Atmore is a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. It was incorporated in 1907. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,391. Atmore is in the planning stages to increase its economic base with additions in its new Rivercane development along the I-65 corridor. Atmore has completed requirements to be recognized as an Alabama Community of Excellence at the upcoming Alabama League of Municipalities Convention. City officials are also working with the Alabama Historical Commission to have the downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. On May 23, 2007, Atmore celebrated its centenary. The federally recognized Poarch Band of Creek Indians is headquartered in Atmore.

History

Atmore was first recorded as a stop (Williams Station) on the

Mobile and Great Northern Railroad Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...

. The town was originally going to be named "Carney", in honor of a prominent citizen who owned a sawmill in town. However, Mr. Carney had a brother who had already established a town nearby with the same name. he town then decided to let Mr. Carney name the town. He named it after his close friend C.P. Atmore, General Passenger Agent of 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 ...

. Despite it being named in his honor, Mr. Atmore never visited the town. In 2008 the city of Atmore annexed

Alabama Department of Corrections The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) is the agency responsible for incarceration of convicted felons in the state of Alabama in the United States. It is headquartered in the Alabama Criminal Justice Center in Montgomery. Alabama has rela ...

prison property, including

Holman Correctional Facility William C. Holman Correctional Facility is an Alabama Department of Corrections prison located in Atmore, Alabama. The facility is along Alabama State Highway 21, north of Atmore in southern Alabama. The facility was originally built to house ...

and

Fountain Correctional Facility Fountain Correctional Facility is an Alabama Department of Corrections prison located in Atmore, Alabama. The facility is located along Alabama Highway 21, about north of the Atmore city center. Its southern border is the Florida state line. The center of town is at the intersection of

U.S. Route 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. It ...

and Alabama State Route 21, while a new section of the city has been incorporated to the north around Exit 57 of

Interstate 65 Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gulf ...

. US 31 leads southwest to Bay Minette and east to Brewton. Mobile is to the southwest via US 31 and I-65, while

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...

, is south via AL 21,

Florida State Road 97 State Road 97 (SR 97) is a south-north two-lane highway entirely in Escambia County, Florida. It runs from County Road 95A, just southeast of U.S. Highway 29 in Molino, to the Alabama state line near Atmore, where it becomes State Route 21. ...

, and U.S. Route 29. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Atmore has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.34%, is water.

Demographics

Atmore first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated town. By 1930, it became the largest city in Escambia County, though lost the title to former holder Brewton in 1940. It became the largest city again in 1950 and has held the distinction to date (2010). In 2010, the city became majority Black for the first time.

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 8,391 people, 2,803 households, and 1,443 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, the population density was . There were 3,480 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 55.4% Black or African American, 39.3% White, 1.8% Native American, 0.3%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 1.8% of the population were Hispanic or

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 3,002 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% 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 3.09. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 155.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 207.4 males.

Atmore Census Division (1960-)

Atmore was created a census division in 1960 following the general reorganization of county precincts. Prior to 1960, Atmore was within the former Escambia County 7th precinct of Canoe.

Education

Escambia County Public School System Escambia County School System (ECSS), also known as Escambia County Schools, is a school district headquartered in Brewton, Alabama Brewton is a city in and the county seat of Escambia County, Alabama, Escambia County, Alabama, United States. ...

is the public school district of Atmore. Schools in Atmore include: Rachel Patterson Elementary School, Escambia County Middle School (the largest school in the system), and Escambia County High School (the first public county high school in the state of Alabama). It is also home to Atmore Christian School, as well as several other private schools and colleges including Reid state. Escambia Academy has at Atmore address but is not in the city limits. Prior to 1970, African-American children were not allowed to attend schools with white children, and attended

black schools https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/civil-rights-in-america/eisenhower-little-rock/ The History of African-American education deals with the public and private schools at all levels used by African Americans in the United Stat ...

such as the Escambia County Training School in Atmore. Atmore is home to an adjunct campus of Coastal Alabama Community College Brewton based in Brewton, which offers associate degrees and technical school training.

Government and infrastructure

Atmore is governed by a mayor and members of a city council elected from five districts within the city. The

, a prison of the

(ADOC), is within the city limits north of the center of Atmore.Annual Report Fiscal Year 2003
"

. 33/84. Retrieved on August 15, 2010. Holman has a male

death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting Capital punishment, execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of ...

and the State of Alabama execution chamber. In addition,

. Retrieved on July 4, 2011.

Local economy

For most of the 20th century, the Atmore area was primarily a farming, timber, and light industry community. Major commercial industries have been Masland Carpets, Alto, and a local lumber company. For many years, the Vanity Fair lingerie company operated a manufacturing sewing plant in Atmore, offering employment to local citizens and surrounding communities. With federal recognition and the founding of gaming casinos, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians near Exit 54 on I-65, northwest of the center of Atmore, has increased its relative economic contributions to the region. The tribe operates the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel, which provides for tourism and conferences, adjacent to I-65 Exit 57. Wind Creek is one of just a few four-diamond hotels in the state.

Transportation

Atmore is close to

(to the north).

US Highway 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. Its ...

and

Alabama Highway 21 State Route 21 (SR 21) is a state highway that extends from the Florida state line, near Atmore in Escambia County to Piedmont in Calhoun County. The route travels almost the entire length of the state from the northeast to the south ...

pass through the center of the city. In addition, the town is home to Atmore Municipal Airport with a 4,952 foot long runway. The town is serviced by two freight railroads, the Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway and

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

. Historically, Atmore was home to a Frisco Railway station, served by a section of the railroad's ''Sunnyland''

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self pr ...

north to Tupelo, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee, and south to Pensacola, Florida. A

Louisville and Nashville 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 ...

station was a stop for the ''Azalean'' (Cincinnati-New Orleans), the '' Piedmont Limited'' (New York-New Orleans) and local Montgomery-New Orleans trains. The Frisco service ended in 1955, and the L&N in 1971.

Atmore station Atmore station is a former train station in Atmore, Alabama. It formerly served Amtrak's ''Sunset Limited'' line. It has been closed since 2005, after Amtrak stopped service of the ''Sunset Limited'' east of New Orleans due to the effects of Hur ...

was later served by Amtrak's ''

Gulf Breeze Gulf Breeze is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida. It is a suburb of Pensacola, and is in the Pensacola Metropolitan Area. The population estimate was 6,900 in 2020. Gulf Breeze is located just north of Pensacola Beach, and south of Pensaco ...

'' train (Birmingham-Montgomery-Mobile) until that service ended in 1995.

Health care and recreation

Atmore Community Hospital, an affiliate of Infirmary Health Systems of Mobile, offers full acute care in a two-story facility. Atmore has several recreational and sports facilities, including Atmore Heritage Park and Claude D. Kelley State Park.

Local events

Mayfest — On the first Saturday in May at Tom Byrne Park, Atmore celebrates Mayfest with sports events, arts and crafts and a variety of food. There are many different forms of entertainment, including a Beautiful Baby Contest and a Pooch Parade. Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention — Musicians from across the state come to Atmore the third Saturday in July to compete for prizes in the

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bands and vocals division. A Taste of the South — Held annually at Heritage Park in September, A Taste of the South is an evening of entertainment and local food from the area's best cooks. Williams Station Day — Held the fourth Saturday of October, Williams Station Day celebrates Atmore's history beginning in 1866 as Williams Station. The event includes an arts and crafts show, an old time fiddlers' tent, professional entertainment, a model train show, and sugar cane mill. Poarch Creek Indian Pow-wow — The local Poarch Creek Indians host an authentic Thanksgiving annually. Visitors enjoy turkey, dressing, and roasted corn as dancers from many tribes gather to compete. Over 100 booths display arts and crafts, quilts and other keepsakes of the Creek Indian culture.

Notable people

* Paul Birch, actor and the original "Marlboro Man", born in Atmore *

Bobby Brantley Bobby Lynn Brantley (born April 6, 1948) is an American Republican politician from the State of Florida. He served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Florida, from 1987 to 1991. Brantley began his political career in 1978 when he was elected to ...

, 13th lieutenant governor of Florida * Marva Collins, American educator * Paul Crawford, jazz musician, music historian, and music arranger *

Glenn L. Emmons Glenn Leonidas Emmons (1895-1980) was an American banker and politician who served as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1953 to 1961 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, succeeding Dillon S. Myer. in addition, he was a candid ...

, commissioner of the

Bureau of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States federal agency within the Department of the Interior. It is responsible for implementing federal laws and policies related to American Indians and A ...

from 1953 to 1961, native of Atmore'' The New York Times''. "Indian Director Sworn In: Glenn L. Emmons Takes Office Succeeding Dillon S. Myer." August 11, 1953.
Steven C. Harris
Commercial pilot for

FedEx Corporation FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...

from 1984 until his retirement in 2010, native of Atmore *

Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the on ...

, four-time world heavyweight boxing champion, born in Atmore *

William C. Maxwell William Calvin Maxwell (November 9, 1892 – August 12, 1920) was an American pilot in the United States Army Air Service and namesake of Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Born in Natchez, Alabama, Maxwell was one of seven children o ...

, namesake of

Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...

Dr. Ulysses McBride
Past President of

Bishop State Community College Bishop State Community College (BSCC) is a Public college, public, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Community_college#United_States, community college with campuses and facilities throughout Mobile County, Alabama, ...

and Reid State Technical College *

Don McNeal Donald McNeal (born May 6, 1958) is a former American professional football player who played cornerback for the Miami Dolphins in the 1980s. McNeal was born and raised in Atmore, Alabama. He is a 1976 graduate of Escambia County (Alabama) High ...

, star defensive back for Alabama and the Miami Dolphins, born and raised in Atmore * Ron Middleton, former

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...

and NFL tight end *

Woodrow McClain Parker Woodrow McClain "Max" Parker (born April 23, 1941) is an American educator, mental health counselor, and author with a focus on multicultural counseling, training, and consultation. Prior to his retirement in 2016, was a professor of counselor ed ...

, Professor Emeritus, mental health counselor, and author * Michael Williams, NFL player *

Art White Arthur Pershing "Tarzan" White (December 6, 1915 – January 23, 1996) was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Chicago Cardinals. White's football career began at Atmore High Sch ...

, WWII Veteran, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, world heavyweight championship wrestler, former University of Alabama All-American, member of 1934 National Championship team, played alongside Paul "Bear" Bryant and Don Hutson, and NFL offensive guard player, 1938 NFL Championship winner, 1938 Pro Bowl

Climate

Climate is characterized by mild to high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is " Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).

Photo Gallery

File:2022-10-16 Atmore, Alabama - City Hall.jpg, Atmore City Hall File:Atmore Alabama Post Office.jpg, Atmore Post Office ( ZIP code: 36502) File:Library picture.jp
Atmore Public Library
File:2022-10-16 Atmore, Alabama - Fire Department.jpg, Atmore Fire Department File:Main Street Atmore Oct 2014 2.jpg, Main Street Atmore File:Main Street Atmore Oct 2014 1.jpg, Main Street Atmore File:2022-10-16 Atmore, Alabama - American Legion Post 90.jpg, Billy Glenn Rushing American Legion Post 90 File:Wind Creek Casino sign in Atmore, Alabama LCCN2010640198.tif, Atmore is home to the Wind Creek Casino. File:Owen-Lufkin House Oct 2014 1.jpg, The Owen-Lufkin House was built in 1906 and added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on August 22, 1985. File:2022-10-16 Atmore, Alabama - Railroad Bill Historic Marker.jpg, The notorious American outlaw Morris Slater, better known as " Railroad Bill", was gunned down in Atmore on March 7, 1896. A historic marker was placed in 2021 by th
Alabama Folklife Association
File:Atmore Municipal Airport.jpg,

Atmore Municipal Airport Atmore Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located east of the central business district of Atmore, a city in Escambia County, Alabama, United States. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 200 ...

References

External links

City of Atmore official website

Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians
{{authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Escambia County, Alabama 1907 establishments in Alabama Populated places established in 1907