St. Clair County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the central portion of 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 sove ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

."ACES Winston County Office" (links/history),

Alabama Cooperative Extension System The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama Extension) provides educational outreach to the citizens of Alabama on behalf of the state's two land grant universities: Alabama A&M University (state's 1890 land-grant institution) and Auburn U ...

(ACES), 2007, webpage
ACES-St.Clair
As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,103. It has two

county seats A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Ashville Ashville or Asheville may refer to: Places United States * Ashville, Alabama * Ashville, Louisville, Kentucky * Ashville, New York * Asheville, North Carolina ** Asheville metropolitan area ** Asheville School ** Asheville High School ** Ashe ...

and

Pell City Pell City is a city in and one of the county seats of St. Clair County, Alabama, United States, other seat being Ashville. At the 2020 census, the population was 12,939. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695. It was hom ...

. It is one of two counties in

, and one of 33 in the United States, with more than one

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

. Its name is in honor of General Arthur St. Clair, an officer in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

. St. Clair County is included in the

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

- Hoover, Alabama

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

St. Clair County was established on November 20, 1818, by the

Alabama Territory The Territory of Alabama (sometimes Alabama Territory) was an organized incorporated territory of the United States. The Alabama Territory was carved from the Mississippi Territory on August 15, 1817 and lasted until December 14, 1819, when it ...

legislature by splitting the area from Shelby County. The county seat was incorporated and named "Ashville" in honor of John Ash. In 1836, a portion of St. Clair County was separated to establish

Cherokee County Cherokee County is the name of eight counties in the United States: * Cherokee County, Alabama * Cherokee County, Georgia * Cherokee County, Iowa * Cherokee County, Kansas * Cherokee County, North Carolina * Cherokee County, Oklahoma * Cherokee Co ...

and

DeKalb County DeKalb County may refer to one of several counties in the United States, all of which were named for Baron Johan DeKalb: * DeKalb County, Alabama * DeKalb County, Georgia * DeKalb County, Illinois * DeKalb County, Indiana * DeKalb County, Missour ...

. In 1866, after the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, a northeast section of the county was used to create

Etowah County Etowah County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 103,436. Its county seat is Gadsden. Its name is from a Cherokee word meaning "edible tree". In total area, it i ...

. Due to the relatively high terrain of the far southern end of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

which divides the county in a northeast–southwest orientation, and the difficulty of communication and administration from either side of the county to the other, a second county seat was established in

to better provide administration and services to the southeast side of the county. In 2019, St. Clair County became the seventh county in Alabama to adopt its own flag.

Geography

According to the

United States 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 t ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.3%) is water.

Adjacent counties

- northeast *

Calhoun County Calhoun County is the name of several counties in the United States of America named after U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun: * Calhoun County, Alabama * Calhoun County, Arkansas * Calhoun County, Florida * Calhoun County, Georgia * Calhoun Cou ...

- east * Talladega County - southeast * Shelby County - southwest * Jefferson County - west * Blount County - northwest

Transportation

Major highways

* Interstate 20 *

Interstate 59 Interstate 59 (I-59) is an Interstate Highway located in the southeastern United States. It is a north–south route that spans from a junction with I-10 and I-12 at Slidell, Louisiana, to a junction with I-24 near Wildwood, Georgia. ...

* U.S. Route 11 * U.S. Route 78 * U.S. Route 231 *

U.S. Route 411 U.S. Route 411 (US 411) is an alternate parallel-highway associated with US 11. US 411 extends for about from US 78 in Leeds, Alabama, to US 25W/ US 70 in Newport, Tennessee. US 411 travels through no ...

* State Route 23 * State Route 34 * State Route 144 * State Route 174

Rail

Alabama and Tennessee River Railway The Alabama and Tennessee River Railway is a shortline railway operating (via lease) over trackage formerly operated by CSX Transportation. The line's western terminus is a junction with the CSX (former Louisville and Nashville Railroad) main li ...

* Norfolk Southern Railway Historically, the Southern Railway ran several daily passenger trains, including the ''

Kansas City-Florida Special Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

'' and an Atlanta-Birmingham section of the ''

Piedmont Limited The ''Piedmont Limited'' was a named passenger train operated by the Southern Railway in the southern United States. For most of its life it was a New York—New Orleans train, operating over the same route as the more famous '' Crescent Li ...

,'' making stops in Pell City. The ''Sunnyland'' made signal stops as well. The last trains made stops in 1967. Today, the nearest passenger service is

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

's ''

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...

'' in Anniston 30.6 miles to the east.

Demographics

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 64,742 people, 24,143 households, and 18,445 families living in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile (39/km²). There were 27,303 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile (17/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the county was 90.03% White, 8.13% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000 the largest ancestry groups in St. Clair county were: *

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

71% *

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

13.1% * African 8.13% *

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

8% * Scots-Irish 3.5% *

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

2.4% * Scottish 2% Of the 24,143 households 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.80% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.60% were non-families. 20.80% of households were one person and 8.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.01. The age distribution was 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males. The median household income was $37,285 and the median family income was $43,152. Males had a median income of $33,914 versus $24,433 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,960. About 9.60% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 83,593 people, 31,624 households, and 23,364 families living in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile (51/km²). There were 35,541 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile (22/km²). The

of the county was 88.2% White, 8.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 2.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 31,624 households 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 22.5% of households were one person and 8.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.02. The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% 65 or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males. The median household income was $48,837 and the median family income was $56,107. Males had a median income of $43,287 versus $32,843 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,192. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the

, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

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 91,103 people, 32,829 households, and 25,409 families residing in the county.

Government

Communities

Cities

(county seat) *

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...

(mostly in Jefferson County and Shelby County) * Margaret * Moody *

(county seat) * Springville * Trussville (mostly in Jefferson County)

Towns

* Argo (partly in Jefferson County) * Odenville * Ragland * Riverside *

Steele Steele may refer to: Places America * Steele, Alabama, a town * Steele, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Steele, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Steele, Missouri, a city * Lonetree, Montana, a ghost town originally called Steele ...

Vincent Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer''). People with the given name Artists *Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor *Vincent van Gogh ...

(partly in Shelby County and Talladega County)

Unincorporated communities

* Acmar * Cooks Springs * Cropwell * Hill Number 1 *

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

* Pinedale Shores * Prescott * Sportsmen Lake * St. Clair Springs *

Wattsville Wattsville is a small village in the Sirhowy Valley, eight miles north west of Newport, built in the 20th century for accommodation for mine workers. Amenities Modern Wattsville consists of two villages, Wattsville and Brynawel. It consists of o ...

Whitney Whitney may refer to: Film and television * ''Whitney'' (2015 film), a Whitney Houston biopic starring Yaya DaCosta * ''Whitney'' (2018 film), a documentary about Whitney Houston * ''Whitney'' (TV series), an American sitcom that premiered i ...

Former Towns

* Branchville (now a neighborhood in Odenville)

Places of interest

St. Clair County is home to Logan Martin Lake. It also contains Horse Pens 40, a private outdoor park on top of Chandler Mountain.

References

External links

*
Official Site
{{authority control 1818 establishments in Alabama Territory Populated places established in 1818 Birmingham metropolitan area, Alabama Counties of Appalachia