Editing Benton, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Benton, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|image_skyline            = Benton, Alabama Pink CARE Building.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Lowndes County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Benton Highlighted 0105692.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Benton in Lowndes County, Alabama.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|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        = [[Lowndes County, Alabama|Lowndes]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 0.87
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.34
|area_land_km2            = 0.78
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.30
|area_water_km2           = 0.09
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.04
|elevation_ft             = 141
|elevation_m              = 43
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 41
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 52.43
|population_density_sq_mi = 135.76
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|18|22|N|86|49|3|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 36785
|area_code                = [[Area code 334|334]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-05692
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0113937
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = 
|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>
}}
'''Benton''' is a town in [[Lowndes County, Alabama|Lowndes County]], [[Alabama]], United States. Its population was 41 at the 2020 census, down from 49 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=benton,%20alabama |access-date=May 18, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==Geography==
Benton is located at {{coord|32|18|22|N|86|49|3|W|type:city}} (32.306248, -86.817551).<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=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (8.82%) is water.

==History==
Settled in 1832 on land owned by James Maull, it was initially known as Maull's Landing, before it was renamed and incorporated as Benton in 1834.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3541|title=Benton}}</ref> It was named after [[Thomas Hart Benton (politician)|Thomas Hart Benton]], then the [[U.S. Senator]] from [[Missouri]], who had served under General [[Andrew Jackson]] in the [[Creek Campaign]]. During the steamboat era, it was a major trading stop along the [[Alabama River]].

Maull's son, Edward, auctioned off lots in 1855, that were incorporated into the town. The earliest year any population figures were returned by the U.S. Census for the area (below the county level) was in 1870, when Benton Beat (then one of ten divisions in Lowndes County) returned 2,627 residents, the majority of whom were newly emancipated blacks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Population of Civil Divisions less than counties |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870a-05.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |pages=77–82 |date=1870}}</ref>

In 1880, Lowndes County was subdivided further into 20 beats (precincts), and the Benton Beat fell to 1,094 residents.<ref>{{cite web |title=Population of Civil Divisions less than counties, in the aggregate, at the Censuses of 1880 and 1870 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-09.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}}</ref> In 1890, it declined to 994, and for the first time, the town of Benton was reported separately with a population of 265.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of Population - Minor Civil Divisions 1880 and 1890 - Alabama |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v1-07.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |pages=52–59 |date=1890}}</ref>

Benton's incorporation would lapse shortly (the town did not report a separate population in 1900) and with the shift to railroads, followed by the outmigration of the majority black population, it would dwindle in size. The Benton Precinct would fall from 1,049 in 1900 (same as its 1880 population), down to 409 by 1950, before all the county precincts were eliminated and redistricted into census divisions.

In 1964, Benton was reincorporated, reporting 115 residents as of the 1970 census. As of 1990, it has declined to just under 50 residents and has held steady as of 2010. Out of Lowndes County's seven incorporated communities, it is one of only two with a white majority (as of 2000 and 2010), [[Lowndesboro, Alabama|Lowndesboro]] being the other. It is also one of the smallest incorporated communities in the state.

Benton, Alabama can be confused in genealogy research with [[Calhoun County, Alabama]], which was known as Benton County from 1832 to 1858, and which was also originally named for Senator Benton, but renamed because of his unpopular (in Alabama) political views — namely, opposition to slavery — by the late 1850s.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 265
|1970= 115
|1980= 74
|1990= 48
|2000= 47
|2010= 49
|2020= 41
|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>
}}

[[Image:Alabama River at Benton Park.JPG|thumb|left|200px|The [[Alabama River]] as seen from Benton Park in Benton]]
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 47 people, 18 households, and 14 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|153.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 19 housing units at an average density of {{convert|62.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 76.60% [[Race (United States Census)|White]] and 23.40% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]].

There were 18 households, out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 135.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $90,000, and the median income for a family was $92,113. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $26,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $28,035. There were 7.7% of families and 7.5% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 14.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==Notable people==
*[[David Gordon Lyon]], [[Hollis Chair of Divinity|Hollis Chair]] at [[Harvard Divinity School]] and founding curator of [[Semitic Museum]]
*[[Bill Traylor]], African American [[self-taught art]]ist
*[[Zeke Wilson]], former [[Major League Baseball]] [[pitcher]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|display=title|32.306248|-86.817551}}
{{Lowndes County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Lowndes County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Montgomery metropolitan area]]