Dothan, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama
, situated approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) west of the Georgia
state line and 18 miles (29 km) north of Florida. It is the seat
of Houston County
, with portions extending into nearby Dale County
and Henry County
. Its name derives from Genesis 37:17: "let us go to Dothan
." According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 65,447, making it the largest town in this part of the state.
Dothan is the principal city of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area
which encompasses all of Geneva
, Henry
, and Houston
counties; the small portion that lies in Dale County is part of the Enterprise
–Ozark
Micropolitan Statistical Area
. The combined population for the entire Dothan metropolitan area in 2000 was 137,916. The city serves as the main transportation and commercial hub for a significant part of southeastern Alabama, southwest Georgia, and nearby portions of the Florida Panhandle. Since approximately one-fourth of the U.S. peanut crop is produced nearby, with much of it being processed in the city, Dothan calls itself "The Peanut Capital of the World."
and Creek Native American tribes. Within the vast forests of pine
that covered this region, a glade
surrounded by poplar trees sheltered a large spring at the crossroads of two trails, where local Indians used to meet and camp. White settlers moving through the area during the late 18th and early 19th centuries named the spring "Poplar Head," but most felt that the sandy soil common to this region would be unsuitable for farming, so they moved on. A rude stockade was constructed on the Barber Plantation
, where settlers could take refuge whenever they felt threatened. This fort disappeared by the 1840s, with the end of the Indian Wars
in Alabama and the removal of the Native Americans further west.
The first permanent white settlers consisted of nine families who moved into the area during the early 1830s to harvest the abundant timber. Their settlement, named "Poplar Head" after the spring, failed to thrive and was all but abandoned by the time of the Civil War
. After the war, the establishment of a local Pony Express
route coupled with other developments during the Reconstruction era to finally allow the town to bloom. On November 11, 1885, the locals voted to incorporate, naming their new city "Dothan" after discovering that "Poplar Head" was already registered with the U.S. post office for a town in northern Alabama.
and Domingus was acquitted.
As the pines were cut and land subsequently cleared, cotton became a staple of the local economy, until cotton was devastated by the Boll weevil
in the early 1900s. Farmers turned to peanut$2 production, experiencing remarkable success and bringing financial gain to the city, which became a hub for the production and transport of peanuts and peanut-related products. Today, one-quarter of the U.S. peanut crop is harvested within 75 miles (120.7 km) of Dothan, and the city refers to itself as "the Peanut Capital of the World." A two-week fall festival known as the National Peanut Festival
celebrates this heritage. The city also sought out industry, with textile and agricultural concerns being joined by manufacturing plants for the Sony
, Michelin
, and General Electric
corporations later in the century. In 1939, Dothan took part in the New York World's Fair
.
Economic growth was also generated by some of Dothan's Jewish citizens, most notably Hyman Blumberg and his wife Esther, who had settled in Dothan in 1892 and started a retail apparel business which remained in his family until closing in 1975—a business noted for its moving escalator
, the first in the area.
, Dothan became the county seat
of the newly formed Houston County
on May 9, 1903. The city continued to flourish and grow throughout the twentieth century, with an airport being constructed in 1965 and the Wallace Community College
in 1969. Troy University
in Dothan was established in 1961 and currently occupies a landscaped campus northwest of the city. The Southern Company
constructed the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Generating Station near the city between 1970–81; this 1,776 megawatt facility currently generates approximately 13,000 GW-h per year. More recent decades have seen factories constructed in the city by Sony and Michelin Corporations, together with the emergence of a local arts and music scene complete with an art museum, several theaters, symphony orchestra, dance troupe and other cultural amenities.
In 2008, Alabama developer Ronnie Gilley and his business partner Kix Brooks
of Country
superstar duo Brooks & Dunn
announced plans to construct a $300 million entertainment venue just south of Dothan. This development, to be named "Country Crossing", is ultimately intended to feature restaurants, a dinner theater, camping facilities, concert facilities, fairgrounds and a charity bingo hall. While approved by the County Commission, Gilley's development has encountered stiff opposition from local religious and anti-gambling groups who are concerned that the planned bingo hall is illegal under state law, and would bring increased crime and gambling addiction to the area. Gilley had previously threatened to pull his project if bingo was ruled illegal, but ground-breaking began on March 2, 2009. Country Crossing is expected to generate over 1,200 jobs during its first year alone.
On April 22, 2011 Gilley pled guilty to Count 1 on Conspiracy, Counts 2 – 13 Federal Programs Bribery, Counts 34 – 37 Money Laundering.
Count 1 – Conspiracy is reported to carry a fine up to $ 50,000.00 and 5 years; Counts 2 through 13, Federal Program Bribery, carry fine up to $ 50,000.00 and up to 10 years; and Counts 34 – 37, Money Laundering, carry a fine up to $ 250.000.00 and up to 10 years.
Forfeitures are possible, Gilley waived any rights to appeals. A total fines of $ 1.4 million dollars in fines and all sentences combined could result in 105 years.
In addition to styling itself "The Peanut Capital of the World", Dothan is also the self-proclaimed "Hub of the Wiregrass". It is also commonly referred to as "The Circle City", due to being encircled by Alabama State Route 210, a four-lane highway also known as the Ross Clark Circle. Recent decades have seen the city expand in several directions beyond the confines of this highway.
Dothan's name is often mispronounced by those unfamiliar with the area.
Fort Rucker
, the "Home of Army Aviation", is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of the city, just north of the town of Daleville
.
. It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from 93 °F (33.9 °C) in the summer to 59 °F (15 °C) high during winter. Snowfall is an extremely rare event – a 2-inch snowfall occurs about once every ten years or so, which results in a yearly average of 0.2 inch (0.508 cm). Tornadoes are a constant danger during the spring, summer and fall; the city's tornado activity is slightly below the Alabama state average, but 79% above the U.S. average.
, 30.11% black
or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.85% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander American
, 0.46% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino of any race.
There are 27,908 households, of which 31.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 28.4% of all households are made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.94. 70% of women with school-age children work.
Age distribution was 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who are 65 or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females, there are 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males. 22% of adults have never married. 55% are currently married. 3% are separated. 12% are divorced. 9% are widowed.
The median household income was $35,000, and the median family income was $45,025. Males had a median income of $34,475 versus $22,572 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,539. About 12.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Approximately 79% of residents completed high school, while 23% went on to complete college. 8% of the population has a graduate or professional degree; 6% are unemployed. Average commute-to-work time is 18 minutes.
Dothan is governed by a Mayor and City Council
(called the "Board of Commissioners"), with a City Manager
employed to manage city affairs. The city is divided into six council districts, with one commissioner elected from each district to a four-year term. Members of the commission serve part-time, and are responsible for drafting all city ordinances and policies, and appropriation of city funds. Dothan's mayor is elected at-large for four years, and serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners. The Board employs a City Manager to implement its policies and manage the city's day-to-day operations, including hiring, managing and firing the heads of city government departments. A total of 999 full-time and 215 part-time employees work for the various city agencies in Dothan, including police, fire, clerical, judicial, finance, public works and utilities.
As of 2010, the office of Mayor is held by Mike Schmitz, while the City Manager is Mike West. Larry H. Williams serves as city Fire Chief, while Greg Benton, a 21 year veteran with the police force, is police chief.
Dothan is located in Alabama's Second Congressional District; its current Representative (as of 2011) is Martha Roby
(R). The city is located in three different state senate districts (28, 29 and 31) and in four state representative districts (85, 86, 87 and 93).
, Providence Christian School, Northside Methodist Academy, Emmanuel Christian School, or Westgate Christian School. Institutes of higher education include Fortis College
, Troy University
Dothan Campus, Wallace Community College
and Bethany Divinity College & Seminary.
, is currently (2009) served by Atlantic Southeast Airlines
, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines
, with 3–5 daily flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
. This airport was established at the former Army airbase at Napier Field
in 1965, after a push to move the airport was started in the early 1950s by then-Mayor Richmond C. McClintock. Jet services began in 1968 with Southern Airways
' acquisition of DC-9 aircraft, and continue today using the CRJ-200 regional passenger jet.
Unlike many municipal airports in the U.S., the Dothan airport is entirely self-supporting, operating without any tax-generated funding. All airport revenue is generated through rental and other user fees charged to patrons and tenants of the facility.
to Lockhart, Florida
. Additionally, the Bay Line Railroad
would construct a line connecting Dothan to Panama City, Florida
in 1908. There were also a number of logging railroads and other shortlines that existed near Dothan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Bay Line and Central of Georgia railroads jointly operated passenger service from Atlanta to Panama City via Dothan until 1957. Dothan was also a stop for two Seaboard Coast Line local passenger trains from Waycross, Georgia
to Montgomery, Alabama
until 1971. And finally, Dothan was a stop for the South Wind
– later Amtrak's Floridian
– passenger trains, with service ending in 1979. The Floridian was the last passenger train to operate through Dothan.
A number of changes came to Dothan area railroads over the last 50 years. The Central of Georgia would spin off a portion of their line from Hartford to Dothan to the Hartford & Slocomb railroad in 1953, which was later abandoned from Hartford to Taylors in 1992. In 2003, Central of Georgia successor Norfolk Southern sold their route from Dothan to Hilton, Georgia to the Chattahoochee & Gulf shortline, leaving CSXT as the last Class I operating in Dothan. The most recent changes to Dothan's railroads came with the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchase of the Bay Line, H&S, and Chattahoochee and Gulf
railroads.
Although passenger trains no longer operate through Dothan, Greyhound Bus Lines maintains a station in town. While Dothan does not have regularly scheduled public transportation, it offers dial-a-ride
service through its non-profit Wiregrass Transit Authority.
The Dothan area has been contending for a potential Interstate 10
connector out of Florida. Prelimiary funds for this project were approved as part of a 2009 Federal spending bill signed into law by President Barack Obama
. Presently, the city is served by three U.S. highways (all four-laned within the city limits, and for some distance beyond): U.S. 84 (east-west), U.S. 231 (north-south) and U.S. 431 (north-south; southern terminus in Dothan).
Pilcher's Ambulance Co. is located at 923 S. Foster St. They have been serving Alabama since 1965.
Electricity, water and sewer services, together with residential trash service, are provided through the city government. Natural gas service is provided through the Southeast Alabama Gas District, while propane is marketed through Amerigas and Ferrellgas
.
, Freewill Baptist, Episcopal
, United Pentecostal, Assemblies of God
, and various other Evangelical
churches serving Dothan's Protestant community. St. Columba Catholic Church caters to Dothan's Roman Catholics. Dothan hosts a Reform Jewish synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, which became nationally famous when they offered Jewish families as much as $50,000 to relocate to Dothan in 2008. The city is also home to a Muslim mosque, and an Antiochian Eastern Orthodox church.
(ABC network) and the oldest television station in southeastern Alabama, WTVY 4 (CBS network). The city is also served by several radio stations; formats include classical, Christian, rock, country, rap, urban contemporary, talk radio and sports.
teams from 1915 to 1917 (Al-FL-GA League and Dixie League) and again from 1936 through 1962 (AL-FL League
, GA-FL League
and AL State League). Teams were known at varying times as the Boll Weevils, Browns, Rebels, Cardinals and Phillies. Major League
affiliations were maintained in later years with the St. Louis Cardinals
and the Philadelphia Phillies
organizations. All teams played at the "D" league level, a defunct minor-league classification that represented the entry or "rookie" level in the minors. Ballparks included Baker Field, City Park, Stadium Park and the Wiregrass Memorial Stadium.
Recently, efforts have been advanced to return minor-league Baseball to Dothan. Proposals have been made for the city to construct a new stadium in hopes of attracting a new Class A franchise; projected costs for the ballpark are between $8 and 15 million dollars, which would be paid for using tax dollars, while private investors would put up the estimated $7 million required to start the team itself. No further action appears to have been taken in regard to this proposal.
Dothan was selected as one of eleven Alabama sites for a course on the Robert Trent Jones
Golf Trail. This set of courses has been referred to as possibly "the biggest bargain in the country" by the Wall Street Journal, and "some of the best public golf on earth" by the New York Times. The Dothan course, Highland Oaks, was rated in 1994 by Golf Digest
as the 7th best public course in America, and 31st on their list of the fifty most affordable golf courses.
In 2007–10, the city was recognized as part of the "Playful City USA" initiative by KaBOOM!
created to honor cities that ensure that their children have great places to play.
, distribution, retail and advanced technology, with Sony
(Sony closed its doors in January 2011), General Electric
, Michelin
, Dunbarton, Barrington Seafood, Qualico Steel, Pemco World Air Services and several other companies represented. Movie Gallery
, which was the second largest video rental chain in the United States, opened its first store in Dothan in 1985 and maintained its headquarters there. According to Dothan's 2007 Annual Financial Report, the 2007 fiscal year saw 605 new jobs and $29,685,000 in capital investment brought to the city. Although peanut production remains a mainstay of the agricultural sector, cotton is gaining in importance. Tomato production is locally significant as well, especially in the nearby town of Slocomb
, which styles itself "the Tomato Capital of the World".
The people of Dothan enjoy one of the lowest costs of living in the country. Dothan was rated No. 1 by US News and World Report in 2006 as the cheapest city to live in, due to low local taxes. Sales tax
is a large source of revenue
for the city, thanks to retail and restaurant businesses patronized by the large number of travelers on Highway 231
, and also because Dothan is the largest city within a radius
of 80 miles (129 km).
, Costa Rica, since 1989.
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...
, situated approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) west of the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
state line and 18 miles (29 km) north of Florida. It is the 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....
of Houston County
Houston County, Alabama
Houston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 101,547. Its county seat is Dothan.Houston County is part of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, with portions extending into nearby Dale County
Dale County, Alabama
Dale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251...
and Henry County
Henry County, Alabama
Henry County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Patrick Henry, famous orator and Governor of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 17,302...
. Its name derives from Genesis 37:17: "let us go to Dothan
Dothan (ancient city)
Dothan was a city located at north of Shechem, and about 100 km north of Hebron. Eusebius places it 12 miles to the north of Sebaste...
." According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 65,447, making it the largest town in this part of the state.
Dothan is the principal city of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area
Dothan metropolitan area
The Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in southeastern Alabama, anchored by the city of Dothan...
which encompasses all of Geneva
Geneva County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.3% White*9.5% Black*0.8% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*3.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Henry
Henry County, Alabama
Henry County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Patrick Henry, famous orator and Governor of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 17,302...
, and Houston
Houston County, Alabama
Houston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 101,547. Its county seat is Dothan.Houston County is part of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
counties; the small portion that lies in Dale County is part of the Enterprise
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
–Ozark
Ozark, Alabama
Ozark is a city in and the county seat of Dale County, Alabama, United States. In 1990 the city population was 12,922. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 15,119....
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Enterprise-Ozark micropolitan area
The Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in southeastern Alabama, anchored by the cities of Enterprise and Ozark...
. The combined population for the entire Dothan metropolitan area in 2000 was 137,916. The city serves as the main transportation and commercial hub for a significant part of southeastern Alabama, southwest Georgia, and nearby portions of the Florida Panhandle. Since approximately one-fourth of the U.S. peanut crop is produced nearby, with much of it being processed in the city, Dothan calls itself "The Peanut Capital of the World."
Earliest years
The area that is now Dothan was originally inhabited by members of the AlabamaAlabama (people)
The Alabama or Alibamu are a Southeastern culture people of Native Americans, originally from Mississippi...
and Creek Native American tribes. Within the vast forests of pine
Longleaf Pine
Pinus palustris, commonly known as the Longleaf Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast Virginia extending into northern and central Florida....
that covered this region, a glade
Glade (geography)
A glade or clearing is an open area within a woodland. Glades are often grassy meadows under the canopy of deciduous trees such as red alder or quaking aspen in western North America. They also represent openings in forests where local conditions such as avalanches, poor soils, or fire damage have...
surrounded by poplar trees sheltered a large spring at the crossroads of two trails, where local Indians used to meet and camp. White settlers moving through the area during the late 18th and early 19th centuries named the spring "Poplar Head," but most felt that the sandy soil common to this region would be unsuitable for farming, so they moved on. A rude stockade was constructed on the Barber Plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
, where settlers could take refuge whenever they felt threatened. This fort disappeared by the 1840s, with the end of the Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
in Alabama and the removal of the Native Americans further west.
The first permanent white settlers consisted of nine families who moved into the area during the early 1830s to harvest the abundant timber. Their settlement, named "Poplar Head" after the spring, failed to thrive and was all but abandoned by the time of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the war, the establishment of a local Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
route coupled with other developments during the Reconstruction era to finally allow the town to bloom. On November 11, 1885, the locals voted to incorporate, naming their new city "Dothan" after discovering that "Poplar Head" was already registered with the U.S. post office for a town in northern Alabama.
Civil unrest
On October 12, 1889, Dothan was the scene of a deadly altercation resulting from a dispute over a tax levied on all wagons operating within city limits. Local farmers opposed this levy and united in a body called the "Farmers Alliance." The arrest of some of the alliance's men led to a riot, and although the violence lasted only a few minutes, it left two men dead and others seriously wounded. Chief of police Tobe Domingus was found guilty of murder, and sentenced to ten years incarceration. Appeals to the Alabama Supreme Court resulted in a new trial,and Domingus was acquitted.
Expansion and growth
In 1893, Dothan secured a stop on the first railroad to be built in this region. This development brought new prosperity and further growth, as local farmers now had a means of marketing their produce. The pine forests were harvested for turpentine and wood, which was transformed into ship masts, lumber and other wood products.As the pines were cut and land subsequently cleared, cotton became a staple of the local economy, until cotton was devastated by the Boll weevil
Boll weevil
The boll weevil is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central America, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing areas by the 1920s,...
in the early 1900s. Farmers turned to peanut$2 production, experiencing remarkable success and bringing financial gain to the city, which became a hub for the production and transport of peanuts and peanut-related products. Today, one-quarter of the U.S. peanut crop is harvested within 75 miles (120.7 km) of Dothan, and the city refers to itself as "the Peanut Capital of the World." A two-week fall festival known as the National Peanut Festival
National Peanut Festival
The National Peanut Festival , the United States' largest peanut festival, is held each fall in Dothan, Alabama, to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the harvest season....
celebrates this heritage. The city also sought out industry, with textile and agricultural concerns being joined by manufacturing plants for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, and General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
corporations later in the century. In 1939, Dothan took part in the New York World's Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
.
Economic growth was also generated by some of Dothan's Jewish citizens, most notably Hyman Blumberg and his wife Esther, who had settled in Dothan in 1892 and started a retail apparel business which remained in his family until closing in 1975—a business noted for its moving escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
, the first in the area.
Later events
Originally part of Henry CountyHenry County, Alabama
Henry County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Patrick Henry, famous orator and Governor of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 17,302...
, Dothan became the 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....
of the newly formed Houston County
Houston County, Alabama
Houston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 101,547. Its county seat is Dothan.Houston County is part of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
on May 9, 1903. The city continued to flourish and grow throughout the twentieth century, with an airport being constructed in 1965 and the Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College , formally known as George C. Wallace State Community College, is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Dothan, Alabama. The college enrolls 3,958 students and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and...
in 1969. Troy University
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
in Dothan was established in 1961 and currently occupies a landscaped campus northwest of the city. The Southern Company
Southern Company
Southern Company is a public utility holding company of primarily electric utilities in the southern United States. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with executive offices also located in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is currently the 16th largest utility company in the world and the...
constructed the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Generating Station near the city between 1970–81; this 1,776 megawatt facility currently generates approximately 13,000 GW-h per year. More recent decades have seen factories constructed in the city by Sony and Michelin Corporations, together with the emergence of a local arts and music scene complete with an art museum, several theaters, symphony orchestra, dance troupe and other cultural amenities.
In 2008, Alabama developer Ronnie Gilley and his business partner Kix Brooks
Kix Brooks
Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks III , is an American country music artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn.-Early life:...
of Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
superstar duo Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
announced plans to construct a $300 million entertainment venue just south of Dothan. This development, to be named "Country Crossing", is ultimately intended to feature restaurants, a dinner theater, camping facilities, concert facilities, fairgrounds and a charity bingo hall. While approved by the County Commission, Gilley's development has encountered stiff opposition from local religious and anti-gambling groups who are concerned that the planned bingo hall is illegal under state law, and would bring increased crime and gambling addiction to the area. Gilley had previously threatened to pull his project if bingo was ruled illegal, but ground-breaking began on March 2, 2009. Country Crossing is expected to generate over 1,200 jobs during its first year alone.
On April 22, 2011 Gilley pled guilty to Count 1 on Conspiracy, Counts 2 – 13 Federal Programs Bribery, Counts 34 – 37 Money Laundering.
Count 1 – Conspiracy is reported to carry a fine up to $ 50,000.00 and 5 years; Counts 2 through 13, Federal Program Bribery, carry fine up to $ 50,000.00 and up to 10 years; and Counts 34 – 37, Money Laundering, carry a fine up to $ 250.000.00 and up to 10 years.
Forfeitures are possible, Gilley waived any rights to appeals. A total fines of $ 1.4 million dollars in fines and all sentences combined could result in 105 years.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 86.8 square miles (224.8 km²), of which, 86.6 square miles (224.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.Dothan's name is often mispronounced by those unfamiliar with the area.
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
, the "Home of Army Aviation", is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of the city, just north of the town of Daleville
Daleville, Alabama
Daleville is a city in Dale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,653. It is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city's nickname is "Gateway to Fort Rucker", as this U.S. Army post is located just north of town...
.
Climate
Dothan has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from 93 °F (33.9 °C) in the summer to 59 °F (15 °C) high during winter. Snowfall is an extremely rare event – a 2-inch snowfall occurs about once every ten years or so, which results in a yearly average of 0.2 inch (0.508 cm). Tornadoes are a constant danger during the spring, summer and fall; the city's tornado activity is slightly below the Alabama state average, but 79% above the U.S. average.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high °F (°C) |
59 (15) |
64 (18) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
86 (28) |
92 (33) |
93 (34) |
92 (34) |
87 (30) |
79 (25) |
70 (21) |
62 (17) |
77.9 (25.3) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
36 (3) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
52 (10) |
60 (15) |
67 (20) |
69 (21) |
68 (21) |
64 (18) |
52 (11) |
45 (8) |
38 (4) |
53 (11.8) |
| Average rainfall: inches/mm | 6.3 160 |
5.2 132 |
6.3 160 |
3.7 94 |
4.2 107 |
4.7 119 |
6.1 155 |
4.1 105 |
4.1 105 |
3.0 76 |
4.3 110 |
4.1 105 |
56.1 / 1425 |
| Source | |||||||||||||
Demographics
According to the 2007 census estimate, there were 65,447 people, 23,685 households and 17,108 families residing in the city. The population density was 667.7 per square mile (257.4/km2). There were 27,908 housing units at an average density of 299.3 per square mile (115.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 67.33% whiteWhite American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 30.11% black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.85% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.46% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino of any race.
There are 27,908 households, of which 31.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 28.4% of all households are made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.94. 70% of women with school-age children work.
Age distribution was 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who are 65 or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females, there are 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males. 22% of adults have never married. 55% are currently married. 3% are separated. 12% are divorced. 9% are widowed.
The median household income was $35,000, and the median family income was $45,025. Males had a median income of $34,475 versus $22,572 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,539. About 12.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Approximately 79% of residents completed high school, while 23% went on to complete college. 8% of the population has a graduate or professional degree; 6% are unemployed. Average commute-to-work time is 18 minutes.
Government
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
(called the "Board of Commissioners"), with a City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
employed to manage city affairs. The city is divided into six council districts, with one commissioner elected from each district to a four-year term. Members of the commission serve part-time, and are responsible for drafting all city ordinances and policies, and appropriation of city funds. Dothan's mayor is elected at-large for four years, and serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners. The Board employs a City Manager to implement its policies and manage the city's day-to-day operations, including hiring, managing and firing the heads of city government departments. A total of 999 full-time and 215 part-time employees work for the various city agencies in Dothan, including police, fire, clerical, judicial, finance, public works and utilities.
As of 2010, the office of Mayor is held by Mike Schmitz, while the City Manager is Mike West. Larry H. Williams serves as city Fire Chief, while Greg Benton, a 21 year veteran with the police force, is police chief.
Dothan is located in Alabama's Second Congressional District; its current Representative (as of 2011) is Martha Roby
Martha Roby
Martha Dubina Roby is the U.S. Representative for . She is a member of the Republican Party. She narrowly defeated incumbent Representative Bobby Bright on November 2 during the United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama, 2010 and assumed office in January 2011.-Early life,...
(R). The city is located in three different state senate districts (28, 29 and 31) and in four state representative districts (85, 86, 87 and 93).
Education
The majority of K-12 students in Dothan and Houston County attend Dothan City Schools, or Houston County Schools. Others attend local private schools such as Houston AcademyHouston Academy
Houston Academy is a college preparatory in Dothan, Alabama. HA offers day schooling for grades 3P through twelfth.- Schedule :There are seven periods on a regular school day...
, Providence Christian School, Northside Methodist Academy, Emmanuel Christian School, or Westgate Christian School. Institutes of higher education include Fortis College
Fortis College
Fortis College is a private post-secondary, for-profit institution that was established in 1969 and is operated by Education Affiliates. It was formerly Bohecker College, a sister school to the Centerville, Ohio Rets Technical Institute...
, Troy University
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
Dothan Campus, Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College , formally known as George C. Wallace State Community College, is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Dothan, Alabama. The college enrolls 3,958 students and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and...
and Bethany Divinity College & Seminary.
Airport
Dothan's airport, the Dothan Regional AirportDothan Regional Airport
Dothan Regional Airport is a public use airport in the Dale County portion of Dothan, Alabama, located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Dothan, a city primarily in Houston County, Alabama, United States...
, is currently (2009) served by Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines is an American airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection carrier and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express carrier. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. ASA operates...
, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, with 3–5 daily flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. This airport was established at the former Army airbase at Napier Field
Napier Field, Alabama
Napier Field is a town in Dale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 404. It is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area. The town was originally constructed as a military air base during the Second World War, and its airport currently serves...
in 1965, after a push to move the airport was started in the early 1950s by then-Mayor Richmond C. McClintock. Jet services began in 1968 with Southern Airways
Southern Airways
Southern Airways was a regional airline operating in the United States from its founding by Frank Hulse in 1949 until 1979 when it merged with North Central Airlines to become Republic Airlines, which on October 1, 1986, became part of Northwest Airlines, which in 2008 became a part of Delta Air...
' acquisition of DC-9 aircraft, and continue today using the CRJ-200 regional passenger jet.
Unlike many municipal airports in the U.S., the Dothan airport is entirely self-supporting, operating without any tax-generated funding. All airport revenue is generated through rental and other user fees charged to patrons and tenants of the facility.
Ground transportation
The city of Dothan has hosted a number of railroads throughout its existence, beginning with the Alabama Midland Railroad in 1893. The Chattahoochee & Gulf (later the Central of Georgia) would reach Dothan as part of a continuous route from Columbia, AlabamaColumbia, Alabama
Columbia is a town in Houston County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 804.-Geography:Columbia is located at . According to the U.S...
to Lockhart, Florida
Lockhart, Florida
Lockhart is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,944 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Additionally, the Bay Line Railroad
Bay Line Railroad
The Bay Line Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. It operates between Panama City, Florida, and Dothan, Alabama, including a branch from Grimes to Abbeville, Alabama, reached via trackage rights on CSX's Dothan Subdivision between Dothan and Grimes...
would construct a line connecting Dothan to Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
in 1908. There were also a number of logging railroads and other shortlines that existed near Dothan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Bay Line and Central of Georgia railroads jointly operated passenger service from Atlanta to Panama City via Dothan until 1957. Dothan was also a stop for two Seaboard Coast Line local passenger trains from Waycross, Georgia
Waycross, Georgia
Waycross is the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Ware County in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 14,725 at the 2010 Census. A small portion of the city extends into Pierce County. According the U.S...
to Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
until 1971. And finally, Dothan was a stop for the South Wind
South wind
For other uses, see South wind .A south wind is a wind that originates in the south and blows north.Words used in English to describe the south wind are auster, buster , föhn/foehn , gibli , friagem , khamsin For other uses, see South wind (disambiguation).A south wind is a wind that originates in...
– later Amtrak's Floridian
Floridian
Floridian may refer to:* Floridian, the demonym for a person from the U.S. state of Florida* Floridian , an Amtrak route that ran from Chicago to Miami and St. Petersburg, Florida...
– passenger trains, with service ending in 1979. The Floridian was the last passenger train to operate through Dothan.
A number of changes came to Dothan area railroads over the last 50 years. The Central of Georgia would spin off a portion of their line from Hartford to Dothan to the Hartford & Slocomb railroad in 1953, which was later abandoned from Hartford to Taylors in 1992. In 2003, Central of Georgia successor Norfolk Southern sold their route from Dothan to Hilton, Georgia to the Chattahoochee & Gulf shortline, leaving CSXT as the last Class I operating in Dothan. The most recent changes to Dothan's railroads came with the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. purchase of the Bay Line, H&S, and Chattahoochee and Gulf
Chattahoochee and Gulf Railroad
The Chattahoochee and Gulf Railroad was a short line railroad operating from 2003 to 2006 between Hilton, Georgia and Dothan, Alabama, on former Central of Georgia and Norfolk Southern tracks. Initially the railroad was a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways. In 2006, the railroad was acquired by...
railroads.
Although passenger trains no longer operate through Dothan, Greyhound Bus Lines maintains a station in town. While Dothan does not have regularly scheduled public transportation, it offers dial-a-ride
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
service through its non-profit Wiregrass Transit Authority.
The Dothan area has been contending for a potential Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
connector out of Florida. Prelimiary funds for this project were approved as part of a 2009 Federal spending bill signed into law by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Presently, the city is served by three U.S. highways (all four-laned within the city limits, and for some distance beyond): U.S. 84 (east-west), U.S. 231 (north-south) and U.S. 431 (north-south; southern terminus in Dothan).
Healthcare and utilities
Dothan is the home of two hospitals: Southeast Alabama Medical Center and Flowers Hospital. These two hospitals are the largest employers in Houston County. According to a 2003 study, fewer than 10% of Dothan area residents, or 14,156 people, have no health insurance.Pilcher's Ambulance Co. is located at 923 S. Foster St. They have been serving Alabama since 1965.
Electricity, water and sewer services, together with residential trash service, are provided through the city government. Natural gas service is provided through the Southeast Alabama Gas District, while propane is marketed through Amerigas and Ferrellgas
Ferrellgas
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. is an American supplier of propane. Ferrellgas has corporate operations in the Kansas City suburbs of Liberty, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas.The company was founded in 1939 by A.C. Ferrell in Atchison, Kansas...
.
Religion
The largest Christian denomination in Dothan is the Southern Baptist church. There are also Churches of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian, AMEAME
Ame, AME, or AmE may refer to* Anomalous Microwave Emission* Amé, a soft drink* Adaptive multithreaded encryption* African Methodist Episcopal Church* African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church* AME Accounting Software...
, Freewill Baptist, Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, United Pentecostal, Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, and various other Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches serving Dothan's Protestant community. St. Columba Catholic Church caters to Dothan's Roman Catholics. Dothan hosts a Reform Jewish synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, which became nationally famous when they offered Jewish families as much as $50,000 to relocate to Dothan in 2008. The city is also home to a Muslim mosque, and an Antiochian Eastern Orthodox church.
Media
Dothan is served by one daily newspaper, the Dothan Eagle, and one weekly newspaper, the Dothan Progress. and a news website Rickey Stokes News It is host to three television stations, WDFX 34 (FOX network) WDHN 18WDHN
WDHN is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southeastern Alabama's Wiregrass Region. Owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group and licensed to Dothan, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 21 from a transmitter at its studios on AL 52 in Webb. The station can also be...
(ABC network) and the oldest television station in southeastern Alabama, WTVY 4 (CBS network). The city is also served by several radio stations; formats include classical, Christian, rock, country, rap, urban contemporary, talk radio and sports.
Sports
Dothan hosted Minor league baseballMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams from 1915 to 1917 (Al-FL-GA League and Dixie League) and again from 1936 through 1962 (AL-FL League
Alabama-Florida League
The Alabama–Florida League was a low-level circuit in American minor league baseball that existed from 1936 through 1939 and 1951 through 1962. In 1940–1941 and from 1946–1950, the absence of clubs based in Florida caused the league to change its name to the Alabama State League.The Class D loop's...
, GA-FL League
Georgia-Florida League
The Georgia-Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 and in 1962–1963...
and AL State League). Teams were known at varying times as the Boll Weevils, Browns, Rebels, Cardinals and Phillies. Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
affiliations were maintained in later years with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organizations. All teams played at the "D" league level, a defunct minor-league classification that represented the entry or "rookie" level in the minors. Ballparks included Baker Field, City Park, Stadium Park and the Wiregrass Memorial Stadium.
Recently, efforts have been advanced to return minor-league Baseball to Dothan. Proposals have been made for the city to construct a new stadium in hopes of attracting a new Class A franchise; projected costs for the ballpark are between $8 and 15 million dollars, which would be paid for using tax dollars, while private investors would put up the estimated $7 million required to start the team itself. No further action appears to have been taken in regard to this proposal.
Dothan was selected as one of eleven Alabama sites for a course on the Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. was a golf course architect who designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world...
Golf Trail. This set of courses has been referred to as possibly "the biggest bargain in the country" by the Wall Street Journal, and "some of the best public golf on earth" by the New York Times. The Dothan course, Highland Oaks, was rated in 1994 by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
as the 7th best public course in America, and 31st on their list of the fifty most affordable golf courses.
In 2007–10, the city was recognized as part of the "Playful City USA" initiative by KaBOOM!
KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is an American non-profit organization that helps communities build playgrounds for children.-History:Darell Hammond and Dawn Hutchison founded KaBOOM! in 1996. They were inspired to start KaBOOM! after reading a story in The Washington Post about two local children who suffocated while...
created to honor cities that ensure that their children have great places to play.
Economy
According to the Dothan Chamber of Commerce, Dothan contains a civilian labor force of approximately 168,000 persons, with an additional 4,900 serving on active military duty in nearby Ft. Rucker. The local economy is well-diversified, with services claiming 22% of the workforce, manufacturing 19%, retail trade 18%, government 17%, transportation and construction 6% each, and agriculture, wholesale trade, and real estate/finance/insurance claiming 4% each. Dothan's economy includes agriculture, aerospaceAerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
, distribution, retail and advanced technology, with Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
(Sony closed its doors in January 2011), General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, Dunbarton, Barrington Seafood, Qualico Steel, Pemco World Air Services and several other companies represented. Movie Gallery
Movie Gallery
Movie Gallery, Inc. was the second largest movie and game rental company in the United States, behind Blockbuster Video. The company rented and sold Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and video games...
, which was the second largest video rental chain in the United States, opened its first store in Dothan in 1985 and maintained its headquarters there. According to Dothan's 2007 Annual Financial Report, the 2007 fiscal year saw 605 new jobs and $29,685,000 in capital investment brought to the city. Although peanut production remains a mainstay of the agricultural sector, cotton is gaining in importance. Tomato production is locally significant as well, especially in the nearby town of Slocomb
Slocomb, Alabama
Slocomb is a city in Geneva County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 2,052. The community is named after postmaster Frank W. Slocomb....
, which styles itself "the Tomato Capital of the World".
The people of Dothan enjoy one of the lowest costs of living in the country. Dothan was rated No. 1 by US News and World Report in 2006 as the cheapest city to live in, due to low local taxes. Sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
is a large source of revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
for the city, thanks to retail and restaurant businesses patronized by the large number of travelers on Highway 231
U.S. Route 231
U.S. Route 231 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 912 miles from St. John, Indiana, at U.S. Route 41 to south of U.S. Route 98 in Downtown Panama City, Florida.One of its most notable landmarks is the William H...
, and also because Dothan is the largest city within a radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
of 80 miles (129 km).
Crime
According to 2003 statistics released by the F.B.I., Dothan has a violent crime rate largely below the national average, with only four homicides reported in the city that year. Property crime rates were slightly above the national average. Only 239 violent offenses (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) were reported in 2003, compared with 2,917 property crimes.Festivals
- The National Peanut FestivalNational Peanut FestivalThe National Peanut Festival , the United States' largest peanut festival, is held each fall in Dothan, Alabama, to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the harvest season....
occurs annually in November. The festival hosts competitions in different areas for all ages. A large midway, entertainment by nationally known recording artists, and the largest parade in the area are featured attractions.
Museums and monuments
- The US Army Aviation Museum, located on nearby Fort Rucker, houses one of the largest helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
collections in the world. The museum focuses on the role of fixed and rotary-wing flight in the U.S. Army. The exhibits depict over 50 years of Army Aviation, and include a number of life size dioramaDioramaThe word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s, films, and interpretive material. Several period aircraft are available for viewing. - George Washington CarverGeorge Washington CarverGeorge Washington Carver , was an American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. The exact day and year of his birth are unknown; he is believed to have been born into slavery in Missouri in January 1864....
Monument, located at the National Peanut FestivalNational Peanut FestivalThe National Peanut Festival , the United States' largest peanut festival, is held each fall in Dothan, Alabama, to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the harvest season....
Fairgrounds, pays tribute to one of the nation's greatest educators and agricultural researchers, whose work resulted in the creation of 325 products from peanuts, more than 100 products from sweet potatoes and hundreds more from a dozen other plants native to the South. These products contributed to rural economic improvement, by offering alternative crops to cotton that were beneficial for the farmers and for the land. - The Wiregrass Museum of Art, located in the city's original power and water plant (1913), features ongoing exhibitions of visual and decorative art. The museum's permanent collection includes works by Contemporary Southeastern artists such as Dale Kennington, Frank Flemming, Dale Lewis and Cal Breed, as well as material by nationally recognized artists including Frank Stella and Jim Dine. The museum was organized in 1989 by private citizens and the City of Dothan; it is operated by the Wiregrass Museum of Art, Inc., a 501(c)3.
- The George Washington Carver Museum relates the story of the African-American genius who invented over 500 different products from peanuts and other plants native to the South. Besides offering exhibits about Carver himself, this museum also offers information on African cultures and their influences on the world, prominent African-American scientists, explorers and inventors, and the positive contributions made by African-Americans in military affairs and the area of social development.
- Peanut Monument at the Visitor Information Center proclaims Dothan as the "Peanut Capital of the World".
Art and Theatre scene
- The Featured Players Theatre: Originally located at 158 S. Foster St. in downtown Dothan, Featured Players moved in 2009 to 137 N. Saint Andrews Street. This company offers live plays for adults five times a year; its Children's Theatre produces plays four times a year. When not presenting plays, Featured Players offers a "coffee-house" set-up with "open mic" nights and acoustic folk rock artists. Open Friday and Saturday nights.
- Southeast Alabama Community Theater offers live entertainment and theatrical productions for the Dothan community.
- "Joseph" Statue at Millennium Park is a ten-foot, cast bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
sculpture, located in the historic downtown area. It depicts the Bible verse, "For I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan" (Genesis 37:17), which inspired the city founders in 1885 to change the name of the town from Poplar Head to Dothan. - Peanuts Around Town is a public art project organized by The Downtown Group, consisting of 5 feet (1.5 m) peanut sculptures decorated in various fashions and displayed around Dothan.
- Wiregrass Festival of Murals is an ongoing project offering historic murals painted by nationally and internationally acclaimed muralists on walls of buildings in the downtown historic district. Guided tours are available upon request.
- The Dothan Wiregrass Art League is an organization of local artists who have banded together to promote art in the community. DWAL sponsors art shows, exhibits and workshops. Many of the artists teach weekly art classes to the community.
Local music
- Dothan Opera House, built in 1915, features theatre performances, concerts, symphoniesSymphonyA symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, ballet performances, and other cultural events. Tours are available upon request. - Music South, formerly the Southern Alabama Symphony Association, offers a wide variety of musical performances, from classical symphony performances to jazz, African and other musical styles. "Music by Moonlight" offers four free concerts per year at Dothan's Landmark Park, featuring classical, jazz, Celtic and Bluegrass musicians, among others.
- Country Crossing is a multimillion-dollar country music venue being constructed south of Dothan along U.S. Highway 231. When completed, this facility will offer restaurants, lodging, retail, camping and charity bingo venues, together with a large amphitheater featuring performances by top-name country and western stars.
- Patti Rutland JazzPatti Rutland JazzPatti Rutland Jazz is a contemporary dance company founded by choreographer Patti Rutland.-Performance: produces two full length contemporary jazz and hip-hop theatrical dance productions each year in their home city of Dothan, AL. These performances take place in one of two theatres in Dothan:...
is a professional contemporary jazz and hip-hop dance company located in Dothan. This company produces two full-length jazz and hip-hop theatrical dance productions yearly (one in late February and one in early June) at their home in the Cultural Arts Center, as well as at Dothan's historical landmark Opera House. Patti Rutland Jazz operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose core mission is to offer its dancers to the Wiregrass RegionWiregrass RegionThe Wiregrass Region or Wiregrass Country is an area of the Southern United States encompassing parts of southern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle...
to assist under-served youths with free dance classes. This mutually beneficial program hopes to make Dothan a destination for, and a source of, future professional dance talent in the United States.
Themed attractions
- Adventureland Theme Park is a family-oriented mini-theme park. It includes two 18-hole miniature golfMiniature golfMiniature golf, or minigolf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf,...
courses with waterfalls, a figure-eight go-cart track, bumper boats, batting cages, a Max Flight roller coaster simulator, and a large arcade. - Dothan Area Botanical GardensDothan Area Botanical GardensThe Dothan Area Botanical Gardens, covering 50 acres , are non-profit, public gardens located at 5130 Headland Avenue, Kinsey, Alabama, USA....
offer a paved nature trail and rose and herb gardens, as well as a demonstration garden. - Landmark Park Agricultural Museum and Starlab Planetarium is the official agriculture museum of the State of Alabama. It includes a 1900s farmstead with farmhouse, outhouseOuthouseAn outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
s and farm animals. Other attractions include a nature trail and a planetariumPlanetariumA planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
.
Golf
- The Press Thornton Future Masters junior golf tournament has been held annually since 1950 in early July. More than 600 junior golfers participate in this part of the Junior Grand Slam of Golf hosted by the Dothan Country Club.
- Dothan National Golf Course, Established in 1968 as the Olympia Spa, this resort was built after the discovery of its therapeutic hot mineral springs. This facility includes a golf course, hotel, restaurant & lounge, swimming pool, and an indoor natural Hot Mineral Springs Spa that is fed from a depth of over 3000 feet with a water temperature of 104 degrees.
- Highland Oaks Golf Course is part of Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf TrailRobert Trent Jones Golf TrailThe Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a collection of championship caliber golf courses, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., distributed across the state of Alabama, as part of investments by the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The Trail started with 378 holes at eight sites throughout the state,...
, and was proclaimed by Golf DigestGolf DigestGolf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
as the seventh-best public course in the US. The 36-hole facility offers three championship 9-hole courses, plus a 9-hole Par 3 course.
Other venues
- Westgate Park and Water World is a five-field complex hosting local, regional, state and national softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
tournaments. It is adjacent to Water World, Westgate Recreational Complex and the BMXBMXBicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
Track. Water World has a wave pool and water slides. - Westgate Tennis Center has sixteen lighted clay tennis courts.
- The Dothan Civic Center was constructed in 1975, and features 10800 square feet (1,003.4 m²) of exhibit space and seating for 3,100.
- Porter HardwarePorter HardwarePorter Hardware, the oldest continually operating hardware store in the state of Alabama, was opened in 1889 by Edwin Russell Porter and Joel Murphree in the city of Dothan and is still operated today by Mr. Porter's descendants. The interior and exterior of Porter Hardware remains virtually...
is the oldest operating business in Dothan, and is billed as the oldest hardware store in Alabama. - Wiregrass Commons MallWiregrass Commons MallWiregrass Commons Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Dothan, Alabama. It has of shopping with over fifty retail stores and a food court. It is Southeast Alabama's only shopping mall. The mall's anchor tenants are Belk, Burlington Coat Factory , Dillard's and JCPenney....
Notable natives and residents
- W. M. CooperWilson Marion CooperWilson Marion Cooper of Dothan, Alabama, was a notable musician and music teacher within the Sacred Harp tradition. Marion Cooper was born in Henry County, Alabama, the son of W. S. and Elizabeth Ann Cooper. He was a cousin of Alabama governor William C. Oates.- Overview :W. M. Cooper prepared a...
, a Dothan resident, released a revision of B. F. White's popular tune book The Sacred HarpSacred HarpSacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music.- The music and its notation :...
in 1902. - Former Alabama Attorney GeneralAttorney GeneralIn most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
and Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant governor (United States)In the United States, 43 of the 50 states have a separate, full-time office of lieutenant governor. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when he or she is absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated...
Bill BaxleyBill BaxleyWilliam Joseph Baxley II is an American Democratic politician and attorney.He was born in Dothan, Alabama and attended law school at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1964. He served two terms as Attorney General of Alabama, from 1971–1979; at the age of 27, he was the youngest to hold that...
was born and raised in Dothan. Baxley was most famous for prosecuting and convicting (with an all-white jury and minimal evidence) Robert Chambliss for the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing16th Street Baptist Church bombingThe 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed on Sunday, September 15, 1963. The explosion at the African-American church, which killed four girls, marked a turning point in the U.S...
in BirminghamBirmingham, AlabamaBirmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. He was also famous for telling the Ku Klux KlanKu Klux KlanKu Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
to "kiss my ass" (on official letterhead) when they sent him a letter containing a death-threat. - Dothan was the birthplace and childhood home of Johnny Mack BrownJohnny Mack BrownJohnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
, an All-American football player at the University of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and a Hollywood actor during the 1920s and '30's. - "The Wrestling Pro" Leon Baxter, a professional wrestler, is a Dothan native who got his start in the 1960s, wrestling all over the SouthSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
as "Tarzan Baxter." He feuded with wrestling legend Danny HodgeDanny HodgeDaniel "Danny" Allen Hodge is a retired American wrestler and boxer. He is renowned for his wrestling career, both amateur and professional, and has also been a boxer. Hodge was born, grew up, and still lives in Perry, Oklahoma...
, then worked in the Gulf Coast area as "The Wrestling Pro" in the 1970s. Although born and raised in Malone, FloridaMalone, FloridaMalone is a town in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,007 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,763...
, he has lived and worked in Dothan for decades. - William Gray EspyWilliam Gray EspyWilliam Gray Espy is an actor, best known for roles in serials such as The Young and the Restless as William "Snapper" Foster and Another World as Mitch Blake ....
, (the original Snapper FosterSnapper FosterDr. William "Snapper" Foster Jr. is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. An original character since the show's inception, the role was played by William Gray Espy from March 26, 1973 to July 1975, and David Hasselhoff from 1975 to May 1982...
of The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
) and Donna D'ErricoDonna D'ErricoDonna D'Errico is an American actress and model. She was chosen Playboy Playmate of the Month for September 1995. Her centerfold was photographed by Richard Fegley.-Career:...
were born in Dothan. - Richmond Flowers, Sr., former Attorney General of Alabama and strident opponent of segregationRacial segregationRacial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
, was born and raised in Dothan. - Singer Bobby GoldsboroBobby GoldsboroBobby Goldsboro is an American country and pop singer-songwriter. He had a string of Pop and Country hits during the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature #1 classic "Honey," which sold well over one million copies in the United States.-Early life:Goldsboro was born in Marianna, Florida...
, famous for his 1968 Top 40 No. 1 hit "HoneyHoney (Bobby Goldsboro song)"Honey," also known as "Honey ," is a song written by Bobby Russell. He first produced it with former Kingston Trio member Bob Shane...
", grew up in Dothan and graduated from Dothan High School. - Robert Reynolds "Bob" Jones, Sr.Bob Jones, Sr.Robert Reynolds Jones, Sr. was an American evangelist, pioneer religious broadcaster and the founder and first president of Bob Jones University.-Early years:...
, evangelist and founder of Bob Jones UniversityBob Jones UniversityBob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
, was reared in the Brannon Stand community west of Dothan, 1884–1899. - Former Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
, Heather WhitestoneHeather WhitestoneHeather Leigh Whitestone McCallum is a former beauty queen who was the first deaf Miss America title holder, having lost most of her hearing at the age of 18 months.-Early life:...
, also was born and raised in Dothan. - Matt CainMatt CainMatthew Thomas Cain is an American Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants...
, a starting pitcher for the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, was born in Dothan. - Artis GilmoreArtis GilmoreArtis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
, Jacksonville UniversityJacksonville UniversityJacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
center and later Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, attended junior high and high school in Dothan. - Former PlayboyPlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
model Nicole Holland (List of Playboy NSS models G-R) was born and reared in Dothan. - Gardner Dickinson, a 7-time PGA Tour champion golfer, was born in Dothan.
- Dothan is home to Gabe GrossGabe GrossGabriel Jordan "Gabe" Gross is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.His father, Lee Gross, was center for the Auburn Tigers and in the NFL...
, a former outfielder for the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
and current outfielder with the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. - Robert Edwin RussRobert RussRobert Edwin Russ was a planter and civic leader who founded Ruston, the parish seat of Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana.-Early life:...
, the founder of RustonRuston, LouisianaRuston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, Louisiana, lived near Dothan in his early years with his mother and stepfather.
- Dothan is the hometown of professional skateboarder Jamie ThomasJamie ThomasJamie Thomas , is an American professional skateboarder and skateboard industry magnate from Dothan, Alabama. He is the co-owner of Zero Skateboards and Fallen Footwear.-Skateboarding career:...
, creator of two skateboard companies and a shoe company. - Larry BrackinsLarry BrackinsLarry Brackins is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League was born and raised in Dothan and graduated from Dothan High School. - Allen Forrest aka MatchstikMatchstikAllen David Forrest Jr. also known by the stage name Matchstik or Match, is an American recording artist, rapper, singer/songwriter, music producer, and actor. He is also the founder and CEO of M. Republik Music Group....
Rapper and Music producer
Sister cities
Sakado, Japan, since 1988. AlajuelaAlajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
, Costa Rica, since 1989.