Acton is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in
Shelby County, in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.
It is partially located within the city of
Hoover. It is not to be confused with the village of
Acton Acton may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Mount Acton
Australia
* Acton, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Acton, Tasmania, a suburb of Burnie
* Acton Park, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, formerly known as Acton
Canada ...
, approximately miles to the northeast in
Jefferson County.
History
Alabama Fuel & Iron Company established coal mines at Acton and the company town of Acton grew up around them. The mines were served by the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.
Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of the ...
. On November 18, 1913, 21 miners were killed by an explosion in Mine Number 2. After the mines closed, the area was converted into the Riverchase real estate development.
A post office was established at Acton in 1908, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1926. The community was likely named for William Acton, a local businessperson in the mining industry.
In the 1970s, the land was developed into the Riverchase residential planned community, which was annexed into
Hoover, Alabama
Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby counties in north central Alabama, United States. Hoover is the largest suburban city in Alabama and the 6th largest city in Alabama. The city had a population of 92,606 as of the 2020 US Census. Hoover ...
in 1980.
Demographics
Acton/Highland Precinct (1870-1950)
According to the census returns from 1850-2010 for Alabama, Acton village has never reported a population figure separately on the U.S. Census. Acton (Precinct 12 of Shelby County) first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census (not to be confused with Acton's Precinct 15, which appeared in 1880 and was moved to Jefferson County, where the other Acton village is located). Acton Precinct only appeared under this name on this one occasion. Prior to 1920 and again from 1930 to 1950 the name was Highland Precinct, which first appeared on the 1870 census as Shelby County Beat 4 and then Beat/Precinct 12 from 1880-onwards. In 1960, the precincts were merged and/or reorganized into census divisions (as part of a general reorganization of counties) and it was consolidated into the census division of
Helena. In 1980, that census division was consolidated into the new division of
Alabaster-Helena.
1980 AL Census
/ref>
References
External links
Pictures of Acton coal mines
Unincorporated communities in Shelby County, Alabama
Unincorporated communities in Alabama
{{ShelbyCountyAL-geo-stub