Newbern, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newbern, Alabama
Town
Location within Hale County and Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Hale
Incorporated	1854
Named for	New Bern, North Carolina
Area
• Total	1.16 sq mi (3.02 km2)
• Land	1.16 sq mi (3.01 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	187 ft (57 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	133
• Density	114.46/sq mi (44.18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	36765
Area code	334
FIPS code	01-53784
GNIS ID	152687

Newbern is a small town located in Hale County, Alabama, United States. In 2020, the town had a population of 133 people.

History of Newbern

The area where Newbern is now located was first called Cane Brake. This was because of the many canebrake plants growing there. The first known settler arrived in 1816. A grist mill, which grinds grain, was built in 1818. The first store opened in 1829.

In 1832, F.A. Borden built the first post office. He became the first postmaster. Two of Borden's brothers came from North Carolina in 1834. They bought most of the land in the area. They decided to name the new town after New Bern, North Carolina. Newbern officially became a town in 1854. A railway line from Uniontown to Newbern began operating in 1859.

During the American Civil War, the 9th Alabama Infantry Regiment was formed in Newbern in November 1861. People from the town also joined other regiments. The town's economy mostly relied on sharecropping until the Great Depression. Sharecropping is when farmers work on land owned by someone else. They pay the owner a share of their crops.

The Rural Studio of Auburn University was started in Newbern in 1993. This program helps students design and build homes and community projects.

Mayoral Leadership in Newbern

In the 2020 mayoral election, Patrick Braxton was the only person who applied to run. The current mayor, Woody Stokes III, did not apply. An election official told Braxton that he had won. He also needed to choose a city council. This was because no one else had applied for those positions either.

Patrick Braxton became the first Black mayor of Newbern. He also appointed the town's first city council with a Black majority. When Braxton received the key to town hall, he found that all the town's records had been removed.

Braxton changed the locks on the building. This was because the former mayor, Stokes, had given keys to friends. However, Stokes changed the locks again. This locked Braxton and the new city council out of town hall. Stokes and his supporters did not accept Braxton as the new mayor. They also limited his access to city mail and money.

Before Braxton was officially sworn in, Stokes and the old city council held a secret meeting. They decided to hold a special election. Ten days later, they declared themselves the winners. No one was told about this election. Stokes claimed they were trying to fix a "decades-old mistake." This old council held meetings without Braxton knowing. They removed him as mayor and put Stokes back in charge.

In November 2022, Braxton and his city council filed a lawsuit. They said Stokes and his supporters were trying to stop him from leading the town because of his race. Braxton and his group asked for a new special election. They wanted it to happen at the same time as the 2024 presidential election. A judge ruled against this request. However, the judge said Braxton's group would likely win their case about their rights. A trial was planned for September.

It was found that elections had not been held in Newbern for many decades. Stokes' lawyers said elections had not happened for 60 years. They stated that the mayor's job was "simply passed from individual to individual." It went to "anyone who would agree to be Mayor without regard to elections."

On June 21, 2024, an agreement was reached. This agreement meant that Patrick Braxton would return to his duties as mayor.

Geography of Newbern

Newbern is located at 32°35′41″N 87°32′8″W / 32.59472°N 87.53556°W / 32.59472; -87.53556.

The U.S. Census Bureau states that the town covers about 1.2 square miles (3.02 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

The town is in a region called the Black Belt. This name comes from the rich, dark soil that was good for growing cotton. This fertile soil attracted people who built cotton plantations long ago. It also refers to the large number of enslaved African Americans who worked on these plantations. Many parts of the rural Black Belt still have a majority African American population today.

Population Information

2020 Census Details

Newbern is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it is part of a larger urban area centered around Tuscaloosa.

Education

All students living in Newbern attend schools within the Hale County School District.

Notable People

• Frank Allen, a former professional baseball player.
• Henry Watson Jr., who owned a cotton plantation in Newbern.

Gallery

These photos were taken in Newbern in the 1930s as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey.

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  Presbyterian Church

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  Baptist Church

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  Walthall House

See also

In Spanish: Newbern (Alabama) para niños