Lamar County, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lamar County
|
|
|---|---|
Lamar County Courthouse in Vernon
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
|
|
 Alabama's location within the U.S. |
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alabama |
| Founded | February 8, 1877 |
| Named for | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar |
| Seat | Vernon |
| Largest city | Vernon |
| Area | |
| • Total | 605 sq mi (1,570 km2) |
| • Land | 605 sq mi (1,570 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (2 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 13,972 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
13,661  |
| • Density | 23.094/sq mi (8.917/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
|
|
Lamar County is a county located in the state of Alabama, United States. It was once known as Jones County and Sanford County. In 2020, about 13,972 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Vernon. Lamar County is named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, who was a former officer in the Confederate army and a member of the U.S. Congress from Mississippi.
Contents
History of Lamar County
Lamar County has an interesting past with a few name changes! It was first created on February 4, 1867. This new area was formed from parts of Marion County and Fayette County. It was originally called Jones County, named after E. P. Jones from Fayette County. The town of Vernon became its county seat.
However, Jones County didn't last long. It was officially ended on November 13, 1867. Then, on October 8, 1868, the area was organized into a county again. This time, it was named Sanford County, in honor of H. C. Sanford.
Finally, on February 8, 1877, the county got its current name: Lamar County. This name honors Congressman and Senator L.Q.C. Lamar from Mississippi.
Geography and Nature
Lamar County covers a total area of about 605 square miles (1,567 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water.
Neighboring Counties
Lamar County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Marion County to the north
- Fayette County to the east
- Pickens County to the south
- Lowndes County, Mississippi to the southwest
- Monroe County, Mississippi to the west
Population and People
The number of people living in Lamar County has changed over the years. In 1870, there were about 8,893 residents. The population grew steadily until the 1940s, reaching nearly 20,000 people. Since then, the population has slowly decreased.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 8,893 | — | |
| 1880 | 12,142 | 36.5% | |
| 1890 | 14,187 | 16.8% | |
| 1900 | 16,084 | 13.4% | |
| 1910 | 17,487 | 8.7% | |
| 1920 | 18,149 | 3.8% | |
| 1930 | 18,001 | −0.8% | |
| 1940 | 19,708 | 9.5% | |
| 1950 | 16,441 | −16.6% | |
| 1960 | 14,271 | −13.2% | |
| 1970 | 14,335 | 0.4% | |
| 1980 | 16,453 | 14.8% | |
| 1990 | 15,715 | −4.5% | |
| 2000 | 15,904 | 1.2% | |
| 2010 | 14,564 | −8.4% | |
| 2020 | 13,972 | −4.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 13,661 | −6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
|||
What the 2020 Census Shows
In 2020, the census counted 13,972 people living in Lamar County. There were 5,856 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 3,895 of these households were families.
Most people in Lamar County are White, making up about 85% of the population. About 10% of the population is Black or African American. A smaller percentage of people identify as Native American, Asian, or other races. About 2.5% of residents identify with two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background make up about 1.5% of the population.
Life in Lamar County (2010 Data)
In 2010, there were 14,564 people living in Lamar County. The average number of people per square mile was about 24. There were over 6,100 households in the county.
About 26% of households had children under 18 living with them. More than half of the households (53%) were married couples. About 29% of all households were made up of people living alone.
The population was spread out by age. About 22% of residents were under 18 years old. About 19% were 65 years or older. The median age was 43.5 years, meaning half the population was older and half was younger than this age.
The median income for a household in the county was around $33,887. This means half the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less. For families, the median income was about $42,492. About 18.5% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line.
Local Media
Lamar County has a history of local newspapers that kept residents informed.
Newspapers from the Past
- The Vernon Pioneer (1875–1878): This was the very first newspaper published in Lamar County.
- The Vernon Clipper (1879–1880)
- The Lamar News (1886–1887)
- The Vernon Courier (1886–1890)
- The Eagle-Eye (1894)
- The Rural Educator (1908)
- The Sulligent News (1942–1952)
Current Newspaper
- The Lamar Democrat (1896–present): This newspaper has been publishing for over a century!
Transportation
Getting around Lamar County is possible through its network of highways and railroads.
Main Roads
U.S. Highway 278
State Route 17
State Route 18
State Route 19
State Route 96
Railways
- BNSF Railway
- Luxapalila Valley Railroad
Communities in Lamar County
Lamar County is home to several towns and smaller communities.
Cities
Towns
Smaller Communities (Unincorporated)
These are smaller places that are not officially organized as cities or towns.
- Fernbank
- Henson Springs
- Hightogy
- Kingville
- Moscow
Images for kids
-
Lamar County Courthouse in Vernon
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lamar (Alabama) para niños
