Phil Campbell, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Campbell, Alabama
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Location of Phil Campbell in Franklin County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Alabama | ||
| County | Franklin | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 4.32 sq mi (11.20 km2) | ||
| • Land | 4.31 sq mi (11.16 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 1,040 ft (320 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 992 | ||
| • Density | 230.16/sq mi (88.87/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
35581
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| Area code(s) | 205, 659 | ||
| FIPS code | 01-59496 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0124673 | ||
Phil Campbell is a small town in Franklin County, Alabama, United States. In 2020, about 992 people lived there. It's special because it's one of only two towns in Alabama named after a person's first and last name. The other town is Susan Moore. Phil Campbell is the biggest town in the southern part of Franklin County.
Contents
Where is Phil Campbell?
Phil Campbell is located in the southeastern part of Franklin County. Alabama State Route 13 goes right through the town. This road leads north about 12 miles to Russellville and south about 12 miles to Haleyville.
The town covers a total area of about 4.32 square miles (11.2 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit being water.
How Many People Live Here?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 418 | — | |
| 1930 | 472 | 12.9% | |
| 1940 | 533 | 12.9% | |
| 1950 | 469 | −12.0% | |
| 1960 | 898 | 91.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,230 | 37.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,549 | 25.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,317 | −15.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,091 | −17.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,148 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 992 | −13.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
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The number of people living in Phil Campbell has changed over the years. In 2000, there were 1,091 people. By 2010, the population grew slightly to 1,148 people. In 2020, the population was 992.
Most people living in Phil Campbell are White. In 2010, about 95.2% of the residents were White. A small percentage of people were African American, Native American, or from other backgrounds. About 4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The town has a mix of families and individuals. In 2010, about 23.9% of households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.31 people.
Town History
How Phil Campbell Got Its Name
Back in the 1880s, a railroad worker and engineer named Phillip Campbell set up a work camp here. He was from England. A local businessman, Mel Allen, told Campbell that if he built a railroad station and an extra track, Allen would create a town and name it after him. Campbell did his part, and Allen kept his promise. That's how Phil Campbell got its unique name!
The Phil Campbell Convention
In 1995, a writer from Brooklyn, New York, also named Phil Campbell, organized a special meeting in the town. He invited everyone named "Phil Campbell" to come! Twenty-two Phil Campbells and one Phyllis Campbell attended. They came from all over the United States. This fun event was even mentioned by Ripley's Believe it or Not!. The town hall in Phil Campbell keeps a record of all the Phil Campbells who visit.
Tornadoes and Recovery
Phil Campbell has faced tough times, especially with tornadoes. On April 27, 2011, a very strong and fast tornado hit the town. This tornado was rated EF5, which means it had incredibly powerful winds of about 210 miles per hour. Many buildings were badly damaged, and sadly, 27 people in Phil Campbell lost their lives.
After the tornado, the writer Phil Campbell, who had organized the convention, changed his plans. Instead of another meeting, he started a relief effort. He asked other Phil Campbells and supporters to help rebuild the town. He created a website for donations to fix homes, the high school, and the city hall. People even came to the town to help with the rebuilding. A documentary called I'm With Phil was made about these efforts.
The town was also hit by another tornado in April 1974.
Town Leaders
The town is run by a group called the city council. The current members of the city council are Danny Brown, Lynn Landers, Roy Nagle, Eddie Barton, and Jim Cartee. The mayor of Phil Campbell is Steve Bell.
Phil Campbell High School
School Buildings Over Time
The first school in Phil Campbell was built in 1910. It was a two-story wooden building located behind the Phil Campbell Methodist Church. Sadly, this school later burned down.
A second school was built in 1915 at the same spot where the current school is today. This was also a small wooden building, and it too was destroyed by fire on Christmas Day, 1924. For the next two years, students had classes in churches, an old bank, and the post office. The first class to graduate from an officially recognized Phil Campbell High School was in 1926.
The third school was finished in 1926. It had a main classroom building and a vocational school for learning trades. After the main building burned down in 1954, the school buildings you see today were constructed. After the 2011 tornado, the damaged high school was torn down. A brand new school opened in September 2014.
Sports Achievements
Phil Campbell High School has a proud sports history:
- The boys' basketball team won the state championship in 1947. They beat Scottsboro 23-21. This was the last year that Alabama had only one division for all basketball teams.
- The baseball team, known as the Bobcats, won their first state title in school history in 2021. They had an amazing season with 41 wins and only 6 losses!
Fun Things in Phil Campbell
Phil Campbell became an official town in 1911. It's a small town with only three traffic lights!
Downtown Hoedown
Every summer, Phil Campbell hosts a big party called the Downtown Hoedown. It used to be called Phil Campbell Day. This celebration has carnival rides, cool car shows, and local arts and crafts for sale. Local bands and singers perform music in the evening. There's also a 5K road race called the Hoedown Hustle, which was later renamed the Judy James Memorial to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
Northwest-Shoals Community College
Phil Campbell is home to a campus of Northwest-Shoals Community College. This was actually the first junior college in Alabama! Every year before Christmas, students from the college put on a live show called The Legend of Toyland. It's a choreographed performance with recorded narration and has been a tradition for over 25 years. Schools from nearby areas bring their students to watch this special show.
Dismals Canyon
Phil Campbell is also near Dismals Canyon. This is a privately owned natural area that has been named a National Natural Landmark. Dismals Canyon is a beautiful place with a natural swimming pool, cool rock formations, and nature trails. It also has rare glowing insects called "dismalites" that you can see at night! Native American tribes used the natural shelters here for over 10,000 years.
Famous People from Phil Campbell
- Tonto Coleman: A former football coach and commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.
- Billy Sherrill: A well-known record producer and arranger.
- Johnny Mack Morrow: He was a member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1990 to 2018.
