Jasper, Alabama

Jasper, Alabama
City
Motto: "Experience from the past, knowledge for the future."
Location in Walker County and the state of Alabama
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Walker
Government
• Mayor	Sonny Posey
Area
• Total	26.9 sq mi (69.6 km2)
• Land	26.9 sq mi (69.6 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	328 ft (100 m)
Population (2013)
• Total	14,222
• Density	522.4/sq mi (201.9/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	35501-35504
Area code(s)	205
FIPS code	01-38416
GNIS feature ID	0120822
Website	http://www.jaspercity.com/

Jasper is a city in Walker County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 13,857. The city is the county seat of Walker County, and once ranked among the world's leading producers of coal. The town is also the location of the SyFy Channel's documentary show "Town of the Living Dead".

History

Jasper, named in honor of Sergeant William Jasper, an American Revolutionary War hero, was settled around 1815, but was not incorporated until August 18, 1886.

During the Civil War, Union troops marching toward Selma burned the courthouse and several other buildings in town and raided neighboring farms for supplies.

The first significant growth of the area was realized in 1886, when the Kansas City-Memphis & Birmingham and the Sheffield & Birmingham Railroads were completed through Jasper. The population grew from 200 people in 1886 to more than 3,000 in 1890. In a special edition in 1891, the Mountain Eagle stated there were six coal mines, two sandstone quarries, 400 coke ovens, one foundry and machine shop, two saw mills, one brick works, four hotels, and two banks.

President Franklin Roosevelt visited the town in 1940 to attend a memorial service for his friend and supporter, William Bankhead.

Historic sites

Jasper has several sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the John Hollis Bankhead House, First United Methodist Church, Jasper Downtown Historic District, and Walker County Hospital.

Geography

Jasper is located at (33.842347, -87.277174).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.9 square miles (70 km²), of which 26.9 square miles (70 km²) is land and 0.04% is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	269		—
1890	780		190.0%
1900	1,661		112.9%
1910	2,509		51.1%
1920	3,246		29.4%
1930	5,313		63.7%
1940	6,847		28.9%
1950	8,589		25.4%
1960	10,799		25.7%
1970	10,798		0.0%
1980	11,894		10.2%
1990	13,553		13.9%
2000	14,052		3.7%
2010	13,857		−1.4%
Est. 2014	14,109		1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,052 people, 5,728 households, and 3,809 families residing in the city. The population density was 523.0 people per square mile (201.9/km²). There were 6,473 housing units at an average density of 240.9 per square mile (93.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.15% White, 13.98% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.7% some other race, and 1.4% two or more races. 4.4% of the population was Hispanic.

There were 5,728 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38, and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,586, and the median income for a family was $54,059. Males had a median income of $51,548 versus $35,248 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,927. About 14.8% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 14,352 people, 5,760 households, and 3,831 families residing in the city. The population density was 533.5 people per square mile (206.2/km²). There were 6,478 housing units at an average density of 241 per square mile (93/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.3% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.l.

There were 5,760 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33, and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,044, and the median income for a family was $43,674. Males had a median income of $35,182 versus $22,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,491. About 10.2% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

Elementary (K-5)

Memorial Park School, T.R. Simmons Elementary School, West Jasper Elementary School

Junior High (6-8)

Maddox Middle School (formerly "Jasper Junior High", grades 6 - 8)

High School (9-12)

Walker High School

North Highlands School

School for disabled of all grades

Media

Newspaper

• The Daily Mountain Eagle (daily)
• The Corridor Messenger (weekly)

Radio

• WJLX/1240 kHz (Oldies)
• WIXI/1360 kHz (Spanish)
• WQJJ-LP/100.1 MHz (Adult Contemporary/Oldies)
• W268BM/101.5 MHz: rebroadcasts WJLX.

Television

• W16CM-D/16

Notable people

• Axe, musician
• Jason Aaron, comic writer
• John H. Bankhead II, United States Senator
• Tallulah Brockman Bankhead, actress
• Walter W. Bankhead, member of the 77th United States Congress
• William Brockman Bankhead, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• Tom Bevill, member, United States Congress
• Ronnie Coleman, former NFL player
• Eric Dover, Vocalist/Guitarist for Slash's Snakepit and Sextus (Band)
• Eric Esch, professional boxer, MMA fighter and kick boxer, Star of Big Law: Deputy Butterbean
• Raymond D. Fowler, American psychologist and Professor Emeritus of the University of Alabama
• James Shepherd Freeman, admiral, United States Navy
• James Stanley Freeman, businessman
• CJ Harris, American Idol Season 13 contestant
• Polly Holliday, actress
• Steven Jack Land, noted renewal theologian within the Pentecostal movement began serving as the president of the Church of God Theological Seminary in 2002
• George Lindsey, actor
• Carter Manasco, U.S. Representative from Alabama; member of the first Hoover Commission on Reorganization of the Executive Departments from 1947 to 1949
• Terry Owens, former offensive lineman for the San Diego Chargers
• Sandy Posey, singer
• Jim Pyburn, American professional baseball player
• Greg Reed, Republican member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 5th District beginning in 2010
• Michael Rooker, actor
• Leigh Sherer, Miss Alabama 1995

External links

• City of Jasper
• Walker County on Myspace
• Institute of Southern Jewish Life, History of Jasper