Butler County, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Butler County
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Butler County Courthouse in Greenville
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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 |
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| State |  Alabama |
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| 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)
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| • Total | 19,051 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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18,382  |
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| • Density | 24.487/sq mi (9.455/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
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Butler County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,051. Its county seat is Greenville. Its name is in honor of Captain William Butler, who was born in Virginia and fought in the Creek War, and who was killed in May 1818.
Contents
History
Butler County was formed from Conecuh County, Alabama, and Monroe County, Alabama, by an act passed December 13, 1819, by the Legislature while in session at Huntsville. This was the first session of the Legislature of Alabama as a State. The name of Fairfield was first proposed for this county, but was changed on the passage of the bill to Butler, in honor of Captain William Butler.
The precise date of the first settlement made by whites in Butler County is unclear. Some have it as early as 1814, but the earliest settler of no dispute is James K. Benson, who settled in the Flat in 1815, where he built a log house near the current location of Pine Flat Methodist Church. He was soon followed by William Ogly and John Dickerson and their families, who settled on the Federal Road, some 3 miles (4.8 km) south of where later Fort Dale was built. In the fall of 1816, a group of people from Georgia settled in a tent camp in Pine Flat, and the year after, another group settled near Fort Dale.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km2), of which 777 square miles (2,010 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.1%) is water. It is located in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of the state.
Major highways
Interstate 65
U.S. Highway 31
State Route 10
State Route 106
State Route 185
State Route 245
State Route 263
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Adjacent counties
- Lowndes County (north)
- Crenshaw County (east)
- Covington County (southeast)
- Conecuh County (southwest)
- Monroe County (west)
- Wilcox County (northwest)
Demographics
| 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 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 12,429 | 11,324 | 9,679 | 58.08% | 54.06% | 50.81% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 8,671 | 9,047 | 8,389 | 40.52% | 43.19% | 44.03% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 44 | 59 | 23 | 0.21% | 0.28% | 0.12% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 34 | 174 | 143 | 0.16% | 0.83% | 0.75% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 4 | 3 | 46 | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.24% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 74 | 142 | 506 | 0.35% | 0.68% | 2.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 143 | 191 | 260 | 0.67% | 0.91% | 1.36% |
| Total | 21,399 | 20,947 | 19,051 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,051 people, 6,506 households, and 4,331 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 20,947 people living in the county. 54.4% were White, 43.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
Education
Butler County contains one public school district. There are approximately 3,000 students in public PK-12 schools in Butler County.
Districts
School districts include:
- Butler County School District
Communities
City
- Greenville (county seat)
Towns
Unincorporated communities
- Bolling
- Chapman
- Forest Home
- Garland
- Industry
- Pine Flat
- Saucer
- Spring Hill
- Wald
Notable people
- William Butler, militiaman during the Creek War
- Hilary A. Herbert, Secretary of the Navy under President Grover Cleveland
- Robert Scothrup Lee, farmer and Confederate veteran
- William Lee, politician, judge, and militia officer
- Warren A. Thompson, explorer
- Hank Williams, country singer
- Earnie Shavers, hardest hitting heavyweight boxer
- Janie Shores, Alabama Supreme Court justice
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Butler (Alabama) para niños
