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Baldwin County, Alabama

Coordinates: 30°43′59″N 87°43′13″W / 30.73306°N 87.72028°W / 30.73306; -87.72028
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Baldwin County
County
The Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette
The Baldwin County Courthouse in Bay Minette
Map of Alabama highlighting Baldwin County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°39′39″N 87°44′59″W / 30.66097°N 87.74984°W / 30.66097; -87.74984
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 21[1], 1809[1]
Named forAbraham Baldwin
SeatBay Minette
Largest cityDaphne
Area
[2]
 • Total2,027 sq mi (5,250 km2)
 • Land1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2)
 • Water437 sq mi (1,130 km2)  21.6%
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total231,767
 • Density110/sq mi (44/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Websitebaldwincountyal.gov

Baldwin County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama.

It is named in honor of Abraham Baldwin, a member of the United States Senate from Georgia who never actually lived in Alabama. In 2020, 231,767 people lived there.[3] The county seat (capital city) is Bay Minette.

History

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Baldwin County was made on December 21, 1809, ten years before Alabama became a state. Before this, the county had been a part of the Mississippi Territory until 1817 when the area passed into the Alabama territory[4]

The borders of the county has often changed, and many armies have invaded.[5]

In the first days of Baldwin County, the town of McIntosh Bluff (now in Mobile County) on the Tombigbee River was the county seat. Then the county seat moved to the town of Blakeley in 1810, and then to the City of Daphne in 1868. In 1900, by an Act of the Legislature of Alabama said that the county seat should move to the City of Bay Minette. The City of Daphne was not happy about this move, because being the county seat meant more people visit the city and businesses can sell more. To move the county seat to Bay Minette, some men from Bay Minette pretended that there had been a murder. When the sheriff and his deputy left the City of Daphne to look for the murderer the men from Bay Minette went to the City of Daphne. These men got the records from the Baldwin County Courthouse and took them back to the City of Bay Minette. A New Deal mural in the Bay Minette post office is a painting of this story.[6]

Baldwin County is close to the Gulf of Mexico. This is why it often has tropical weather systems which often are Hurricanes. Weather damage can sometimes be very bad, and sometimes the county is made a disaster area. For example, in September 1979 due to damage from Hurricane Frederic,[7] in July 1997 due to Hurricane Danny,[8] in September 1998 from Hurricane Georges[9] in September 2004 due to damage from Hurricane Ivan[10] and again in August 2005 due to damage from Hurricane Katrina.[11]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,027 sq mi (5,250 km2). 1,590 sq mi (4,118 km2) of it is land and 437 sq mi (1,132 km2) is water. Baldwin County is the 12th largest county east of the Mississippi River.

Baldwin County's beaches

Neighbouring counties

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Environment

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Two parts of Baldwin County have been called "Outstanding Alabama Water" by the Alabama Environmental Management Commission which oversees the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. As of April, 2007, only two other areas in Alabama have received what is the "highest environmental status" in the state. The areas are

Officials think that having very clean areas of water and sea will encourage tourists to vistit the county.[12]

People

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At the census in 2020, there were 231,767 people, 93,116 households, and 64,222 families living in the county. The population density was 145.8 people per square mile (56.3/km²).

The people in the county are 81.7% White, 7.9% Black or African American, 3.9% other, and 6.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 5.5% of the people.

There were 93,116 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 25.8% had a female householder with no partner present, 16.0% had a male householder with no partner present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49. [13] [14]

Regions

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Municipalities

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Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated areas

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Education

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All public schools in Baldwin County are operated by Baldwin County Public Schools.

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama: Containing the Statutes and Resolutions in Force at the end of the General Assembly in January, 1823. Published by Ginn & Curtis, J. & J. Harper, Printers, New-York, 1828. Title 10. Chapter III. Pages 81-82. An Act to divide Washington County, and for other purposes therein mentioned.--Passed December 21, 1809.
  2. ↑ "2019 Gazetteer Files for Counties: Alabama" (text). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Baldwin County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Various Historical Compilations about Baldwin County, Alabama". Baldwin County, Alabama. Archived from the original on 2007-08-28. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  5. ↑ "ADAH Historical Markers — Baldwin County: A County Older than the State". Texts of historical markers placed by Alabama Historical Society. Alabama Department of Archives & History. Archived from the original on 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
  6. ↑ "Historical Compilations". Baldwin County. Archived from the original on 2007-08-28. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  7. ↑ "Alabama Disaster History". FEMA website (html). Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  8. ↑ "Special Title I Assistance to Victims in Presidentially Declared Major Disaster Areas - Alabama, Vermont, Washington State and Michigan". hudclips.org (html). Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  9. ↑ "Designated Counties for Alabama Hurricane Georges". FEMA website (html). Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  10. ↑ "Designated Counties for Hurricane Ivan". FEMA website (html). Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  11. ↑ "Alabama Hurricane Katrina". FEMA website (html). Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  12. ↑ Gary Busby, Wolf Bay Listed as Outstanding Alabama Water, The Mobile Register, Baldwin Register, Tuesday, April 24, 2007, page 1
  13. ↑ "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  14. ↑ "P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2023.

Other websites

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30°43′59″N 87°43′13″W / 30.73306°N 87.72028°W / 30.73306; -87.72028

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