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Marengo County, Alabama

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Marengo County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,323.[2] The largest city is Demopolis, and the county seat is Linden.[1] It is named in honor of the Battle of Marengo near Turin, Italy, where French leader Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Austrians on June 14, 1800.

Marengo County
County
Marengo County Courthouse in Linden
Marengo County Courthouse in Linden
Map of Alabama highlighting Marengo County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°14′31″N 87°47′22″W / 32.241944444444°N 87.789444444444°W / 32.241944444444; -87.789444444444
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedFebruary 6, 1818
Named forBattle of Marengo[1]
SeatLinden
Largest cityDemopolis
Area
 • Total
983 sq mi (2,550 km2)
 • Land977 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Water5.8 sq mi (15 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
19,323
 • Estimate 
(2023)
18,684 Decrease
 • Density20/sq mi (7.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitemarengocountyal.com
  • County Number 48 on Alabama Licence Plates

History

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Marengo County was created by the Alabama Territorial legislature on February 6, 1818, from land acquired from the Choctaw by the Treaty of Fort St. Stephens on October 24, 1816.[3] Like the other four of the "Five Civilized Tribes", over the course of the following twenty years the Choctaw were largely forced west of the Mississippi River and into what is now Oklahoma during the period of Indian Removal conducted by the federal government.

The county was named to commemorate Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Marengo over Austrian armies on June 14, 1800.[1] This name was chosen in honor of the first European settlers, Bonapartists exiled from France after Napoleon's downfall. In 1817 a number of French settled the area around Demopolis. They were trying to develop a Vine and Olive Colony.[3][4] Other ethnic French who settled here were refugees from the colony of Saint-Domingue, where enslaved Africans and "free people of color" had routed Napoleon's troops and white colonists, and declared independence in 1804. They established the territory as Haiti, the second republic in the western hemisphere.

The county seat was originally known as the Town of Marengo, but in 1823 the name was changed to Linden.[1] Linden is a shortened version of Hohenlinden, scene of the Battle of Hohenlinden, a French victory in Bavaria on December 3, 1800, during Napoleon's campaign.[1]

 
Barney's Upper Place, an I-house in Putnam that was built in 1833.

Situated in Alabama's Black Belt and having a naturally rich soil, the county was developed by planters for numerous cotton plantations, dependent on the forced labor of large gangs of enslaved African Americans.[3] The enslaved comprised the majority of the county population decades before the American Civil War. In 1860 the population consisted of 24,409 slaves, 6,761 free whites (including 944 slave owners), and one "free person of color," for a total combined population of 31,171.[5] At this time there were 778 plantations and farms in the county.[5]

The fourth-oldest Jewish congregation in Alabama, B'nai Jeshurun, was established in Demopolis in 1858 by immigrants and migrants from other Southern cities.[6]

After the Civil War, the economy continued to be based on agriculture. In the transition to free labor, many freedmen turned to sharecropping or tenant farming as a way to establish some independence. They did not want to work in white-controlled field gangs.[3]

The county population began to diminish rapidly during and after World War II. People left the farms for manufacturing jobs elsewhere, particularly with the wartime buildup of the defense industry on the West Coast.[3] The movement of African Americans out of Alabama and other parts of the South was considered part of the Great Migration, by which 5 million left the region from 1940 to 1970. In addition to seeking jobs, they sought better conditions than the disfranchisement and Jim Crow oppression they faced in Alabama and other states of the South.

Most of the former cotton fields were gradually converted to pastures for cattle and horses, developed into tree plantations for timber and paper production, or transformed into commercial ponds for farming grain-fed catfish.[3] Beginning in the 1960s, industry began to move into the area. The work force was employed in paper mills, lumber mills, and chemical plants.[3]

County courthouse fires occurred in 1848 and 1965. Each time most of the court records were saved, as they were in a protected vault.[1]

Geography

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Gaineswood (built 1843–61), a National Historic Landmark in Demopolis.
 
Boddie Law Office-Town Hall (built 1858) in Dayton. On the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

Marengo County is situated in the west-central area of the state.[1] According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 983 square miles (2,550 km2), of which 977 square miles (2,530 km2) is land and 5.8 square miles (15 km2) (0.6%) is water.[7] The entire western county border is formed by the Tombigbee River and a small northwestern portion is formed by the Black Warrior River.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18202,933—
18307,700162.5%
184017,264124.2%
185027,83161.2%
186031,17112.0%
187026,151−16.1%
188030,89018.1%
189033,0957.1%
190038,31515.8%
191039,9234.2%
192036,065−9.7%
193036,4261.0%
194035,736−1.9%
195029,494−17.5%
196027,098−8.1%
197023,819−12.1%
198025,0475.2%
199023,084−7.8%
200022,539−2.4%
201021,027−6.7%
202019,323−8.1%
2023 (est.)18,684[8]−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[2]

2020 Census

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Marengo County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 10,582 9,607 8,375 46.95% 45.69% 43.34%
Black or African American alone (NH) 11,581 10,838 10,133 51.38% 51.54% 52.44%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 19 31 6 0.08% 0.15% 0.03%
Asian alone (NH) 37 53 54 0.16% 0.25% 0.28%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 9 1 0.01% 0.04% 0.01%
Other race alone (NH) 8 1 41 0.04% 0.00% 0.21%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 91 136 345 0.40% 0.65% 1.79%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 219 352 368 0.97% 1.67% 1.90%
Total 22,539 21,027 19,323 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census of 2020, there were 19,323 people, 7,361 households, and 3,833 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the census of 2010, there were 21,027 people living in the county. 51.7% were Black or African American, 46.4% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 1.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

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As of the census of 2000, there were 22,539 people, 8,767 households, and 6,277 families living in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km2). There were 10,127 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 51.71% Black or African American, 47.28% White, 0.08% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,767 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.40% were married couples living together, 19.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,025, and the median income for a family was $35,475. Males had a median income of $36,053 versus $19,571 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,308. About 22.20% of families and 25.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.70% of those under age 18 and 25.30% of those age 65 or over.

According to the New York Times, by 2017, the rural Black Belt (called that for its soil) that stretches across the middle of the state is home to largely poor counties that are predominantly African-American. These counties include Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo and Perry."[16]

Education

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For the 2014–15 school year, the Marengo County School District is operating three K–12 schools, one each in Dixons Mills, Sweet Water, and Thomaston.[17] One former county school in the Demopolis area was closed by the school board following the 2013–14 school year. Demopolis and Linden have city-run school systems, the Demopolis City School District and Linden City Schools.[18]

Culture

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Events

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Places of interest

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Marengo County is home to the Alabama Rural Heritage Center and Chickasaw State Park. The Tombigbee River and Black Warrior River form portions of the western and northern county borders and provide recreational opportunities. Marengo County has 28 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of which is also a National Historic Landmark.[23] Additionally, 19 sites are listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.[24]

Government

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Like the rest of the Black Belt, Marengo County leans Democratic. However, it often produces narrow margins for winning candidates; no presidential candidate has won more than 54% of the vote in Marengo since Richard Nixon in 1972. In 2020, Donald Trump lost the county by only 145 votes. Trump would win it during his successful third bid for the White House in 2024.

United States presidential election results for Marengo County, Alabama[25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 4,990 51.62% 4,621 47.80% 56 0.58%
2020 5,343 49.02% 5,488 50.35% 69 0.63%
2016 5,233 47.60% 5,615 51.07% 146 1.33%
2012 5,336 46.23% 6,167 53.43% 40 0.35%
2008 5,516 48.09% 5,926 51.66% 29 0.25%
2004 5,255 50.91% 5,037 48.80% 30 0.29%
2000 4,690 48.81% 4,841 50.39% 77 0.80%
1996 4,013 43.18% 4,899 52.71% 382 4.11%
1992 4,470 39.75% 5,632 50.09% 1,142 10.16%
1988 4,241 48.61% 4,402 50.45% 82 0.94%
1984 5,261 51.51% 4,811 47.11% 141 1.38%
1980 4,048 41.90% 5,178 53.60% 434 4.49%
1976 3,841 43.87% 4,731 54.04% 183 2.09%
1972 5,156 65.05% 2,645 33.37% 125 1.58%
1968 457 4.99% 3,479 38.01% 5,218 57.00%
1964 3,677 82.33% 0 0.00% 789 17.67%
1960 1,235 44.25% 1,436 51.45% 120 4.30%
1956 1,009 33.06% 1,858 60.88% 185 6.06%
1952 1,362 43.21% 1,790 56.79% 0 0.00%
1948 67 3.45% 0 0.00% 1,876 96.55%
1944 89 4.83% 1,746 94.69% 9 0.49%
1940 70 2.97% 2,284 96.94% 2 0.08%
1936 33 1.42% 2,287 98.54% 1 0.04%
1932 50 2.28% 2,097 95.45% 50 2.28%
1928 752 28.38% 1,898 71.62% 0 0.00%
1924 17 1.35% 1,243 98.42% 3 0.24%
1920 42 2.97% 1,370 97.03% 0 0.00%
1916 19 1.26% 1,491 98.61% 2 0.13%
1912 9 0.64% 1,386 97.88% 21 1.48%
1908 78 5.45% 1,333 93.15% 20 1.40%
1904 56 4.61% 1,149 94.65% 9 0.74%

Communities

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Jefferson Methodist Church (built 1856) in Jefferson. On the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Jefferson Historic District.
 
Lyon Hall (built 1853) in Demopolis. On the National Register of Historic Places.

Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost town

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Alabama Counties: Marengo County". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Marengo County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Marengo County, Alabama, pages 1-4. Clanton, Alabama: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000. ISBN 1-891647-58-X
  4. ^ Smith, Winston. Days of Exile: The Story of the Vine and Olive Colony in Alabama, page 9. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: W. B. Drake and Son, 1967.
  5. ^ a b "Census Data for the Year 1860". Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research. Archived from the original on May 6, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  6. ^ "Alabama". Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. Goldring / Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Marengo County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Marengo County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Marengo County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ Martin, Jonathan; Blinder, Alan (December 12, 2017). "Alabama Senate Race Between Roy Moore and Doug Jones Ends With More Controversy".
  17. ^ "Schools". Marengo County Schools. School In Sites. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  18. ^ "Marengo County". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Auburn University. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d e "Demopolis". Alabama Tourism Department - Official Web Site. Archived from the original on November 24, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  20. ^ "Faunsdale Biker Rally - Alabama's wildest biker event". Bama Rides. April 26, 2008. Archived from the original on August 19, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  21. ^ "Annual Faunsdale Crawfish Festival". Alabama Tourism Department - Official Web Site. Archived from the original on November 25, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  22. ^ "Rural Heritage Day & Pepper Jelly Festival, 2nd". Alabama Tourism Department - Official Web Site. Archived from the original on November 24, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  23. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  24. ^ "The Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage" (PDF). preserveala.org. Alabama Historical Commission. May 31, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  25. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 21, 2016.

32°14′31″N 87°47′22″W / 32.24194°N 87.78944°W / 32.24194; -87.78944

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