South Alabama facts for kids
South Alabama and Lower Alabama are names for different parts of southern Alabama. These names are not official, so people use them in slightly different ways. Generally, they describe the counties in Alabama that are south of the Black Belt area.
Contents
What is South Alabama?
Many people in the Mobile area think of South Alabama as just the two counties right next to the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay. These are Baldwin County and Mobile County.
Features of South Alabama
This part of Alabama has a lot of wetlands, which are like marshy areas. But it also has long, sandy beaches. These beaches are great for tourism, bringing many visitors to the area. In recent years, many fancy golf courses have been built here too. The University of South Alabama is located in Mobile, showing how this name is used for the region.
What is Lower Alabama?
The term Lower Alabama is often used for other parts of southern Alabama. This is especially true for the counties that border Florida, from Escambia County all the way to Houston County.
Different Meanings of Lower Alabama
- Sometimes, people in Mobile and Baldwin Counties use "South Alabama" mostly for their own area. So, "Lower Alabama" becomes a way to talk about the other southern counties.
- This region includes cities like Dothan, Luverne, Troy, Abbeville, Eufaula, and Cowarts.
- The name "Lower Alabama" can sometimes suggest that these areas are more traditional or older in style compared to other parts of the state. For example, when Troy State University was thinking about changing its name, one idea was "University of Lower Alabama" before it became Troy University.
Lower Alabama from a Northern View
Some people in North Alabama have a different idea of "Lower Alabama." They might call any place south of the old Cherokee Nation line in Marshall County "Lower Alabama." This also includes any county whose water flows into the Alabama River instead of the Tennessee River.
