Seale, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seale, Alabama
|
|
|---|---|
The Old Russell County Courthouse
|
|
 Seale, Alabama
Location in Alabama
Seale, Alabama
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Russell |
| Elevation | 341 ft (104 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 334 |
| GNIS feature ID | 153358 |
Seale is a small community in Russell County, Alabama, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town does. Instead, it's governed by the county.
Seale was once the main town, or county seat, for Russell County from 1868 to 1935. Today, it's home to Russell County High School and the middle school. You can also find the old Russell County courthouse there, which was built in 1868.
Contents
History of Seale
Before Seale became a town, people from Georgia started settling in this part of Russell County. They liked the area because it was close to the Old Federal Road, an important travel route. As early as 1842, there was a community here that went to a "preaching place" called Glenn Chapel.
How Seale Got Its Name
Seale was first known as Silver Run. This community started in the early 1850s. It grew partly because a railroad was being built nearby. This railroad connected Girard and Mobile. The train station in Silver Run was named Seale's Station, to honor Captain Arnold Seale. Because of the station, the community eventually changed its name to Seale.
Seale as the County Seat
In 1872, Seale officially became an incorporated community. This meant it had its own local government. In 1868, during a time called the Reconstruction Era, Seale also became the third county seat for Russell County. It took over from Crawford.
Later, in the 1920s, the towns of Girard and Phenix City joined together. Phenix City was much bigger, so people wanted the county seat moved there. In 1926, Phenix City shared the role of county seat with Seale. But by 1935, the county seat was permanently moved to Phenix City.
Life in Seale Over Time
By 1950, the main business in Seale was making turpentine, a product from pine trees. This business is no longer active. From its early days until now, Seale has mostly been a rural area with farms and cattle. After 1950, Seale stopped being an incorporated community and has remained unincorporated ever since.
In the 1960s, many military families moved to Seale. These families were connected to Fort Benning and the Vietnam War. This led to more students at the local Chavala school. The historic courthouse was empty and needed repairs for a long time. But in recent years, it has been fixed up and is now a central part of the community. It hosts events and weddings. Every Labor Day, a fair is held at the old courthouse to help raise money for its upkeep.
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 257 | — | |
| 1890 | 299 | 16.3% | |
| 1900 | 386 | 29.1% | |
| 1910 | 312 | −19.2% | |
| 1920 | 316 | 1.3% | |
| 1930 | 335 | 6.0% | |
| 1940 | 289 | −13.7% | |
| 1950 | 343 | 18.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Seale's population was counted in the U.S. Census from 1880 to 1950. Its population stayed pretty steady during this time. In 1900, when it was the county seat, it had its highest population of 386 people. After 1950, Seale was no longer officially a town, so it hasn't appeared on the census since.
In 2010, the area covered by ZIP Code 36875, which includes Seale and its surrounding areas, had a population of 4,622 people.
Where is Seale?
Seale is located in the southeastern part of Alabama. You can find it along U.S. Route 431 and Alabama State Route 26. It's in the countryside, in the middle of Russell County.
U.S. 431 goes northeast about 17 miles (27 km) to Phenix City, which is the current county seat. It goes south about 30 miles (48 km) to Eufaula. Alabama State Route 26 starts in Seale and goes southwest about 16 miles (26 km) to Hurtsboro.
Fun Places to Visit
Seale has some unique attractions that are fun to explore!
- Drive-Thru Museum: Imagine seeing cool local art, old items, and strange collections without even getting out of your car! That's what you can do at the Drive-Thru Museum.
- Museum Of Wonder: This museum was created by a former taxidermist. He turned his old shop into a folk art museum, filled with interesting and unusual art pieces.
Images for kids
Below are photographs taken in Seale as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey:
-
Bass-Perry House
-
Dudley's Hotel
See also
In Spanish: Seale (Alabama) para niños
