Choctaw County, Alabama Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Choctaw County

U.S. county

Choctaw County Courthouse and Confederate monument in Butler

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Alabama

Alabama's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Alabama

Founded

December 29, 1847

Named for

Choctaw tribe

Seat

Butler

Largest town

Butler

Area

• Total

921 sq mi (2,390 km²)

• Land

914 sq mi (2,370 km²)

• Water

7.4 sq mi (19 km²) 0.8%

Population

(2020)

• Total

12,665

• Estimate

(2023)

12,252

• Density

13.751/sq mi (5.3094/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

7th

County Number 15 on Alabama Licence Plates

Choctaw County is a county located in the southwestern part of Alabama. In 2020, about 12,665 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Butler. The county was started on December 29, 1847. It was named after the Choctaw tribe, a group of Native Americans.

History of Choctaw County
- Historic Places to Visit
Geography of Choctaw County
People of Choctaw County
- What the 2020 Census Shows
- What the 2010 Census Showed
Education in Choctaw County
- School Districts
Towns and Communities
See also

History of Choctaw County

Choctaw County was once part of the Choctaw Nation. There were Choctaw villages near Pushmataha. This was before many Native Americans were moved from the southeastern United States. This forced move is known as the Trail of Tears.

Most of the first European American settlers in Choctaw County were farmers. They came from North and South Carolina. In 1912, a railroad was built through the county. It connected the area to the Port of Mobile in the south. This caused people to move from areas near the Tombigbee River to the center of the county.

The county's population grew a lot in the 1920s. This was because of many jobs in the sawmill industry. Companies like E. E. Jackson Lumber Company created work. But the sawmill business struggled during the Great Depression. In 1944, the first successful oil well in Alabama was drilled in Gilbertown. Oil and gas then became very important to the county. This industry became less profitable by the 1970s.

In 1956, a magazine article featured an African-American family from Mobile. The article included an interview with Allie Lee Causey. She was a schoolteacher from Choctaw County. Mrs. Causey spoke about her family's life. She said that "integration is the only way in which Negroes will receive justice." She believed that equal pay and fair jobs would lead to better homes and education. After the article, the Causey family faced many challenges. They had to leave their home in Alabama in October 1956.

During the 1950s and 1960s, clothing factories opened in Silas, Toxey, and Butler. Most of these factories closed by the 2000s. Also in the 1950s, a paper mill was built in Naheola. Today, Georgia-Pacific owns and runs it. In September 1979, Hurricane Frederic caused a lot of damage. The county was declared a disaster area. In the 1980s, the main railroad closed down. Its tracks were removed.

Historic Places to Visit

Choctaw County has one special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the Mount Sterling Methodist Church. Also, five other sites are listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

Geography of Choctaw County

Choctaw County covers about 921 square miles. Most of this area, 914 square miles, is land. About 7.4 square miles (0.8%) is water.

Main Roads

U.S. Highway 84
State Route 10
State Route 17
State Route 114
State Route 156

Neighboring Counties

Sumter County (north)
Marengo County (northeast)
Clarke County (southeast)
Washington County (south)
Wayne County, Mississippi (southwest)
Clarke County, Mississippi (west)
Lauderdale County, Mississippi (northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge

People of Choctaw County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	8,389	—
1860	13,877	65.4%
1870	12,676	−8.7%
1880	15,731	24.1%
1890	17,526	11.4%
1900	18,136	3.5%
1910	18,483	1.9%
1920	20,753	12.3%
1930	20,513	−1.2%
1940	20,195	−1.6%
1950	19,152	−5.2%
1960	17,870	−6.7%
1970	16,589	−7.2%
1980	16,839	1.5%
1990	16,018	−4.9%
2000	15,922	−0.6%
2010	13,859	−13.0%
2020	12,665	−8.6%
2023 (est.)	12,252	−11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

What the 2020 Census Shows

**Choctaw County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition**
*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 (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	8,724	7,700	7,039	54.79%	55.56%	55.58%
Black or African American alone (NH)	6,985	5,990	5,217	43.87%	43.22%	41.19%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	24	18	24	0.15%	0.13%	0.19%
Asian alone (NH)	6	12	19	0.04%	0.09%	0.15%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	15	10	13	0.09%	0.07%	0.10%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	61	56	240	0.38%	0.40%	1.89%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	107	73	113	0.67%	0.53%	0.89%
Total	15,922	13,859	12,665	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2020, there were 12,665 people living in Choctaw County. There were 5,300 households and 3,440 families.

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were 13,859 people in the county. About 55.8% were White and 43.4% were Black or African American. A small number were Native American (0.1%), Asian (0.1%), or of other races. About 0.5% of people were Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Choctaw County

Choctaw County has one public school district. Around 1,100 students attend public schools from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.

School Districts

The main school district is:

Choctaw County School District

Towns and Communities

Choctaw County, Alabama facts for kids

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