Colbert County () is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals. The county is named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, who were

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, United States. Their traditional territory was in northern Mississippi, northwestern and northern Alabama, western Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky. Their language is ...

chiefs in the early 19th century in this territory. Ultimately the federal government forced the removal of most of the Chickasaw and other historic tribes from the Southeast. Colbert County is part of the Florence–Muscle Shoals, AL metropolitan statistical area, also known as "The Shoals".

History

The Chickasaw and Cherokee peoples are the earliest known inhabitants of Colbert County, an area that was part of their territories for hundreds of years. Before they emerged, there were earlier cultures of indigenous peoples who established settlements and seasonal villages for thousands of years in the area. In the 1810s, settlers began to settle in an area at a crossroads that developed as Leighton, Alabama. Colbert County was originally established during the Reconstruction era after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

on February 6, 1867. The state legislature split it from Franklin County over political issues. It was abolished eight months later on November 29, 1867 by an Alabama constitutional convention. The general assembly on December 29, 1869 authorized an election to determine if the former county residents wanted their county restored. A vote then took place on January 6, 1870. The county was then reestablished by the legislature on February 24, 1870. In 1890, the eastern boundary of Colbert County was changed from County Line Road to Town Creek; this resulted in all of the town of Leighton placed within Colbert County. Colbert County is the location of Ivy Green, the birthplace of noted author and activist Helen Keller. Colbert County includes the cities of Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, where many popular American and British musicians, such as

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...

and the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

, respectively, recorded music. Also located in Colbert County is the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard established in 1937. Coon dogs were bred and trained for hunting in this region.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.7%) is water. The county's elevation ranges from 410 feet at the Tennessee River in northwestern Colbert County to 980 feet in southeastern Colbert County at the broadcast facility's tower of WQPR-FM/WFIQ-TV.

National protected area

* Natchez Trace Parkway (part)

River

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...

Major creeks

* Bear Creek * Cane Creek * Mulberry Creek * Spring Creek * Town Creek

Waterfalls

* Cane Creek Canyon Waterfall * Rainbow Branch Waterfall * Wilson Dam Waterfall

Notable springs

* Big Spring at Tuscumbia * Buzzard Roost Spring at Margerum * Chalybeate Spring at Littleville * Milk Springs at Colbert Heights * Shegog Spring at Ford City

Notable mountains

* Bald Knob * Coburn Mountain * Colbert Mountain * Hawk Pride Mountain * LaGrange Mountain * Mountain Mills Ridge * Sand Mountain * Underwood Mountain * Wagnon Mountain * Wheeler Mountain

Adjacent counties

* Lauderdale County, Alabama - north * Lawrence County, Alabama - southeast * Franklin County, Alabama - south * Tishomingo County, Mississippi - west

Transportation

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 43 * U.S. Highway 72 * State Route 13 * State Route 17 * State Route 20 * State Route 133 * State Route 157 * State Route 184 * State Route 247 * Natchez Trace Parkway

Rail

* Norfolk Southern Railway - freight lines going South, East, and West.Alabama Railway Map
. 2008. Alabama Department of Transportation. Accessed March 15, 2012.

Airports

* Big River Airpark * Northwest Alabama Regional Airport

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 57,227 people, 21,880 households, and 14,797 families residing in the county.

2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census Bureau: There were 22,461 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% 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 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,954, and the median income for a family was $39,294. Males had a median income of $32,112 versus $20,107 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $17,533. About 11.10% of families and 14.00% 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 ...

, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 54,984 people, 22,461 households, and 16,037 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 24,980 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 78.52%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(non-Hispanic), 16.62%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.37% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.34% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race.

Politics

Although historically a Democratic stronghold, Colbert County is now heavily Republican. The last Democrat to carry the county in a presidential election was

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...

, who won its votes with a narrow 49% plurality.

Communities

Cities

* Muscle Shoals *

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

* Tuscumbia (county seat)

Towns

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

* Leighton * Littleville

Unincorporated communities

* Allsboro * Barton * Buzzard Roost * Ford City * Hatton * Listerhill * Maud * Mountain Mills * Nitrate City *

Pride Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...

* Spring Valley * Village Number 1

Education

Colleges

* Northwest Shoals Community College

School districts

The following school districts are in the county:
Text list
/ref> * Colbert County School District * Muscle Shoals City School District * Sheffield City School District * Tuscumbia City School District

Colbert County School System

* Cherokee Elementary School * Cherokee High School * Colbert County High School * Colbert Heights Elementary School * Colbert Heights High School * Hatton Elementary School * Leighton Elementary School * New Bethel Elementary School

Muscle Shoals City School System

* Muscle Shoals High School * Muscle Shoals Middle School * Muscle Shoals Career Academy * Highland Park Elementary School * Howell Graves Preschool * McBride Elementary School * Webster Elementary School

Sheffield City School System

* Sheffield High School * Sheffield Junior High School * L.E. Wilson Elementary School * W.A. Threadgill Primary School

Tuscumbia City School System

* Deshler High School * Deshler Middle School * Deshler Career Technical Center * G.W. Trenholm Primary School * R.E. Thompson Intermediate School

Parks and Recreation

* Alabama Wildlife Refuge Area at Pleasant Site * Avalon Park, Tuscumbia * Buzzard Roost Park, Margerum * Colbert County Park, Pride and Margerum * Highland Park, Tuscumbia * John W. Gattman Park, Muscle Shoals * Colbert Ferry Park, Cherokee * North Alabama State Fair Park, Tuscumbia * Park West, Tuscumbia * Rivermont Park on the Tennessee River, Tuscumbia * Rosetrail Park, Margerum * Spring Park, Tuscumbia * Tenth Avenue Park, Sheffield * Thomas State Wildlife Refuge, Barton * York Terrace Park, Sheffield

Historical Sites and Attractions

* Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Tuscumbia * Barton Hall, Cherokee - National Historic Landmarks * Belle Mont Mansion/Plantation * Cane Creek Canyon and Natural Preserve * Colbert County Courthouse Square Historic District, Tuscumbia * Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard of Key-Underwood, Cherokee * F.A.M.E. Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals * Ivy Green - Birthplace of Helen Keller, Tuscumbia * LaGrange College Site and Monument, Leighton * Natchez Trace Parkway * Nitrate Village Number 1 Historic District, Sheffield * Old Railroad Bridge of 1839 on the Tennessee River * Rosenwald School site, Cherokee * Tennessee Valley Art Museum, Tuscumbia * Tuscumbia Railroad Depot Museum * TVA Walking Trails and Recreation Area * Wilson Lock and Dam, Muscle Shoals See also: * National Register of Historic Places listings in Colbert County, Alabama * Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Colbert County, Alabama

Annual Events

* Belle Mont Celtic Fest - May * Muscle Shoals Area Street Rods Car Show Festival - May * Recall LaGrange Commemorations - May * North Alabama African Heritage Festival - June * Leighton Juneteenth Celebration - June * Helen Keller Festival - June * W.C. Handy Music Festival - July * Coon Dog Labor Day Celebration - September * "Oka Kapassa" – Return to Cold Water American Indian Festival - September * Annual Christmas Parades of Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield - December

In popular culture

* Colbert County was featured in a three-part comedy feature on

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...

's '' The Colbert Report'' from November 28–30, 2006. * Colbert County is the setting for the Drive-by Truckers song, "Putting People on the Moon"

Notable People

* Arthur Alexander * Jason Allen - American football * Beverly Barton * Lefty Bates * Deion Belue * Boyd Bennett * Robert Byrne - songwriter * Marcel Black * Archibald Hill Carmichael * Pete Carr * Amanda Chase * George Colbert * Levi Colbert * Mike Cooley (musician) * Dominique Croom * Ben Cunningham (activist) * Rece Davis * Bobby E. Denton * James Deshler *

Leon Douglas Leon Douglas (born August 26, 1954) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before transitioning to an extensive professional career overseas in Europe. ...

* Cecil Dowdy * Alecia Elliott * Henry S. Foote * Douglas A. Foster * Al Gamble * Wayne Greenhaw * Wendell Wilkie Gunn * Rick Hall * Howell Heflin * Kelvin Holly * Dennis Homan * David Hood * Patterson Hood * Jimmy Hughes * Richard H. Jackson * Rick James (baseball) * Jimmy Johnson (session guitarist) * Helen Keller * John W. Keys * Adam Lazzara * Maud McKnight Lindsay * Robert B. Lindsay * Frank Manush * Heinie Manush * Guy Morton * Alfred Huger Moses * Stan Munsey * Ozzie Newsome * Gary Nichols * Margaret Pellegrini * Anthony Piccione * Will Reynolds * Willie Ruff * Wimp Sanderson * William Henry Sawtelle * Mark Sears * Herschel Sizemore * Joseph Humphrey Sloss * William H. Steele * Phillip Swann * Percy Sledge * Leigh Tiffin * Chris Tompkins * Fred Thompson * Wilson D. Watson * Ed West * John Paul White * William Willis

References

External links

Colbert County official websiteColbert County TourismCity of Tuscumbia official website
{{Coord, 34, 40, 36, N, 87, 49, 02, W, region:US-AL_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki, display=title Alabama counties Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area 1867 establishments in Alabama Populated places established in 1867