Winston County, Alabama

Winston County
County
Winston County courthouse in Double Springs
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°08′57″N 87°22′29″W / 34.149166666667°N 87.374722222222°W / 34.149166666667; -87.374722222222
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	February 12, 1850[1]
Named for	John A. Winston
Seat	Double Springs
Largest city	Haleyville
Area
• Total	632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
• Land	613 sq mi (1,590 km2)
• Water	19 sq mi (50 km2)  (3.0%)%
Population  (2010)
• Total	24,484
• Density	40/sq mi (20/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.winstoncountyalabama.org

Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,484.^[2] Its county seat is Double Springs.^[3] Known as Hancock County before 1858,^[1] The county is named in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama.

Winston County was established under the name Hancock County on February 12, 1850, from territory formerly in Walker County.^[1] It was originally named for John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts and famous signer of the American Declaration of Independence, with its county seat at Houston. On January 22, 1858, the county was renamed Winston County to honor Alabama Gov. John A. Winston.

During the American Civil War, Winston County gained attention for its opposition to secession, a sentiment so strong that the county is sometimes referred to as the Republic of Winston. The county today plays on its reputation as the "Free State of Winston" to attract tourists. The county's opposition to the Confederacy is briefly mentioned in the novels To Kill a Mockingbird and Addie Pray.

In 1883 the county seat was moved from Houston to Double Springs to be near the center of the county, since Cullman County was created from the eastern part of Winston County.^[4]

The civil-rights judge Frank Minis Johnson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit was born in Delmar, in Winston County.

Winston County has four sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Archeological Site No. 1WI50, Feldman's Department Store, the Houston Jail, and the Winston County Courthouse.^[5]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 631 square miles (1,630 km²), of which 613 square miles (1,590 km²) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) (3.0%) is water.^[6]

• Lawrence County (north)
• Cullman County (east)
• Walker County (south)
• Marion County (west)
• Franklin County (northwest)

• William B. Bankhead National Forest (part)

• U.S. Highway 278
• State Route 5
• State Route 13
• State Route 33

• Norfolk Southern Railway

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	1,542		—
1860	3,576		131.9%
1870	4,155		16.2%
1880	4,253		2.4%
1890	6,552		54.1%
1900	9,554		45.8%
1910	12,855		34.6%
1920	14,378		11.8%
1930	15,596		8.5%
1940	18,746		20.2%
1950	18,250		−2.6%
1960	14,858		−18.6%
1970	16,654		12.1%
1980	21,953		31.8%
1990	22,053		0.5%
2000	24,843		12.7%
2010	24,484		−1.4%
2013 (est.)	24,146		−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 24,843 people, 10,107 households, and 7,287 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 12,502 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.32% White, 0.038% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Nearly 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,107 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. Nearly 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,435, and the median income for a family was $32,628. Males had a median income of $26,206 versus $17,760 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,738. 17.1% of the population and 12.9% of families were below the poverty line. 21.8% of those under the age of 18 and 23% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

In keeping with its history from the American Civil War, Winston County was for many years an island of Republican Party voting in an otherwise heavily Democratic Party state.^[12] In 1912 Winston County joined three other Alabama counties in voting for the Bull Moose Party candidacy of Theodore Roosevelt.^[13]

• Haleyville (partly in Marion County)

• Addison
• Arley
• Double Springs
• Lynn
• Natural Bridge
• Nauvoo (partly in Walker County)

• Boar Tush
• Delmar
• Glen Mary
• Houston
• Posey Field

• Batts Nest
• Booger Tree
• Corinth

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Winston County, Alabama
• Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Winston County, Alabama

• Winston County is covered by the Northwest Alabamian Newspaper.
• Winston County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of Alabama).

• Winston County, Alabama: The Free State of Winston [1]
• Winston County article in the Encyclopedia of Alabama

34°08′57″N 87°22′29″W / 34.14917°N 87.37472°W / 34.14917; -87.37472