Greenville, Alabama

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Greenville

| settlement_type = City

| image_skyline = Greenville AL Butler Co Court House.JPG

| imagesize = 250px

| image_caption = Butler County Courthouse in Greenville

| image_seal = Seal of Greenville, Alabama.png

| nickname = Camellia City

| image_map = File:Butler County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Greenville Highlighted 0131912.svg

| mapsize = 250px

| map_caption = Location of Greenville in Butler County, Alabama.

| coordinates = {{coord|31|49|52|N|86|37|39|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = Alabama

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = Butler

| established_title = Founded

| established_date = 1819

| named_for = Greenville, South Carolina

| government_type = Mayor/Council

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Dexter McLendon

| area_total_km2 = 55.76

| area_land_km2 = 55.31

| area_water_km2 = 0.46

| elevation_m = 134

| elevation_ft = 440

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 7374

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_density_km2 = 133.33

| population_metro =

| timezone = Central (CST)

| utc_offset = -6

| timezone_DST = CDT

| utc_offset_DST = -5

| postal_code_type = ZIP code

| postal_code = 36037

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 334

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = 01-31912

| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info = 0119376

| website = {{URL|https://greenvilleal.gov/}}

|pop_est_as_of =

|pop_est_footnotes =

|population_est =

|population_density_sq_mi = 345.32

|unit_pref = Imperial

|area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 29, 2021}}

|area_total_sq_mi = 21.53

|area_land_sq_mi = 21.35

|area_water_sq_mi = 0.18

}}

Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Butler County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,374. Greenville is known as the Camellia City, wherein originated the movement to change the official Alabama state flower from the goldenrod to the camellia with legislative sponsors LaMont Glass and H.B. Taylor.{{cite web|title=Camellia Day|url=http://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2014/01/camellia-day/|website=The Office of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley|access-date=January 15, 2016|archive-date=January 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106192356/http://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2014/01/camellia-day/|url-status=dead}} The city is approximately halfway between Montgomery and Mobile on I-65.

History

Greenville was first settled in 1819. Its original name was Buttsville,{{Cite web| title = Alabama Counties: Butler County| publisher = Alabama Department of Archives and History| url = http://www.archives.state.al.us/counties/butler.html| access-date = January 7, 2010| archive-date = January 12, 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070112172245/http://www.archives.state.al.us/counties/butler.html| url-status = dead}} but after becoming the county seat in 1822, its name was changed to Greenville, in remembrance of the former locale in South Carolina of many of the original settlers.{{Cite web| title = History| publisher = City of Greenville, Alabama| url = http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=5| access-date = January 7, 2010| archive-date = July 11, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110711125728/http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=5| url-status = dead}}{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n143 144]}} The first county seat was at Fort Dale, a fortification that was named for Sam Dale, who fought to defend the area during the Creek War. The site of Fort Dale lies on the north of the city near the Fort Dale Cemetery, along what is now Alabama Highway 185.

The namesake of the county, Captain William Butler, was killed during the Creek War. He is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, which is across from the oldest church in Butler County, the First United Methodist Church of Greenville.

During World War II, a satellite camp for German prisoners was based in Greenville.{{Cite encyclopedia|last= Hutchinson| first= Daniel | title = World War II POW Camps in Alabama| encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Alabama| date = October 6, 2009 | url = http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1304 | access-date =January 7, 2010 }}

Geography

Interstate 65 and U.S. Route 31 pass through the city. Montgomery, the state capital, is {{convert|44|mi}} northeast, the closest city to Greenville with a population above 50,000.[http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=13 "Greenville-Alabama"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311192011/http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=13 |date=March 11, 2010 }} Retrieved April 14, 2010

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Greenville has a total area of {{convert|55.8|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|55.3|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.5|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 0.82%, is water.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0131912| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212163109/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0131912| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Greenville city, Alabama| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=September 18, 2013}}

=Climate=

The city of Greenville has a humid subtropical climate, with an average high temperature of {{convert|77.3|F}} and an average low temperature of {{convert|53.8|F}}. The city averages {{Convert|4.80|in}} of precipitation per month.[http://www.climate-charts.com/USA-Stations/AL/AL013519.php "Climate-Charts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227100731/http://www.climate-charts.com/USA-Stations/AL/AL013519.php |date=February 27, 2012 }} Retrieved April 13, 2010

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Greenville, Alabama (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1927–present)

| Jan record high F = 87

| Feb record high F = 86

| Mar record high F = 89

| Apr record high F = 96

| May record high F = 100

| Jun record high F = 108

| Jul record high F = 106

| Aug record high F = 105

| Sep record high F = 103

| Oct record high F = 100

| Nov record high F = 91

| Dec record high F = 86

| year record high F =

| Jan high F = 59.9

| Feb high F = 64.3

| Mar high F = 71.4

| Apr high F = 77.9

| May high F = 84.8

| Jun high F = 89.8

| Jul high F = 91.7

| Aug high F = 91.5

| Sep high F = 87.6

| Oct high F = 79.3

| Nov high F = 69.3

| Dec high F = 62.2

| year high F = 77.5

| Jan mean F = 46.9

| Feb mean F = 50.8

| Mar mean F = 57.1

| Apr mean F = 63.6

| May mean F = 71.4

| Jun mean F = 77.7

| Jul mean F = 80.2

| Aug mean F = 79.9

| Sep mean F = 75.7

| Oct mean F = 65.7

| Nov mean F = 55.2

| Dec mean F = 49.2

| year mean F = 64.5

| Jan low F = 33.9

| Feb low F = 37.3

| Mar low F = 42.9

| Apr low F = 49.4

| May low F = 58.1

| Jun low F = 65.6

| Jul low F = 68.8

| Aug low F = 68.4

| Sep low F = 63.7

| Oct low F = 52.0

| Nov low F = 41.1

| Dec low F = 36.3

| year low F = 51.5

| Jan record low F = -1

| Feb record low F = 9

| Mar record low F = 15

| Apr record low F = 28

| May record low F = 37

| Jun record low F = 48

| Jul record low F = 56

| Aug record low F = 50

| Sep record low F = 38

| Oct record low F = 28

| Nov record low F = 11

| Dec record low F = 5

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 5.72

| Feb precipitation inch = 4.72

| Mar precipitation inch = 5.45

| Apr precipitation inch = 4.98

| May precipitation inch = 4.16

| Jun precipitation inch = 5.32

| Jul precipitation inch = 5.81

| Aug precipitation inch = 5.25

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.97

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.95

| Nov precipitation inch = 4.97

| Dec precipitation inch = 5.52

| year precipitation inch = 59.82

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 10.8

| Feb precipitation days = 9.7

| Mar precipitation days = 9.1

| Apr precipitation days = 8.4

| May precipitation days = 8.3

| Jun precipitation days = 10.8

| Jul precipitation days = 13.0

| Aug precipitation days = 12.4

| Sep precipitation days = 8.4

| Oct precipitation days = 6.9

| Nov precipitation days = 8.1

| Dec precipitation days = 10.6

| year precipitation days = 116.5

| Jan snow inch = 0.1

| Feb snow inch = 0.0

| Mar snow inch = 0.2

| Apr snow inch = 0.0

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.0

| Nov snow inch = 0.0

| Dec snow inch = 0.2

| year snow inch = 0.5

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 0.1

| Feb snow days = 0.0

| Mar snow days = 0.0

| Apr snow days = 0.0

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.0

| Nov snow days = 0.0

| Dec snow days = 0.0

| year snow days = 0.1

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=mob

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 4, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00013519&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 4, 2023}}

}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1870= 2856

|1880= 2471

|1890= 2806

|1900= 3162

|1910= 3377

|1920= 3471

|1930= 3985

|1940= 5075

|1950= 6731

|1960= 6894

|1970= 8033

|1980= 7807

|1990= 7492

|2000= 7228

|2010= 8135

|2020= 7374

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable"

|+Greenville Racial Composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0131912&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 8, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}

!Race

!Num.

!Perc.

Black or African American

|4,292

|58.2%

White

|2,624

|35.58%

Hispanic or Latino

|133

|1.8%

Asian

|118

|1.6%

Native American

|0.11%

Pacific Islander

|0.03%

Other/Mixed

|197

|2.67%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,374 people, 2,356 households, and 1,496 families residing in the city.

=2010 census=

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 9, 2015 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2010, there were 8,135 people, 3,332 households, and 2,126 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 55.5% Black or African American, 41.7% White, 0.0% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. 1.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the city, 27.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.6% were 18 to 24, 25.0% were 25 to 44, 24.4% were 45 to 64, and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3. For every 100 females, there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.

There were 3,332 households. Of those, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.06.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,664, and the median income for a family was $31,107. Males had a median income of $33,716 versus $24,928 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,649. About 20.3% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Prior to the Civil War, cotton farming was the main occupation in Butler County. Due to this, slave trade was very prominent in the surrounding areas such as the Alabama riverboat in Montgomery which paraded new slaves through the streets of downtown Montgomery. During the 1850s, the Mobile and Ohio Railroad constructed a line through Greenville, enabling it to became the center of commerce between Montgomery and south Alabama. During the late nineteenth century, the construction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad through Greenville contributed further to Greenville's prosperity. In 1900, Gulf Red Cedar Company and Factory in Greenville was a bucket manufacturer in Greenville.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

As of 2009, Greenville had a diverse industrial manufacturing base of companies in the textile, wood products, automobile, and other industries. Major employers included Hwashin American Corporation, Hysco America Corporation, CorStone Industry, and Connector Manufacturing.{{Cite encyclopedia| title = Butler County | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Alabama| date = December 10, 2009 | url = http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1304 | access-date =January 7, 2010 }}

Arts and culture

The Ritz Theatre in Greenville hosts community events, plays,{{Cite web |url=http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=273 |title=Greenville: Ritz Theatre |access-date=July 25, 2016 |archive-date=August 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822064805/http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=273 |url-status=dead }} and an annual musical revue called "Puttin' on the Ritz".{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaac-ritz.com/|title=Greenville Area Arts Council|website=Gaac-ritz.com|access-date=December 28, 2023}}

Each September, the city hosts the Butler County Fair, which includes the "Old Time Farm Day" featuring tractor races, blacksmithing and quilting demonstrations.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=13|title=Visiting|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311192011/http://www.greenville-alabama.com/Default.asp?ID=13 |access-date=December 28, 2023|archive-date=March 11, 2010 }}

Parks and recreation

Cambrian Ridge is a golf course in Greenville. Sherling Lake Park and Campground has 41 campsites and surrounds two lakes east of the golf course.

Government

The local government of Greenville is run by the Mayor and City Council. The city council consists of five members each elected from single member districts. The city is located in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District and is currently represented by U.S. Representative Shomari Figures.

Education

=Primary and secondary education=

Public education is provided by the Butler County Board of Education.{{Cite web | url=http://butlerco.k12.al.us/ |title = Butler County Schools / Homepage|website=Butlerco.k12.al.us}}

High School: Greenville High School
Middle School: Greenville Middle School
Elementary School: W.O. Parmer Elementary and Greenville Elementary School

Private schools in Greenville include Fort Dale Academy{{Cite web | url=http://www.fortdale.com |title = Fort Dale Academy|website=Fortdale.com}} and Camellia City Christian School.

=Post-secondary education=

Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, member of the Alabama Community College System awards two-year associate degrees and professional certificates.{{Cite web | title = About LBWCC | work = Lurleen B. Wallace Community College | url = http://www.lbwcc.edu/cms/page.aspx?pageid=168 | access-date = January 8, 2010 | archive-date = June 15, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615163843/http://www.lbwcc.edu/cms/page.aspx?pageid=168 | url-status = dead }}

Media

=Radio stations=

WGYV 1380 AM (Talk)
WKXN 95.7 FM (Urban Contemporary)
WQZX 94.3 FM

=Newspaper=

Weekly newspapers include The Greenville Standard,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegreenvillestandard.com/|title=Home|website=The Greenville Standard|access-date=April 7, 2023}} and Greenville Advocate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenvilleadvocate.com/|title=The Greenville Advocate|website=The Greenville Advocate|access-date=April 7, 2023}}

=Media filmed in Greenville=

Residents were featured in the premiere episode of My Kind of Town (2005).{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The movie Honeydripper (2007), was filmed in locations around Greenville in 2006.{{cite web|url=http://alabamablues.org/honeydripper.htm|title=Alabama Blurs Project : Honeydripper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917074916/http://alabamablues.org/honeydripper.htm |access-date=December 28, 2023|archive-date=September 17, 2010 }}