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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
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 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.

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

  • 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

Adjacent counties

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

2020 census

Butler County, Alabama – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity 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%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 4 3 46 0.02% 0.01% 0.24%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (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

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

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

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