Greenville, Alabama
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Greenville is a city in and 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 ...
of
Butler County, Alabama Butler County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,051. Its county seat is Greenville. Its name is in honor of Captain William Butler, who was born in Vi ...
, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,374. Greenville is known as the
Camellia ''Camellia'' (pronounced or ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in tropical and subtropical areas in East Asia, eastern and South Asia, southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are ...
City, wherein originated the movement to change the official Alabama state flower from the
goldenrod Goldenrod is a common name for many species of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, commonly in reference to the genus ''Solidago''. Several genera, such as ''Euthamia'', were formerly included in a broader concept of the genu ...
to the camellia with legislative sponsors LaMont Glass and H.B. Taylor. The city is approximately halfway between Montgomery and Mobile on
I-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 ...
.


History

Greenville was first settled in 1819. Its original name was Buttsville, but after becoming the county seat in 1822, its name was changed to Greenville, in remembrance of the former locale in South Carolina of many of the original settlers. The first county seat was at Fort Dale, a fortification that was named for Sam Dale, who fought to defend the area during the
Creek War The Creek War (also the Red Stick War or the Creek Civil War) was a regional conflict between opposing Native American factions, European powers, and the United States during the early 19th century. The Creek War began as a conflict within th ...
. The site of Fort Dale lies on the north of the city near the Fort Dale Cemetery, along what is now Alabama Highway 185. The namesake of the county, Captain William Butler, was killed during the Creek War. He is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, which is across from the oldest church in Butler County, the First
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...
of Greenville. During World War II, a satellite camp for German
prisoners A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a sentence in priso ...
was based in Greenville.


Geography

Interstate 65 Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, 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 th ...
and
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. I ...
pass through the city. Montgomery, the state capital, is northeast, the closest city to Greenville with a population above 50,000. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, Greenville has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.82%, is water.


Climate

The city of Greenville 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 ...
, with an average high temperature of and an average low temperature of . The city averages of precipitation per month.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,374 people, 2,356 households, and 1,496 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,135 people, 3,332 households, and 2,126 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 55.5%
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 ...
or
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 ...
, 41.7%
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 ...
, 0.0% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. 1.3% 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. In the city, 27.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.6% were 18 to 24, 25.0% were 25 to 44, 24.4% were 45 to 64, and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3. For every 100 females, there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males. There were 3,332 households. Of those, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.06. The median income for a household in the city was $26,664, and the median income for a family was $31,107. Males had a median income of $33,716 versus $24,928 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 city was $15,649. About 20.3% of families and 24.9% 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 30.1% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Prior to the Civil War, cotton farming was the main occupation in Butler County. Due to this, slave trade was very prominent in the surrounding areas such as the Alabama riverboat in Montgomery which paraded new slaves through the streets of downtown Montgomery. During the 1850s, the
Mobile and Ohio 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 ...
constructed a line through Greenville, enabling it to became the center of commerce between Montgomery and south Alabama. During the late nineteenth century, the construction 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 ...
through Greenville contributed further to Greenville's prosperity. In 1900, Gulf Red Cedar Company and Factory in Greenville was a bucket manufacturer in Greenville. As of 2009, Greenville had a diverse industrial manufacturing base of companies in the textile, wood products, automobile, and other industries. Major employers included Hwashin American Corporation, Hysco America Corporation, CorStone Industry, and Connector Manufacturing.


Arts and culture

The Ritz Theatre in Greenville hosts community events, plays, and an annual musical revue called "Puttin' on the Ritz". Each September, the city hosts the Butler County Fair, which includes the "Old Time Farm Day" featuring tractor races, blacksmithing and quilting demonstrations.


Parks and recreation

Cambrian Ridge is a golf course in Greenville. Sherling Lake Park and Campground has 41 campsites and surrounds two lakes east of the golf course.


Government

The local government of Greenville is run by the Mayor and City Council. The city council consists of five members each elected from single member districts. The city is located in
Alabama's 2nd Congressional District Alabama's 2nd congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It shares most of Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery metropolitan area, and in ...
and is currently represented by
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
Shomari Figures Shomari Coleman Figures (born September 3, 1985) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Alabama's 2nd congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Figures was first elected in 2024 with 54.6% ...
.


Education


Primary and secondary education

Public education is provided by the Butler County Board of Education. *High School: Greenville High School *Middle School: Greenville Middle School *Elementary School: W.O. Parmer Elementary and Greenville Elementary School Private schools in Greenville include Fort Dale Academy and Camellia City Christian School.


Post-secondary education

*Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, member of the Alabama Community College System awards two-year associate degrees and professional certificates.


Media


Radio stations

* WGYV 1380 AM (Talk) *
WKXN WKXN (95.7 FM, "The Big KD") is a radio station licensed to the community of Fort Deposit, Alabama, United States, and serving the Montgomery, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Autaugaville Radio, Inc. It airs an urban adult contemporary ...
95.7 FM (Urban Contemporary) * WQZX 94.3 FM


Newspaper

Weekly newspapers include ''The Greenville Standard'', and ''Greenville Advocate''.


Media filmed in Greenville

Residents were featured in the premiere episode of ''
My Kind of Town "My Kind of Town" or "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was originally part of the musical score for ''Robin and the 7 Hoods'', a 1964 musical film starring sever ...
'' (2005). The movie '' Honeydripper'' (2007), was filmed in locations around Greenville in 2006.


Notable people

* Ed Bell, country blues singer and guitarist *
Janice Rogers Brown Janice Rogers Brown (born May 11, 1949) is an American jurist. She served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2006 to 2017 and before that, Associate Justice of the Cal ...
, Judge of the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. courts of appeals, ...
* Beth Chapman,
Secretary of State of Alabama A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
from 2007 to 2013 * Leon Crenshaw, former
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
for the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
*
Marlon Davidson Marlon Davidson (born May 11, 1998) is an American professional American football, football defensive tackle. He played college football at Auburn Tigers football, Auburn and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2020 NFL ...
,
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
for the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
*
Walter Flowers Walter Winkler Flowers, Jr. (April 12, 1933 – April 12, 1984) was an American Democratic politician who represented Alabama's 5th congressional district and Alabama's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representati ...
, member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
from 1969 to 1979 *
Phil Hancock Phillip Ranson Hancock (October 30, 1953 – December 12, 2024) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. Early life Hancock learned to play golf growing up in Greenville, Alabama, from his father a local dentist. Hancoc ...
, professional golfer *
Lillian Hatcher Lillian Hatcher (1915–1998) was an African American riveter and union organizer. She was employed at the Briggs aircraft plant in Detroit when she first became active in union organizing after the company transferred a group of female employees ...
, union organizer *
Johnny Lewis Jonathan Kendrick Lewis (October 29, 1983 – September 26, 2012), also credited as Johnny K. Lewis, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for playing Kip "Half-Sack" Epps in the first two seasons of the FX series ''Sons ...
, former
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...
for the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
and
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
* Tommy Lewis, former
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
fullback and coach * George McMillan, 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Alabama * Mark Matthews,
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
veteran and Buffalo Soldier *
Rufus Payne Rufus "Tee Tot" Payne (February 4, 1883 – March 17, 1939) was an early-20th-century African-American blues musician from Greenville, Alabama, who was more widely known by his nickname Tee Tot. Payne's nickname of "Tee Tot" is an ironic pun f ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
musician * Lewis B. Porterfield,
Rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
* Bill Powell, first African American to design, construct and own a professional golf course in the United States *
Marty Raybon Marlon "Marty" Raybon (born December 8, 1959) is an American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of the country band Shenandoah, a role which he held from 1985 to 1997, until he rejoined the band in 2014 ...
,
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
singer of the group Shenandoah * Za’Darius Smith, linebacker for the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
* Thomas H. Watts, eighteenth governor of Alabama *
Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
,
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
singer; lived in Greenville briefly during childhood


Gallery

File:Greenville AL Greenville Depot.JPG, View of the old L&N train depot File:Greenville AL Confederate Park.JPG, View of Confederate Park File:Greenville AL Post Office.JPG, View of Greenville Post Office File:Greenville AL City Hall.JPG, View of Greenville City Hall


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Butler County, Alabama


References


External links

* {{authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Butler County, Alabama County seats in Alabama Populated places established in 1819 1819 establishments in Alabama