Editing Gordo, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Gordo, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town (Alabama)|Town]]
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = Flag of Gordo, Alabama.png
|image_seal               = 
|image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Gordo, Alabama.png
|blank_emblem_type        = Logo
|image_map                = File:Pickens County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gordo Highlighted 0130736.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Gordo in Pickens County, Alabama
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Pickens County, Alabama|Pickens]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Craig Patterson
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.26
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.25
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|elevation_ft             = 282
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         =  1,628
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 496.16
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = −6
|coordinates              = {{coord|33|19|17|N|87|54|13|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 35466
|area_code                = [[Area codes 205 and 659|205, 659]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-30736
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0119169
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.townofgordo.org/}}
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 29, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 8.44
|area_land_km2 = 8.42
|area_water_km2 = 0.01
|population_density_km2 = 191.58
}}
'''Gordo''' is a town in [[Pickens County, Alabama]], United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 1,628, down from 1,750 in 2010. It was the second-largest municipality in Pickens County as of 2020, after [[Aliceville, Alabama|Aliceville]]. The town incorporated in 1900.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3293|title=Gordo}}</ref>

==History==
A post office called Gordo has been in operation since 1847.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=AL&county=Pickens&searchtext=&pagenum=2 | title=Pickens County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=April 28, 2015}}</ref> The name of the town likely commemorates the 1847 [[Battle of Cerro Gordo]] in the [[Mexican–American War]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FwsuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sz4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3530%2C1230150 | title=Towns have unusual beginning | work=Cherokee County Herald | date=February 22, 1989 | access-date=April 28, 2015 | pages=7B}}</ref> 

On March 15th 2025, A Tornado Hit the town causing up to EF2 damage. [[Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025#Kentwood, Louisiana/Tylertown–Bassfield, Mississippi]]

==Geography==
Gordo is located at {{coord|33|19|17|N|87|54|13|W|type:city}} (33.321461, -87.903729).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The city is located in west central Alabama along [[U.S. Route 82 in Alabama|U.S. Route 82]], which runs northwest to southeast through the town. It leads southeast 22&nbsp;mi (35&nbsp;km) to [[Northport, Alabama|Northport]] and 23&nbsp;mi (37&nbsp;km) to [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]]. It runs northwest 8&nbsp;mi (13&nbsp;km) to [[Reform, Alabama|Reform]] and 37&nbsp;mi (60&nbsp;km) to [[Columbus, Mississippi]]. [[Alabama State Route 86]] runs west 14&nbsp;mi (23&nbsp;km) to [[Carrollton, Alabama|Carrollton]], the Pickens county seat. [[Alabama State Route 159]] runs north 31&nbsp;mi (50&nbsp;km) to [[Fayette, Alabama|Fayette]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|3.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|3.2|sqmi|km2}} is land and 0.31% is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 707
|1920= 642
|1930= 811
|1940= 934
|1950= 952
|1960= 1714
|1970= 1991
|1980= 2112
|1990= 1918
|2000= 1677
|2010= 1750
|2020= 1628
|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>
}}

As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 1,750 people living in the town. 58.9% were [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 37.8% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.9% from some other race and 2.0% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]], or were aliens. 1.5% were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,677 people, 728 households, and 474 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|527.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 810 housing units at an average density of {{convert|254.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 58.91% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 40.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.30% from two or more races. 1.25% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 728 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the age distribution of the population showed 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,813, and the median income for a family was $35,714. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $21,029 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,937. About 17.5% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Education in Gordo is overseen and governed by the Pickens County Board of Education. Students of Gordo and its surrounding areas are served by Gordo Elementary School and [[Gordo High School]].

==Notable people==
* [[Larry Blakeney]], former Auburn quarterback and head coach at [[Troy University]]
* [[Charles W. Davis]], [[World War II]] [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
* [[Verdo Elmore]], former [[Major League Baseball]] player for the [[St. Louis Browns]]
* [[Wayne Davis (linebacker)|Wayne Davis]], former NFL Linebacker and record holder for most tackles at the [[University of Alabama]]

==Crime (Notable Events)==
* '''Sean Worsley''' In 2016, disabled veteran Sean Worsley was arrested in Pickens County for possession of prescription medical marijuana by Police Officer Carl Abramo of the Gordo Police Department. Worsley was arrested after stopping at a gas station when Abramo allegedly heard loud music and "observed a black male get out of the passenger side vehicle". In 2020, Mr. Worsley was extradited from his home state in Arizona to Pickens County, where he was sentenced by a judge to 60 months in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections. After serving almost 10 months in Alabama jails for felony possession of medical marijuana legally prescribed in his home state of Arizona, the disabled Iraqi War veteran was released with a pardon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/2020/11/disabled-veteran-imprisoned-in-alabama-for-medical-marijuana-possession-released.html|date=November 9, 2020|title=Disabled veteran imprisoned in Alabama for medical marijuana possession released|website=Advance Local Media LLC.|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

{{Coord|display=title|33.321461|-87.903729}}
{{Pickens County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Pickens County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]