Editing Waterloo, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Waterloo, Alabama
| settlement_type                 = [[Town]]
| image_skyline                   = Waterloo-church-al.jpg
| image_size                      = 250px
| image_caption                   = Waterloo
| image_seal                      = 
| image_map                       = File:Lauderdale County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Waterloo Highlighted 0180064.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Waterloo in Lauderdale County, Alabama.
| coordinates                     = {{coord|34|55|05|N|88|03|51|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Alabama]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Lauderdale County, Alabama|Lauderdale]]
<!-- established --------------->
| established_title               = Settled
| established_date                = 1824
| established_title1              = Incorporated<ref name="HistoryofWaterloo"/>
| established_date1               = 1832
| leader_title                    = Mayor
| leader_name                     = Allen Caddell
| area_total_km2                  = 2.08
| area_total_sq_mi                = 0.80
| area_land_km2                   = 1.94
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 0.75
| area_water_km2                  = 0.14
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.05
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 466
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 178
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_km2          = 91.94
| population_density_sq_mi        = 237.97
| timezone                        = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 35677
| area_code                       = [[Area code 256|256]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 01-80064
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID 
| blank1_info                     = 128626<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|128626}}</ref>
| website                         = {{URL|http://www.waterlooalabama.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>
| name                            = 
}}
'''Waterloo''' is a town in [[Lauderdale County, Alabama]], United States. It is part of the [[Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area]], known as "The Shoals".  As of the 2010 [[census]], the population of the town was 203, down from 208 in 2000. The town and surrounding area is served by [[Waterloo High School (Alabama)|Waterloo High School]] and by the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wvfrd.net/ |title=Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department |access-date=August 18, 2011 |archive-date=February 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223003156/http://www.wvfrd.net/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
The town was incorporated in 1832<ref name="HistoryofWaterloo">{{cite web|title=History of Waterloo|url=http://www.waterlooalabama.com/history.php|publisher=Waterloo Alabama|access-date=March 18, 2012}}</ref> on the banks of the [[Tennessee River]]. The name most likely commemorates the [[Battle of Waterloo]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l9ohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zZ8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5067%2C331045 | title=What's the origin of your town's name? | work=Times Daily | date=June 3, 2006 | access-date=October 18, 2015 | pages=4A}}</ref> According to the 1910 U.S. Census, Waterloo was reincorporated in 1903.<ref>{{cite web |title=Supplement for Alabama - Population, Agriculture, Manufactures, Mines and Quarries |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41033935v1-8ch1.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1910}}</ref>

In the 1930s, the town was moved to its current location when the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] completed the [[Pickwick Landing Dam]], which impounds [[Pickwick Lake]].<ref name="HistoryofWaterloo"/>  Waterloo has lost a large area of land to floods and later the construction of Pickwick Landing Dam.

In 1880, when it first appeared on the U.S. Census, and again from 1910 to 1940, it was the second largest community in Lauderdale County after Florence, reaching its zenith of 524 residents in 1940. It has since lost two-thirds of its population and since 1980, and ranks 8th and smallest of Lauderdale County's incorporated communities with 203 residents.<ref>1880-2010 U.S. Census records for Lauderdale County communities (Also see historic population data boxes)</ref>

==Geography==
Waterloo is located along the north shore of [[Pickwick Lake]], a reservoir along the [[Tennessee River]] created by [[Pickwick Landing Dam]] approximately {{convert|20|mi|km}} downstream.  Second Creek, which flows from the north, empties into Pickwick Lake at Waterloo, creating a small inlet.  The point at which the states of Alabama, [[Mississippi]], and [[Tennessee]] meet is located several miles northwest of Waterloo.<ref>''Waterloo, AL,'' 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1953 (1973 rev.)</ref>  County Road 14 connects Waterloo with [[Florence, Alabama|Florence]] to the east.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.75|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.05|sqmi|km2}} (6.17%) is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 196
|1910= 435
|1920= 415
|1930= 497
|1940= 524
|1950= 327
|1960= 215
|1970= 262
|1980= 260
|1990= 250
|2000= 208
|2010= 203
|2020= 178
|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}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Waterloo racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0180064&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 16, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|174
|97.75%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|1
|0.56%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|2
|1.12%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1
|0.56%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 178 people, 68 households, and 43 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
In the 2000 US [[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 208 people, 94 households, and 67 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|273.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 145 housing units at an average density of {{convert|190.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.12% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.44% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 94 households, out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.60.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,536, and the median income for a family was $31,000. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $18,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,167. About 11.3% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.2% of those under the age of eighteen and 19.0% of those 65 or over.

== Politics ==
Waterloo is in:
*[[Alabama's 5th congressional district]]
*[[Alabama State House of Representatives]] district 2
*[[Alabama State Senate]] district 1

==Attractions and events==
[[File:Waterloo-Pickwick-Lake-downstream-al.jpg|thumb|[[Pickwick Lake]] at Waterloo]]
* Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride, Waterloo, Alabama is the Official End of The Trail. The ride commemorates the final point at which area [[Cherokee|Cherokee Native Americans]] were embarked to [[Oklahoma]] and the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] by the [[Indian Removal Act|Indian Removal Act of 1830]]. 
* Waterloo is a stop on the [[North Alabama Birding Trail]].  The area is renowned for the nearby [[bald eagle]] population.
* The town is adjacent to the [[Lauderdale Wildlife Management Area]]. 
* Two primitive campgrounds managed by the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]] are in the city limits.  Waterloo is located {{convert|11|mi}} west of the [[Natchez Trace Parkway]].

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Waterloo has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=686810&cityname=Waterloo%2C+Alabama%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Waterloo, Alabama]</ref>

==Notable person==
* [[Samuel A. Shelton]], former [[U.S. Representative]] from [[Missouri]]

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Waterloo, Alabama}}
*[http://www.waterlooalabama.com/ Waterloo, Alabama]

{{Lauderdale County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Lauderdale County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Florence–Muscle Shoals metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Alabama populated places on the Tennessee River]]
[[Category:Populated places inundated by the Tennessee Valley Authority]]