Scottsboro, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Scottsboro, Alabama
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City
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Jackson County Courthouse in Scottsboro
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| Motto(s):
"Someplace Special"
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Location of Scottsboro in Jackson County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Jackson |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 57.40 sq mi (148.67 km2) |
| • Land | 50.65 sq mi (131.17 km2) |
| • Water | 6.76 sq mi (17.50 km2) |
| Elevation | 689 ft (210 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,578 |
| • Density | 307.59/sq mi (118.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
35767-35768
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| Area code(s) | 256 |
| FIPS code | 01-68736 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0154493 |
Scottsboro is a city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States. It is the main city, also called the county seat, of Jackson County. The city was named after its founder, Robert T. Scott. In 2020, about 15,578 people lived there.
Scottsboro was officially made a city in 1870. It was the biggest town in Jackson County for many years. It is located about 30 miles from the borders of Georgia and Tennessee. It is also about 45 miles from Huntsville, Alabama and 55 miles from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The city is known for the Scottsboro Boys case. This was a very important event in the history of civil rights in America.
Contents
History of Scottsboro
Early Days
Before Scottsboro was founded, the area was home to the Cherokee Native Americans. There was a Cherokee town called "Crow Town" near where Scottsboro is today.
Early settlers came to the Tennessee Valley because the Tennessee River was a great source of food and water. It also helped them ship goods. In 1805, John Hunt built a cabin near the river, and more people followed. This led to the founding of Huntsville in 1811.
More settlers moved into the area, and the Alabama Territory was created in 1818. On December 13, 1819, Jackson County was formed. Just one day later, Alabama became the 22nd state in the United States.
The first county seat of Jackson County was Sauta, an old Native American town. Early county meetings were even held in Sauta Cave. But Sauta did not last long after the courthouse moved to Bellefonte in 1821.
Bellefonte was easier to reach by the Tennessee River. So, more settlers moved there, and it became the county seat.
Robert Thomas Scott, who founded Scottsboro, served in the Alabama government for almost 20 years. He and his wife moved to the Scottsboro area around 1850. The town had different names, like Scottsville, Scott's Mill, or Sage Town, until 1868.
In 1853, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad decided to build a train station in Scottsboro. It opened in 1857. On January 20, 1870, Scottsboro officially became a city. A. Snodgrass was the first mayor.
During the American Civil War, the Bellefonte courthouse was burned. The area was badly damaged. After the war, a new county seat was needed. Scottsboro was chosen because it was near the railroad and in the center of the county. The new courthouse was built in 1868.
The 1900s brought many changes. In 1903, the first car drove through Scottsboro. In 1906, a local blacksmith built Scottsboro's first homemade car! The courthouse was rebuilt in 1911 after a fire. In 1912, Scottsboro won a vote to keep the courthouse in town.
Modern Times
In 1900, Scottsboro had about 1,000 people.
In 1908, a ferry started carrying people and cars to Sand Mountain. From 1928 to 1931, the B.B. Comer Bridge was built. This long steel bridge connected Scottsboro to Sand Mountain. It helped the town's population grow a lot. A second bridge was built in the 1980s to help with traffic.
In 1913, the city bought land for a water system. The first electric lights in Scottsboro turned on in 1916. Scottsboro's first hospital opened in 1923.
In 1927, the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh flew his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, and did stunts in Scottsboro. In 1932, Scottsboro officially became a "city" because its population grew to over 2,000 people.
In 1954, the courthouse was updated. Wooden walls were replaced with marble. More rooms were added for offices as the city grew.
Since the 1980s, Scottsboro has grown a lot. Its economy changed from farming to many different types of businesses. People moved there for homes and jobs in nearby cities like Chattanooga and Huntsville.
Geography
Scottsboro is located at 34°39′5″N 86°2′33″W / 34.65139°N 86.04250°W.
The city covers about 51.7 square miles (134 square kilometers). Most of this is land, but about 4.4 square miles (11.4 square kilometers) is water. The water areas include the Tennessee River and its smaller waterways.
The part of the Tennessee River Valley where Scottsboro is located is similar in geology to the Sequatchie Valley.
Climate
| Weather chart for Scottsboro, Alabama | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6
50
28
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5.2
55
31
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6.5
64
38
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4.5
72
45
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5
55
80
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4.4
63
87
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4.5
90
67
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3.4
90
65
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4.8
84
59
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3.6
74
46
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5
63
37
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5.7
54
31
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: Scottdsboro, Alabama at usclimatedata.com. |
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Metric conversion
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Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 357 | — | |
| 1880 | 722 | 102.2% | |
| 1890 | 959 | 32.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,014 | 5.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,019 | 0.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,417 | 39.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,304 | 62.6% | |
| 1940 | 2,834 | 23.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,731 | 66.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,449 | 36.3% | |
| 1970 | 9,324 | 44.6% | |
| 1980 | 14,758 | 58.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,786 | −6.6% | |
| 2000 | 14,762 | 7.1% | |
| 2010 | 14,770 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 15,578 | 5.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census
In 2010, Scottsboro had 14,770 people living there. There were 6,245 households, and 4,141 families. The population density was about 285 people per square mile.
Most people (89.8%) were White. About 4.6% were African American, and 0.8% were Native American. About 3.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 21.7% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 42.2 years.
2020 Census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 12,981 | 83.33% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 761 | 4.89% |
| Native American | 100 | 0.64% |
| Asian | 130 | 0.83% |
| Other/Mixed | 822 | 5.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 784 | 5.03% |
As of the 2020 United States census, Scottsboro had 15,578 people. There were 5,995 households and 3,865 families.
Fun Things to See and Do
Scottsboro has some unique attractions that bring visitors from all over!
Unclaimed Baggage Center
Scottsboro is home to the Unclaimed Baggage Center. This is a special store that sells items from airline luggage that was lost and never claimed. You can find electronics, clothes, and all sorts of other things that people left behind. The prices are often low, and the items are very interesting. People travel from far away just to see what treasures they can find! This center has been shown on TV and in many magazines.
Historic Freight Depot
Near the public square, you can find the old freight depot from the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. It was built in 1861 and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. During the Civil War, soldiers fought here, and you can still see bullet holes in the walls! It has been fixed up and is now a museum.
First Monday Trade Day
For over a hundred years, Scottsboro has hosted "First Monday." This is a big trade day or craft show. People set up booths and sell handmade items, crafts, and other goods. It's a fun event that shows off old Southern traditions.
Payne's Soda Fountain
Payne's Soda Fountain has been open since 1869! It's located on the Courthouse Square. This small, cool shop has a 1950s style. You can get classic malts and see old photos of Scottsboro.
King Caldwell Park
King Caldwell Park is a lovely park near downtown Scottsboro. It has many trees and nature trails. You can have picnics there, and there's a playground for kids. The park hosts "Art Sunday" every year, which is a big arts and crafts festival. Many artists and thousands of people come to this event. The park is named after David King Caldwell, who was a kind person from Scottsboro. He became very rich in the oil business and gave a lot of money to help his hometown. He even paid for many Scottsboro students to go to college.
City Growth
The beauty of Guntersville Lake has brought many new builders to Scottsboro. The Goose Pond area, especially, has seen new neighborhoods built for people who want to live near the lake.
Local Media
- The Progressive Age (1889–1962)
- The Clarion (a weekly newspaper)
- Jackson County Sentinel (newspaper)
Education
Scottsboro High School is the main high school in Scottsboro, Alabama. It was first called Jackson County High School when it opened in 1913. In 1957, its name changed to Scottsboro High School.
Famous People from Scottsboro
- Lucille Benson, actress
- Kenneth Carter, politician
- John Allen Chau, missionary
- Bob Clemens, NFL player
- Robert K. Dawson, government official
- Babs Hodges Deal, writer
- William Ledbetter Heath, writer
- Robert E. Jones, Jr., U.S. Representative
- Ken Kifer, bicyclist and writer
- Mike Kirkland, politician
- Pat Trammell, football player
- Thomas E. Weatherly, Jr., poet
Images for kids
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Jackson County Courthouse in Scottsboro
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Location of Scottsboro in Jackson County, Alabama.
See also
In Spanish: Scottsboro (Alabama) para niños
