Lamar County, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Lamar County is a county
of the U.S. state
of Alabama
. Its name is in honor of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar
, member of the United States Senate
from Mississippi
. As of 2010 the population was 14,564. Its county seat
is Vernon
and it is a prohibition or dry county
.
and the western part of Fayette County, and was named for E. P. Jones of Fayette County
, with its county seat
at Vernon
. This county was abolished on November 3, 1867. On October 8, 1868, the area was again organized into a county, but as Covington County had been renamed "Jones County" the same year (a change that lasted only a few months), the new county was named Sanford, in honor of H. C. Sanford of Cherokee County
. On February 8, 1877, the county was renamed Lamar in honor of Senator L.Q.C. Lamar of Mississippi.
of 2000, there were 15,904 people, 6,468 households, and 4,715 families residing in the county. The population density
was 26 people per square mile (10/km2). There were 7,517 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.87% White
, 11.98% Black
or African American
, 0.11% Native American
, 0.06% Asian
, 0.46% from other races
, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.30% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 6,468 households out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples
living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,059, and the median income for a family was $33,050. Males had a median income of $30,453 versus $18,947 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,435. About 13.30% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.10% of those under age 18 and 18.60% of those age 65 or over.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Its name is in honor of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar
Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (II)
Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar was an American politician and jurist from Mississippi. A United States Representative and Senator, he also served as United States Secretary of the Interior in the first administration of President Grover Cleveland, as well as an Associate Justice of the U.S...
, member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. As of 2010 the population was 14,564. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Vernon
Vernon, Alabama
Vernon is a city in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,143. The city is the county seat of Lamar County.- Geography :Vernon is located at .According to the U.S...
and it is a prohibition or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
.
History
Jones County was established on February 4, 1867, with land taken from the southern part of Marion CountyMarion County, Alabama
Marion County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Marion County was created by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on February 13, 1818. The county is located in the northwestern part of the state, bounded on the west by the state of Mississippi. It encompasses . Marion County...
and the western part of Fayette County, and was named for E. P. Jones of Fayette County
Fayette County, Alabama
Fayette County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette , who aided General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. As of 2010 the population was 17,241...
, with its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
at Vernon
Vernon, Alabama
Vernon is a city in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,143. The city is the county seat of Lamar County.- Geography :Vernon is located at .According to the U.S...
. This county was abolished on November 3, 1867. On October 8, 1868, the area was again organized into a county, but as Covington County had been renamed "Jones County" the same year (a change that lasted only a few months), the new county was named Sanford, in honor of H. C. Sanford of Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Alabama
Cherokee County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named for the Cherokee tribe. As of 2010 the population was 25,989. Its county seat is Centre and it is a prohibition or dry county.- History :...
. On February 8, 1877, the county was renamed Lamar in honor of Senator L.Q.C. Lamar of Mississippi.
Newspapers
- The Vernon Pioneer - (1875–1878) The first newspaper published in Lamar County was The Vernon Pioneer. The Editors and Proprietors included William R. Smith, William R. Smith Jr., Smith, McCullough & Co, Sid B. Smith, and Don R. Aldridge.
- The Vernon Clipper - (1879–1880) - Alexander Cobb as Editor and Proprietor and later Alex A. Wall as Proprietor.
- The Lamar News - (1886–1887) - E. J. McNatt as Editor and Proprietor
- The Sulligent Lightning
- The Vernon Courier - (1886–1890) - Alex A. Wall as Editor and Publisher, then Courier Publishing Co. (R. J. Young as Editor-in-Chief and Mollie C. Young as partner)
- The Eagle-Eye (1894)
- The Lamar Democrat (1901 - ?)
- The Rural Educator (1908)
- The Sulligent News (1942–1952)
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 605.47 square miles (1,568.2 km²), of which 604.85 square miles (1,566.6 km²) (or 99.90%) is land and 0.62 square miles (1.6 km²) (or 0.10%) is water.Major highways
U.S. Highway 278
State Route 17
State Route 18State Route 18 (Alabama)State Route 18 is a long route in northwest Alabama. It runs from the Mississippi state line west of Vernon, Alabama, east to SR- 9 south of Oakman, passing through mainly rural areas of Lamar County, Fayette County, and Walker County. In addition to Vernon and Oakman, SR-18 passes through the...
State Route 96
Adjacent counties
- Marion CountyMarion County, AlabamaMarion County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Marion County was created by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on February 13, 1818. The county is located in the northwestern part of the state, bounded on the west by the state of Mississippi. It encompasses . Marion County...
(north) - Fayette CountyFayette County, AlabamaFayette County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette , who aided General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. As of 2010 the population was 17,241...
(east) - Pickens CountyPickens County, AlabamaPickens County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 19,746. Its county seat is Carrollton, and it is a prohibition, or dry county.-History:...
(south) - Lowndes County, MississippiLowndes County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,586 people, 22,849 households, and 16,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 25,104 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
(southwest) - Monroe County, MississippiMonroe County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,014 people, 14,603 households, and 10,660 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 16,236 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
(west)
Cemeteries
- Blooming Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
- Christian Chapel Church of Christ Cemetery
- Fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery
- Furnace Hill Cemetery
- Kennedy Town Cemetery
- Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery
- Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery
- Meadow Branch Baptist Church Cemetery
- Mount Olive Church of Christ Cemetery
- Old Mount Nebo Cemetery
- Shiloh (Pinhook) United Methodist Church Cemetery
- Sulligent City Cemetery
- Vernon City Cemetery
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,904 people, 6,468 households, and 4,715 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 26 people per square mile (10/km2). There were 7,517 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.87% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 11.98% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.06% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.30% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 6,468 households out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,059, and the median income for a family was $33,050. Males had a median income of $30,453 versus $18,947 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $14,435. About 13.30% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.10% of those under age 18 and 18.60% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- BeavertonBeaverton, AlabamaBeaverton is a town in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 226.-Geography:Beaverton is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- DetroitDetroit, AlabamaDetroit is a town in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 247.-Geography:Detroit is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- KennedyKennedy, AlabamaKennedy is a town in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 541.-Geography:Kennedy is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- MillportMillport, AlabamaMillport is a town in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,160.-Geography:Millport is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.18% is water....
- SulligentSulligent, AlabamaSulligent is a city in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 2,151. The name is derived from railroad personae.- History :...
- VernonVernon, AlabamaVernon is a city in Lamar County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,143. The city is the county seat of Lamar County.- Geography :Vernon is located at .According to the U.S...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lamar County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Lamar County, Alabama