Clanton, Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clanton
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Clanton City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"A good place to visit...a better place to live!"
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Location of Clanton in Chilton County, Alabama.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Alabama | ||
| County | Chilton | ||
| Founded | 1866 | ||
| Incorporated | April 23, 1873 | ||
| Named for | General James H. Clanton | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council/Mayor | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 23.24 sq mi (60.18 km2) | ||
| • Land | 23.10 sq mi (59.83 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 600 ft (183 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 14,545 | ||
| • Estimate
()
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14,545 | ||
| • Density | 625.86/sq mi (241.692/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
35045-35046
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| Area code(s) | 205, 659 | ||
| FIPS code | 01-15136 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0157918 | ||
Clanton is a city in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,545. The city is the county seat of Chilton County. Clanton is near the site of the geographic center of the U.S. state of Alabama.
Contents
History
The town was founded by Alfred Baker in 1868, when Chilton County was formed. Clanton was named in honor of General James H. Clanton, a brigadier in the Confederate States Army, and was incorporated on April 23, 1873. Baker was also elected first mayor of the town. Nearby Lay Lake Dam and Mitchell Dam became Alabama Power's first two dams in the state, bringing economic improvements to the area. Immigrants played a part in starting the county's peach industry more than a century ago. Today, the peach industry is the number one industry in Chilton County, not only bringing fame to the county, but also millions of dollars to the local economy. The city of Clanton constructed a water tower in the form of a peach in 1993, becoming a landmark for travelers along Interstate 65.
During World War II, a small German prisoner of war camp was located in Clanton.
Geography
Clanton is located southeast of the center of Chilton County at 32°50'23.316" North, 86°37'41.477" West (32.839810, -86.628188). Clanton, Alabama, in Chilton county, is 37 miles NW of Montgomery, Alabama (center to center) and 144 miles SW of Atlanta, Georgia.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.1 square miles (57.2 km2), of which 21.9 square miles (56.8 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.62%, is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Clanton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps.
| Climate data for Clanton, Alabama | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57 (14) |
59 (15) |
67 (19) |
75 (24) |
83 (28) |
90 (32) |
91 (33) |
91 (33) |
87 (31) |
77 (25) |
66 (19) |
57 (14) |
75 (24) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36 (2) |
37 (3) |
44 (7) |
51 (11) |
59 (15) |
67 (19) |
69 (21) |
69 (21) |
63 (17) |
51 (11) |
41 (5) |
36 (2) |
50 (10) |
| Average precipitation inches (cm) | 5 (13) |
5.5 (14) |
6.2 (16) |
5 (13) |
4 (10) |
4 (10) |
5.4 (14) |
4.3 (11) |
3.1 (7.9) |
2.4 (6.1) |
3.4 (8.6) |
5 (13) |
53.3 (136.6) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 623 | — | |
| 1900 | 611 | −1.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,123 | 83.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,411 | 25.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,847 | 30.9% | |
| 1940 | 3,982 | 115.6% | |
| 1950 | 4,640 | 16.5% | |
| 1960 | 5,683 | 22.5% | |
| 1970 | 5,868 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 5,832 | −0.6% | |
| 1990 | 7,669 | 31.5% | |
| 2000 | 7,800 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 8,619 | 10.5% | |
| 2020 | 14,545 | 68.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 6,132 | 69.94% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,620 | 18.48% |
| Native American | 25 | 0.29% |
| Asian | 84 | 0.96% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 332 | 3.79% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 573 | 6.54% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,768 people, 3,423 households, and 1,989 families residing in the city.
Police corruption
Numerous cases of corruption have been associated with the Clanton Police Department as well as the Chilton County District and Circuit Courts.
David Michael Hegwood, a 22-year veteran of the Clanton Police Department, was arrested in August 2011 for stealing a sign from a local restaurant in uniform.
..... The trial was moved to Prattville and in December 2015, Hubbard pleaded guilty to all counts.
Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell, was arrested in April 2015, on charges relating to the misappropriation of funds from the Operation Santa Clause drive. The crimes he pleaded guilty to happened between 2010 and 2015 while Stilwell was the Clanton Police Chief and treasurer of the Chilton County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). The former chief of the Clanton Police Department pleaded guilty on a violation of the ethics law and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Economy
Over 80% of Alabama's peach crop comes from Chilton County. Perhaps Clanton's most recognizable landmark is its peach-shaped water tower, which celebrates the community's agricultural significance.
The City of Clanton has a jurisdiction of approximately 30 square miles and over 30,000 people travel through Clanton every day.
One of the biggest events each year in Chilton County is the annual Peach Festival held in June. The festival, held in Clanton, crowns a new Peach Queen each year and also includes a Peach Parade and the Peach Jam Jubilee, a music concert and street fair.
Clanton has a 30-bed hospital with 24-hour emergency care.
Education
The Chilton County School System provides public education for Clanton. Students in Clanton may attend any public school in Chilton County.
High schools
Chilton County High School (Grades 9 through 12)
LeCroy Technical Center (Grades 10 through 12)
Middle school
Clanton Middle School (Grades 7 through 8)
Elementary schools
Clanton Intermediate School (Grades 4 through 6)
Clanton Elementary School (Grades K through 3)
College
Jefferson State Community College - Chilton-Clanton Campus
Transportation
Chilton County Airport (FAA LID: 02A), also known as Gragg-Wade Field, is a public use airport in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. The airport is located one nautical mile (2 km) east of the central business district of Clanton, Alabama. It is owned by the Chilton County Airport Authority.
Media
Newspaper
- The Clanton Advertiser (daily)
- Chilton County News (weekly)
Radio
- WKLF - Southern Gospel 95.5FM & 1000AM 5am to 5pm, 95.5 FM "The Peach" 5 Decades Of Rock and Roll Oldies (5os, 60s, 70s, 80s, & 90s) 5pm to 5am, wklfradio.com and thepeach.live online.
- WPJN - Praise 89.3FM, Contemporary Gospel
Culture and recreation
Clanton has hosted the annual Chilton County Peach Festival since 1952.
The Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center (CCPAC) is a multi-purpose facility adjacent to the Jefferson State Community College–Clanton campus. The City of Clanton and Jefferson State Community College have worked closely to develop a state-of-the-art multi-purpose facility for trade shows, special events and conferences.
Clanton Parks & Rec:
- Clanton City Park & City Pool
- Corner Park
- E.M. Henry Skills Center & Pool
- Goosepond Park
- Ollie Park
- Clanton Recreation Center
Notable people
- Randall Atcheson, concert pianist
- James Bean, former member of the Mississippi State Senate
- Clay Carroll, Major League Baseball player
- Wesley Dennis, country music artist
- Amariah Farrow, former professional football player
- Jackie Hayes, major league baseball player
- Jackson W. Moore, former CEO of Union Planters Bank and Regions Financial Corporation
- Clarence H. Mullins, judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama from 1943 to 1957
- Melinda Mullins, actress
- Jarrod Patterson, major league baseball player
- Mac Powell, lead singer for the Christian rock band Third Day
- Drew Roy, actor
- Grayson Russell, child actor
See also
In Spanish: Clanton (Alabama) para niños
