Editing Russellville, Alabama

{{short description|City in Alabama, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Russellville
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| image_skyline            = Russellville-Jackson-Ave-al.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = Jackson Avenue
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = File:Franklin County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Russellville Highlighted 0167056.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Russellville in Franklin 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        = [[Franklin County, Alabama|Franklin]]
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = David Grissom
| established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date         = 
| established_title1       = Incorporated
| established_date1        = November 27, 1819<ref name="alabama-law-1823"/>
| established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date2        = 
| established_title3       = 
| established_date3        = 
| named_for                = Major William Russell
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 35.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 13.52
| area_land_km2            = 34.73
| area_land_sq_mi          = 13.41
| area_water_km2           = 0.27
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.11
| elevation_ft             = 764
| elevation_m              = 233
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 10855
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_km2   = 312.55
| population_density_sq_mi = 809.47
| timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| coordinates              = {{coord|34|30|20|N|87|43|45|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 35653-35654
| area_code                = [[Area code 256|256]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 01-67056
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 0126047
| footnotes                = 
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.russellvilleal.org}}
| 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>
| government_type          = Municipality
| leader_title1            = City Council
| leader_name1             = David Palmer<br>Darren Woodruff<br>Gary Cummings<br>Dexter Hamilton<br>Jamie Harris
}}
'''Russellville''' is a city in [[Franklin County, Alabama|Franklin County]] in the U.S. state of [[Alabama]]. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 10,855,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Russellville%20city,%20Alabama&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> up from 9,830 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US0167056| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Russellville city, Alabama| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=April 12, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213060503/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US0167056| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is the [[county seat]] of Franklin County.

==History==
After the [[War of 1812]], the U.S. government appropriated money to improve a route from [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] to [[New Orleans]]. It was named [[Jackson's Military Road]] after [[Andrew Jackson]], and it passed through what became Russellville. (Present-day Jackson Avenue and Jackson Highway, [[U.S. Route 43]], follow portions of the original road.)<ref>''RussellvilleGov.com'' (2004). [https://web.archive.org/web/20021010051908/http://www.russellvillegov.com/his.htm "History of Russellville"]. Archived page of March 22, 2004.</ref>

Russellville is named after Major William Russell,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZA4sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J7oEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2041%2C3431698 | title=Announcements | work=Times Daily | date=October 20, 1932 | access-date=May 28, 2015 | pages=3}}</ref> an early settler in the area who helped in the construction of Jackson's Military Road. The town grew at this road's intersection with the [[Gaines Trace]].

Russellville was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] on November 27, 1819.<ref name="alabama-law-1823">'A Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama: Containing the Statutes and Resolutions in Force at the End of the General Assembly in January 1823''.  Published by Ginn & Curtis, J. & J. Harper, Printers, New-York, 1828. Title 62. Chapter XXIV. Pages 812-813. [https://books.google.com/books?id=JvtKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA812 "An Act to Establish and Incorporate the Town of Russelville, in County of Franklin.—Passed November 27, 1819." (Google Books)]</ref>

Russellville served as the first county seat from 1818-1849 before it was removed to [[Frankfort, Alabama|Frankfort]] (which served from 1849-1879). After the fire at the courthouse in the third county seat of [[Belgreen, Alabama|Belgreen]] in 1890, the seat was returned to Russellville in 1891.<ref>[http://www.franklincountyal.org/our-history.html Our History], Franklin County official website. Accessed September 27, 2018.</ref>

==Geography==
Russellville is located in northeastern Franklin County. [[U.S. Route 43]] passes through the eastern side of the city, leading north {{convert|18|mi}} to [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama|Muscle Shoals]] on the [[Tennessee River]] and southwest {{convert|31|mi}} to [[Hamilton, Alabama|Hamilton]]. [[Alabama State Route 24]] passes through the south side of the city, leading east {{convert|47|mi}} to [[Decatur, Alabama|Decatur]] on the Tennessee River and west {{convert|26|mi}} to [[Red Bay, Alabama|Red Bay]] at the [[Mississippi]] border.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Russellville has a total area of {{convert|35.0|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|34.7|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.3|km2|order=flip|1}}, or 0.79%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

===Climate===
{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Russellville, Alabama, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1953&ndash;present

|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 84
|Mar record high F = 87
|Apr record high F = 92
|May record high F = 95
|Jun record high F = 106
|Jul record high F = 103
|Aug record high F = 106
|Sep record high F = 102
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 85

|Jan avg record high F = 68.5
|Feb avg record high F = 73.6
|Mar avg record high F = 80.6
|Apr avg record high F = 85.6
|May avg record high F = 89.8
|Jun avg record high F = 94.4
|Jul avg record high F = 96.3
|Aug avg record high F = 96.9
|Sep avg record high F = 93.6
|Oct avg record high F = 86.5
|Nov avg record high F = 78.2
|Dec avg record high F = 70.0
|year avg record high F = 97.9

<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =51.1
| Feb high F  =55.9
| Mar high F  =64.7
| Apr high F  =73.2
| May high F  =80.9
| Jun high F  =88.0
| Jul high F  =90.9
| Aug high F  =90.5
| Sep high F  =85.4
| Oct high F  =74.8
| Nov high F  =63.0
| Dec high F  =54.0
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =41.4
| Feb mean F  =45.0
| Mar mean F  =52.5
| Apr mean F  =60.9
| May mean F  =69.2
| Jun mean F  =76.8
| Jul mean F  =80.3
| Aug mean F  =79.6
| Sep mean F  =73.6
| Oct mean F  =62.4
| Nov mean F  =51.4
| Dec mean F  =44.1
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =31.7
| Feb low F  =34.2
| Mar low F  =40.3
| Apr low F  =48.6
| May low F  =57.5
| Jun low F  =65.7
| Jul low F  =69.8
| Aug low F  =68.8
| Sep low F  =61.8
| Oct low F  =50.1
| Nov low F  =39.8
| Dec low F  =34.3

|Jan avg record low F = 12.6
|Feb avg record low F = 17.3
|Mar avg record low F = 23.1
|Apr avg record low F = 31.6
|May avg record low F = 41.5
|Jun avg record low F = 53.8
|Jul avg record low F = 61.2
|Aug avg record low F = 59.2
|Sep avg record low F = 47.3
|Oct avg record low F = 33.3
|Nov avg record low F = 24.0
|Dec avg record low F = 18.7
|year avg record low F = 10.4

|Jan record low F = -24
|Feb record low F = -12
|Mar record low F = 5
|Apr record low F = 22
|May record low F = 31
|Jun record low F = 36
|Jul record low F = 45
|Aug record low F = 46
|Sep record low F = 30
|Oct record low F = 19
|Nov record low F = 10
|Dec record low F = -7

<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =5.00
| Feb precipitation inch  =5.08
| Mar precipitation inch  =5.43
| Apr precipitation inch  =5.12
| May precipitation inch  =5.38
| Jun precipitation inch  =3.82
| Jul precipitation inch  =4.48
| Aug precipitation inch  =4.66
| Sep precipitation inch  =3.99
| Oct precipitation inch  =3.76
| Nov precipitation inch  =4.54
| Dec precipitation inch  =5.44

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 9.2
|Feb precipitation days = 8.8
|Mar precipitation days = 9.0
|Apr precipitation days = 8.0
|May precipitation days = 8.3
|Jun precipitation days = 8.1
|Jul precipitation days = 8.7
|Aug precipitation days = 7.3
|Sep precipitation days = 6.0
|Oct precipitation days = 6.3
|Nov precipitation days = 7.7
|Dec precipitation days = 8.7

<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =0.3
| Feb snow inch  =0.2
| Mar snow inch  =0.1
| 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  =0.0

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.2
|Feb snow days = 0.2
|Mar snow days = 0.0
|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 = 0.2

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00017131&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Russellville #2, AL
|access-date = March 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=hun
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Huntsville
|access-date = March 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 180
|1880= 186
|1890= 920
|1900= 1602
|1910= 2046
|1920= 2269
|1930= 3146
|1940= 3510
|1950= 6012
|1960= 6628
|1970= 7814
|1980= 8195
|1990= 7812
|2000= 8971
|2010= 9830
|2020= 10855
|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>
}}

===2010 census===
At the 2010 [[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> there were 9,830 people and 3,556 households. The population density was {{convert|677.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,882 housing units at an average density of {{convert|293.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 73.68% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 11.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.35% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.27% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 7.54% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.17% from two or more races. 12.64% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 3,556 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.

Age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there are 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The [[median household income]] was $25,333, and the median family income was $35,799. Males had a median income of $27,238 versus $18,551 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,871. About 16.7% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Russellville racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0167056&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 11, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|5,515
|50.81%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|870
|8.01%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|42
|0.39%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|29
|0.27%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|285
|2.63%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|4,114
|37.9%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 10,855 people, 3,238 households, and 2,244 families residing in the city.

==Local features==
'''Watermelon Festival''' - The annual "Watermelon Festival" is held each August in downtown Russellville, and includes music and entertainment, car and tractor shows, and arts and crafts.<ref>[http://franklincountychamber.org/festivals-2/watermelon-festival/ Watermelon Festival], Franklin County Chamber of Commerce official site. Accessed September 27, 2018.</ref>

'''Roxy Theater''' - Built in 1949, the theater originally served primarily as a movie cinema, but saw a major decline in the early 1980s. It now has been revitalized as an entertainment venue due to the efforts of The Franklin County Arts and Humanities Council and the support of local citizens.<ref>"[https://www.franklincountytimes.com/2015/10/07/roxy-theatre-receives-lasting-impression-award/ Roxy Theatre Receives Lasting Impression Awards]," ''Franklin County Times'', October 7, 2015.</ref><ref>John Pilati, "[http://www.franklinfreepress.net/news/details.cfm?clientid=38&id=265218#.W61cP6ovyUk Baldwin to Perform Benefit Concert This Saturday at Roxy]," ''Franklin Free Press'', May 15, 2018.</ref>

'''[[King Drive-In]]''' - (Now closed as of 2024) The King Drive-In is located just north of Russellville on Highway 43. One of the few drive-in movie theaters still operating in Alabama, it plays currently released films throughout the spring and summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The theater features old-style speakers that hang on car windows, but also offers the soundtrack of films through FM radio broadcasts, as well.<ref>{{cite news |first=Vicki |last=Pounders |newspaper=[[TimesDaily|Times-Daily]] |location=[[Florence, AL]] |publisher=Tennessee Valley Printing Co. |title=Russellville drive-in still going after 40 years |pages=1A, 5A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=310eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A8kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2916,3745618&dq=king+drive-in&hl=en |date= April 20, 1989|access-date=March 28, 2013}}</ref>

'''The Strip''' - From the 1960s until approximately 2000, "The Downtown Strip" had been a source of entertainment for local teenagers throughout Franklin County. This strip is best described as having the atmosphere of [[George Lucas]]' iconic film, ''[[American Graffiti]]''. Cruising the strip ended near the end of 2004 due to an increased local police presence in the area.<ref>Jim Hannon, "[https://www.timesdaily.com/archives/cruisin-the-strip/article_e2689f5d-465b-5662-9c69-63ce2eb93397.html Cruisin' the Strip]," ''Florence TimesDaily'', March 13, 2011.</ref>

'''RHS stadium''' - Russellville High School Stadium is a place where local residents watch the high school football team play. Russellville's football team ranks as one of the most successful teams in Alabama in terms of all-time playoff wins.<ref>[http://www.ahsfhs.org/records/playoffsa.asp Playoff Team Records], Alabama High School Football Historical Society.  Accessed September 27, 2018.</ref>

==Local media==
WMTY-TV features area events about the Russellville area including news and weather, though most programming is religious. Its [[Broadcast relay station|translator station]] is W46DF-D. Radio stations include [[WKAX]] AM 1500, [[WGOL]] AM 920, and [[WPMR-LP]] 99.7 FM. Russellville's newspapers are ''[http://www.franklinfreepress.net/ The Franklin Free Press]'' and the ''[https://franklincountytimes.com/ Franklin County Times]''.

==Transportation==
There is no fixed-route transit service in Russellville. However, the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments operates a [[dial-a-ride]] transit service known as NACOLG Transit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nacolg.org/public-transit|title=NACOLG Transit|access-date=November 10, 2024}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Lee Clayton (musician)|Lee Clayton]], [[rock music|rock]] and [[country music|country]] musician and composer
* [[Luther Duncan]], pioneer of [[4-H]] youth development, a director of the Alabama Extension Service (now [[Alabama Cooperative Extension System]]) and president of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now [[Auburn University]]).<ref name="Information and Inspiration: An Early History of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System">Smith, Jack D., "Information and Inspiration: An Early History of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service," (Unpublished Manuscript Prepared for Alabama Extension's 75th Anniversary), March 29, 1989.</ref> Born near Russellville.
* [[Althea Brown Edmiston]], Presbyterian missionary in the Belgian Congo
* [[Junius Foy Guin Jr.]], federal judge
* [[Gustav Hasford]], writer and screenwriter. His semi-autobiographical novel ''[[The Short-Timers]]'' (1979) was the basis of the film ''[[Full Metal Jacket]]'' (1987)
* [[Joey Manley]], webcomic publisher and author
* [[Sonequa Martin-Green]], television actress
* [[Bryson Mitchell]], racing driver
* [[Madeline Mitchell]], [[Miss Alabama USA]] 2011
* [[Chucky Mullins]], collegiate football player
* [[T. Ray Richeson]], former professional football player and head coach of Livingston State College (now the [[University of West Alabama]]) from 1953 to 1956
* [[Thomas William Sadler]], [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. congressman]] from 1885 to 1887. Born near Russellville.
* [[Arron Sears]], professional football player

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Russellville, Alabama}}
*[http://www.russellvilleal.org City of Russellville official website]
*[http://www.russellvillepd.org Russellville Police Department]
*[http://www.franklincountychamber.org/russellville.html Russellville page of Franklin County Chamber of Commerce] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703100552/http://www.franklincountychamber.org/russellville.html |date=July 3, 2007 }}
*[http://dray.darthwhoever.com/downtown/ Downtown Russellville Strip] (unofficial "fan" site)

{{Franklin County, Alabama}}
{{Alabama county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alabama]]
[[Category:Cities in Franklin County, Alabama]]
[[Category:County seats in Alabama]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1819]]
[[Category:1819 establishments in Alabama]]