Madison County, Alabama

Madison County
County
Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°45′57″N 86°33′28″W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Founded	December 13, 1808
Named for	James Madison
Seat	Huntsville
Largest city	Huntsville
Government
• Commission Chairman	Dale W. Strong
Area
• Total	813 sq mi (2,110 km2)
• Land	802 sq mi (2,080 km2)
• Water	11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	388,153
• Estimate  (2021)	395,211
• Density	480/sq mi (180/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	5th
Website	www.madisoncountyal.gov
County Number 47 on Alabama License Plates

Madison County is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 388,153, making it the third-most populous county in Alabama. Its county seat is Huntsville. Since the mid-20th century it has become an area of defense and space research and industry.

The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the first President to visit the state of Alabama. Madison County covers parts of the former Decatur County. Madison County is included in the Huntsville, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Madison County was established on December 13, 1808, by the governor of the Mississippi Territory. It is recognized as the "birthplace" of the state of Alabama, which was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. Huntsville was designated as the first capital of the new state.

For much of the county's history, its economy was based on agriculture, particularly cotton plantations, which were established across the uplands. These plantations and their owners' profits were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans before the Civil War. Madison County was one of the largest cotton-producing counties in the state.

Cotton remained important after the war. Most labor for cultivation was still provided by African Americans, but they worked as sharecroppers and tenant farmers. By the late 19th century, textile mills had been established around the county; they were restricted to white workers by the Jim Crow practices of racial segregation. During the early 20th century, the economy continued to be largely agricultural, although textile mills expanded their production.

During World War II, the Army established Redstone Arsenal here as a chemical weapon manufacturing site, and the county attracted related industries. After the war, it became a center of new weapon and rocket development. In 1950, a group of exiled German rocket scientists, led by Wernher von Braun, came to Redstone Arsenal from Fort Bliss, Texas in order to conduct research and development of new types of rockets.

By the 1960s, research expanded to rockets for space exploration. The Redstone rocket was modified to launch the first two Americans into space. The US began to emphasize investment in the Space Race, in order to compete with the Soviet Union during the Cold War years and to increase scientific gains. This work in the defense and space industries has generated tens of thousands of jobs in the area, most of them private contractors working in these fields. The population of Madison County has risen from 72,903 in 1950 to an estimated 395,211 in 2021.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 813 square miles (2,110 km²), of which 802 square miles (2,080 km²) is land and 11 square miles (28 km²) (1.4%) is water.

The topography in the southern and eastern portions of the county is dominated by the dissected remnants of the Cumberland Plateau, such as Keel Mountain, Monte Sano Mountain and Green Mountain. The northern and western portions of the county are flatter.

Rivers

• Tennessee River
• Flint River
• Paint Rock River

Adjacent counties

Farm fields near New Market

• Lincoln County, Tennessee (north)
• Franklin County, Tennessee (northeast)
• Jackson County (east)
• Marshall County (southeast)
• Morgan County (southwest)
• Limestone County (west)

National protected area

• Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1810	4,699		—
1820	17,481		272.0%
1830	27,990		60.1%
1840	25,706		−8.2%
1850	26,427		2.8%
1860	26,451		0.1%
1870	31,267		18.2%
1880	37,625		20.3%
1890	38,119		1.3%
1900	43,702		14.6%
1910	47,041		7.6%
1920	51,268		9.0%
1930	64,623		26.0%
1940	66,317		2.6%
1950	72,903		9.9%
1960	117,348		61.0%
1970	186,540		59.0%
1980	196,966		5.6%
1990	238,912		21.3%
2000	276,700		15.8%
2010	334,811		21.0%
2020	388,153		15.9%
2021 (est.)	395,211		1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 276,700 people, 109,955 households, and 75,319 families residing in the county. The population density was 344 people per square mile (133/km²). There were 120,288 housing units at an average density of 149 per square mile (58/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.06% White, 22.78% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Nearly 1.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2000 census, the largest ancestry groups in Madison County were English 50.2%, African 22.78%, Scots-Irish 8.71%, Irish 4.3%, Scottish 4.12%, and Welsh 2.9%

2010

According to the 2010 U.S. Census:

• 65.9 White(non-Hispanic)
• 24.6% Black
• 0.8% Native American
• 2.5% Asian
• 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 2.3% Two or more races
• 4.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

There were 109,955 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 53.40% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. Nearly 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,704, and the median income for a family was $54,360. Males had a median income of $40,779 versus $26,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,091. About 8.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.

2020

Madison County racial composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	237,497	61.19%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	91,079	23.46%
Native American	2,132	0.55%
Asian	10,179	2.62%
Pacific Islander	450	0.12%
Other/Mixed	21,880	5.64%
Hispanic or Latino	24,936	6.42%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 388,153 people, 155,878 households, and 102,575 families residing in the county.

Communities

Cities

• Huntsville (county seat; partly in Limestone County and partly in Morgan County)
• Madison (partly in Limestone County)
• New Hope
• Owens Cross Roads

Towns

• Gurley
• Triana

Census-designated places

• Harvest
• Hazel Green
• Meridianville
• Moores Mill
• New Market
• Redstone Arsenal

Unincorporated communities

• Big Cove
• Brownsboro
• Chase
• Hobbs Island
• Maysville
• Monrovia
• Moontown
• Plevna
• Rainbow
• Ryland
• Toney

Education

The Madison County School System runs public schools throughout the unincorporated areas of the county and the incorporated and unincorporated communities of Gurley, New Hope, Meridianville, Hazel Green, Toney, Monrovia, New Market, and Owens Cross Roads. The system runs 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 5 high schools and a ninth grade school, and a career/technical center.

High schools in the Madison County School System are:

• Buckhorn High School (New Market)
• Hazel Green High School
• Madison County High School (Gurley)
• New Hope High School
• Sparkman High School (Harvest)

There are a number of private schools serving Madison County. These include Randolph School, Madison Academy, Westminster Christian Academy, Faith Christian Academy, and several others.

Transportation

Major highways

• Interstate 565
• U.S. Highway 72 (University Drive in Huntsville city limits)
• U.S. Highway 231 (Memorial Parkway in Huntsville city limits)
• U.S. Highway 431 (Governors Drive in Medical District of Huntsville; Memorial Parkway for rest of length in Huntsville City Limits)
• State Route 53 (Jordan Lane in much of Huntsville city limits)
• State Route 255 (Research Park Boulevard)

Rail

• Norfolk Southern Railway
• Huntsville and Madison County Railroad Authority

Air travel

The Port of Huntsville provides both passenger air service, via Huntsville International Airport which allows access to most of the rest of the United States, and shipping air service, via the International Intermodal Center. There are also three smaller public airports in the county: Hazel Green Airport, Madison County Executive Airport, and Moontown Airport.

Bicycle routes

There are several bicycle routes in the city of Huntsville. Madison County has a master plan to develop a 70-mile bicycle and walking trail.

Politics

Madison County was formerly an overwhelmingly Democratic county as with most of the rest of Alabama, with only a narrow loss by Al Smith in 1928 due to Prohibitionist anti-Catholicism disrupting this trend until the 1960s. Even in 1964, the county nearly voted against Barry Goldwater due to its opposition to the Arizona Senator’s privatization plans for the Tennessee Valley Authority. However, since that time, the county has become solidly Republican, with the only national Democratic nominee to carry the county since 1960 being Deep South native Jimmy Carter in 1976. In the 2016 election, Gary Johnson had his best showing in the state, carrying 4.05% of the vote. The county is trending less Republican recently, 58.9% in 2004, 56.9% in 2008, 54.8% in 2016, and 52.8% in 2020. For counties supporting Donald Trump in 2016, it was the 4th narrowest margin.

The governing body of the county is a commission. The commission is responsible for levying the county tax, establish, maintain, and discontinue county roads and bridges. The commission is also responsible for the county jail as well as the sheriff's department. The County Commission is composed of seven members. A Chairman is elected at-large by the county while each of the other six members is elected by their districts. Each commissioner serves a four-year term. In 2020, Violet Edwards made history becoming the first black woman to be elected to the Madison County Commission.

Presidential election results

Madison County vote
by party in presidential elections

Year	GOP	DEM	Others
2020	52.8% 102,780	44.8% 87,286	2.4% 4,701
2016	54.8% 89,520	38.5% 62,822	6.8% 11,047
2012	58.5% 90,884	39.9% 62,015	1.6% 2,529
2008	56.9% 86,965	41.9% 64,117	1.2% 1,817
2004	58.9% 77,173	40.2% 52,644	1.0% 1,245
2000	54.9% 62,151	42.5% 48,199	2.6% 2,968
1996	50.0% 50,390	41.9% 42,259	8.1% 8,209
1992	47.7% 51,444	36.1% 38,974	16.2% 17,416
1988	67.1% 53,575	32.3% 25,800	0.7% 519
1984	64.5% 50,428	34.4% 26,881	1.1% 825
1980	47.0% 30,604	46.8% 30,469	6.1% 3,999
1976	36.6% 20,959	62.0% 35,497	1.5% 831
1972	73.4% 38,899	24.7% 13,108	1.8% 977
1968	25.4% 13,213	15.4% 8,004	59.2% 30,736
1964	51.9% 14,279		48.1% 13,217
1960	32.3% 5,299	66.9% 10,959	0.8% 128
1956	24.6% 2,993	74.5% 9,054	0.9% 103
1952	16.4% 1,623	82.8% 8,216	0.8% 81
1948	13.2% 466		86.8% 3,060
1944	8.4% 455	91.3% 4,951	0.3% 15
1940	9.3% 566	90.4% 5,515	0.3% 17
1936	8.3% 514	91.0% 5,661	0.7% 45
1932	10.4% 559	88.8% 4,792	0.9% 48
1928	50.1% 2,695	49.9% 2,681	0.0% 2
1924	14.2% 368	83.8% 2,166	2.0% 52
1920	14.6% 489	84.5% 2,822	0.9% 29
1916	8.7% 215	89.2% 2,206	2.1% 53
1912	5.5% 150	78.2% 2,146	16.3% 448
1908	11.1% 277	87.1% 2,168	1.8% 44
1904	7.9% 182	91.6% 2,119	0.5% 12
1900	31.2% 1,679	67.8% 3,641	0.9% 50
1896	37.7% 2,548	60.0% 4,056	2.2% 149
1892	0.0% 3	45.7% 3,046	54.2% 3,614
1888	54.7% 2,595	45.0% 2,136	0.1% 7

Places of interest

Madison County is home to Monte Sano State Park, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and part of the Flint River. It also contains Hampton Cove Golf Course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. There is a historical marker for Lincoln School and Village which were incorporated into Huntsville in 1956.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Huntsville, Alabama
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Alabama
• Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Madison County, Alabama
• Redstone Arsenal cemeteries

External links

• Madison County web site
• Madison County Schools Archived August 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
• Madison Alabama Chamber of Commerce
• Madison County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of Alabama).
• Margaret Rieder Collection, The University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections Historian's collection of research and documents on Madison County history.