Editing Ashland, Alabama

{{Short description|City in and county seat of Clay County, Alabama}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Ashland, Alabama
|settlement_type          = City
|image_skyline            = 2022-10-13 Ashland, Alabama - Clay County Courthouse.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = The [[Clay County, Alabama|Clay County]] Courthouse is located in Ashland. The [[Neoclassical architecture|Classical Revival]]-style building has served as the county courthouse since its completion in [[1906]].
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Clay County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Ashland Highlighted 0102860.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Ashland in Clay County, Alabama.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_label = Ashland
|pushpin_map = Alabama#USA#North America
<!-- established --------------->
| established_title       = Settled
| established_date        = 1867
| established_title1      = Incorporated
| established_date1       = 1871
| established_title2      = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date2       = 
| established_title3      = 
| established_date3       = 
| extinct_title           = 
| extinct_date            = 
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = Henry Clay's estate
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
|subdivision_name         = [[United States]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Clay County, Alabama|Clay]]
|government_type          = Mayor/City Council
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Larry J. Fetnor
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 19.11
|area_total_sq_mi         = 7.38
|area_land_km2            = 19.03
|area_land_sq_mi          = 7.35
|area_water_km2           = 0.09
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03
|elevation_ft             = 1119
|elevation_m              = 341
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1984
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 104.28
|population_density_sq_mi = 270.08
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|33|16|19|N|85|50|12|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 36251
|area_code                = [[Area code 256|256]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-02860
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0159091
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = http://www.cityofashland.net/
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
}}

'''Ashland''' is a city<ref>[https://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html U.S. Census change list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806133317/http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html |date=August 6, 2010 }}</ref> in and the [[county seat]] of [[Clay County, Alabama|Clay County]], [[Alabama]], [[United States]]. The population was 2,037 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

==History==
[[Clay County, Alabama|Clay County]] was formed by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on December 7, 1866. Less than a year later, Ashland was established as the county seat on land donated by Hollingsworth Watts for the construction of a courthouse. In 1871 Ashland was incorporated and named for 19th century statesman [[Henry Clay]]'s [[Kentucky]] [[Ashland, the Henry Clay estate|estate home]].<ref name="Ashland/Clay County, Alabama">{{Citation|title=Small Town Historic Markers |publisher=Alabama Tourism Department |url=http://www.alabama.travel/homecoming/ |accessdate=February 2, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203101446/http://www.alabama.travel/homecoming/ |archivedate=3 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the early years, the town grew very rapidly. The town continued to grow with the opening of Alabama's first graphite mine in 1899.<ref name="Ashland/Clay County, Alabama"/> When World War I ended, the market for graphite dropped drastically, thus ending the town's growth phase.

The 1930s brought the [[Great Depression]] and [[boll weevil]] to Ashland that destroyed the cotton industry. Farmers were forced to abandon what had been the community's major industry. Timber, poultry, and cabinet making became the dominant industries by the beginning of the 21st century.<ref name="Ashland/Clay County, Alabama"/>

==Geography==
Ashland is located at {{Coord|33|16|20|N|85|50|13|W|type:city}} (33.272206, −85.836925).<ref name="GR1" />

Alabama State Routes [[Alabama State Route 9|9]] and [[Alabama State Route 77|77]] are the main routes through the city. AL-9 runs through the downtown area, leading northeast {{convert|6|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Lineville, Alabama|Lineville]] and southwest {{convert|20|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Goodwater, Alabama|Goodwater]]. AL-77 meets AL-9 in the downtown area, and leads northwest {{convert|24|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Talladega, Alabama|Talladega]] and southeast {{convert|21|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Wadley, Alabama|Wadley]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the city had a total area of {{convert|7.3|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|7.2|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi}}  (0.41%) is water.

At {{convert|1130|ft|m}}, Ashland is Alabama's highest-elevated county seat.<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Ashland has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.	<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=963010&cityname=Ashland%2C+Alabama%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Ashland, Alabama]</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Ashland, Alabama (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–2013)
|single line = Yes
|width = auto
|Jan record high F = 77
|Feb record high F = 80
|Mar record high F = 88
|Apr record high F = 91
|May record high F = 94
|Jun record high F = 102
|Jul record high F = 106
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 97
|Oct record high F = 91
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 78
|year record high F = 106

|Jan avg record high F = 70.3
|Feb avg record high F = 74.0
|Mar avg record high F = 80.6
|Apr avg record high F = 84.7
|May avg record high F = 88.1
|Jun avg record high F = 92.7
|Jul avg record high F = 95.1
|Aug avg record high F = 94.7
|Sep avg record high F = 90.9
|Oct avg record high F = 85.3
|Nov avg record high F = 78.5
|Dec avg record high F = 70.9
|year avg record high F = 96.5

|Jan high F = 54.9
|Feb high F = 59.0
|Mar high F = 66.9
|Apr high F = 74.4
|May high F = 80.8
|Jun high F = 87.2
|Jul high F = 89.8
|Aug high F = 88.9
|Sep high F = 84.3
|Oct high F = 75.8
|Nov high F = 65.5
|Dec high F = 57.1
|year high F = 73.7
|Jan mean F = 43.0
|Feb mean F = 46.4
|Mar mean F = 53.2
|Apr mean F = 60.5
|May mean F = 68.0
|Jun mean F = 75.0
|Jul mean F = 78.3
|Aug mean F = 77.5
|Sep mean F = 72.1
|Oct mean F = 62.3
|Nov mean F = 51.9
|Dec mean F = 45.1
|year mean F = 61.1
|Jan low F = 31.1
|Feb low F = 33.8
|Mar low F = 39.5
|Apr low F = 46.6
|May low F = 55.2
|Jun low F = 62.8
|Jul low F = 66.8
|Aug low F = 66.0
|Sep low F = 59.9
|Oct low F = 48.7
|Nov low F = 38.3
|Dec low F = 33.2
|year low F = 48.5

|Jan avg record low F = 13.0
|Feb avg record low F = 17.8
|Mar avg record low F = 23.5
|Apr avg record low F = 30.4
|May avg record low F = 40.9
|Jun avg record low F = 52.2
|Jul avg record low F = 59.7
|Aug avg record low F = 58.4
|Sep avg record low F = 45.6
|Oct avg record low F = 31.9
|Nov avg record low F = 24.5
|Dec avg record low F = 15.8
|year avg record low F = 9.4

|Jan record low F = −7
|Feb record low F = 1
|Mar record low F = 8
|Apr record low F = 23
|May record low F = 33
|Jun record low F = 42
|Jul record low F = 51
|Aug record low F = 51
|Sep record low F = 34
|Oct record low F = 26
|Nov record low F = 11
|Dec record low F = 1
|year record low F = −7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 6.09
|Feb precipitation inch = 6.02
|Mar precipitation inch = 6.03
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.67
|May precipitation inch = 4.64
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.63
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.75
|Aug precipitation inch = 5.11
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.50
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.77
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.85
|Dec precipitation inch = 5.64
|year precipitation inch = 59.70
|Jan snow inch = 0.3
|Feb snow inch = 0.2
|Mar snow inch = 0.6
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.5
|year snow inch = 1.6
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.3
|Feb precipitation days = 10.4
|Mar precipitation days = 10.6
|Apr precipitation days = 9.5
|May precipitation days = 9.5
|Jun precipitation days = 11.5
|Jul precipitation days = 12.5
|Aug precipitation days = 10.8
|Sep precipitation days = 8.3
|Oct precipitation days = 7.7
|Nov precipitation days = 8.7
|Dec precipitation days = 10.5
|year precipitation days = 121.3
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.3
|Feb snow days = 0.2
|Mar snow days = 0.2
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.3
|year snow days = 1.0
|source 1 = NOAA (mean maxima/minima 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name=NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=bmx
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 7, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00010369&format=pdf
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
| title = Station: Ashland 3 ENE, AL
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| access-date = June 7, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1870= 118
|1880= 387
|1890= 635
|1900= 422
|1910= 1062
|1920= 1655
|1930= 1476
|1940= 1608
|1950= 1593
|1960= 1610
|1970= 1921
|1980= 2052
|1990= 2034
|2000= 1965
|2010= 2037
|2020= 1984
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Ashland first appeared on the 1870 U.S. Census<ref>http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870a-05.pdf, 1870 AL Census</ref> as an unincorporated village, incorporating as a town the following year. The 6th beat (precinct) of Clay County also bore the name of Ashland, and has continued to report to date (2010), becoming a census division in 1960.<ref>http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/37721510v1p2ch2.pdf, 1960 AL Census</ref> The population of the beat/precinct/census division is as follows: 1870–1,499; 1880–2,178; 1890–2,848; 1900–2,891; 1910–3,581; 1920–4,629; 1930–3,713; 1940–3,757; 1950–3,197; 1960–5,696; 1970–5,852; 1980–6,167; 1990–5,780; 2000–6,515; 2010–6,128. From 1870 to 1950, Ashland was also the largest community in Clay County. It lost that distinction to [[Lineville, Alabama|Lineville]] beginning in 1960, when the latter eclipsed Ashland by just 2 people (1,612 to 1,610).

===2010 Census data===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2015-07-18 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,037 people, 849 households, and 516 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|272.9|PD/sqmi}}. There were 986 housing units at an average density of {{convert|135|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the city was 71.5% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 24.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 2.0% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.3% from two or more races. [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.7% of the population.

There were 849 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The [[median income]] for a household in the city was $30,759, and the median income for a family was $44,659. Males had a median income of $30,360 versus $29,438 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,258. About 24.4% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 29.2 of those age 65 or over.

===2020 Census data===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Ashland racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0102860&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-18|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,309
|65.98%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|503
|25.35%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|3
|0.15%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|25
|1.26%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|1
|0.05%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|77
|3.88%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|66
|3.33%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,984 people, 677 households, and 333 families residing in the town.

==Education==
The current [[Central High School of Clay County]] and Central Junior High School are in [[Lineville, Alabama|Lineville]].

According to the [[Alabama High School Athletic Association]] Clay County High School holds seven Class 2A championships.{{citation needed|date=February 2011}}
:Football- 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005
:Boys basketball −1991, 1992
Additionally, CCHS was the 1-A State Football Champions in 2002{{citation needed|date=February 2011}}

==Media==
*Radio stations
:[[WCKF]] 100.7 FM ([[Classic Country]])
:[[WFAZ]] 90.9 FM  ([[Classic country|Classic Country]])

==Notable natives==
* [[Howard Ballard]], former NFL player
* [[Hugo Black]], [[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States]] from 1937 until 1971. His first law office was on the square in Ashland.
* [[Hiram Wesley Evans]], [[Imperial Wizard]] of the [[Ku Klux Klan]] from 1922 to 1939.
* [[Bob Riley]], Alabama's 52nd [[List of Governors of Alabama|governor]]
* [[Jack L. Treadwell]], [[United States Army]] colonel and [[Medal of Honor]] recipient

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:2022-10-13_Ashland,_Alabama_-_City_Hall.jpg|Ashland City Hall and Water Department
Image:2022-10-13 Ashland, AL - Post Office.jpg|Ashland Post Office ([[ZIP code]]: 36251)
Image: Ashland Alabama.JPG|Downtown Ashland at dusk.
Image:2022-10-13 Ashland, Alabama - Bull Durham Mural.jpg|A [[Bull Durham Smoking Tobacco|Bull Durham]] mural in Downtown Ashland.
Image:Ashland Elementary.jpg|[https://www.ashland-clay.org/en-US Ashland Elementary School].
Image:CCHS.jpg|The former Clay County High School building in Ashland.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cityofashland.net/ City of Ashland Web site]
{{Coord|display=title|33.272206|-85.836925}}
{{Commons}}

{{Clay County, Alabama}}
{{Alabama county seats}}

[[Category:Towns in Clay County, Alabama]]
[[Category:County seats in Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1871]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in Alabama]]