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Triana, Alabama
Location in Madison County, Alabama
Location in Madison County, Alabama
Country United States
State Alabama
County Madison
Incorporated November 13, 1819
Area
 • Town 2.824 sq mi (7.314 km2)
 • Land 2.801 sq mi (7.255 km2)
 • Water 0.023 sq mi (0.059 km2)
Elevation
604 ft (184 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Town 2,890
 • Estimate 
(2022)
3,961
 • Density 1,414/sq mi (546.0/km2)
 • Metro
514,465
 • Metro density 378/sq mi (145.9/km2)
 • Combined
671,890
 • Combined density 255.3/sq mi (98.57/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
35758
Area code(s) 256 and 938
FIPS code 01-76824
GNIS feature ID 2406753

Triana (pronounced try-AN-uh) is a small town in Madison County, Alabama, in the United States. It is part of the larger Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area. In 2020, about 2,890 people lived there. By 2022, the population was estimated to be around 3,961.

History of Triana: A Town's Journey

Triana was first officially recognized as a town on November 13, 1819. This made it the second town in Madison County. It is believed to be named after Rodrigo de Triana. He was a sailor who first spotted land during Christopher Columbus's first trip to the Americas.

Triana's Early Days as a Riverport

For some time in the 1800s, Triana was a busy riverport. It was located on the Tennessee River. Goods and people traveled through the town by boat. This was before railroads became common.

Re-establishing the Town

Later, Triana's official town status ended. However, it was re-established on July 13, 1964. Clyde Foster helped make this happen. He later became the mayor of Triana. Until 2020, Triana was the only town in Madison County where most residents were Black.

Geography of Triana: Where It Is Located

Triana is found in the southwest part of Madison County. It sits on a high bank, called a bluff, on the north side of the Tennessee River. The town is about 16 miles southwest of the center of Huntsville.

Size and Water Features

The town covers a total area of about 2.824 square miles (7.314 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 0.023 square miles (0.059 square kilometers), is water.

Demographics: Triana's Growing Population

Triana has been one of the fastest-growing places in Alabama recently. In the 2020 U.S. Census, it showed the fastest growth among all places in the state.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 146
1970 228
1980 285 25.0%
1990 499 75.1%
2000 458 −8.2%
2010 496 8.3%
2020 2,890 482.7%
2023 (est.) 4,456 798.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
2020 Census

Understanding Triana's Population in 2020

The 2020 census showed that 2,890 people lived in Triana. There were 1,102 households, which are groups of people living together. Also, 775 families lived in the town. There were 1,180 housing units available.

Triana racial composition
Race Number Percent
White (not Hispanic or Latino) 1,118 38.69%
Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino) 1,207 41.76%
Native American 9 0.31%
Asian 102 3.53%
Pacific Islander 7 0.24%
Other/Mixed 218 7.54%
Hispanic or Latino 229 7.92%

Environmental Cleanup: The DDT Story

In 1977, the EPA (a government group that protects the environment) found a problem. Fish and birds in the Huntsville Spring Branch had high levels of a chemical called Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). DDT is a chemical that can be harmful to living things.

Investigating the Pollution Source

Two years later, the EPA started looking into where the DDT came from. They found that a company called Olin Corporation had produced the chemical. This happened at Redstone Arsenal. People living in Triana and the U.S. government filed lawsuits against Olin Corporation. These legal cases were later settled.

Monitoring and Cleanup Efforts

The EPA watched the water near Triana from 1982 to 1995. They wanted to see how much DDT was still in the Huntsville Spring Branch. During this time, the amount of DDT in the water went down by 97%. The EPA now says that the main cleanup work for the area is finished. However, the site is still on the EPA's Superfund list. This means it is a place that needed a lot of cleanup.

Education in Triana

Students in Triana attend schools that are part of the Madison City Schools district.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Triana (Alabama) para niños

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