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Madison County, Alabama
Madison County Courthouse May 2011 02
Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville, Alabama
Map of Alabama highlighting Madison County
Location in the state of Alabama
Map of the U.S
Alabama's location in the U.S.
Founded December 13, 1808[1]
Seat Huntsville
Largest city Huntsville
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

812.85 sq mi (2,105 km²)
804.92 sq mi (2,085 km²)
7.93 sq mi (21 km²), 0.98%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

388,153
414/sq mi (160/km²)
Website www.co.madison.al.us

Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.

It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the first to visit the state of Alabama. According to the 2020 Census, the population was 388,153. Its county seat is Huntsville. Madison County covers parts of the former Decatur County.

History[]

Madison County was established on December 13, 1808 by the governor of the Mississippi Territory.[1] It is recognized as the "birthplace" of Alabama, which was founded there on December 14, 1819. For much of the county's history, the economy revolved mainly around agriculture. Madison County was one of the largest cotton-producing counties in the state, and textile mills operated around the county.

This changed when a group of German rocket scientists, led by Wernher von Braun, came to Redstone Arsenal in 1950. They developed, among others, the Redstone rocket, which was modified to launch the first two Americans into space. Tens of thousands of jobs came to the area as a result of the Space Race, and the population of Madison County rose from 72,903 in 1950 to an estimated 2005 population of 298,192.

Geography[]

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 812.85 square miles (2,105.3 km2), of which 804.92 square miles (2,084.7 km2) (or 99.02%) is land and 7.93 square miles (20.5 km2) (or 0.98%) is water.[2]

The topography in the southern and eastern portions of the county is dominated by the dissected remnants of the Cumberland Plateau, such as Keel Mountain, Monte Sano Mountain and Green Mountain. The northern and western portions of the county are flatter.

Major highways[]

  • I-565 (AL) Interstate 565
  • US 72 U.S. Highway 72 (University Drive in Huntsville city limits)
  • US 231 U.S. Highway 231 (Memorial Parkway in Huntsville city limits)
  • US 431 U.S. Highway 431 (Governors Drive in Huntsville city limits)
  • Alabama 53 State Route 53 (Jordan Lane in much of Huntsville city limits)
  • Alabama 255 State Route 255 (Research Park Boulevard)

Rail[]

  • Norfolk Southern Railway
  • Huntsville and Madison County Railroad Authority

Rivers[]

  • Tennessee River
  • Flint River
  • Paint Rock River

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics[]

Madison County, Alabama
Year Pop. ±%
1820 17,481
1830 27,990 +60.1%
1840 25,706 −8.2%
1850 26,427 +2.8%
1860 26,451 +0.1%
1870 31,267 +18.2%
1880 37,625 +20.3%
1890 38,119 +1.3%
1900 43,702 +14.6%
1910 47,041 +7.6%
1920 51,268 +9.0%
1930 64,623 +26.0%
1940 66,317 +2.6%
1950 72,903 +9.9%
1960 117,348 +61.0%
1970 186,540 +59.0%
1980 196,966 +5.6%
1990 238,912 +21.3%
2000 276,700 +15.8%
2010 334,811 +21.0%
2020 388,153 +15.9%
Sources: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov.  through 1960

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 276,700 people, 109,955 households, and 75,319 families residing in the county. The population density was 344 people per square mile (133/km2). There were 120,288 housing units at an average density of 149 per square mile (58/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.06% White, 22.78% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Nearly 1.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the the census[3] of 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Madison County were English 50.2%, African 22.78%, Scots-Irish 8.71%, Irish 4.3%, Scottish 4.12%, and Welsh 2.9%

There were 109,955 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 53.40% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. Nearly 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,704, and the median income for a family was $54,360. Males had a median income of $40,779 versus $26,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,091. About 8.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Madison County was formerly an overwhelmingly Democratic county as with most of the rest of Alabama, with only a narrow loss by Al Smith in 1928 due to Prohibitionist anti-Catholicism[4] disrupting this trend until the 1960s. Even in 1964, the county nearly voted against Barry Goldwater due to its opposition to the Arizona Senator’s privatization plans for the Tennessee Valley Authority. However, since that time, the county has become solidly Republican, with the only national Democratic nominee to carry the county since 1960 being Deep South native Jimmy Carter in 1976. In the 2016 election, Gary Johnson had his best showing in the state, carrying 4.05% of the vote. The county is trending less Republican recently, 58.9% in 2004, 56.9% in 2008, 58.47% in 2012, 54.79% in 2016. For counties supporting Donald Trump in 2016, it was the 4th narrowest margin.

The governing body of the county is a commission. The commission is responsible for levying the county tax, establish, maintain, and discontinue county roads and bridges. The commission is also responsible for the county jail as well as the sheriff's department. The County Commission is composed of seven members. A Chairman is elected at-large by the county while each of the other six members is elected by their districts. Each commissioner serves a four-year term.[5]

United States presidential election results for Madison County, Alabama[6]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 102,780 52.77% 87,286 44.82% 4,701 2.41%
2016 89,520 54.79% 62,822 38.45% 11,047 6.76%
2012 90,884 58.47% 62,015 39.90% 2,529 1.63%
2008 86,965 56.88% 64,117 41.93% 1,817 1.19%
2004 77,173 58.88% 52,644 40.17% 1,245 0.95%
2000 62,151 54.85% 48,199 42.53% 2,968 2.62%
1996 50,390 49.96% 42,259 41.90% 8,209 8.14%
1992 51,444 47.71% 38,974 36.14% 17,416 16.15%
1988 53,575 67.06% 25,800 32.29% 519 0.65%
1984 50,428 64.54% 26,881 34.40% 825 1.06%
1980 30,604 47.03% 30,469 46.82% 3,999 6.15%
1976 20,959 36.59% 35,497 61.96% 831 1.45%
1972 38,899 73.42% 13,108 24.74% 977 1.84%
1968 13,213 25.43% 8,004 15.41% 30,736 59.16%
1964 14,279 51.93% 0 0.00% 13,217 48.07%
1960 5,299 32.34% 10,959 66.88% 128 0.78%
1956 2,993 24.63% 9,054 74.52% 103 0.85%
1952 1,623 16.36% 8,216 82.82% 81 0.82%
1948 466 13.22% 0 0.00% 3,060 86.78%
1944 455 8.39% 4,951 91.33% 15 0.28%
1940 566 9.28% 5,515 90.44% 17 0.28%
1936 514 8.26% 5,661 91.01% 45 0.72%
1932 559 10.35% 4,792 88.76% 48 0.89%
1928 2,695 50.11% 2,681 49.85% 2 0.04%
1924 368 14.23% 2,166 83.76% 52 2.01%
1920 489 14.64% 2,822 84.49% 29 0.87%
1916 215 8.69% 2,206 89.17% 53 2.14%
1912 150 5.47% 2,146 78.21% 448 16.33%
1908 277 11.13% 2,168 87.10% 44 1.77%
1904 182 7.87% 2,119 91.61% 12 0.52%
1900 1,679 31.27% 3,641 67.80% 50 0.93%
1896 2,548 37.73% 4,056 60.06% 149 2.21%
1892 3 0.05% 3,046 45.72% 3,614 54.24%
1888 2,595 54.77% 2,136 45.08% 7 0.15%



Education[]

The Madison County School System runs public schools throughout the unincorporated areas of the county and the incorporated and unincorporated communities of Gurley, New Hope, Meridianville, Hazel Green, Toney, Monrovia, New Market, and Owens Cross Roads. The system runs 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 5 high schools and a ninth grade school, and a career/technical center.

High schools in the Madison County School System are:

  • Buckhorn High School (New Market, Alabama)
  • Hazel Green High School
  • Madison County High School (in Gurley)
  • New Hope High School
  • Sparkman High School (in Harvest)

There are a number of private schools serving Madison County. These include Madison Academy, Westminster Christian Academy, Faith Christian Academy, and several others.

Municipalities and census-designated places[]

Populated places with more than 100,000 inhabitants[]

Populated places with more than 25,000 inhabitants[]

  • Madison (42,984)

Populated places with more than 5,000 inhabitants[]

  • Harvest (5,281)
  • Meridianville (6,021)
  • Moores Mill (5,682)

Populated places with more than 2,500 inhabitants[]

  • Hazel Green (3,630)
  • New Hope (2,810)

Populated places with more than 1,000 inhabitants[]

  • New Market (1,597)
  • Owens Cross Roads (1,521)
  • Redstone Arsenal (1,946)

Populated places with less than 1,000 inhabitants[]

  • Triana (496)
  • Toney (137)

Places of interest[]

Madison County is home to Monte Sano State Park, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and part of the Flint River. It also contains Hampton Cove Golf Course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Huntsville, Alabama
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Alabama
  • Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Madison County, Alabama
  • Redstone Arsenal cemeteries

References[]

  1. ^ a b 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 10. Chapter II. Page 80-81. "By Robert Williams, Governor of the Mississippi Territory." (Google Books)
  2. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
  3. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  4. ^ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 214, 261 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  5. ^ "Madison County Commission". https://www.madisoncountyal.gov/government/about-your-county. 
  6. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 34°45′57″N 86°33′28″W / 34.76583, -86.55778


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Madison County, Alabama. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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