Eva, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eva, Alabama
Town
Location in Morgan County, Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Morgan
Area
• Total	4.30 sq mi (11.14 km2)
• Land	4.27 sq mi (11.06 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	1,066 ft (325 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	589
• Density	137.91/sq mi (53.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	35621
Area code(s)	256
FIPS code	01-24688
GNIS feature ID	2406472

Eva is a small town located in Morgan County, Alabama, in the United States. It is part of the larger Decatur Metropolitan Area. In 2020, the town had a population of 589 people. The mayor of Eva is Gary Livingston.

History of Eva

Eva was first settled around 1820, just one year after Alabama became a state. It was originally called "Cowhead." In 1883, William J. Rook tried to open a post office there, but it closed quickly.

How Eva Got Its Name

According to local stories, the town got its current name, "Eva," in October 1883. A local doctor, Dr. Lewis Keller, suggested the name. He had just helped deliver a baby girl named Eva Brandon. He thought the name was perfect because, like the baby, the town was just starting out. The community agreed, especially since a new name was needed to open a new post office. The town's name was officially changed from Cowhead in 1887.

Building Schools in Eva

In 1916, Mr. Wiley Steward, who owned a local sawmill, gave 5 acres of land to the town. This land was for building a new school. By 1918, with donations from the community, Eva had a beautiful new four-room schoolhouse.

Later, people realized the community needed more advanced education. In the 1920s, Dr. J. G. Daves, often called "the father of Eva School," led a campaign to raise money for another school. Even during the Great Depression, a time when many people had little money, the community worked hard to achieve its dream of better education for its children.

In 1930, Eva proudly opened an accredited high school. The first graduating class had three students. The community continued to improve the school. They added a building for vocational agriculture (farming skills) and an elementary building. In 1938, they finished building a large stone gymnasium.

In 1972, Eva High School joined with a new regional high school, Albert P. Brewer High School, in Florette.

Modern Eva School

In 1996, the Morgan County Board of Education rebuilt the school campus. They tore down the old school buildings, but kept the gymnasium built in 1985 and the old lunchroom from the 1960s. A new, modern building for students from kindergarten through 8th grade was constructed. Today, Eva School continues to be a source of pride for the community, just as it has been for over a hundred years.

Eva officially became an incorporated town in 1963.

Geography of Eva

Eva is located in the southeastern part of Morgan County. Its southern edge touches the border of Cullman County. The town is about 15 miles southeast of Hartselle and 28 miles south-southeast of Decatur, which is the county seat of Morgan County. Nearby cities include Cullman, about 13 miles to the southwest, and Arab, about 18 miles to the east.

The town of Eva covers about 4.3 square miles of land. A very small part, about 0.03 square miles, is water. The center of town is about 1,105 feet above sea level. Eva is just north of the Tennessee Valley Divide, which means some of its water drains west towards Flint Creek and east towards Cotaco Creek. Both of these creeks flow north into the Tennessee River. The southernmost parts of Eva drain south into Eightmile Creek, which is part of the Black Warrior River system.

Population of Eva

According to the census in 2000, there were 491 people living in Eva. This number grew to 519 in 2010, and then to 589 people in 2020.

Notable people

• Edsel Ford, a poet, was from Eva.

See also

In Spanish: Eva (Alabama) para niños