Lowndes County


Lowndes County Interpretive Center in Hayneville is dedicated Lowndes County Interpretive Center Part of Alabama's Black Belt, Lowndes County is located in the south-central part of the state. The county hosts one of the sites on the trail that commemorates the Selma to Montgomery March and is home to the oldest arts and crafts fair in the state, the Calico Fort Arts and Crafts Festival. Lowndes County is governed by an elected, five-member commission and includes six incorporated communities.

· Founding Date: January 20, 1830
· Area: 714 square miles
· Population: 12,759 (2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate)
· Major Waterways: Alabama River
· Major Highways: Interstate 65, U.S. 80, U.S. 31
· County Seat: Hayneville
· Largest City: Fort Deposit

History 

Hayneville was established as the Lowndes County seat Lowndes County CourthouseLowndes County was established by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on January 20, 1830. The county was formed from parts of Montgomery, Dallas, and Butler counties. The section taken from Butler County was later added to Crenshaw County, giving Lowndes County its final dimensions. Lowndes County was named in honor of William Lowndes, a U.S. congressman from South Carolina. The earliest settlers came to the county from Georgia and Tennessee, and some of the first settlements and towns included Fort Deposit, Hayneville, Lowndesboro, and White Hall.

Lowndes County's first and only county seat was established at Hayneville in 1830. The original brick courthouse was constructed in 1832. In 1856, the courthouse was deemed unsafe by the county commission and a second Greek Revival courthouse was built. Still in use today, the courthouse had two-story wings added in 1905 to create more office space. In 1981, an annex was added to the rear of the building. The courthouse has also undergone some minor restoration as well.

Major Cities and Demographics 

The population of Lowndes County has remained steady over the last 15 years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population was 12,658 in 1990 and had increased to 13,473 in 2000. By 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 12,759. At the time of the 2005 census, the population consisted of 27.9 percent White, 71.7 percent African American, and 0.8 percent Hispanic. The median household income was $24,967 in 2004, compared Lowndesboro is a small town in northern Lowndes Lowndesboro Churchto $36,131 for the state. The per capita income was $12,457, compared to $18,189 for the rest of the state. The largest city in Lowndes County is Fort Deposit, with an estimated population of 1,197 in 2006. Other significant population centers include Hayneville (1,118) and Mosses (1,047).

Economy 

Like so much of Alabama, farming was the prevailing occupation of Lowndes County until well into the twentieth century. As part of the Black Belt, cotton was Lowndes County's main agricultural product in the nineteenth century. By the early to mid-twentieth century, farmers had diversified into corn, potatoes, and livestock. Although Lowndes County has attempted to move toward a more industrialized economy, it has done so slowly and with limited success. The county remains largely rural and agricultural.

Cotton was the main crop in Lowndes County Lowndes County SharecroppersAccording to the 2000 Census, the workforce in Lowndes County consists of 26.9 percent production, transportation, and material moving; 23.4 percent management and professional; 19.2 percent sales and office jobs; 14.9 percent construction, extraction, and maintenance; and 12.7 percent service jobs; and 2.9 percent farming, fishing, and forestry.

The Lowndes County school system employs 318 teachers and administrators who serve approximately 2,500 students in nine primary and secondary schools. There are no colleges or universities in Lowndes County.

Geography 

Lowndes County is 29th in size among Alabama Lowndes County MapComprising more than 700 square mile, Lowndes County is located in the south-central part of the state in Alabama's Black Belt, wholly within the Coastal Plain physiographic section. The county is characterized by rolling prairies and flat plains dotted with pine and oak forests. Lowndes County is bordered to the north by Autauga County, to the east by Montgomery County, to the southeast by Crenshaw County, to the south by Butler County, and to the west by Wilcox and Dallas counties.

The Alabama River and its middle tributaries flow throughout Lowndes County. The Alabama River serves as the unifier of Alabama's eastern and western rivers. Over 144 species of fish have been identified in the Alabama River. The river provides both economic and recreational opportunities for Lowndes County.

Interstate 65 is one of Lowndes County's main transportation routes and runs north-south near the eastern border. U.S. Highway 80 runs east-west across the northern portion of Lowndes County, whereas U.S. Highway 31 runs north-south along the eastern border. The Fort-Deposit-Lowndes County Airport in Fort Deposit is the county's only public airport.

Events and Places of Interest 

The Lowndes County Interpretive Center was built in Lowndes County Interpretive Center BuildingThere are a number of recreational opportunities available for visitors to Lowndes County. Lowndes County Interpretive Center, run by the National Park Service, officially opened its doors to the public in 2006. The site is dedicated to those who took place in the Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights and is one of several sites along the 54-mile route of the march. The museum exhibits interpret various events such as the establishment of "Tent City," the temporary dwelling comprised of tents, cots, heaters, food, and water, which benefited families dislodged by white landowners in Lowndes County.

About two miles north of the town of White Hall in present-day Lowndes County is the site of the 1813 battle between Creeks led by Red Eagle and American forces under General Claiborne with Pushmataha's Choctaws as allies. The U.S. forces killed 21 Creeks and forced the rest into the Alabama River and surrounding swamps. Red Eagle is said to have been the last Creek to retreat. The site is part of the Creek Indian War Trail.

Pecan Place is one of the many antebellum Pecan PlaceLocated just south of Prattville, the small town of Lowndesboro was founded by cotton planters in the 1830s and contains nearly 30 surviving antebellum structures. Marengo, an 1835 plantation home, is owned by the Lowndesboro Landmarks Foundation and currently serves as a restaurant.

Each April, the town of Fort Deposit hosts the annual Calico Fort Arts and Crafts Festival, which began in 1972 and is one of the oldest and largest fairs in the South. The outdoor festival includes various artists and approximately 200 exhibitors of jewelry, furniture, folk art, dolls, clothing, soft sculpture, toys, puppets, quilts, birdhouses and feeders, rugs, pillows, stained glass and more.

Additional Resources  

The Heritage of Lowndes County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2005.

Donna J. Siebenthaler
Auburn University


Published September 14, 2007
Last updated December 10, 2009