Hazel Green, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Hazel Green is an unincorporated community and census-designated place
in Madison County
, Alabama
, United States
, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
. As of the 2010 census, the population of the community is 3,630.
. Jackson named the town "Hazel Green" because the hazel bushes along the road were of a vibrant green color. Hazel Green was once an incorporated town in the early-19th century, but was later unincorporated. Several farmers from Georgia
and Carolina
moved to Hazel Green when they discovered that the area had some of the richest soil in all the South. A post office was built in 1819 on the southeast corner of the intersection now known as Hwy. 231-431 & Joe Quick Road. Several grocers and rest stops were built along this intersection, also. It became a bustling community and incorporated into a town on June 15, 1821 by an act of the state legislature with a population of approximately 400. After the rich soil had been used by the farmers, everyone suddenly moved away and Hazel Green was then unincorporated. At the time, Hazel Green was a small, rural community that served a crossroads. Roads connected Hazel Green with Athens
to the west, Winchester, TN
to the east, Huntsville
to the south, and Nashville
to the north. These roads intersected at what is now known as the intersection of US Highway 231
/431
, Joe Quick Road, and West Limestone Road. Decades later, Hazel Green has grown from a rural farm area to a thriving suburb of Huntsville, thanks to the Redstone Arsenal
. Several new homes and businesses are being built in the area as of 2011, with 6 new subdivisions planned to be built in the area by 2015 and at least five new businesses. The post office was moved in the 1980s to the building it is currently using. The former post office building was destroyed for commercial development.
On April 3, 1974, Hazel Green was hit by an F5 tornado. This tornado was part of the Super Outbreak
of 1974.
Hazel Green broke the record in 2011 for the only town with less than 4,000 residents to have a Facebook
page with over 2,000 likes.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 3,805 people, 1,340 households, and 1,080 families residing in the community. The population density
was 378.9 people per square mile (146.3/km²). There were 1,394 housing units at an average density of 138.8 per square mile (53.6/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 93.56% White
, 2.65% Black
or African American
, 1.31% Native American
, 0.50% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.32% from other races
, and 1.63% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,340 households out of which 46.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the community the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $40,263, and the median income for a family was $45,174. Males had a median income of $33,005 versus $23,929 for females. The per capita income
for the community was $18,397. About 4.2% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
The Hazel Green Volunteer Fire Department is a large volunteer fire department of approximately 40 members serving the residents of North Central Madison County. The fire department has 1 station that house 3 engines along with other assorted rescue vehicles.
The Huntsville Madison County Public Library maintains a branch, the Tillman D. Hill Public Library, located on Knowledge Dr. behind Advance Auto Parts. This branch library is part of a very well supported community library system in Madison County.
The Madison County School System runs three schools in Hazel Green. Hazel Green High School serves a high school for Hazel Green, Meridianville, and some of New Market. A ninth grade "academy" was constructed in 2010 in front of Hazel Green High School. Middle school students in Hazel Gree are zoned for Meridianville Middle located in southern Hazel Green. There are also two elementary schools in Hazel Green- Hazel Green & Walnut Grove.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Madison County
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA...
. As of the 2010 census, the population of the community is 3,630.
History
The town of Hazel Green was named by United States President Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. Jackson named the town "Hazel Green" because the hazel bushes along the road were of a vibrant green color. Hazel Green was once an incorporated town in the early-19th century, but was later unincorporated. Several farmers from 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...
and Carolina
Carolina
-Geography:* South Carolina, U.S. state* North Carolina, U.S. state* The Carolinas, term used to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina* Province of Carolina, the British colonial province until 1729* Carolina, Alabama...
moved to Hazel Green when they discovered that the area had some of the richest soil in all the South. A post office was built in 1819 on the southeast corner of the intersection now known as Hwy. 231-431 & Joe Quick Road. Several grocers and rest stops were built along this intersection, also. It became a bustling community and incorporated into a town on June 15, 1821 by an act of the state legislature with a population of approximately 400. After the rich soil had been used by the farmers, everyone suddenly moved away and Hazel Green was then unincorporated. At the time, Hazel Green was a small, rural community that served a crossroads. Roads connected Hazel Green with Athens
Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
to the west, Winchester, TN
Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the east, Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
to the south, and Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to the north. These roads intersected at what is now known as the intersection of US 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...
/431
U.S. Route 431
U.S. Route 431 is a spur of U.S. Route 31. It currently runs for 556 miles from Owensboro, Kentucky at U.S. Route 60 to Dothan, Alabama, at U.S. Route 231 and U.S. Route 84. Through many parts of US 431 it is a two lane with not many places of it being a four lane highway.-Alabama:U.S. 431 is...
, Joe Quick Road, and West Limestone Road. Decades later, Hazel Green has grown from a rural farm area to a thriving suburb of Huntsville, thanks to the Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
. Several new homes and businesses are being built in the area as of 2011, with 6 new subdivisions planned to be built in the area by 2015 and at least five new businesses. The post office was moved in the 1980s to the building it is currently using. The former post office building was destroyed for commercial development.
On April 3, 1974, Hazel Green was hit by an F5 tornado. This tornado was part of the Super Outbreak
Super Outbreak
The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period, just behind the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, 2011...
of 1974.
Hazel Green broke the record in 2011 for the only town with less than 4,000 residents to have a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page with over 2,000 likes.
Geography
Hazel Green is located at 34°55′25"N 86°34′2"W (34.923712, -86.567206).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), all of it land.
Major Roads
- U.S. Highway 231-431
- Charity Lane
- West Limestone Road
- Walker Lane
- Joe Quick Road
- Grimwood Road
Neighboring Communities
- Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville, AlabamaHuntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
- Meridianville, AlabamaMeridianville, AlabamaMeridianville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the community is 6,021....
- Moores Mill, AlabamaMoores Mill, AlabamaMoores Mill is a census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The population was 5,178 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- New Market, AlabamaNew Market, AlabamaNew Market is a census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the CDP is 1,864...
- Harvest, Alabama
- Toney, AlabamaToney, AlabamaToney is an unincorporated community in the northwestern part of Madison County, Alabama, United States. A part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, it is located at an elevation of 827 feet .-Public services:...
- Fayetteville, TennesseeFayetteville, TennesseeFayetteville is a city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,805 people, 1,340 households, and 1,080 families residing in the community. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 378.9 people per square mile (146.3/km²). There were 1,394 housing units at an average density of 138.8 per square mile (53.6/km²). The racial makeup of the community was 93.56% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.65% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.31% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.50% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.63% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,340 households out of which 46.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the community the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the community was $40,263, and the median income for a family was $45,174. Males had a median income of $33,005 versus $23,929 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the community was $18,397. About 4.2% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Public services
The Madison County Sheriff's Department administers law and order in Hazel Green.The Hazel Green Volunteer Fire Department is a large volunteer fire department of approximately 40 members serving the residents of North Central Madison County. The fire department has 1 station that house 3 engines along with other assorted rescue vehicles.
The Huntsville Madison County Public Library maintains a branch, the Tillman D. Hill Public Library, located on Knowledge Dr. behind Advance Auto Parts. This branch library is part of a very well supported community library system in Madison County.
The Madison County School System runs three schools in Hazel Green. Hazel Green High School serves a high school for Hazel Green, Meridianville, and some of New Market. A ninth grade "academy" was constructed in 2010 in front of Hazel Green High School. Middle school students in Hazel Gree are zoned for Meridianville Middle located in southern Hazel Green. There are also two elementary schools in Hazel Green- Hazel Green & Walnut Grove.
Education
- Hazel Green Elementary School (K-5)
- Meridianville Middle School (6-8)
- Hazel Green High SchoolHazel Green High SchoolHazel Green High School is a public high school in Hazel Green, Alabama, United States. It is operated by the Madison County Board of Education. HGHS currently has over 1,200 enrolled students in grades 9-12.-Building:...
(9-12)
Notable residents and natives
- Claire LynchClaire LynchClaire Lynch , is an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, and session vocalist who joined her first band, then called Hickory Wind, in 1973...
, American Bluegrass singer - George LindseyGeorge LindseyGeorge Lindsey is an American character actor, best known for his role as "Goober Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show, as well as for his tenure on Hee-Haw.-Early life and career :...
, Actor of Goober PyleGoober PyleGoober is a fictional character in the American TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show and its later sequel series Mayberry RFD. He was played by George Lindsey. Lindsey initially read for the part of Gomer Pyle, which went to singer Jim Nabors...
on The Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...