Editing Elberta, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Elberta, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|image_skyline            = St. Mark's Lutheran Elberta Sept 2012 03.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Elberta, Alabama)
|image_seal               = 
|image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Elberta, Alabama.png
|blank_emblem_type        = Logo
|image_map                = File:Baldwin County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Elberta Highlighted 0123320.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Elberta in Baldwin 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         = {{USA}}
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Alabama}}
|subdivision_name2        = [[Baldwin County, Alabama|Baldwin]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 18.33
|area_total_sq_mi         = 7.08
|area_land_km2            = 18.07
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.98
|area_water_km2           = 0.26
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.10
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 66
|elevation_m              = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1974
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 109.24
|population_density_sq_mi = 282.93
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|30|24|52|N|87|35|52|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 36530
|area_code                = [[Area code 251|251]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-23320
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0117910 <ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|117910}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = {{URL|https://townofelberta.com/}}
|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>
}}
'''Elberta''' is a town in [[Baldwin County, Alabama|Baldwin County]], [[Alabama]], United States. At the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]] the population was 1,974. It is part of the [[Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolitan area]].

==Geography==
Elberta is located in southern Baldwin County. [[U.S. Route 98]] (State Avenue) passes through the center of the town, leading west {{convert|5|mi|0}} to Foley and east {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Lillian, Alabama|Lillian]], at the [[Florida]] border.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|17.8|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|17.5|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 1.47%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0123320| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212161302/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0123320| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Elberta town, Alabama| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 384
|1970= 395
|1980= 491
|1990= 458
|2000= 552
|2010= 1498
|2020= 1974
|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|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref><br />2013 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522161634/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|archive-date=May 22, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Elberta racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0123320&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 17, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,720
|87.13%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|33
|1.67%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|10
|0.51%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|1
|0.05%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|4
|0.2%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|120
|6.08%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|86
|4.36%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,974 people, 752 households, and 413 families residing in the town.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=July 7, 2015 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,498 people, 653 households, and 416 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|222|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 982 housing units at an average density of {{convert|142.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 92.9% White, 1.4% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.8% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 2.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.0% from two or more races. 5.3% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 653 households, out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,161, and the median income for a family was $31,964. Males had a median income of $29,575 versus $27,971 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,027. About 12.3% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 40.9% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Elberta is a part of the [[Baldwin County Public Schools]] system.

Elberta has two public schools, which are Elberta Elementary School (K-6) and Elberta High School (7-12). In addition, there is one private school in Elberta; Saint Benedict's Catholic School. The school was founded in 1921 and serves the six surrounding parishes of: St. Bartholomew, Elberta,  St. Margaret of Scotland, Foley,  St. Joseph, Lillian, Our Lady of the Gulf, Gulf Shores, and St. Thomas by the Sea, Orange Beach. Elberta High School opened to grade nine as of August 2017 and had its first graduating class in 2021.

==History==
{{More citations needed|date=October 2007}}
Elberta was founded in the early 20th century by a [[Chicago]]-based land company. The Baldwin County Colonization Company was organized in 1903, and the first settlers arrived in 1904. The community was founded by farmers who had immigrated from [[Germany]] to the [[Midwest]] of America. The land company advertised the area as having rich soil and a climate that allowed year-round farming. The first two organized churches were Lutheran (1908) and Catholic (1905).<ref>''Land of Milk and Honey'', by John Haupt as told to Nina Keenam, 1990</ref>

The land company laid out Baldwin County in the manner found in the Midwest; that is to say, roads were laid out on section lines that were due north-south and east-west. Property, especially farms, were laid out in squares. With the immigration taking these farmers through [[Ohio]], [[Indiana]], [[Illinois]], and other Midwestern states, the early years of the community resembled Midwestern farming communities more than those of the [[Deep South]]. In the 1930s through the 1940s, the town boasted a farmer's hall where dancing and singing were enjoyed, a hotel, and a movie theatre, as well as a butcher shop, grocery and drug store. Many of the residents spoke [[German language|German]], and St. Mark's Lutheran Church offered German-language services until 1976.{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}

The State Bank of Elberta was incorporated in 1922. The bank was unusual in that it did not close during the Great Depression.{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}

The town was incorporated by vote on December 9, 1952.{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}

To support the town's volunteer fire department, the Elberta German Sausage Festival was started in the mid-1970s. This event is held the last weekend of March and the last weekend of October and features polka music, Elberta German Sausage, and 250 arts and crafts vendors.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sausagefest.elbertafire.com/ |title=Elberta Fire Department - Elberta, AL |access-date=April 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617154723/http://www.sausagefest.elbertafire.com/ |archive-date=June 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/03/tens_of_thousands_expected_at.html|title=Tens of thousands expected at Elberta Sausage Festival on Saturday|date=March 29, 2012}}</ref> In 2014, the October festival saw an estimated 40,000 visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/03/its_back_german_sausage_fest_t.html#incart_river_news|title=It's back! German Sausage Fest to sizzle Saturday in Elberta|work=AL.com|last=Anderson|first=Marc D.|date=March 28, 2015|access-date=March 28, 2015}}</ref>

The town is the home of the Baldwin County Heritage Museum. The museum is located on U.S. Highway 98 east of the town. It features exhibits devoted to the development of Baldwin County. The museum includes a large amount of farm equipment and exhibits of life in farm homes. The old St. Mark's Lutheran Church building was moved to the grounds and restored.

==References==
{{Portal|United States}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Elberta, Alabama}}
*[http://elbertafiredepartment.com/ Elberta Fire Department]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070221193556/http://www.baldwincountyheritagemuseum.com/ Baldwin County Heritage Museum]}}

{{Baldwin County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:German-American culture in Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Baldwin County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1904]]