Russellville, Alabama
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Russellville is a city in Franklin County in 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 ...
. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 10,855, up from 9,830 at the 2010 census. The city is 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 Franklin County.


History

After the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
, the U.S. government appropriated money to improve a route from
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
to
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. It was named Jackson's Military Road after
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...
, and it passed through what became Russellville. (Present-day Jackson Avenue and Jackson Highway, U.S. Route 43, follow portions of the original road.) Russellville is named after Major William Russell, an early settler in the area who helped in the construction of Jackson's Military Road. The town grew at this road's intersection with the Gaines Trace. Russellville was incorporated on November 27, 1819.'A Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama: Containing the Statutes and Resolutions in Force at the End of the General Assembly in January 1823''. Published by Ginn & Curtis, J. & J. Harper, Printers, New-York, 1828. Title 62. Chapter XXIV. Pages 812-813
"An Act to Establish and Incorporate the Town of Russelville, in County of Franklin.—Passed November 27, 1819." (Google Books)
/ref> Russellville served as the first county seat from 1818-1849 before it was removed to Frankfort (which served from 1849-1879). After the fire at the courthouse in the third county seat of Belgreen in 1890, the seat was returned to Russellville in 1891.


Geography

Russellville is located in northeastern Franklin County. U.S. Route 43 passes through the eastern side of the city, leading north to Muscle Shoals on the
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 ...
and southwest to
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. Alabama State Route 24 passes through the south side of the city, leading east to Decatur on the Tennessee River and west to Red Bay at the
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
border. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Russellville has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.79%, is water.


Climate


Demographics


2010 census

At the 2010
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 ...
, there were 9,830 people and 3,556 households. The population density was . There were 3,882 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 73.68%
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 ...
, 11.25%
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 ...
, 0.35% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.27%
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 ...
, 7.54% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. 12.64% 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. There were 3,556 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03. Age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there are 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males. The
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $25,333, and the median family income was $35,799. Males had a median income of $27,238 versus $18,551 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 $14,871. About 16.7% of families and 22.2% 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 29.2% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,855 people, 3,238 households, and 2,244 families residing in the city.


Local features

Watermelon Festival - The annual "Watermelon Festival" is held each August in downtown Russellville, and includes music and entertainment, car and tractor shows, and arts and crafts. Roxy Theater - Built in 1949, the theater originally served primarily as a movie cinema, but saw a major decline in the early 1980s. It now has been revitalized as an entertainment venue due to the efforts of The Franklin County Arts and Humanities Council and the support of local citizens. King Drive-In - (Now closed as of 2024) The King Drive-In is located just north of Russellville on Highway 43. One of the few drive-in movie theaters still operating in Alabama, it plays currently released films throughout the spring and summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The theater features old-style speakers that hang on car windows, but also offers the soundtrack of films through FM radio broadcasts, as well. The Strip - From the 1960s until approximately 2000, "The Downtown Strip" had been a source of entertainment for local teenagers throughout Franklin County. This strip is best described as having the atmosphere of
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
' iconic film, '' American Graffiti''. Cruising the strip ended near the end of 2004 due to an increased local police presence in the area. RHS stadium - Russellville High School Stadium is a place where local residents watch the high school football team play. Russellville's football team ranks as one of the most successful teams in Alabama in terms of all-time playoff wins.


Local media

WMTY-TV features area events about the Russellville area including news and weather, though most programming is religious. Its translator station is W46DF-D. Radio stations include WKAX AM 1500, WGOL AM 920, and WPMR-LP 99.7 FM. Russellville's newspapers are
The Franklin Free Press
' and the
Franklin County Times
'.


Transportation

There is no fixed-route transit service in Russellville. However, the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments operates a dial-a-ride transit service known as NACOLG Transit.


Notable people

* Lee Clayton, rock and
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
musician and composer * Luther Duncan, pioneer of 4-H youth development, a director of the Alabama Extension Service (now Alabama Cooperative Extension System) and president of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now
Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...
).Smith, Jack D., "Information and Inspiration: An Early History of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service," (Unpublished Manuscript Prepared for Alabama Extension's 75th Anniversary), March 29, 1989. Born near Russellville. * Althea Brown Edmiston, Presbyterian missionary in the Belgian Congo * Junius Foy Guin Jr., federal judge * Gustav Hasford, writer and screenwriter. His semi-autobiographical novel '' The Short-Timers'' (1979) was the basis of the film '' Full Metal Jacket'' (1987) * Joey Manley, webcomic publisher and author * Sonequa Martin-Green, television actress * Bryson Mitchell, racing driver * Madeline Mitchell, Miss Alabama USA 2011 * Chucky Mullins, collegiate football player * T. Ray Richeson, former professional football player and head coach of Livingston State College (now the University of West Alabama) from 1953 to 1956 * Thomas William Sadler, U.S. congressman from 1885 to 1887. Born near Russellville. * Arron Sears, professional football player


References


External links


City of Russellville official websiteRussellville Police Department

Downtown Russellville Strip
(unofficial "fan" site) {{authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Franklin County, Alabama County seats in Alabama Populated places established in 1819 1819 establishments in Alabama