
· Founding Date: December 13, 1819
· Area: 883 square miles
· Population: 11,119 (2016 Census estimate)
· Major Waterways: Alabama River
· Major Highways: No interstate or state highways
· County Seat: Camden
· Largest City: Camden
· Area: 883 square miles
· Population: 11,119 (2016 Census estimate)
· Major Waterways: Alabama River
· Major Highways: No interstate or state highways
· County Seat: Camden
· Largest City: Camden
History

The first county seat was located in Canton Bend on the Alabama River, a few miles west of present-day Camden. The first courthouse was a two-story wooden building that is no longer in existence. In 1833, the county seat was moved from Canton Bend to Barboursville, named for Sen. Philip B. Barbour of Virginia. A two-story wooden building served as the county courthouse. Barboursville was later renamed Camden by physician John D. Caldwell in honor of his hometown of Camden, South Carolina. Incorporated in 1841, Camden became a commercial and political center by the 1850s. In 1857, the first Camden courthouse was torn down, and a new Greek Revival courthouse was built in its place. After the Civil War, the Wilcox County courthouse was dedicated in honor of Enoch Hooper Cook, a local Confederate veteran whose six sons died in action during the war. The courthouse continues to serve as the county today.
Major Cities and Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, the population of Wilcox County was 11,119. Of that total, 71.9 percent of respondents identified themselves as African American, 27.4 as white, 0.6 percent as Hispanic, 0.6 percent as two or more races, and 0.1 percent as Native American. The county seat Camden is the largest city in Wilcox, with an estimated population of 2,560. Pine Hill is the only other significant population center. The median household income was $24,442, compared with $44,758 for the state as a whole, and the per capita income was $14,800, compared with $24,736 for the state as a whole.
Economy

Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Wilcox County was divided among the following industrial categories:
· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (21.3 percent)
· Manufacturing (16.0 percent)
· Retail trade (9.9 percent)
· Public administration (9.3 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (8.1 percent)
· Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (7.8 percent)
· Construction (6.3 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (6.1 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (5.1 percent)
· Finance and insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (4.9 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (3.4 percent)
· Information (1.6 percent)
· Wholesale trade (0.1 percent)
· Manufacturing (16.0 percent)
· Retail trade (9.9 percent)
· Public administration (9.3 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (8.1 percent)
· Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (7.8 percent)
· Construction (6.3 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (6.1 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (5.1 percent)
· Finance and insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (4.9 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (3.4 percent)
· Information (1.6 percent)
· Wholesale trade (0.1 percent)
Geography

The Alabama River and its middle tributaries flow throughout Wilcox County. The Alabama River combines Alabama's eastern and western rivers. More than 144 species of fish have been identified in the Alabama River. The river provides both economic and recreational opportunities for Wilcox County. The Roland Cooper State Park and the William Dannelly Reservoir provide scenic views and recreational opportunities as well. Both the park and the reservoir are located on the Alabama River.
Although there are no major interstate or state highways in Wilcox County, several county roads connect Wilcox County to other areas. Meeting in the city of Camden, county roads 48, 28, and 21 run throughout Wilcox County. Two airports service Wilcox County: Camden Municipal Airport in Camden and Pine Hill Municipal Airport in Pine Hill.
Events and Places of Interest

Visitors to Camden can take a self-guided walking tour of the city and its historic buildings and monuments. The Wilcox Female Institute in Camden was organized in 1847-1850 as a boarding school for girls. When the institute closed in 1910, the building was used as part of the Wilcox County High School until the 1960s. Gaining the deed in 1976, the Wilcox Historical Society now uses the building as its official headquarters. The Dale Masonic Lodge (originally located in Dale Town) was built in 1827 and moved to Camden in the 1840s. Union troops camped in the lodge while passing through Camden in 1865. Built in 1849, the Camden Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is the only antebellum church in Camden. Visitors to Camden can also visit the Confederate Memorial Statue, the Camden Cemetery, and the Wilcox County Courthouse.


Additional Resources
The Heritage of Wilcox County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2002.