Saraland, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saraland, Alabama
City
Motto(s):  "Gateway to Progress"
Location in Mobile County, Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Mobile
Incorporated	1957
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	32.37 sq mi (83.84 km2)
• Land	32.15 sq mi (83.27 km2)
• Water	0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,171
• Density	502.97/sq mi (194.20/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	36571
Area code(s)	251
FIPS code	01-68160
GNIS feature ID	0153329

Saraland is a city located in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It's like a smaller town right next to a bigger city, which is called a suburb. Saraland is a suburb of Mobile.

In 2020, about 16,171 people lived in Saraland. This was more than the 13,405 people who lived there in 2010. Saraland is part of the larger Mobile metropolitan area, which means it's connected to Mobile and other nearby towns. It's the third-largest city in Mobile County.

Exploring Saraland's Location

Saraland is found at coordinates 30°49′31″N 88°5′31″W / 30.82528°N 88.09194°W / 30.82528; -88.09194. It shares borders with other cities and areas. To the southwest, you'll find Prichard. To the south is Chickasaw. The undeveloped northern part of Mobile is to the east. And to the northeast, you'll see Satsuma and Creola.

Main Roads in Saraland

Two important roads go through Saraland from north to south. These are U.S. Route 43 (also known as Saraland Boulevard) and Interstate 65.

• U.S. 43 goes south about 9 miles (14 km) to downtown Mobile. If you go north, it leads about 55 miles (89 km) to Jackson.
• I-65 goes south about 15 miles (24 km) to where it ends at Interstate 10 in Mobile. If you head northeast on I-65, it takes you about 157 miles (253 km) to Montgomery, which is Alabama's capital city.

Saraland's Size and Waterways

The U.S. Census Bureau says that Saraland covers a total area of about 32.4 square miles (83.9 km²). A small part of this, about 0.32 square miles (0.83 km²), is water. The city gets its water from Bayou Sara. This bayou flows east and connects to the Mobile River.

Saraland's Past: A Brief History

The land where Saraland is today was once part of a large area given to Don Diego Alvarez by Spain. Because of this, his family's descendants first named the community Alvarez Station. Later, people who didn't own land legally moved in. By 1800, they could start buying property. A land office opened in St. Stephens in 1807 to handle these land sales.

Some of the first families to buy land included Alvarez, Rice, Hartley, Moore, LaCoste, Williams, Tool, and Cleveland. Eventually, Alvarez Station was renamed Cleveland Station. The city's current name, Saraland, is believed to have come from C.J. DeWitt. He was a retired minister and editor who moved south in 1890 for his health. He opened the first post office on the Southern Railroad in 1895. It's said he named the community after his wife, Sara.

How Saraland Grew

For a long time in the early 1900s, Saraland didn't have many people. But then, nearby Mobile started to grow a lot with new industries and more people in the 1940s and 1950s. As Mobile expanded north, Saraland officially became a city in 1957. When it first became a city, only 125 people lived there. By 1960, more areas had joined the city, and the population grew to 4,595. In 1980, there were 9,844 residents. By the 2020 census, Saraland's population had reached 16,171.

A Sad Day in History

A very serious train accident happened just east of Saraland on Big Bayou Canot on September 22, 1993. An Amtrak train called the Sunset Limited was traveling from Los Angeles to Miami. It had 220 passengers and crew. Around 2:53 AM, the train went over the Bayou Canot bridge very fast. It derailed because a barge captain had hit the bridge earlier, bending the tracks, and didn't report it. Tragically, 47 people died, many by drowning or fire. Many regular citizens from the community helped with the rescue efforts, going out in their small fishing boats in the early morning to assist.

Saraland's Population Over Time

What the Census Shows

The 2010 census counted 13,405 people living in Saraland. There were 5,208 households, and 3,757 of these were families. About 83.7% of the people were White, and 12.0% were Black or African American. A small number of people were Native American (0.8%), Asian (0.6%), or from other backgrounds. About 2.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, about 27.9% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.57 people. The median age (the middle age of all people) was 40 years old.

The 2020 United States census showed that 16,171 people lived in Saraland.

Getting Around Saraland: Transportation

Here are the main routes that help people travel in and out of Saraland:

• Interstate 65
• US 43
• SR 158
• SR 213
• SR 13

Saraland's Businesses and Jobs: Economy

Saraland has a few important businesses:

• Royal Dutch Shell used to run an oil refinery here. Now, Vertex Energy owns it.
• Alorica Telecommunications Center is another business in the city.
• China Doll is a brand of rice and beans.

There was once a site called Redwing Carriers, Inc. in Saraland that was on a special list called the Superfund list. This list is for places where there might be dangerous waste. This site was thought to be at risk from things like wildfires or hurricanes. However, by September 2, 2014, the Redwing Carriers, Inc. site was removed from this list because all the dangerous waste had been cleaned up.

Learning in Saraland: Education

Public Schools in Saraland

Saraland has its own school system, managed by the Saraland Board of Education. Students in Saraland go to these public schools:

• Saraland Early Education Center
• Saraland Elementary School
• Saraland (formerly Adams) Middle School
• Saraland High School

In June 2006, the City of Saraland decided to create its own school system, separate from the Mobile County Public School System. This new school district started in the fall of 2008. At first, only the elementary and middle schools were part of the city district. High school students still went to county schools because Saraland High School wasn't open yet. Before 2009, Saraland students went to Satsuma High School. By 2011, Saraland residents were no longer allowed to attend county schools.

Before 2009, officials from Saraland, Satsuma, and Chickasaw thought about forming a combined "Delta School District."

Private Schools in Saraland

Saraland also has private schools, including:

• Evangel Christian School
• North Mobile Christian School
• Saraland Yeshiva (just outside the city limits)

Famous People from Saraland

Some notable people who are from Saraland include:

• Matt Peacock (baseball), a professional baseball pitcher.
• Ann Casey, a retired professional wrestler.
• Jay Prosch, a National Football League fullback who played for the Houston Texans.
• Velus Jones Jr, a National Football League wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.
• Cordale Flott, a National Football League Cornerback for the New York Giants.

See also

In Spanish: Saraland (Alabama) para niños