Barbour County, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbour County
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Barbour County Courthouse in Clayton
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Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
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 Alabama's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alabama |
| Founded | December 18, 1832 |
| Named for | James Barbour |
| Seat | Clayton |
| Largest city | Eufaula |
| Area | |
| • Total | 905 sq mi (2,340 km2) |
| • Land | 885 sq mi (2,290 km2) |
| • Water | 20 sq mi (50 km2) 2.2% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,223 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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24,585  |
| • Density | 27.871/sq mi (10.761/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
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Barbour County is a county in the southeastern part of Alabama. In 2020, about 25,223 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Clayton. The biggest city in the county is Eufaula. The county is named after James Barbour, who was a Governor of Virginia.
Contents
History of Barbour County
Barbour County was created on December 18, 1832. It was formed from land that once belonged to the Muscogee people and a part of Pike County. Between 1763 and 1783, this area was part of the British colony called British West Florida. After 1783, it became part of the United States.
The Muscogee Creek people were later moved to lands west of the Mississippi River. The rich soil in Barbour County was perfect for large cotton farms. These farms relied on the work of enslaved people. Because of this, for many years, most of the people living in the county were Black. Today, the population is mostly white, but Black residents still make up over 46% of the people.
In 1833, Louisville was chosen as the first county seat. But in 1834, the county seat was moved to Clayton. This was because Clayton was more in the center of the county. The county's borders changed a few times in the 1860s. A historical event called the Election Riot of 1874 happened near Comer.
By the 1870s, Eufaula had grown much larger than Clayton. People debated if the county seat should move to Eufaula, the business center. To solve this, a law was passed in 1879. It created county courts in both Eufaula and Clayton. Today, Barbour County still has two courthouses.
Geography and Nature
Barbour County covers about 905 square miles. Most of this is land (885 square miles), and about 20 square miles is water. The county is in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama.
Main Roads
U.S. Highway 82
U.S. Highway 431
State Route 10
State Route 30
State Route 51
State Route 95
State Route 130
State Route 131
State Route 165
State Route 198
State Route 239
Neighboring Counties
- Russell County - to the northeast
- Quitman County, Georgia - to the east
- Stewart County, Georgia - to the east
- Clay County, Georgia - to the southeast
- Henry County - to the south
- Dale County - to the south
- Pike County - to the west
- Bullock County - to the northwest
Protected Areas
- Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge (part of it is in Barbour County)
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 12,024 | — | |
| 1850 | 23,632 | 96.5% | |
| 1860 | 30,812 | 30.4% | |
| 1870 | 29,309 | −4.9% | |
| 1880 | 33,979 | 15.9% | |
| 1890 | 34,898 | 2.7% | |
| 1900 | 35,152 | 0.7% | |
| 1910 | 32,728 | −6.9% | |
| 1920 | 32,067 | −2.0% | |
| 1930 | 32,425 | 1.1% | |
| 1940 | 32,722 | 0.9% | |
| 1950 | 28,892 | −11.7% | |
| 1960 | 24,700 | −14.5% | |
| 1970 | 22,543 | −8.7% | |
| 1980 | 24,756 | 9.8% | |
| 1990 | 25,417 | 2.7% | |
| 2000 | 29,038 | 14.2% | |
| 2010 | 27,457 | −5.4% | |
| 2020 | 25,223 | −8.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 24,585 | −10.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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What the 2020 Census Shows
The 2020 United States census counted 25,223 people living in Barbour County. This included 9,345 households and 6,187 families.
The table below shows the different groups of people living in Barbour County over the years.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Not Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 14,788 | 12,837 | 11,086 | 50.93% | 46.75% | 43.95% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 13,369 | 12,820 | 11,850 | 46.04% | 46.69% | 46.98% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 119 | 60 | 58 | 0.41% | 0.22% | 0.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 83 | 107 | 103 | 0.29% | 0.39% | 0.41% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 24 | 0 | 0.02% | 0.09% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 4 | 13 | 63 | 0.01% | 0.05% | 0.25% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 191 | 209 | 553 | 0.66% | 0.76% | 2.19% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 478 | 1,387 | 1,510 | 1.65% | 5.05% | 5.99% |
| Total | 29,038 | 27,457 | 25,223 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, there were 27,457 people in the county. About 48% were White, and 46.9% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and people of two or more races. About 5.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Education in Barbour County
Barbour County has two public school systems. Around 7,100 students attend public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade.
The county also has one public college. Wallace Community College has a campus in Eufaula.
School Districts
The school districts in Barbour County are:
- Barbour County School District
- Eufaula City School District
Towns and Communities
Cities
Towns
- Bakerhill
- Blue Springs
- Clayton (This is the county seat)
- Louisville
Small Communities (Unincorporated)
- Batesville
- Elamville
- Spring Hill
Fun Places to Visit
Barbour County is home to several cool places to visit. These include Lakepoint Resort State Park, Blue Springs State Park, and the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge.
Famous People from Barbour County
Governors from Barbour County
Barbour County has produced more governors of Alabama than any other county. Six elected governors and two acting governors have lived here. In 2000, the Barbour County Governors' Trail was created. It honors these eight important leaders from the county.
Later governors like Chauncey Sparks, the Wallaces, and Jere Beasley came from different backgrounds.
| Alabama governors from Barbour County | ||
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| Name | In Office | Hometown |
| John Gill Shorter | 1861–1863 | Eufaula, AL |
| William Dorsey Jelks | 1901–1907 | Eufaula, AL |
| Braxton Bragg Comer | 1907–1911 | Spring Hill, AL |
| Charles S. McDowell | July 10,11, 1924 | Eufaula, AL |
| Chauncey Sparks | 1943–1947 | Eufaula, AL |
| George Corley Wallace | 1963–1967, 1971–1979, 1983–1987 | Clio, AL |
| Jere Beasley | June 5 – July 7, 1972 | Clayton, AL |
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Barbour (Alabama) para niños
