Citronelle, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Citronelle, Alabama
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| Nickname(s):
"The Best Kept Secret in Southern Alabama"
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Location in Mobile County, Alabama
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Mobile |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.12 sq mi (67.65 km2) |
| • Land | 25.84 sq mi (66.94 km2) |
| • Water | 0.28 sq mi (0.71 km2) |
| Elevation | 312 ft (95 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,946 |
| • Density | 152.68/sq mi (58.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36522
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| Area code(s) | 251 |
| FIPS code | 01-15064 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0116155 |
Citronelle is a city on the northern border of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,946. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area and is about 34 miles (55 km) north of Mobile.
Contents
History
This was long a part of the territory for thousands of years for indigenous peoples. By the time of European contact, members of the historical tribes of Choctaw and Creek people hunted in the area.
The area now known as Citronelle was first explored by the French in the 18th century. The land was found to possess healing herbs and mineral springs. The area was settled in 1811 and established as a jurisdiction (incorporated) in 1892. The name "Citronelle" is French and is derived from the citronella plant, which grows throughout the town. In the late 19th century, the town became a popular resort destination because of the climate, herbs, and healing waters. Many hotels were built to accommodate the surge of visitors.
On May 4, 1865, one of the last significant Confederate armies was surrendered by Lieutenant General Richard Taylor under the "Surrender Oak." This was the third in a series of five major surrenders that ended the war. The two previous surrenders occurred at Appomattox Court House, Virginia between General Robert E. Lee and General Ulysses S. Grant; and the second and largest at Bennett Place near Durham, North Carolina between General William T. Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston.
A living history/reenactment of the surrender occurs each year in Citronelle. The historic "Surrender Oak" no longer stands as it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1902.
In 1955, oil was discovered in the area. Today Citronelle is known as the oil capital of Alabama.
Geology
Citronelle sits atop the Citronelle Dome, a salt dome that is still rising, as shown by the centrifugal drainage of streams away from the center. In 1955 oil was discovered in this geologic structure at a greater depth than had previously been considered as feasible, and so the Citronelle Dome was among the first of many "deep" oil fields.
"Citronelle Dome is a giant salt-cored anticline in the eastern Mississippi Interior Salt Basin of southwest Alabama. The dome forms an elliptical structural closure containing multiple opportunities for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and saline reservoir CO2 sequestration. Citronelle Oil Field, located on the crest of the dome, has produced more than 169 MMbbl (million barrels) of 42-46° American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity oil from the Lower Cretaceous Donovan Sand."
Geography
Citronelle is located at 31°05′34″N 88°14′40″W / 31.092653°N 88.244315°W and is approximately 28 miles (45 km) north of Semmes.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.7 square miles (64 km2), of which 24.4 square miles (63 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (1.01%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 250 | — | |
| 1880 | 169 | — | |
| 1900 | 696 | — | |
| 1910 | 935 | 34.3% | |
| 1920 | 932 | −0.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,082 | 16.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,057 | −2.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,350 | 27.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,918 | 42.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,935 | 0.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,841 | 46.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,671 | 29.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,659 | −0.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,905 | 6.7% | |
| 2020 | 3,946 | 1.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,592 | 65.69% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 782 | 19.82% |
| Native American | 232 | 5.88% |
| Asian | 13 | 0.33% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 260 | 6.59% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 66 | 1.67% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,946 people, 1,412 households, and 1,021 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of 2010 Citronelle had a population of 3,905. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 70.7% white, 20.2% black or African American, 4.9% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.5% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or more races and 2.6% Hispanic or Latino from any race.
Education
The city is served by the Mobile County Public School System and has the following public schools: McDavid-Jones Elementary School (K-5), Lott Middle School (6-8), and Citronelle High School (9-12).
Notable people
- Bama Rowell, former professional baseball player, was born and raised here. Living in Citronelle throughout his adult life, he played for the Boston Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies.
See also
In Spanish: Citronelle (Alabama) para niños
