Satsuma, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Satsuma is a city in Mobile County
, Alabama
, United States
. At the 2000 census the population was 5,687. It is a part of the Mobile
metropolitan statistical area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²), of which, 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²) of it is land and 0.15% is water.
.
of 2000, there were 5,687 people, 2,017 households, and 1,688 families residing in the city. The population density
was 873.1 people per square mile (337.3/km²). There were 2,107 housing units at an average density of 323.5 per square mile (125.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.72% White
, 5.05% Black
or African American
, 0.55% Native American
, 0.25% Asian
, 0.16% from other races
, and 0.28% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,017 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,496, and the median income for a family was $53,180. Males had a median income of $39,123 versus $24,851 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $23,972. About 4.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
.
The schools that serve Satsuma include Robert E. Lee Primary School (Kindergarten through 2), Robert E. Lee Intermediate School (3 through 5), North Mobile County Middle School (6-8), Satsuma High School
(9-12). Lee Primary, Lee Intermediate, and Satsuma High are in the city of Satsuma, while North Mobile County Middle is in Axis
.
Before the Saraland City Schools system formed, Satsuma residents attended Adams Middle School in Saraland
. In 2003, officials of Satsuma, Saraland
, and Chickasaw
contemplated forming the "Delta School District." Such a split would have required an act from the Alabama Legislature
. In June 2006, the City of Saraland
voted to break away from the Mobile County Public School System
and form its own school system. On September 7, 2010 North Mobile County Middle School opened, replacing the role of Adams Middle School in Saraland, because residents outside of Saraland are no longer zoned to Adams Middle. In 2010 the City of Satsuma began conducting a study on whether it can split from the Mobile County school system. Tom Williams, a council member of Satsuma, said he began considering splitting once Mobile County decided to situate the new middle school in Axis, 12 miles (19.3 km) from Satsuma, since students have longer bus rides to the school and that the school is further away from fire and police stations.
Satsuma voted on April 12, 2011 to create its own school system. The city is in the process of forming a school board and plans on starting the Satsuma School System in the fall of 2012.
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
, 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...
. At the 2000 census the population was 5,687. It is a part of the Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
metropolitan statistical area.
Geography
Satsuma is located at 30°51′16"N 88°3′16"W (30.854518, -88.054415).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²), of which, 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²) of it is land and 0.15% is water.
History
The area was inhabited for thousands of years by differing cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
.
- 1878 Farmers introduced Mandarin SatsumaMikanThe satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...
oranges to Alabama from Japan for cultivation - 1900 Satsuma area known as Fig Tree Island
- 1910 Pace Orange Orchard had about 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of pecans and satsuma trees on the area
- 1915 Town named "Satsuma"
- 1918 Mr. Norman E. McConaghy hired as manager of the Satsuma Orange & Pecan Groves Company.
- 1922 Packing house built; still stands above Mac's Landing
- 1912-1924 Satsuma trees damaged by cold weather and citrus cankerCitrus cankerCitrus canker is a disease affecting citrus species that is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis. Infection causes lesions on the leaves, stems, and fruit of citrus trees, including lime, oranges, and grapefruit...
- 1959 Plans for a Town Charter submitted to the County of Mobile and the State of Alabama were approved. April 6, 1959 was the first municipal election.
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 5,687 people, 2,017 households, and 1,688 families residing in the city. 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 873.1 people per square mile (337.3/km²). There were 2,107 housing units at an average density of 323.5 per square mile (125.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.72% 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...
, 5.05% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.55% 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...
, 0.25% 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...
, 0.16% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.28% from two or more races. 0.58% 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 2,017 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,496, and the median income for a family was $53,180. Males had a median income of $39,123 versus $24,851 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 city was $23,972. About 4.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Satsuma is served by the Mobile County Public School SystemMobile County Public School System
Mobile County Public School System is a school district based in the Mobile County Public Schools Central Office Campus in an unincorporated area in Mobile County, Alabama United States....
.
The schools that serve Satsuma include Robert E. Lee Primary School (Kindergarten through 2), Robert E. Lee Intermediate School (3 through 5), North Mobile County Middle School (6-8), Satsuma High School
Satsuma High School
Satsuma High School is a public high school in Satsuma, Alabama, United States. It is a part of the Mobile County Public School System.Satsuma was first opened in 1958. The building that housed the first Satsuma High School in 1918 to 2000 has recently been remodeled to hold the history department,...
(9-12). Lee Primary, Lee Intermediate, and Satsuma High are in the city of Satsuma, while North Mobile County Middle is in Axis
Axis, Alabama
Axis is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Mobile County, Alabama. It has a post office with the 36505 ZIP code. The community has one site listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, the Kirk House.-Demographics:...
.
Before the Saraland City Schools system formed, Satsuma residents attended Adams Middle School in Saraland
Saraland, Alabama
Saraland is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, in the United States, and a suburb of Mobile, Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 13,405. It is a part of the Mobile metropolitan area. Saraland is the third largest city in Mobile County....
. In 2003, officials of Satsuma, Saraland
Saraland, Alabama
Saraland is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, in the United States, and a suburb of Mobile, Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 13,405. It is a part of the Mobile metropolitan area. Saraland is the third largest city in Mobile County....
, and Chickasaw
Chickasaw, Alabama
Chickasaw is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. As of July 2007, the population was 5,979. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area.-Geography:Chickasaw is located at . According to the U.S...
contemplated forming the "Delta School District." Such a split would have required an act from the Alabama Legislature
Alabama Legislature
The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members...
. In June 2006, the City of Saraland
Saraland, Alabama
Saraland is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, in the United States, and a suburb of Mobile, Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 13,405. It is a part of the Mobile metropolitan area. Saraland is the third largest city in Mobile County....
voted to break away from the Mobile County Public School System
Mobile County Public School System
Mobile County Public School System is a school district based in the Mobile County Public Schools Central Office Campus in an unincorporated area in Mobile County, Alabama United States....
and form its own school system. On September 7, 2010 North Mobile County Middle School opened, replacing the role of Adams Middle School in Saraland, because residents outside of Saraland are no longer zoned to Adams Middle. In 2010 the City of Satsuma began conducting a study on whether it can split from the Mobile County school system. Tom Williams, a council member of Satsuma, said he began considering splitting once Mobile County decided to situate the new middle school in Axis, 12 miles (19.3 km) from Satsuma, since students have longer bus rides to the school and that the school is further away from fire and police stations.
Satsuma voted on April 12, 2011 to create its own school system. The city is in the process of forming a school board and plans on starting the Satsuma School System in the fall of 2012.