Dayton is a town in Marengo County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 28 at the 2020 census.

History

Dayton began to be settled in the early 19th century, with a town survey done and a "public well" established in 1832. The post office was established in 1837. It was incorporated on January 13, 1844. A devastating tornado hit the town in 1852. By 1860 the town had male and female academies, a hotel,

cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); ...

, oil mill, blacksmith shop, tavern, cabinet shop, drug store, and several general merchandise stores. The town also had several large homes, though most are now gone. One of the survivors, the William Poole House, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The decrease in agricultural activity over the last century has reduced the population to a fraction of what it once was.

Geography

Dayton is located in northeastern Marengo County at (32.349733, -87.641247). It is northeast of Linden, 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 ...

, and southeast of Demopolis, the largest city in the county. 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 ...

, Dayton has a total area of , all land. The town sits on a ridge that drains southeast to Dry Creek and northwest to Little Dry Creek, both tributaries of Chickasaw Bogue, which flows west across the county to the Tombigbee River.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 28 people, 7 households, and 4 families residing in the city. There were 12 housing units.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 census, there were 60 people, 20 households, and 15 families residing in the town. There were 28 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 65% Black or African American and 35% White. There were 20 households, out of which 20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50% were married couples living together, 20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25% were non-families. 25% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.27. In the town, the population was spread out, with 36.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 13.3% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.3 males. The median income for a household in the town was $12,500, and the median income for a family was $6,250. Males had a median income of $32,917 versus $30,417 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 town was $10,235. There were 66.7% of families and 58.7% of the population living 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 50.0% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Dayton has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Notable people

* Sarah Byrd Askew, public librarian who pioneered the establishment of county libraries in the United States * Bill Poole, politician

References

{{authority control Towns in Marengo County, Alabama Towns in Alabama Populated places established in 1832 1832 establishments in Alabama