Newville, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Newville, Alabama
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Newville in 2012
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Location of Newville in Henry County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Henry |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.02 sq mi (10.41 km2) |
| • Land | 4.02 sq mi (10.41 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 397 ft (121 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 544 |
| • Density | 135.39/sq mi (52.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
36353
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| Area code(s) | 334 |
| FIPS code | 01-54600 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0152690 |
Newville is a small town located in Henry County, Alabama, in the United States. It's part of the larger Dothan area. In 2020, about 544 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering Newville's Past
Newville has an interesting history that goes back to the late 1800s.
How Newville Got Its Name
Around 1882, a man named James Madison Wells started a small village. He called it "Wells." In 1893, a railroad line was built through the village. Because of the new train station, the name changed to "Wells Station." A post office was added in 1894. Finally, in 1903, Wells Station officially became a town and was named "Newville."
Growing and Changing Over Time
Newville grew into a busy town. It had stores, banks, doctors, and churches. There were also schools, a newspaper, and places for farming businesses. But after the Great Depression, things started to slow down. New farming machines meant fewer jobs, and the town became less busy.
Newville Baptist Church Cemetery
In 1887, James M. and Catherine Wells gave land for a church and cemetery. The oldest grave there belongs to William Y. Kirkland, who passed away in 1891. Over the years, more land was added to the cemetery. Today, there are more than 700 marked and unmarked graves. In 2005, the Newville Cemetery was added to the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register.
Newville High School's Journey
The first school in Newville was at Center Church in 1881. Later, school was held in Grange Hall, which was built in 1891. In 1913, the wood from Grange Hall was used to build a new school. This school became Newville Junior High in 1920.
A modern brick school building opened in 1929 and was called Newville High School. In 1936, this building unfortunately burned down. A new school was built with five rooms and a large auditorium. By 1944, with new bathrooms, it was one of the most modern schools in Henry County. Newville High School closed in 1968.
The Story of Newville Rosenwald School
The first school for Black students in Newville opened in 1894. It was called Jacksonian Enterprise School. Parents and community members helped pay for this school. It had a large library and beautiful grounds with 104 oak trees. Each tree was named after someone who supported the school.
In 1919, the community received help from the Rosenwald Foundation. This led to a new school being built, named "Newville Rosenwald School." The Henry County Board of Education started helping to pay for the school around 1922. In the late 1940s, it became a high school. The original school building burned down, and a new one was built. Rosenwald High School closed in 1968.
Where is Newville Located?
Newville is in the southwestern part of Henry County. You can find it at coordinates 31.421841 degrees North and -85.336434 degrees West. Alabama State Route 173 runs through the town as Broad Street. This road goes north about 13 miles to Abbeville. It also goes south about 6 miles to Headland.
U.S. Route 431, a four-lane highway, also passes through Newville. It connects Newville and Headland. The city of Dothan is about 15 miles south of Newville via US 431. The U.S. Census Bureau says Newville covers about 4.02 square miles (10.4 square kilometers) of land.
Newville's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 522 | — | |
| 1920 | 547 | 4.8% | |
| 1930 | 528 | −3.5% | |
| 1940 | 578 | 9.5% | |
| 1950 | 565 | −2.2% | |
| 1960 | 546 | −3.4% | |
| 1970 | 465 | −14.8% | |
| 1980 | 814 | 75.1% | |
| 1990 | 531 | −34.8% | |
| 2000 | 553 | 4.1% | |
| 2010 | 539 | −2.5% | |
| 2020 | 544 | 0.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
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According to the census in 2000, Newville had 553 people living there. There were 221 households and 163 families. The town had about 137.6 people per square mile.
About 52.80% of the people were White, and 44.30% were Black or African American. A small percentage were from other racial groups. About 2.35% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of age, 27.1% of the population was under 18 years old. About 17.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in Newville was 37 years.
Famous People From Newville
- Monica Cox – A professor and department chair at Ohio State University.
- Willie Tullis – A former defensive back in the NFL (National Football League).
- Frederick Palmer Whiddon – The person who founded and was president of the University of South Alabama for many years.
See also
In Spanish: Newville (Alabama) para niños
