Baldwin County, Alabama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Baldwin County, Alabama | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Alabama |
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 Alabama's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | December 21, 1809 |
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| Seat | Bay Minette |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
5,250 km² (2,027 mi²) 4,135 km² (1,596 mi²) 1,115 km² (431 mi²), 21.24% |
| Population - (2002) - Density |
165,100 88/sq mi (34/km²) |
| Website: www.co.baldwin.al.us | |
Baldwin County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Abraham Baldwin, a member of the United States Senate from Georgia. As of 2000 the population is 140,415 [1]. The estimated 2005 population from the U.S. Census Bureau is 162,586[2].Its county seat is Bay Minette.
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[edit] History
- Baldwin County was established on December 21, 1809.
- In the first days of Baldwin County, the Town of McIntosh Bluff (now in Mobile County, Alabama, West of Baldwin County) on the Tombigbee River was the County Seat. After being transferred to the Town of Blakeley in 1810, the County Seat was later moved to the City of Daphne in 1868. In 1900, by an Act of the Legislature of Alabama, the County Seat was authorized for relocation to the City of Bay Minette, however, the City of Daphne resisted relocation. In order to relocate the County Seat to the City of Bay Minette, the men of Bay Minette devised a scheme. To lure the Sheriff and his Deputy out of the City of Daphne, the men prefabricated a murder. While the law was chasing down the fictitious killer during the late hours, the group of Bay Minette men stealthily traveled the seventeen miles to the City of Daphne, retrieved the Baldwin County Courthouse records, and delivered them to the City of Bay Minette - where Baldwin County's County Seat remains to this day. A New Deal mural hanging in the Bay Minette post office depicts the removal of the county seat.[1]
- The county was declared a disaster area in September 1979 due to damage from Hurricane Frederic.
- The county was declared a disaster area in September 2004 due to damage from Hurricane Ivan.
- The county was declared a disaster area in August 2005 due to damage from Hurricane Katrina.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,250 km² (2,027 mi²). 4,135 km² (1,596 mi²) of it is land and 1,115 km² (431 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 21.24% water. It is the 12th largest county east of the Mississippi River.
[edit] Major Highways
[edit] Airports
- Bay Minette, 1R8 has a single runway 08/26 that is 5,497'
- Fairhope, 4R4 has a single runway 01/19 that is 6,604'
- Foley, 5R4 has a single runway 18/36 that is 3,700'
- Gulf Shores, JKA has a two runways, 09/27 at 6,962' and 17/35 at 3,596'
There are numerous private airports and helipads in Baldwin County. Considerable military airspace overlies much of the county and adjacent bay and coastal waters.
Commercial, scheduled service is from Mobile Regional Airport or Pensacola Regional Airport.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Monroe County, Alabama - northeast
- Escambia County, Florida - east
- Escambia County, Alabama - east
- Mobile County, Alabama - west
- Washington County, Alabama - northwest
- Clarke County, Alabama - northwest
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 200,100 people, 55,336 households, and 40,284 families residing in the county. The population density was 34/km² (88/mi²). There were 74,285 housing units at an average density of 18/km² (46/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.15% White, 10.29% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 55,336 households out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,250, and the median income for a family was $47,028. Males had a median income of $34,507 versus $23,069 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,826. 10.10% of the population and 7.60% of families were below the poverty line. 13.10% of those under the age of 18 and 8.90% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
[edit] Regions
- North Baldwin
- Eastern Shore
- Central Baldwin
- South Baldwin
- Southwest Baldwin
- East Baldwin
[edit] Municipalities
[edit] Cities
- Bay Minette
- Daphne
- Fairhope
- Foley
- Gulf Shores
- Magnolia Springs
- Orange Beach
- Robertsdale
- Spanish Fort
[edit] Towns
[edit] Unincorporated areas
- Barnwell
- Bayside
- Belforest
- Blackwater
- Blakeley
- Bon Secour
- Bromly
- Clay City
- Crossroads
- Elsanor
- Fort Morgan
- Houstonville
- Josephine
- Lillian
- Magnolia Beach
- Malbis
- Marlow
- Miflin
- Montrose
- Oak
- Oyster Bay
- Park City
- Perdido
- Perdido Beach
- Perdido Key
- Pine Grove
- Pine Haven
- Point Clear
- Rabun
- River Park
- Romar Beach
- Seacliff
- Seminole
- Stapleton
- Stockton
- Swift
- Tensaw
- Turkey Branch
- Weeks Bay
- Whitehouse Fork
- Yupon
[edit] Education
All public schools in Baldwin County are operated by Baldwin County Public Schools.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/01/01003.html AS OF March 28, 2007
- ^ http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/01/01003.html AS OF March 28, 2007
