Graysville


Graysville is located in northwestern Jefferson County in the central part of the state. It has a mayor/council form of government.

History 

Often referred to as Gin Town because it had one of the few cotton gins in the area, Graysville was first incorporated in 1897; however, its charter was revoked in 1927 because of "inactivity." The town devolved into several small communities, including Alden, Red Wine Hill, and Fieldstown. The area reincorporated in 1945 as Graysville.

Demographics 

City hall on Main Street in Graysville, Jefferson Graysville City HallGraysville's population according to the 2010 Census was 2,165. Of that number, 73.9 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 23.6 percent as African American, 1.7 percent as Hispanic, 1.4 percent as two or more races, 0.4 percent as Native American, and 0.2 percent as Asian. The town's median household income, according to 2010 estimates, was $35,750, and the per capita income was $16,308.

Employment 

According to 2010 Census estimates, the work force in Graysville was divided among the following industrial categories:

· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (24.1   percent)
· Retail trade (12.0 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (10.8 percent)
· Manufacturing (10.0 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing and utilities (9.5 percent)
· Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste   management services (9.4 percent)
· Construction (6.3 percent)
· Public administration (5.0 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services   (4.2 percent)
· Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (3.5 percent)
· Wholesale trade (2.9 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (2.2 percent)

Education 

Schools in Graysville are part of the Jefferson County School System; the town has approximately 282 students and 21 teachers in one elementary school.

Transportation 

U.S. Highway 78 runs northwest/southeast through the city; State Highway 5 runs north through the city.

Events and Places of Interest 

Graysville maintains seven municipal parks that include baseball and softball fields, walking and running tracks, picnic areas and pavilions, basketball courts, and a canoe park. The city also has a community center that has a weight room and exercise equipment and an indoor walking track.

The city holds an annual Fall Festival in October and a Christmas Parade the first weekend in December.

Additional Resources 

Jefferson County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Jefferson County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2002.

James P. Kaetz
Auburn University


Published August 21, 2012
Last updated November 8, 2012