatur's economy. Hundreds of thousands of people from in and out of town and from many other countries and territories attend some of the premier festivals in the South.

The Alabama Jubilee, begun in 1978, is the oldest hot air balloon race south of the Kentucky Derby's Great Balloon Race (from 1973). With visiting populations rising to 100,000, people crowd around more than 60 seven-story-tall balloons as they inflate. Because of the Alabama Jubilee, Decatur has been named "The Ballooning Capital of Alabama" by the Alabama State Legislature.

The Spirit of America Festival is one of the largest free Fourth of July festivals in the South. More than 65,000 people arrive in Decatur to watch annual celebrations and the Miss Spirit of America beauty pageant. The contest was known as "Miss Point Mallard" from 1976 through 2013. It moved to the Princess Theatre in 2014.

Another large event in Decatur and North Alabama, the Racking Horse World Celebration attracts horses from around the world to compete in the largest Racking Horse competition. Held in the Celebration Arena near Priceville, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year.

The Riverfest barbeque cook-off at Ingalls Harbor is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and attracts competitors from across the country. Beginning in 1995, the festival has previously been selected as a top ten tourist event in the State of Alabama, festival goers can expect live, nationally known musical acts, children's activities, and award-winning barbeque. Proceeds benefit the local community including several charitable organizations.

2018 saw the opening of the Cook Museum of Natural Science located at 133 Fourth Avenue NE Decatur, Alabama 35601 and showcases a wide variety of native animal and plant species within a state of the art facility. Cook Museum of Natural Science has been nominated by USA Today in their 2020 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards as one of the best new museums to open in the past two years. Cook Museum of Natural Science is the newspaper's only Alabama-based nominee.

Parks and recreation
Delano Park - Founded in 1887, the 28 acre Delano Park (pronounced DELL-uh-no) is Morgan County's oldest city park in continuous operation and an oasis in the heart of historic Decatur. At 125 years old, the park is recognized as a designed historic landscape and is listed on the National Historic Register.

Government
The current mayor of Decatur is Tab Bowling, who was elected in 2016 The city has a five-member/district City Council. The current members are:

 * District 1 – Billy Jackson
 * District 2 – Kyle Dukes Pike
 * District 3 – Carlton McMasters
 * District 4 – Hunter Pepper
 * District 5 – Jacob Ladner (Council President)

There are also many boards and commissions run by the city, supervising schools, planning, downtown development, and so on.

Past mayors and city councilmen
Past Decatur mayors include:
 * Tab Bowling (R) (2016-current)
 * Don Stanford (2008–2012)
 * Don Kyle (2004–2008; 2012–2016)
 * Lynn Fowler (2000–2004)
 * Julian Price (1994–2000)
 * Bill Dukes (1976–1994)
 * Russell Bolding (1972–1976)
 * Charles Guntharp (1968–1972)
 * J. Gilmer Blackburn (1962–1968)
 * H.R. Summer (1952–1954)

 * Charles Kirby was appointed in 2011 after Ronny Russell resigned.

In city elections (preliminary) on August 23, 2016, the preliminary election resulted in runoff of Don Kyle and Tab Bowling for Mayor with Jeremy Goforth, Reggie Jackson and Butch Matthews not receiving enough vote to make the runoff.

Tab Bowling defeated Don Kyle (October 6, 2016) with 75% of the vote.

Education
Austin High and Decatur High are the two main high schools of the city. With the addition of the International Baccalaureate Program to Austin and Decatur High Schools, Decatur has become the first Alabama school system north of Birmingham and one of five in the state to offer the honors program for juniors and seniors (as of July 2006).

High schools

 * Austin High School
 * Decatur High School

Middle schools

 * Decatur Middle School
 * Austin Middle School
 * Austin Junior High

Private schools

 * Decatur Heritage Christian Academy
 * Cornerstone Christian School (K-12)
 * St. Ann's Catholic School (K-8)

Higher education

 * Alabama Center for the Arts
 * Calhoun Community College System
 * Strayer University

Newspapers
The Decatur Daily has been the only major newspaper based in the Decatur Metropolitan Area since 1912, and one of the few family owned newspapers in Alabama. It has an average daily circulation of 20,824 and a Sunday circulation of 23,840. The paper circulates in the morning to an area that includes Morgan County, Lawrence County, and Limestone County, and parts of Cullman County, and Winston County.

The Huntsville Times is the only other newspaper with a larger circulation in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, and has been in circulation since 1996 to most area counties, when the Huntsville News closed. Before then, the News was the morning paper, and the Times was the afternoon paper. After the News closed, the Times remained an afternoon paper until 2004.

Cable/Phone
Spectrum, AT&T and WOW! offer cable TV to Decatur. AT&T, Spectrum and WOW! offer phone service to Decatur. With AT&T, Huntsville and Madison are local calls (Madison County only), but Athens is long distance. Decatur comes within 3 mi of Athens and touches Huntsville. AT&T has begun rolling out their fiber network as of 2018.

Air
Decatur is served by two major airports. The Huntsville International Airport, in suburban Huntsville is the second busiest airport in Alabama, behind Birmingham International Airport. The city is also served by the busiest regional airport in Alabama, the Pryor Field Regional Airport.

Roads

Decatur's main thoroughfares are U.S. Route 31 (6th Avenue), U.S. Route 72 Alternate (S.R. 20), State Route 24, and State Route 67. 6th Avenue begins as both U.S. 72 Alternate and U.S. 31, and the two routes split after being carried by the twin-span "Steamboat Bill" Hudson Memorial Bridge that crosses the Tennessee River at the north central part of town. SR 20/Alternate U.S. 72 continues west towards The Shoals and Florence. U.S. 31 connects the city to Athens in the north, and Cullman in the south. A portion of S.R. 67 is known as Beltline Road, and serves as a partial beltway around the city. Interstate 65 runs east of the city, and connects the area to Nashville in the north and Birmingham in the south. Interstate 565 begins in Limestone County northeast of the city, and connects to Huntsville. Transforming U.S. 72 Alternate into an extension of Interstate 565 into the city has been discussed in the past.

Major highways
U.S. Highway 72 Alternate
 * [[Image:I-65.svg|20px]] Interstate 65
 * [[Image:I-565.svg|20px]] Interstate 565
 * [[Image:US 31.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 31
 * [[Image:Alternate plate.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:Alabama 20.svg|20px]] SR 20
 * [[Image:Alabama 24.svg|20px]] SR 24
 * [[Image:Alabama 67.svg|20px]] SR 67

Water (River)
Large shipments can move from Decatur to the Atlantic Ocean via the Tennessee River to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The United States builds some of its space launch vehicles in Decatur (United Launch Alliance vehicles only), and ships them to both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base via this water route.

Rail
Decatur has two railroads, the Norfolk Southern Railway, and CSX Transportation (CSX) main line, the S&NA North Subdivision (Nashville to Birmingham). CSX operates a yard downtown. Norfolk Southern main line is the Memphis District East End. The line runs from Sheffield, Alabama, to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The rest of the line, west of Sheffield to Memphis, Tennessee, is the Memphis District West End. The line receives trackage rights in Stevenson, Alabama, from CSX on their Chattanooga Subdivision to Chattanooga.

Until 1971 the Decatur Union Depot was served by several Louisville and Nashville trains (Humming Bird, Pan-American and South Wind) originating in Chicago or Cincinnati and terminating at New Orleans or Miami, Florida, to the south. Amtrak from 1971 until 1979 operated the Floridian that made a station stop in Decatur. The Southern Railway's Tennessean served points to the east and west. The station is now a municipal museum.

Transit
The North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments operates NARCOG Transit, which provides demand-response service in the city. There is no fixed-route transit.

Public safety
The Public Safety Department consists of the Decatur Police Department and Decatur Fire & Rescue. The Public Safety annex is located at 4119 Old Highway 31 in the Flint Community at the south end of the city and houses the Fire Department's administrative offices. This is also the site of the fire and police training facilities. The Police and Fire Departments currently cover approx. 130 sqmi in and around the city. Both the Decatur Police and Decatur Fire & Rescue are dispatched by the Morgan County E-911 Center.

The Decatur Police Department consists of approx. 140 officers, assigned to 4 divisions (Operations, Management Services, Criminal Investigations, & Administration). The current Chief of Police is Nate Allen.

Decatur Fire & Rescue is an Advanced Life Support, full service department consisting of approx. 115 firefighters. The department currently runs 6 Engine Companies (with 3 in reserve), 2 Ladder Companies, 1 Heavy Rescue (which also responds as part of AL-TF3), 1 Brush Truck, 1 HazMat Unit, 1 Battalion Chief Vehicle, and several other staff and support vehicles out of 8 Fire Stations. The current Fire Chief is Tracy Thornton.

Decatur is also home to the Morgan County Rescue Squad, an all volunteer organization, who responds to water, cave and high angle rope rescues all throughout Morgan County. They operate multiple land vehicles, 4 response boats and several smaller vessels out of 1 station (also located in Flint) and 2 boat houses on the Tennessee River, with approximately 30–40 members.

Emergency medical services and healthcare
Decatur is currently served by Decatur-Morgan EMS, the ambulance service for Decatur Morgan Hospital. Air Evac Lifeteam provides aeromedical services for the city of Decatur and North Alabama.

Decatur is served by two hospitals, Decatur General Hospital and Parkway Medical Center. Decatur General Hospital is a 273-bed, general acute care hospital and a 64-bed behavioral medicine hospital making it the third largest employer in Morgan County. Decatur General is accredited by the Joint Commission and its medical staff consists of more than 200 physicians representing 20 specialties. Decatur General Hospital is designated as a level two trauma center by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Parkway Medical Center is a 120-bed hospital that is designated as a level three trauma center by the Alabama Department of Public Health. As of January 1, 2012, Huntsville Hospital is the full owner of Parkway Medical Center. Parkway was formally a private not-for-profit hospital until their purchase from the public Huntsville Hospital System. Huntsville Hospital is the region's referral center and also serves as North Alabama's level one trauma center. As of November 2010, Decatur General Hospital and Huntsville Hospital are affiliate hospitals, ensuring the continued tradition and excellence of public, not-for-profit health care in North Alabama.

Notable people

 * Joseph Abbott, U.S. congressman from 1887 to 1897
 * Richard W. Austin, U.S. congressman from 1909 to 1919
 * Cynthia Bailey, model (Real Housewives of Atlanta)
 * Loren C. Ball, amateur astronomer, discoverer of asteroid 34351 Decatur
 * Taye Biddle, professional football player
 * Lucas Black, actor
 * Alonzo Boone, Negro League baseball pitcher and manager
 * Marv Breeding, Major League baseball second baseman
 * Cedrick Bridgeforth, Methodist bishop
 * Deonte Brown, former University of Alabama lineman and national champion
 * Anna Laura Bryan, Miss Alabama 2012
 * Rufus Columbus Burleson, Baptist preacher and two-time Baylor University president
 * Charlie Burse, blues musician
 * Kendrick Burton, professional football player
 * Jason Carthen, professional football player and public speaker
 * David Charles, neurologist
 * Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston, second wife of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India
 * Pop Gates, professional basketball player and Harlem Globetrotter
 * Chad Girodo, Major League baseball pitcher
 * Eugene C. Gordon, founder of Decatur Land Improvement and Furnace Company
 * Micky Hammon, convicted felon and former member of the Alabama House of Representatives
 * Christopher Columbus Harris, U.S. congressman from 1914 to 1915
 * Robin Henderson, associate director, Management, of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
 * Richard Hendrix, professional basketball player
 * Mae Jemison, first African American woman in space
 * Dean Jones, actor
 * Leslie Kelley, former New Orleans Saints linebacker
 * Seth Kimbrough, professional BMX rider, former front man of Mortal Treason
 * Gary Knotts, Major League baseball pitcher
 * Alan Koch, Major League baseball pitcher
 * Cricket Lee, entrepreneur and inventor
 * Donald Lourie, College Football Hall of Fame quarterback and former president of the Quaker Oats Company
 * Seybourn Harris Lynne, federal judge from 1946 to 1973
 * Rolando McClain, National Football League linebacker
 * Chuck Murphy, American Anglican bishop
 * Arthur Orr, member of the Alabama Senate since 2006
 * John O'Sullivan, conservative columnist and pundit
 * Luther Patrick, U.S. congressman 1937 to 1943
 * Josh Pearson, wide receiver and Super Bowl (LV) champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 * Ray Pepper, Major League Baseball outfielder
 * Bennie Perrin, former St. Louis Cardinals safety
 * Charles Redding Pitt, U.S. Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama; Democratic politician
 * Jerraud Powers, National Football League cornerback
 * Andy Price, comic artist, known for illustrating My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
 * Gary Redus, Major League baseball outfielder
 * Kristopher Reisz, novelist
 * Philip Rivers, National Football League quarterback
 * Johnny Sandlin, musician, recording engineer, record producer
 * Rip Sewell, Major League baseball pitcher
 * Charles Christopher Sheats, U.S. congressman from 1873 to 1875
 * Perry Stephens, actor and singer
 * Mandisa Stevenson, professional basketball player
 * David Stewart, former Tennessee Titans offensive tackle
 * Skip Stewart, aerobatic pilot
 * Travis S. Taylor, aerospace engineer and subject of Rocket City Rednecks
 * Gordon Terry, bluegrass and country music fiddler and guitarist
 * Randy Thornhill, entomologist and evolutionary biologist
 * Carson Tinker, long snapper for the Los Angeles Rams
 * Judith Toups, birder and columnist for the Sun Herald of Biloxi
 * Phil Waldrep, Southern Baptist preacher and minister
 * Don Whitmire, College Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle
 * Mildred Wolfe, artist

title: Decatur, Alabama


text:
Elkmont, Alabama

Elkmont is a town in Limestone County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 434, down from its record high of 470 in 2000.

History
Elkmont began as a stop known as "Fort Hampton" along the newly-constructed Tennessee and Alabama Central Railroad in 1859. The name was changed to "Elkmont," after the elk that once flourished in the area, in 1866. The Tennessee and Alabama Central eventually became part of the L&N Railroad system, which built the current depot (now used as a community center) in 1887. The railroad tracks have since been removed, and are now part of the Richard Martin Trail. Elkmont incorporated in 1873.

During the Civil War, the Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle was fought just south of Elkmont in September 1864. The site is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Elkmont is located at 34.93028°N, -86.97722°W (34.930155, -86.977086). The town is concentrated around the intersection of County Road 49 (Upper Fort Hampton Road) and the old railroad line (now the Richard Martin Trail), several miles north of Athens, and a few miles south of the Alabama-Tennessee state line. Interstate 65 passes to the east of Elkmont, and the Elk River passes to the west. State Route 127 runs along a portion of Elkmont's western municipal boundary.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 470 people, 172 households, and 136 families residing in the town. The population density was 292.9 PD/sqmi. There were 189 housing units at an average density of 117.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 83.40% White, 15.11% Black or African American, 1.06% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 1.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 172 households, out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,771, and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,654. About 15.9% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.9% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Elkmont is home to the Belle Chevre artisanal goat cheese maker, as well as VINYL Revival-a record/HI-FI and local music scene establishment. The ELECTRICFIL Corporation, a subsidiary of French Group EFI Automotive, employs nearly 150 people in the Elkmont area.

The Richard Martin Trail passes through Elkmont along the old rail line.

Education
It is in the Limestone County School District.

Notable people

 * Michael Boley, professional football linebacker
 * The Delmore Brothers, country music singers and early stars of the Grand Ole Opry
 * Billy Hogan, singer/songwriter
 * Horace Elmo Nichols, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia from 1975 to 1980

title: Elkmont, Alabama