Cordova, Alabama Facts for Kids

Cordova is a city in Walker County, Alabama, United States. It used to be a town known for its textile mills, which made fabric. The city was officially formed in 1897. In 2010, about 2,095 people lived there.

History of Cordova
Geography and Climate
- Climate in Cordova
Population Information
- Cordova Population in 2010
- Cordova Population in 2020
Education in Cordova
Famous People from Cordova
Images for kids
See also

History of Cordova

Cordova started as a small settlement called "Dent" or "Dent's Place" along the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River. In 1859, Captain Benjamin M. Long gave it the name "Cordova." He named it after a city in Mexico where he had been stationed during the Mexican–American War. Captain Long opened a store and helped bring new businesses to the area by offering land for them to build on.

The Indian Head Textile Mills

The most important company for Cordova was the Nashua Manufacturing Company from New Hampshire. They opened the Indian Head Textile Mills. This mill created many jobs for people in the city. Like many companies back then, they also built a whole village for their workers. They built over 100 houses, and many of them are still standing today.

The company even built the Indian Head school, which is now the Cordova Health and Rehabilitation Center. The mill also helped bring two major railways to the city. These railways connected Cordova to many other places nearby. The mill became so big it even had its own police force!

During World War II, Indian Head Mills was one of the most recognized textile mills. Their products were considered excellent by the government. Local residents often called the mill workers the "Cordova Spinners."

When the mill closed after 1962, it had a big impact on Cordova. More than 800 people lost their jobs. The city's population went down, and new businesses slowed. Meanwhile, the nearby city of Jasper grew and became the largest city in the county.

Cordova Today

Main Street in 2001, before the tornadoes

Cordova is hoping for new economic growth. It has good connections for trade, including access to the Gulf of Mexico through the Warrior and Alabama Rivers. Two major railways, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Norfolk Southern, also pass through. The city is also near Interstate 22, and a company called BAE Systems has recently moved there.

The Gilchrist House, located near Cordova, is a historic building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2011 Tornadoes in Cordova

On April 27, 2011, Cordova was hit by two strong tornadoes. An EF3 tornado struck early in the morning. Later that afternoon, around 5 p.m., an even stronger EF4 tornado hit the city. This afternoon tornado cut a path about half a mile wide through downtown.

The tornado destroyed most of the historic downtown area. This included the city hall, police station, fire station, the old Tallulah Hotel, the Piggly Wiggly grocery store, and People's Bank. Many other businesses in the central area were also badly damaged. The Long Memorial United Methodist Church was also heavily damaged, even though it had provided shelter for people in its basement.

Since the tornadoes, Cordova has worked hard to rebuild. They have completed several projects, including:

A new $1.5 million Piggly Wiggly grocery store.
A $3.7 million city hall and police station.
A $2.4 million sewer treatment plant.
A $1.5 million project to replace utility lines.
They are also finishing a $250,000 remodel of the fire station.

2012 Cordova Rock Burst

On November 19, 2012, Cordova experienced a small rock burst. This is like a mini-earthquake caused by underground rock movements. It had a strength of 2.6 on the body wave magnitude scale. The shaking was felt as a "Weak" tremor in Cordova. People felt it across Alabama and even up to 500 miles away in the Southern United States.

Geography and Climate

Cordova covers about 5.9 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The city is located in the rolling hills at the base of the Appalachian Mountains. It sits close to the banks of the Mulberry Fork of the Warrior River.

Climate in Cordova

The weather in Cordova has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cordova has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm temperatures and plenty of rainfall throughout the year.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	567	—
1910	1,747	208.1%
1920	1,622	−7.2%
1930	1,830	12.8%
1940	1,881	2.8%
1950	3,156	67.8%
1960	3,184	0.9%
1970	2,750	−13.6%
1980	3,123	13.6%
1990	2,623	−16.0%
2000	2,423	−7.6%
2010	2,095	−13.5%
2020	1,728	−17.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate

Cordova Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 2,095 people living in Cordova. They lived in 842 households, and 665 of these were families. The population density was about 355 people per square mile.

Most of the people were White (83.4%). About 14.5% were Black or African American. A small number were Native American (0.8%), Asian (0.1%), or from other backgrounds. About 0.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In terms of households:

26.6% had children under 18.
37.2% were married couples.
21.3% were female-headed households with no husband present.
36.3% were not families.
33.0% of households had only one person.
14.0% had one person aged 65 or older.

The average household had 2.36 people, and the average family had 2.95 people. The median age in Cordova was 41.2 years old.

Cordova Population in 2020

Cordova racial composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	1,431	82.81%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	195	11.28%
Native American	4	0.23%
Other/Mixed	78	4.51%
Hispanic or Latino	20	1.16%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,728 people living in Cordova. There were 789 households and 506 families.

Education in Cordova

Cordova has three schools, all part of the Walker County Board of Education:

Cordova Elementary School serves students from Kindergarten to fourth grade.
Bankhead Middle School serves students in pre-kindergarten and grades five through eight. This school is named after Senator John H. Bankhead.
Cordova High School was built in 1938. A new, modern facility was built for the high school in 2007, costing about $14 million. It serves students in grades nine through twelve.

Cordova High School has a strong tradition in sports:

The football team reached the State Championships in 1963, 1995, and 2007.
The softball team won three State titles in 1994, 1995, and 1997.
The boys' basketball team won the Class 4A State championship in 2018. This was the first time a team from Walker County won this title.
In 2019, the cheerleaders won a state title, and in 2020, they placed second nationally.
The marching band has won many awards since 2016.
The track and field/Cross Country team qualified for the state championship in 2022 and 2023.

Cordova is also close to several colleges and universities. The University of Alabama, University of Alabama Birmingham, and University of North Alabama are all within 100 miles. There are also several junior colleges nearby.

Famous People from Cordova

Doyle Alexander – A major league baseball player.
Jim O'Rear – An actor, screenwriter, and director.
P. W. Underwood – A professional football player and coach.
James S. Voss – An astronaut who flew into space five times on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station.

Images for kids

Main Street in 1993
Seal of Cordova, Alabama
Location of Cordova in Walker County, Alabama

Cordova, Alabama facts for kids

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