Union Springs is a city in and the county seat of

Bullock County, Alabama Bullock County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,357. Union Springs was chosen as the county seat in 1867, and presently is the county's only incorporated city. The county was named for Co ...

, United States. The population was 3,980 at the 2010 census.

History

The area that became Union Springs was first settled by white men after the Creek Indian removal of the 1830s. Twenty-seven springs watered the land, giving rise to the name of Union Springs. The city was incorporated on January 13, 1844. Voters selected Union Springs as the county seat when Bullock County was formed in 1866.

Geography

Union Springs is located in southeastern Alabama near the center of Bullock County at 32°8'24.407" North, 85°42'46.094" West (32.140113, -85.712804). The source of the

Conecuh River The Conecuh River (upper portion) and Escambia River (lower portion) are a single river in the southern United States, which flows from Alabama through Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. The Conecuh River rises near Union Springs, Alabama and flow ...

is within the city limits. Union Springs AL from airplane

The city is located at the intersection of

U.S. Route 82 U.S. Route 82 (US 82) is an east–west United States highway in the Southern United States. Created on July 1, 1931 across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas, US 82 eventually became a route extending from the White Sands of New ...

and

U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 or U.S. Highway 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida, to Ellicott City, Maryland, just west of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, in the Eastern United Stat ...

. Route 82 leads east to Eufaula and northwest to Montgomery, the state capital. Route 29 leads north to Tuskegee and southwest to

Troy Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...

. 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 ...

, Union Springs has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.93%, is water.

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, Union Springs 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.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,358 people, 1,353 households, and 856 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,980 people, 1,461 households, and 915 families residing in the city.The population density was . There were 1,664 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 71.8%

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 ...

, 12.9%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.1%

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 ...

, 12.8% from other races, and .8% from two or more races.

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 were 17.0% of the population. There were 1,461 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.4% were married couples living together, 32.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.27. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 29.5% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $22,476, and the median income for a family was $26,167. Males had a median income of $37,689 versus $21,372 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 $20,485. About 39.0% of families and 44.4% 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 73.9% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

From 1845 to 1872, the leader of the town was the intendant. A new charter, which created a six-member council and mayor, for the town was approved on March 1, 1870. Henry Clay Tompkins was elected as the town's first mayor in January 1872. William Owen Baldwin was elected mayor in 1881, but died in 1883. James Blackmon Powell was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy and served until 1885.

Education

Union Springs is served by the Bullock County School District. There are two high schools in the city: Bullock County High School and Bullock County Career Technical Center. There is one middle school, South Highlands Middle School, and one elementary school, Union Springs Elementary. Conecuh Springs Christian School is a private school for grades K through 12.

Media

Newspaper

* Union Springs Herald

Radio

* WQSI 93.9 FM (

Modern Rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. ...

)

Infrastructure

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Union Springs Post Office. The

Alabama Department of Corrections The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) is the agency responsible for incarceration of convicted felons in the state of Alabama in the United States. It is headquartered in the Alabama Criminal Justice Center in Montgomery. Alabama has re ...

operates the Bullock Correctional Facility in an

Unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

Bullock County Bullock County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,357. Union Springs was chosen as the county seat in 1867, and presently is the county's only incorporated city. The county was named for Con ...

, east of Union Springs.Bullock Correctional Facility
."

. Retrieved on July 1, 2011.

Economy

A cotton growing region, the arrival of the railroad spurred new economic growth after the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, 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.J ...

. By the early 1900s, many of the old cotton plantations had become hunting preserves, attracting tourists. The city remains the economic hub of the surrounding agricultural counties. A major employer in the city is Bonnie Plants, Inc., a plant wholesaler founded in 1918 with revenue exceeding over $250 million by 2020.

Recreation and culture

Union Springs hosts annual

field trial A field trial is a competitive event for gun dogs. Field trials are conducted for pointing dogs and setters, retrievers and spaniels, with each assessing the different Dog type, types various working traits. In the United States, field trials a ...

s for

hunting dog A hunting dog is a Dog, canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different Dog type, types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, cur type dogs, and ...

s. These trials take place between October and March and attract participants from around the country.

Notable people

* Henry Babers, Christian evangelist, Bible teacher, and scholar * Winton M. Blount,

United States Postmaster General The United States postmaster general (PMG) is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The PMG is responsible for managing and directing the day-to-day operations of the agency. The PMG is selected and appointed by ...

(1969–1972) * John Warren Branscomb,

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the

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 ...

* Edith Burroughs, first African American to win a professional

bowling Bowling is a Throwing sports#Target sports, target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball, ball toward Bowling pin, pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to ''bowling'' are ...

tournament in the United States *

Helen Claire Helen Claire (October 18, 1911January 12, 1974)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 54. was an actress on Broadway theatre, Broadway ...

, Broadway actress *

John Henrik Clarke John Henrik Clarke (born John Henry Clark; January 1, 1915July 16, 1998) was an African-American historian, professor, prominent Afrocentrist, and pioneer in the creation of Pan-African and Africana studies and professional institutions in acad ...

, Pan-Africanist * Fate Echols, NFL player * Lucy Feagin, first woman to operate a drama school in New York City * Seal Harris, former heavyweight

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: *Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing * Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

Jimmy Hitchcock James Franklin Hitchcock Jr. (June 28, 1911 – June 24, 1959) was an American college football player and Major League Baseball player during the Depression Era. Hitchcock played for the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University (then A ...

, first All-American football player at Auburn University *

Eddie Kendricks Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American tenor singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temp ...

, co-founder of

The Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...

* Thom S. Rainer, President and CEO,

LifeWay Christian Resources Lifeway Christian Resources, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is the Christian media publishing and distribution division of the Southern Baptist Convention and provider of church business services. Until the end of its physical retail presence ...

* Tim Stowers, college football coach * Mary Hardway Walker, one of the last surviving enslaved people

Gallery

File:Bullock County Courthouse.jpg, The Bullock County Courthouse in Union Springs 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 ...

. File:Union Springs Alabama At Sunset 2.JPG, Union Springs at sundown File:Sardis Baptist Church Union Springs Alabama.JPG, Sardis Baptist Church, located just outside Union Springs, was added to the

on November 29, 2001. File:Treaty of Fort Jackson Historical Marker.JPG, A historical marker near Union Springs shows the Indian Territory boundary line created by the

Treaty of Fort Jackson The Treaty of Fort Jackson (also known as the Treaty with the Creeks, 1814) was signed on August 9, 1814 at Fort Jackson near Wetumpka, Alabama following the defeat of the Red Stick (Upper Creek) resistance by United States allied forces at ...

. File:Mrs. Hugh Foster House, 201 Kennon Street, Union Springs (Bullock County, Alabama).jpg, Foster House is listed on the

. File:Life-size bronze statue of an English pointer, Union Springs, Alabama LCCN2010638588.tif, Bird dog monument, Life-size bronze statue of an English pointer

References

External links

Union Springs tourism website

Bullock County School District
{{authority control Cities in Alabama Cities in Bullock County, Alabama County seats in Alabama Populated places established in 1835