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Winston County, Alabama facts for kids

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Winston County
Winston County Courthouse in Double Springs
Winston County Courthouse in Double Springs
Map of Alabama highlighting Winston County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Alabama
Founded February 12, 1850
Named for John A. Winston
Seat Double Springs
Largest city Haleyville
Area
 • Total 632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
 • Land 613 sq mi (1,590 km2)
 • Water 19 sq mi (50 km2)  3.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 23,540
 • Estimate 
(2023)
23,611 Increase
 • Density 37.25/sq mi (14.381/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 4th
  • County number 67 on Alabama license plates
  • Highest county number in Alabama
  • Widely known as "The Free State of Winston."

Winston County is a special area in the state of Alabama, USA. It's like a big neighborhood with its own government. In 2020, about 23,540 people lived there. The main town, where the county government is located, is called Double Springs.

Before 1858, this area was known as Hancock County. It was later renamed Winston County to honor John A. Winston, who was the fifteenth Governor of Alabama.

History of Winston County

Winston County started on February 12, 1850. Back then, it was called Hancock County. It was created from a part of Walker County, which is just south of Winston County. The first name, Hancock County, honored John Hancock. He was a famous Governor of Massachusetts and a signer of the American Declaration of Independence. The first main town was Houston.

On January 22, 1858, the county's name changed to Winston County. This was to honor Alabama's Governor, John A. Winston.

The "Free State of Winston"

During the American Civil War, Winston County became famous for something special. Many people there did not agree with the idea of states leaving the United States (called secession). This feeling was so strong that the county is sometimes called the "Free State of Winston".

People in Winston County owned very few slaves. Because of this, they didn't see any good reason to join the states that wanted to leave the country. Today, the county uses its "Free State of Winston" nickname to attract visitors. This interesting part of history is even mentioned in famous books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Addie Pray.

Moving the County Seat

In 1883, the main town of Winston County moved from Houston to Double Springs. This happened because Cullman County was created from the eastern part of Winston County. Double Springs was a better choice because it was closer to the center of the county.

Famous People from Winston County

A very important judge named Frank Minis Johnson was born in Delmar, which is in Winston County. He was a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He played a big role in the civil rights movement, working to make sure everyone had equal rights.

Historic Places in Winston County

Winston County has four places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites that are protected. These places are:

Geography of Winston County

Winston County covers a total area of about 631 square miles. Most of this area, about 613 square miles, is land. The rest, about 1.9 square miles, is water.

Neighboring Counties

Winston County shares its borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the William B. Bankhead National Forest is located in Winston County. This is a large area of protected forest land.

Population Information

Winston County's population has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown and shrunk:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 1,542
1860 3,576 131.9%
1870 4,155 16.2%
1880 4,253 2.4%
1890 6,552 54.1%
1900 9,554 45.8%
1910 12,855 34.6%
1920 14,378 11.8%
1930 15,596 8.5%
1940 18,746 20.2%
1950 18,250 −2.6%
1960 14,858 −18.6%
1970 16,654 12.1%
1980 21,953 31.8%
1990 22,053 0.5%
2000 24,843 12.7%
2010 24,484 −1.4%
2020 23,540 −3.9%
2023 (est.) 23,611 −3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2020, there were 23,540 people living in Winston County. There were 9,592 households (groups of people living together) and 6,268 families.

More About the Population

In 2010, the county had 24,484 people. Most of the people (95.6%) were White. About 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Winston County in 2010 was 43.1 years old. About 21.6% of the people were under 18 years old.

Religion in Winston County

In 2010, the main religious groups in Winston County included:

Transportation in Winston County

You can travel through Winston County using several major roads and a railway.

Main Roads

  • US 278.svg U.S. Highway 278
  • Alabama 5.svg State Route 5
  • Alabama 13.svg State Route 13
  • Alabama 33.svg State Route 33
  • Alabama 129.svg State Route 129
  • Alabama 195.svg State Route 195
  • Alabama 243.svg State Route 243

Railways

  • Norfolk Southern Railway

Communities in Winston County

Winston County has one city, several towns, and some smaller communities.

City

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that don't have their own local government like cities or towns.

Ghost Towns

These are places where people used to live, but now they are mostly empty.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Winston (Alabama) para niños

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