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Butler County, Alabama facts for kids

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Butler County
Butler County Courthouse in Greenville
Butler County Courthouse in Greenville
Official seal of Butler County
Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Butler County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Alabama
Founded December 13, 1819
Named for William Butler
Seat Greenville
Largest city Greenville
Area
 • Total 778 sq mi (2,020 km2)
 • Land 777 sq mi (2,010 km2)
 • Water 1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 19,051
 • Estimate 
(2023)
18,382 Decrease
 • Density 24.487/sq mi (9.455/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 2nd
  • County Number 10 on Alabama Licence Plates

Butler County is a county located in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. In 2020, about 19,051 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Greenville. The county is named after Captain William Butler. He was a soldier who fought in the Creek War and passed away in May 1818.

History of Butler County

Butler County was created on December 13, 1819. It was formed from parts of Conecuh County, Alabama and Monroe County, Alabama. This happened during the very first meeting of the Alabama Legislature as a state. At first, they thought about naming it Fairfield, but they changed it to Butler to honor Captain William Butler.

People started settling in Butler County a long time ago. Some say it was as early as 1814. The first settler that everyone agrees on was James K. Benson. He moved to the Flat area in 1815 and built a log house. Other families soon followed him, settling near what would become Fort Dale.

Geography of Butler County

Butler County covers a total area of about 778 square miles. Most of this area, 777 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 1.1 square miles, is water. The county is located in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of Alabama. This area is generally flat and close to the Gulf of Mexico.

Main Roads in Butler County

These are some of the most important roads that go through Butler County:

  • I-65 (AL).svg Interstate 65
  • US 31.svg U.S. Highway 31
  • Alabama 10.svg State Route 10
  • Alabama 106.svg State Route 106
  • Alabama 185.svg State Route 185
  • Alabama 245.svg State Route 245
  • Alabama 263.svg State Route 263

Neighboring Counties

Butler County shares its borders with these other counties:

Population of Butler County

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 1,405
1830 5,650 302.1%
1840 8,685 53.7%
1850 10,836 24.8%
1860 18,122 67.2%
1870 14,981 −17.3%
1880 19,649 31.2%
1890 21,641 10.1%
1900 25,761 19.0%
1910 29,030 12.7%
1920 29,531 1.7%
1930 30,195 2.2%
1940 32,447 7.5%
1950 29,228 −9.9%
1960 24,560 −16.0%
1970 22,007 −10.4%
1980 21,680 −1.5%
1990 21,892 1.0%
2000 21,399 −2.3%
2010 20,947 −2.1%
2020 19,051 −9.1%
2023 (est.) 18,382 −12.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2020, the population of Butler County was 19,051 people. There were 6,506 households and 4,331 families living in the county.

Education in Butler County

Butler County has one main public school district. About 3,000 students attend public schools from kindergarten through 12th grade in the county.

School Districts

The main school district serving Butler County is:

  • Butler County School District

Communities in Butler County

Butler County has one city, two towns, and several smaller, unincorporated communities.

City

  • Greenville (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

Famous People from Butler County

Many interesting people have connections to Butler County:

  • William Butler – A soldier during the Creek War, who the county is named after.
  • Hilary A. Herbert – He served as the Secretary of the Navy for President Grover Cleveland.
  • Robert Scothrup Lee – A farmer and a veteran of the Confederate army.
  • William Lee – A politician, judge, and military officer.
  • Warren A. Thompson – An explorer.
  • Hank Williams – A very famous country music singer.
  • Earnie Shavers – A well-known heavyweight boxer.
  • Janie Shores – A justice on the Alabama Supreme Court.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Butler (Alabama) para niños

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