Fort Payne, Alabama

Fort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,877. The city is the county seat of DeKalb County.  The city calls itself the "Official Sock Capital of the World."

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred here in 2003.U.S. Geological Survey: Fort Payne, Alabama Earthquake of 29 April 2003

Local Attractions

Fort Payne has the headquarters for the nearby Little River Canyon National Preserve, a 14000 acre National Park Service facility.  The canyon itself is at Lookout Mountain outside the city limits.  Another attraction is DeSoto State Park, a smaller facility with a lodge, restaurant, cabins, and river access areas.

Education
Fort Payne is served by the Fort Payne City Schools system which includes:
Wills Valley Elementary (K-2)
Williams Avenue Elementary (3-4)
Fort Payne Middle School (5-8)
Fort Payne High School (9-12)

Fort Payne is also served by the Northeast Alabama Community College which is in Rainsville.

Health care
DeKalb Regional Medical Center- 134 bed facility

Media
Radio stations
WFPA-AM 1400 (News/Talk)
WZOB-AM 1250 (Country)
Newspapers
The Times-Journal
The DeKalb Advertiser

Transportation
25px  Interstate 59
25px U.S. Highway 11
25px  Alabama State Route 35
Norfolk Southern Railway
25px Isbell Field (municipal airport)

Notable natives and residents
Miles C. Allgood (1878–1977), United States Congressman
Jeff Cook,  Teddy Gentry, and Randy Owen, founders of the Country music band Alabama
Lt. Gen. Duward Crow (1919–1997), Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, USAF and Associate Deputy Administrator, NASA
Howard Finster (1916–2001), religious folk artist and Baptist minister
Flock Family (NASCAR drivers)
Bob Flock (1918–1964)
Fonty Flock (1921–1972)
Tim Flock (1924–1998)
Ethel Mobley (1920–1984)
Milford W. Howard, United States Congressman and writer
Lt. Gen. Forrest S. McCartney(ret.), USAF and director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center
Larry Nelson, professional golfer
Philip Ober (1902–1982), actor
Lilius Bratton Rainey (1876–1959), United States Congressman
Ron Sparks, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee
Katherine Stinson, pioneer female pilot, fourth woman in the U.S. to become a licensed pilot

References

Category:County seats in Alabama
Category:Cities in Alabama