Luverne Alabama
Luverne is a city in and the county seat of Crenshaw County. The city describes itself as “The Friendliest City in the South”, a slogan that appears on its “welcome” signs. According to 2016 Census estimates, Luverne recorded a population of 2,824. Of that total, 65.9 percent reported themselves as white, 28.6 percent as African American, 4.8 percent as Asian, 0.7 percent as two or more races, and 0.2 as Hispanic or Latino. The city’s median household income was $29,618, and per capita income was $19,535.
U.S. Highway 331 runs south from Montgomery through Luverne, and U.S. Highway 29 runs west to Luverne from Troy and then joins with 331 to the south of the city. The city is served locally by State Road 10, State Road 97, and State Road 106. Luverne Municipal Airport provides general aviation services in the area.
Luverne, later to become the leading town of the county, is located in the central part of the county on the Patsaliga River near the site of an old Indian village. The land where the town was built was at one time part of the Cody plantation. Luverne was named after the wife of M. P. LeGrand of Montgomery who had purchased land in the county for a railroad. In 1888 the Luverne Land Company was organized by S. D. Hubbard, M.P. LeGrand, and George A, Folmar, J. O. Sentell surveyed the land and made a plot laying out the streets for the town. Following this in 1889 the town was incorporated under the laws of Alabama. An election was held the same year in which J. O. Sentell was elected the town’s first mayor. The councilmen elected were Dr. J. R. Horn, G. W. Pope, G. A. Folmar, and G. F. Kirkpatrick. The city clerk was R. P. Fundaburk, and the Marshall was G. W.Turner.
Source: An Early History of Crenshaw County by Joe R. Sport, 1957