Editing Mentone, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Mentone, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|image_skyline            = USPS - Mentone, AL - 35984.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Post office in Mentone
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:DeKalb County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Mentone Highlighted 0148064.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Mentone in DeKalb County, Alabama.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[DeKalb County, Alabama|DeKalb]]
|government_type          = Mayor-Council
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Rob Hammond
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 11.13
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.30
|area_land_km2            = 11.11
|area_land_sq_mi          = 4.29
|area_water_km2           = 0.03
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|elevation_ft             = 1686
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 319
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 28.72
|population_density_sq_mi = 74.38
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = &minus;6
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|34|20|N|85|34|49|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = &minus;5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 35984
|area_code                = [[Area code 256|256]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-48064
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2406147<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2406147}}</ref>
|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>
}}
[[Image:Salliehoward.jpg|thumb|Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel, built into a boulder, is located in Mentone.]]
'''Mentone''' is a town in [[DeKalb County, Alabama|DeKalb County]], [[Alabama]], United States.  Its location is atop [[Lookout Mountain]].

A number of private [[summer camp]]s are located near Mentone.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hull |first=William F. |title=Lookout Mountain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a_9BzBPDW50C&pg=PA30 |year=2009 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-6644-3 |page=30}}</ref> For a number of years, Mentone has hosted an unusually large number of summer camps.<ref>Mentone, Alabama : a history, by Zora Shay Strayhorn. 1986</ref> Mentone attracts many visitors and tourists annually, partly due to the summer camps.

==History==
The community was named after [[Menton]] in France<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sqYfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d9YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1642%2C3237680 |title=Names often lend special air to places |work=Gadsden Times |date=June 17, 1984 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |author=Smith, Katie |pages=B1}}</ref> and was incorporated in 1935.

In April 2003, it was the town nearest the [[epicenter]] of a magnitude 4.6 [[earthquake]]. [[2003 Alabama earthquake|The surprise quake]] had alarmed residents in the dark hours of the morning and was felt across several states, but it had caused no injuries and only minor damage to the town. Mentone is in the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]] region of the southwestern [[Appalachian Mountains]], an area that generally goes several decades between significant earthquakes but has never had a major one in recorded history.

==Geography==
Mentone is located in eastern DeKalb County at {{Coord|34|34|20|N|85|34|49|W|type:city}} (34.572360, -85.580283).<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> It is bordered to the west by the town of [[Valley Head, Alabama|Valley Head]]. The center of town is located on the crest of Lookout Mountain at an elevation of {{convert|529|m|order=flip}}. The western border of the town, with Valley Head, follows the western slopes of the mountain. Extending south from the town center is the mountain's ridgecrest that rises to an elevation of {{convert|544|m|order=flip}} within the town limits. The West Fork of the [[Little River Canyon National Preserve|Little River]] crosses the eastern portion of the town at an elevation less than {{convert|100|ft}} below the ridgecrest.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|12.1|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.03|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.23%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

== Climate ==
Mentone has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Cfa]]) with hot, humid summers and cool, wet winters.{{Weather box |width=auto |collapsed=yes
|location = Valley Head, AL, 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1893-present
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 79
|Feb record high F = 80
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 92
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 106
|Aug record high F = 105
|Sep record high F = 104
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 90
|Dec record high F = 78
|year record high F = 106
|Jan high F = 49.3
|Feb high F = 53.8
|Mar high F = 62.1
|Apr high F = 70.7
|May high F = 78.2
|Jun high F = 85.3
|Jul high F = 88.5
|Aug high F = 88.2
|Sep high F = 82.5
|Oct high F = 72.7
|Nov high F = 64.4
|Dec high F = 51.6
|year high F =
|Jan low F = 27.5
|Feb low F = 30.2
|Mar low F = 36.4
|Apr low F = 43.5
|May low F = 53.5
|Jun low F = 62.4
|Jul low F = 66.6
|Aug low F = 65.9
|Sep low F = 58.6
|Oct low F = 46.2
|Nov low F = 37.3
|Dec low F = 30.0
|year low F =
|Jan record low F = -15
|Feb record low F = -17
|Mar record low F = 2
|Apr record low F = 19
|May record low F = 29
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 45
|Aug record low F = 45
|Sep record low F = 29
|Oct record low F = 19
|Nov record low F = -2
|Dec record low F = -8
|year record low F = -17
|Jan precipitation inch = 5.44
|Feb precipitation inch = 5.53
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.04
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.54
|May precipitation inch = 4.65
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.13
|Jul precipitation inch = 5.22
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.52
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.42
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.43
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.99
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.06
|year precipitation inch = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan snow inch = 1.8
|Feb snow inch = 1.3
|Mar snow inch = 1.3
|Apr snow inch = 0.4
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0
|Nov snow inch = 0.2
|Dec snow inch = 0.9
|year snow inch = 
|Jan precipitation days = 12
|Feb precipitation days = 12
|Mar precipitation days = 12
|Apr precipitation days = 11
|May precipitation days = 11
|Jun precipitation days = 12
|Jul precipitation days = 12
|Aug precipitation days = 10
|Sep precipitation days = 9
|Oct precipitation days = 8
|Nov precipitation days = 11
|Dec precipitation days = 12
|year precipitation days = 
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|source 1 = [https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=hun]
|date=September 2014}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|1940= 154
|1950= 241
|1960= 250
|1970= 407
|1980= 476
|1990= 474
|2000= 451
|2010= 360
|2020= 319
|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|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|access-date=June 3, 2014|url-status=dead|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}}</ref>
}}

{{as of|pre=the |2000}} [[census]],<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008}}</ref> there were 451 people, 201 households, and 127 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|95.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 350 housing units at an average density of {{convert|74.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 95.34% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.11% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.67% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 2.88% from two or more races. Furthermore, 0.22% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. The 2010 census listed the population at 360,<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mentone town, Alabama |url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0148064|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder |access-date=October 7, 2015}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> down from 451 in 2000.

There were 201 households, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. Moreover, 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 persons, and the average family size was 2.87 persons.

Within the town, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% from 65 and older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,625, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $27,411 versus $17,656 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,561. About 13.5% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], with 10.0% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those aged 65 or over.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mapamentone.com/ Mentone Area Preservation Association]
*[http://www.mymentone.com/ Mentone, Alabama Information]

{{DeKalb County, Alabama}}
*[http://www.DiscoverLookoutMountain.com/ DeKalb County, Alabama Tourist Association]

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lookout Mountain]]
[[Category:Towns in DeKalb County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]