Ider

James P. Kaetz, Auburn University
Ider is located in northern DeKalb County in the northeastern part of the state. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Bluegrass musician and instrument maker Gene Ivey is from Ider.
History
Ider Mule Days
According to one source, the first post office was established in Ider in October 1856, but another source places its founding in November 1877. The origin of the town's name is uncertain; one possibility is that it might be a variation of the name "Ida." One of the earliest schools located in Ider was the Marona School, which graduated a class of 24 in 1895. The post office was closed in 1907 and reestablished in 1924. Ider is known for its Sacred Harp singings, and Terry Wootten, a member of the committee that produced the Denson Edition of the The Sacred Harp songbook, was born in Ider. The town's economy has centered primarily on agriculture since its founding; it incorporated in October 1973.
Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, Ider recorded a population of 918. Of that number, 92.8 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 5.4 percent as two or more races, and 1.7 percent as Native American. The town's median household income was $36,591, and the per capita income was $17,818.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Ider was divided among the following industrial categories:
  • Manufacturing (25.0 percent)
  • Educational services, and health care and social assistance (15.6 percent)
  • Retail trade (11.3 percent)
  • Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (10.6 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing and utilities (9.1 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (6.6 percent)
  • Construction (6.6 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (5.3 percent)
  • Public administration (5.0 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (2.2 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (2.2 percent)
  • Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (0.6 percent)
Education
Schools in Ider are part of the DeKalb County school system; the town has one K-12 school.
Transportation
State Highway 117 runs northwest-southeast through Ider, and State Highway 75 runs northeast-southwest.
Events and Places of Interest
Ider holds an annual Mule Day festival on Labor Day. It includes a parade, an antique car show, arts and crafts vendors, food, and entertainment. The town also holds a Homecoming parade and a Christmas parade.
Ider maintains one municipal park that has a walking trail, tennis courts, baseball fields, playground equipment, and an outdoor stage.

Additional Resources

Adams, Berthel. Trailing Smokes: A Pictorial History of Ider School District, DeKalb County, Alabama. Collegedale, Tenn.: The College Press, 1973.
DeKalb County Heritage Book Committee. Heritage of DeKalb County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1998.
Published:  April 16, 2013   |   Last updated:  September 1, 2020