Colbert County, Alabama

Colbert County, Alabama
Colbert County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The county seat is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals.
The county is named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, who were Chickasaw 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 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, and 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 and the Rolling Stones, 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 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
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.
Airports
Big River Airpark
Northwest Alabama Regional Airport
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census 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 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 for the county was $17,533. About 11.10% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,984 people, 22,461 households, and 16,037 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 24,980 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 78.52% White or European American (non-Hispanic), 16.62% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Government
Colbert County is governed by a County Commission that is composed of six members, elected from single-member districts, numbered one through six, by the qualified voters residing within each district. The term of office is 4 years. The six districts are apportioned as provided by law. Each Commissioner resides in the same district he or she represents at the time of qualifying for office and during his or her tenure. The Chair of the Commission rotates among the six members of the commission with each Commissioner serving as chair for one-sixth of his or her four-year term of office. Regularly-scheduled meetings of the Colbert County Commission are held in the evenings of the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
Communities
Cities
Muscle Shoals
Sheffield
Tuscumbia (county seat)
Towns
Cherokee
Leighton
Littleville
Unincorporated communities
Allsboro
Barton
Buzzard Roost
Ford City
Hatton
Listerhill
Maud
Mountain Mills
Nitrate City
Pride
Spring Valley
Village Number 1
Education
Colleges
Northwest Shoals Community College
Public School Systems
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'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
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
Jimmie Orr
Margaret Pellegrini
Anthony Piccione
Will Reynolds
Willie Ruff
Wimp Sanderson
William Henry Sawtelle
Mark Sears
Herschel Sizemore
Joseph Humphrey Sloss
William H. Steele (judge)
Phillip Swann
Percy Sledge
Leigh Tiffin
Chris Tompkins
Fred Thompson
Ken Tribble
Wilson D. Watson
Ed West
John Paul White
William Willis (artiest)
References
External links
Colbert County official website
Colbert County Tourism
City of Tuscumbia official website
Alabama counties
Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area
1867 establishments in Alabama
Counties of Appalachia
Populated places established in 1867