Tuscumbia, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Tuscumbia is a city in and the county seat
of Colbert County
, Alabama
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,423 and is included in The Shoals
MSA.
Tuscumbia was the hometown of Helen Keller
and is the location of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame
.
Although shoals on the nearby Tennessee River
made the river nearly impassable, a Federal Highway
completed in 1820 provided the area with good access to markets. Tuscumbia soon became the center for agriculture in Northern Alabama. A line to the town on the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad was completed in 1832 and by 1850, Tuscumbia was a major railroad hub for train traffic throughout the South.
Tuscumbia became the county seat for Colbert County in 1867.
During the Civil War
, the railroad hub made Tuscumbia a target of the Union Army
, which destroyed the Tuscumbia depot
and other parts of the town.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of which 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) is land and 0.14% is water.
of 2010, there were 8,423 people, 3,704 households, and 2,279 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1076.3 PD/sqmi. There were 4,120 housing units at an average density of 520.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 75.91% White
, 21.16% Black
or African American
, 0.39% Native American
, 0.33% Asian
, 0.48% from other races
, and 1.70% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 3,704 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.64% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 30.15% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,793, and the median income for a family was $39,831. Males had a median income of $32,159 versus $18,860 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,302. About 11.1% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 19.92% of those age 65 or over.
Private schools in Tuscumbia include Covenant Christian School (grades K through 12)
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 Colbert County
Colbert County, Alabama
Colbert County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee....
, 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,423 and is included in The Shoals
The Shoals
The Shoals is a metropolitan area in northwestern Alabama, officially known as the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area, including the cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Sheffield, and the counties of Lauderdale and Colbert...
MSA.
Tuscumbia was the hometown of Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
and is the location of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, first conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s, was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, which then saw to its Phase One construction of a after a state-wide referendum in 1987...
.
History
The town was incorporated in 1820 as Occocopoosa and is one of Alabama's oldest towns. In 1821, its name was changed to Big Spring and in 1822 to Tuscumbia.Although shoals on the nearby Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
made the river nearly impassable, a Federal Highway
Federal Highway
Federal Highways and Federal Routes can be found in:*Australia, National Highway 23 a short highway in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory is called the Federal Highway ....
completed in 1820 provided the area with good access to markets. Tuscumbia soon became the center for agriculture in Northern Alabama. A line to the town on the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad was completed in 1832 and by 1850, Tuscumbia was a major railroad hub for train traffic throughout the South.
Tuscumbia became the county seat for Colbert County in 1867.
During 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...
, the railroad hub made Tuscumbia a target of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, which destroyed the Tuscumbia depot
Depot
Depot is from the French dépôt which means a deposit or a storehouse. In English, depot can mean any one of a number of things, with minor variances between the different English speaking countries:Transport* Train station...
and other parts of the town.
Geography
Tuscumbia is located at 34°43′51"N 87°42′10"W (34.730839, -87.702854).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of which 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) is land and 0.14% is water.
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 2010, there were 8,423 people, 3,704 households, and 2,279 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 1076.3 PD/sqmi. There were 4,120 housing units at an average density of 520.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 75.91% 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...
, 21.16% 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...
, 0.39% 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...
, 0.33% 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...
, 0.48% 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 1.70% from two or more races. 1.37% 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 3,704 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% 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, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.64% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 30.15% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,793, and the median income for a family was $39,831. Males had a median income of $32,159 versus $18,860 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 $18,302. About 11.1% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 19.92% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Tuscumbia City School System and the Colbert County Board of Education provide public education for Tuscumbia. The following public schools are located in Tuscumbia:- Deshler Area Vocational Center (grades 9 through 12)
- Deshler High School (grades 9 through 12)
- Colbert Heights High School (grades 7 through 12)
- Deshler Middle School (grades 6 through 8)
- Colbert Heights Elementary School (grades K through 6)
- New Bethel Elementary (grades K through 6)
- R. E. Thompson Intermediate School (grades 3 through 5)
- G. W. Trenholm Primary School (grades K through 2)
Private schools in Tuscumbia include Covenant Christian School (grades K through 12)
Media
- Radio stations
- WVNAWVNA (AM)WVNA is licensed to Tuscumbia, Alabama. The format is News/Talk. The station features talk programming and extensive local/regional news coverage with a local news department on staff...
1590 AM (NewsAll-news radioAll-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
/TalkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) - WZZAWZZAWZZA is a radio station licensed to serve Tuscumbia, Alabama. The station is owned by Muscle Shoals Broadcasting, Inc. It airs an Urban contemporary music format....
1410 AM (Urban contemporaryUrban contemporaryUrban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
)
Notable residents
- Mike Cooley, guitarist for the alt-country/rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, Drive-By TruckersDrive-By TruckersDrive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now... - Howell Thomas Heflin, former U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Alabama (1979–97), former Alabama Supreme CourtAlabama Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. The court consists of an elected Chief Justice and eight elected Associate Justices. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur...
Chief Justice (1971–77) - Helen KellerHelen KellerHelen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
, deafblindDeafblindnessDeafblindness is the condition of little or no useful sight and little or no useful hearing. Educationally, individuals are considered to be deafblind when the combination of their hearing and vision loss causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they...
author, activist, lecturerLecturerLecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, and socialist - Heinie ManushHeinie ManushHenry Emmett Manush , nicknamed "Heinie" due to his German heritage, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964....
, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame - Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellAddison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky and the Republican Minority Leader.- Early life, education, and military service :...
, U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Senate Minority Leader
External links
- Tuscumbia city Web site
- Virtual Tour of Tuscumbia Alabama
- American Memory's Built in America Collection which has drawings, photographs, and descriptions of old homes and buildings in Tuscumbia.
- Tuscumbia City School System Web site