Andalusia, Alabama

History

Andalusia was settled in 1841 after flooding of the Conecuh River and the surrounding lowlands forced citizens to move to higher ground. The county seat was moved from Montezuma to Andalusia in 1844. Andalusia may have been named by Spanish explorers or settlers since the land where the town is located was part of Spanish Florida until Pinckney's Treaty in 1795. Andalusia shares its name with the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The new town was originally called "New Site" but was known as Andalusia by the time a post office was established in 1846.{{Cite encyclopedia | access-date = January 27, 2010}}

Andalusia was incorporated as a town in 1884.{{Cite book

In 1899, two railroad lines arrived in Andalusia, the Central of Georgia and the L & N Railroad, and the town began to grow.{{Cite web | access-date = December 10, 2014

The Avant House is one of seven sites in Andalusia listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Andalusia is located slightly northwest of the center of Covington County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 51.3 sqkm, of which 50.9 sqkm is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 0.79%, is water.

Andalusia is served by the South Alabama Regional Airport, formerly known as the Andalusia-Opp Airport, located approximately 5 mi east of the central business district.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Andalusia has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

|Jan record high F = 84 |Feb record high F = 87 |Mar record high F = 89 |Apr record high F = 97 |May record high F = 100 |Jun record high F = 105 |Jul record high F = 105 |Aug record high F = 105 |Sep record high F = 101 |Oct record high F = 99 |Nov record high F = 88 |Dec record high F = 84 |year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 75.0 |Feb avg record high F = 77.3 |Mar avg record high F = 83.7 |Apr avg record high F = 87.5 |May avg record high F = 92.3 |Jun avg record high F = 96.3 |Jul avg record high F = 97.6 |Aug avg record high F = 97.0 |Sep avg record high F = 94.4 |Oct avg record high F = 89.2 |Nov avg record high F = 82.8 |Dec avg record high F = 77.3 |year avg record high F = 98.7

|Jan avg record low F = 17.9 |Feb avg record low F = 21.3 |Mar avg record low F = 26.2 |Apr avg record low F = 32.7 |May avg record low F = 43.8 |Jun avg record low F = 55.4 |Jul avg record low F = 62.3 |Aug avg record low F = 62.1 |Sep avg record low F = 49.2 |Oct avg record low F = 34.0 |Nov avg record low F = 27.0 |Dec avg record low F = 19.8 |year avg record low F = 14.6

|Jan record low F = 0 |Feb record low F = 10 |Mar record low F = 16 |Apr record low F = 27 |May record low F = 34 |Jun record low F = 44 |Jul record low F = 50 |Aug record low F = 54 |Sep record low F = 34 |Oct record low F = 28 |Nov record low F = 16 |Dec record low F = 2 |year record low F =

| access-date = June 9, 2021}}{{cite web | access-date = June 9, 2021}} | access-date = June 9, 2021}}

Demographics

|align-fn=center Andalusia first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1884. See Andalusia Precinct/Division below.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,805 people, 3,490 households, and 2,147 families residing in the city.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 9,015 people in 3,694 households, including 2,359 families, in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 70.5% White, 25.9% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 3,694 households 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.3% of households were one person and 14.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.

The age distribution was 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% 65 or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median household income was $28,049 and the median family income was $37,059. Males had a median income of $27,228 versus $25,855 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,544. About 20.2% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.4% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census data

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,794 people in 3,707 households, including 2,376 families, in the city.{{Cite web | access-date = January 27, 2010 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200212050027/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=andalusia&_cityTown=andalusia&_state=04000US01&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&show_2003_tab=&redirect=Y | archive-date = February 12, 2020 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200212042737/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US01&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-format=ST-7 | archive-date = February 12, 2020 | url-status = dead

Of the 3,707 households 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 33.3% of households were one person and 17.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.

The age distribution was 23.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.

The median household income was $26,856 and the median family income was $37,091. Males had a median income of $29,406 versus $20,410 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,292. About 15.7% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.

Andalusia Precinct/Division (1880-)

|align-fn=center Andalusia Beat (Precinct) (Covington County 1st Beat) first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census. In 1890, "beat" was changed to "precinct." In 1960, the precinct was changed to "census division" as part of a general reorganization of counties. In 1980, three additional census divisions were consolidated into Andalusia, including Andalusia East, Andalusia West and Red Level.

Andalusia East Census Division (1960-70)

|align-fn=center Andalusia East Census Division was created in 1960 and contained the towns of Babbie, Heath, Libertyville and Sanford. In 1980, it was consolidated into Andalusia Census Division.

Andalusia West Census Division (1960-70)

|align-fn=center Andalusia West Census Division was created in 1960. It did not contain any incorporated communities, and included the rural area west of the city of Andalusia to the Conecuh County line. In 1980, it was consolidated into Andalusia Census Division.

Media

• Cable TV Station
• WKNI 25 community interests
• Radio stations
  • WAAO-FM 93.7 FM (Country)
  • WSTF 91.5 FM (Religious)
  • WFXX FOX 107.7 FM (Adult Contemporary)
• Newspaper
  • Andalusia Star-News (daily)

City Council

Education

Primary and secondary public education is provided by Andalusia City Schools, which consists of Andalusia Elementary School (Pre-K through 6th Grade), Andalusia Jr. High School (7th and 8th Grade), and Andalusia High School (9th through 12th Grade). Students can continue their studies at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College.

Transportation

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines. Local dial-a-ride transit service is provided by Covington Area Transit Service.

Sites on the National Register of Historic Places

• The Bank of Andalusia
• Avant House
• Central of Georgia Depot, now converted into the Three Notch Museum
• Covington County Courthouse and Jail
• First National Bank Building

On July 4, 1975, a plaque monument was placed in front of the Covington County Courthouse by the Altrusa Club, as part of the commemoration of the United States Bicentennial. The plaque read "In memory of PHILIP NOLAN, Lieutenant in the Army of the United States. He loved his country as no other man has loved her; but no man deserved less at her hands." Nolan is the protagonist of American writer Edward Everett Hale's fictional short story "The Man Without a Country", first published in The Atlantic in December 1863, during the Civil War.

Notable people

• Harold Albritton, U.S. district court judge
• Dempsey J. Barron, President of the Florida Senate from 1975 to 1976
• Charles Brooks, editorial cartoonist
• James U. Cross, U.S. Air Force brigadier general
• Cecil O. De Loach, Jr., California grape-grower and winemaker
• Quinton Dial, defensive tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tide
• Irwin Gunsalus, biochemist; assistant secretary general at the United Nations
• Seth Hammett, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives
• Robert Horry, basketball player with three different teams
• Nico Johnson, the University of Alabama football team member
• Alexa Jones, Miss Alabama 2005 and Miss America 2006 (second runner-up)
• T. D. Little, member of Alabama Senate and House of Representatives
• Lamar Morris, country music singer
• Mackey Sasser, former MLB catcher
• Frank J. Tipler, mathematical physicist and cosmologist

Gallery

File:Andalusia Public Library Oct 2014.jpg|Andalusia Public Library, 2014 File:115 Sixth Avenue Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|115 Sixth Avenue, Andalusia File:208 S. Cotton Street Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|208 S. Cotton Street, Andalusia File:Clark Theatre Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|Clark Theatre, Andalusia File:8-14 Court Square Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|8-14 Court Square, Andalusia File:201 South Three Notch Street Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|201 South Three Notch Street, Andalusia File:First United Methodist Andalusia Oct 2014 1.jpg|First United Methodist, Andalusia File:121 Central Street Andalusia Oct 2014.jpg|121 Central Street, Andalusia File:Andalusia High School.jpg|Andalusia High School File:Church Street School Andalusia Oct 2014 1.jpg|Andalusia Ballet School (formerly Church Street School), Andalusia File:Andalusia Junior High School.jpg|Andalusia Junior High School File:Andalusia City Hall Oct 2014 3.jpg|Andalusia City Hall File:Old L&N Depot Andalusia Oct 2014 3.jpg|Old L&N Depot, Andalusia File:Bank of Andalusia Oct 2014 2.jpg|Bank of Andalusia File:Covington County Alabama Courthouse Oct 2014 3.jpg|Covington County Alabama Courthouse File:Covington County Alabama Jail Oct 2014 1.jpg|Covington County Alabama Jail File:Covington County Alabama Courthouse Oct 2014 2.jpg|Covington County Alabama Courthouse File:Three Notch Museum Oct 2014 3.jpg|Three Notch Museum

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. {{GNIS. 2403097
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Andalusia city, Alabama". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder.
4. "Andalusia, Alabama Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)".
5. [http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-09.pdf 1880 AL Census]
6. "Explore Census Data".
7. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
8. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov.
10. [http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/37721510v1p2ch2.pdf 1960 AL Census]
11. [http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_alABC-01.pdf 1980 AL Census]
12. "Vinny's in Andalusia, Alabama | Greyhound".
13. "CATS".
14. (February 19, 2013). "Philip Nolan Memorial – Andalusia, AL". Waymarking.com.
15. "Alexa Jones: Miss Alabama". Country Music Television.