LOWNDES COUNTY ALABAMA
LOWNDES COUNTY ALABAMA
Lowndes County is a county located in the central part of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,299. Its county seat is Hayneville. Historically it has been considered part of the Black Belt, known for its fertile soil, cotton plantations, and high number of African-American workers, both enslaved and later freedmen.
Lowndes County was formed from Montgomery, Dallas and Butler counties, by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on January 20, 1830.
By 1960 the population had declined to about 15,000 residents and was about 80 percent-majority black. The rural county was referred to as “Bloody Lowndes”, the rusty buckle of Alabama’s Black Belt, because of the high rate of white violence against blacks to maintain segregation. In 1965, a century after the American Civil War and decades after whites had disenfranchised blacks via the 1901 state constitution, they maintained white supremacy by intimidation and violence, suppressing black voting.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,299 people living in the county. In terms of ethnicity, 73.5% identified as Black or African American, 25.3% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.3% of some other race and 0.5% of two or more races. 0.8% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
Lowndes County Alabama Towns
Benton Alabama
Benton is a town in Lowndes County. Its population was 49 at the 2010 census. Settled in 1832 on land owned by James Maull, it was initially known as Maull’s Landing, before it was renamed and incorporated as Benton in 1834. It was named after Thomas Hart Benton, then the U.S. Senator from Missouri, who had served under General Andrew Jackson in the Creek Campaign. During the steamboat era, it was a major trading stop along the Alabama River.
Benton, Alabama can be confused in genealogy research with Calhoun County, Alabama, which was known as Benton County from 1832 to 1858, and which was also originally named for Senator Benton, but renamed because of his unpopular (in Alabama) political views by the late 1850s.
Fort Deposit Alabama
Fort Deposit is a town in Lowndes County. Since 1890, it has been the largest town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 1,344, up from 1,270 in 2000.
Fort Deposit is named after a fort that was built under the order of General Andrew Jackson. This was a supply fort that was built to serve the soldiers during the Creek Indian War.
There is an annual arts and crafts fair called Calico Fort on the second weekend of April every year.
Gordonville Alabama
Gordonville is a town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 326, up from 318 in 2000.
Hayneville Alabama
Hayneville is a town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 932, down from its record high of 1,177 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Lowndes County. Located in the fertile Black Belt region, Hayneville was the county seat in a slave society based on cotton production. The town was later a railway terminus and home to the Hayneville Railway Company, which was organized in 1903. Two years later, the company was reorganized as the Hayneville & Montgomery Railroad Company and provided connections for shipping with the L&N Railroad Company’s tracks.Throughout the 1820s, Hayneville was known as “Big Swamp”. The indigenous Muscogee Creek people had been forced to cede their lands under various treaties with the United States, and most of them were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.
In 1831, after being chosen as the county seat of Lowndes County, the town was officially named Hayneville in honor of Robert Y. Hayne, governor of South Carolina and a U.S. senator.
Lowndesboro Alabama
Lowndesboro is a town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 115, down from 140 in 2000.
As of the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Censuses, Lowndesboro, along with Benton, are the only two towns, out of 7, in Lowndes County with a white majority of residents.
Mosses Alabama
Mosses is a town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 1,029, down from 1,101 in 2000. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area. It incorporated in 1979. Mosses is located at 32°10′23″N 86°40′38″W
White Hall Alabama
White Hall is a town in Lowndes County. At the 2010 census the population was 858, down from its record high of 1,014 in 2000. It was established during the Great Depression in 1935 as a New Deal project under the Resettlement Administration, similar to the town of Skyline, although it was aimed towards blacks, who made up the majority population in the area.
Lowndes County Alabama Unincorporated Communities
Braggs Alabama
Braggs is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County.
Burkville Alabama
Burkville is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County.
Calhoun Alabama
Calhoun is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County. A post office operated under the name Calhoun from 1851 to 1973.
Calhoun was formerly home to the Calhoun Colored School, a private boarding and day school. Ramah Baptist Church in Calhoun is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
Collirene Alabama
Collirene (also Sand Hill, Hays Hill, Hayes Hill) is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County.
Letohatchee Alabama
Letohatchee is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County. It has a very small population and four businesses.
In 1900 and 1917, whites committed a total of seven lynchings of blacks, half of the total 14 in Lowndes County from 1877 to 1950. In 1900 they killed all four members of the Jim Cross family.
Mount Willing Alabama
Mount Willing is located in Lowndes County. It is a small crossroads community and birthplace of Navy Admiral Thomas Hinman Moorer, who served as the Chief of Naval Operations from 1967 to 1970, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1970 to 1974.
Sandy Ridge Alabama
Sandy Ridge, sometimes spelled Sandyridge, is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County.
Trickem Alabama
Trickem is an unincorporated community in Lowndes County. A post office called Trickem was established in 1891, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1903.
Lowndes County Alabama Historic Destinations
Holy Ground Battlefield Park
Lowndesboro
Viola Liuzzo Monument
Lowndesboro
Jonathan Daniels Memorial
Hayneville
Lowndes Interpretive Center
Hayneville