Brilliant, Alabama Facts for Kids

Brilliant's story began in the late 1800s. People discovered a lot of coal nearby. This led to the creation of the Aldridge Mining Company in 1897. Later, in 1906, it became the Brilliant Coal Company. This company helped the town grow and gave many people jobs for over 50 years.

For a long time, there were two closely linked communities: Brilliant and Boston. In 1957, the Alabama government officially combined Boston into Brilliant. The name 'Boston' was then no longer used. Boston was named after an early settler, Jimmy L. Bostick.

The name "Brilliant" comes from the shiny, high-quality coal found near the town. This coal was known to burn very brightly. It had very little ash or sulfur. The Brilliant Coal Company stopped its mining operations in 1953. However, smaller mining companies continued in the area until the early 1990s.

Around the year 1900, the Brilliant and Boston area was the most crowded part of Marion County.

From 1987 to 2000, Brilliant was home to Brilliant Homes Ltd. This company made mobile homes. The factory closed in 2000 because fewer people were buying manufactured homes.

Today, some companies still employ people in Brilliant. These include Tullahoma Industries, which makes clothes for the U.S. Army. Stone Canyon Cabins also builds small cabins where the old Brilliant Homes plant used to be.

Geography of Brilliant

Brilliant is located in the southeastern part of Marion County. It is near the city of Winfield to the south and Guin to the west. Interstate 22 runs through the southern part of the town. You can get to Brilliant from Exit 30 (via State Route 129) and Exit 26 (via State Route 44). Hamilton, the main town of Marion County, is about 18 miles to the northwest.

The town of Brilliant covers about 10.6 square miles of land. There is no recorded water area within the town limits. Bostick Creek and Little Clifty Creek flow through the town. These creeks are part of the Little New River, which eventually flows into the Sipsey River and then the Tombigbee River.

Population Changes

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1930	522	—
1940	591	13.2%
1950	700	18.4%
1960	749	7.0%
1970	726	−3.1%
1980	871	20.0%
1990	751	−13.8%
2000	762	1.5%
2010	900	18.1%
2020	845	−6.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate

As of the year 2000, there were 762 people living in Brilliant. Most of the people were White. A small number were Native American or of two or more races. Some residents were also of Hispanic or Latino background.

About 27.7% of homes had children under 18. Many homes were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.22 people. The average family had about 2.81 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 22.7% were under 18. About 19.6% were 65 or older. The average age in the town was 41 years old.

The average income for a household in Brilliant was $18,224 in 2000. For families, the average income was $27,857. About 26.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 37.3% of those under 18.