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Evergreen, Conecuh County, Alabama facts for kids

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Evergreen
The Conecuh County Government Center in May 2013
The Conecuh County Government Center in May 2013
Official seal of Evergreen
Seal
Nickname(s): 
The Emerald City
Location of Evergreen in Conecuh County, Alabama.
Location of Evergreen in Conecuh County, Alabama.
Country United States
State Alabama
County Conecuh
Settled 1819
Incorporated March 28, 1873
Founded by James Cosey, George Andrews, and the Clough Brothers
Government
 • Type City Council/Mayor
Area
 • Total 20.01 sq mi (51.83 km2)
 • Land 19.75 sq mi (51.14 km2)
 • Water 0.27 sq mi (0.69 km2)
Elevation
272 ft (83 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,520
 • Density 178.25/sq mi (68.83/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
36401
Area code(s) 251
FIPS code 01-24808
GNIS feature ID 0118078

Evergreen is a city located in Conecuh County, Alabama, in the United States. It serves as the county seat of Conecuh County. This means it's the main town where the county government offices are found. In 2010, the city had a population of 3,944 people.

History of Evergreen

Early Settlement and Naming

People started settling in the area around Evergreen in 1818. They came from places like Georgia and South Carolina. The city was officially founded in 1819 by James Cosey, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and other early settlers. The Reverend Alexander Travis gave the town its name, "Evergreen." He chose this name because of the many green plants and ferns growing all around the area.

Becoming the County Seat

During the Civil War, the former county seat, Sparta, was burned down in a raid. After the war, in 1866, the county seat was moved to Evergreen. This was because Evergreen was more in the middle of the county, making it easier for everyone to reach. Evergreen officially became a city on March 28, 1873.

Challenges and Rebuilding

Evergreen faced several challenges in its early years. In 1882, a tornado hit the city, destroying almost every building. Only the Episcopal church was left standing. Later, in 1895, two fires just five days apart destroyed nearly all the businesses and homes on both sides of the railroad tracks. The Conecuh County Courthouse also burned down multiple times, in 1868, 1875, 1885, and 1895. Each time, the community worked to rebuild.

Geography and Climate

Location of Evergreen

Evergreen is located close to the center of Conecuh County. It sits at coordinates 31°26′6″N 86°57′18″W / 31.43500°N 86.95500°W / 31.43500; -86.95500. Interstate 65, a major highway, runs through the northwest part of the city. This highway connects Evergreen to Montgomery, which is about 75 miles northeast, and to Mobile, which is about 90 miles southwest.

Land and Water Area

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Evergreen covers a total area of about 40.9 square kilometers (15.8 square miles). Most of this area, about 40.4 square kilometers (15.6 square miles), is land. The remaining small part, about 0.5 square kilometers (0.2 square miles), is water.

Local Weather

Evergreen has a warm climate. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:

Climate data for Evergreen, Conecuh County, Alabama (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 59.3
(15.2)
63.4
(17.4)
71.0
(21.7)
77.2
(25.1)
84.2
(29.0)
89.0
(31.7)
90.8
(32.7)
90.4
(32.4)
86.7
(30.4)
78.3
(25.7)
68.5
(20.3)
61.2
(16.2)
76.7
(24.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 47.9
(8.8)
51.4
(10.8)
58.3
(14.6)
64.5
(18.1)
72.3
(22.4)
78.5
(25.8)
80.7
(27.1)
80.2
(26.8)
76.2
(24.6)
66.5
(19.2)
56.2
(13.4)
50.1
(10.1)
65.2
(18.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 36.5
(2.5)
39.5
(4.2)
45.6
(7.6)
51.7
(10.9)
60.4
(15.8)
67.9
(19.9)
70.6
(21.4)
70.1
(21.2)
65.8
(18.8)
54.8
(12.7)
44.0
(6.7)
39.1
(3.9)
53.8
(12.1)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.91
(150)
4.97
(126)
5.13
(130)
4.93
(125)
4.45
(113)
5.75
(146)
6.12
(155)
5.48
(139)
4.95
(126)
3.58
(91)
4.34
(110)
5.66
(144)
61.27
(1,555)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.2
(0.51)
0.5
(1.27)
Source: NOAA

Population of Evergreen

Evergreen post office
Evergreen post office

Population Changes Over Time

The population of Evergreen has changed quite a bit over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in the city since 1880:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 985
1890 1,783 81.0%
1900 1,277 −28.4%
1910 1,582 23.9%
1920 1,813 14.6%
1930 2,007 10.7%
1940 2,216 10.4%
1950 3,454 55.9%
1960 3,703 7.2%
1970 3,924 6.0%
1980 4,171 6.3%
1990 3,911 −6.2%
2000 3,630 −7.2%
2010 3,944 8.7%
2020 3,520 −10.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
2013 Estimate

Recent Census Information

The most recent count, the 2020 United States Census, showed that 3,520 people lived in Evergreen. There were 1,441 households and 862 families in the city.

The table below shows the different racial groups living in Evergreen according to the 2020 census:

Evergreen Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 1,142 32.44%
Black or African American 2,095 59.52%
Native American 12 0.34%
Asian 23 0.65%
Other/Mixed 77 2.19%
Hispanic or Latino 171 4.86%

In the census of 2010, there were 3,944 people living in Evergreen. About 28% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age of people in the city was 37 years.

Education in Evergreen

Evergreen has several schools for students of all ages.

Public Schools

  • Hillcrest High School
  • Thurgood Marshall Middle School
  • Evergreen Elementary School

Private Schools

  • Sparta Academy

Trade Schools

  • Reid State Technical College

Media Outlets

Evergreen has local radio stations and newspapers that keep residents informed.

Radio Stations

  • WPPG 101.1 FM (plays Country music)
  • WNWF 1470 AM (plays older music, often called "Nostalgia")

Newspapers

  • The Monthly View Newspaper
  • The Evergreen Courant

Notable People from Evergreen

Many interesting people have come from Evergreen, including athletes and historical figures.

Fun Facts About Evergreen

Evergreen has some unique claims to fame!

Collard Green Capital

In 1973, Evergreen was given the fun title of the "collard green capital of Alabama." To celebrate this, the town holds an annual Collard Green Festival.

Bigfoot Capital

More recently, in 2017, Evergreen was also named the "Bigfoot capital of Alabama." This title was given by a city councilman during the annual Collard Green Festival. Evergreen is now trying to get this title officially recognized by the state of Alabama.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Evergreen (Alabama) para niños

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