Madison, Alabama#History
{{Short description|City in Alabama, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Madison, Alabama
| settlement_type = City
| nickname =
| motto = Plant your roots
| image_skyline = Madison Alabama Downtown 2024.jpg
| imagesize = 275px
| image_caption = The Madison Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 2006.
| image_flag =
| image_seal = Seal of Madison, Alabama.png
| seal_size = 90px
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Madison, Alabama.png
| blank_emblem_type = Logo
| blank_emblem_size = 140px
| image_map = {{maplink
| frame = yes
| plain = yes
| frame-align = center
| frame-width = 290
| frame-height = 290
| frame-coord = {{coord|qid=Q79987}}
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| marker = city
| stroke-width = 2
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| stroke-color2 = #5F5F5F
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| mapsize =
| map_caption = Interactive map of Madison, Alabama
| image_map1 =
| mapsize1 =
| map_caption1 =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Alabama
| subdivision_type2 = Counties
| subdivision_name2 = Madison, Limestone
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Paul Finley
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 1818
| established_title1 = Incorporated
| established_date1 = December 2, 1869{{cite web |title=Municipalities of Alabama Incorporation Dates |publisher=Alabama League of Municipalities |url=https://almonline.org/Assets/Files/AboutUs/Alabama_Municipalities_Incorporation_Dates.pdf |access-date=March 7, 2024}}
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 79.497
| area_land_km2 = 79.159
| area_water_km2 = 0.339
| area_total_sq_mi = 30.694
| area_land_sq_mi = 30.563
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.131
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_est = 64029
| pop_est_as_of = 2024
| population_total = 56933
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 2086
| population_rank = US: 649th
AL: 9th
| population_urban = 329066 (US: 122nd)
| population_density_urban_km2 = 591.6
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 1532
| population_metro = 514465 (US: 109th)
| population_density_metro_km2 = 145.9
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 378
| population_blank1_title = Combined
| population_blank1 = 879315 (US: 68th)
| population_density_blank1_km2 = 98.57
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = 255.3
| timezone = Central (CST)
| utc_offset = −6
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = −5
| elevation_m = 209
| elevation_ft = 686
| coordinates = {{coord|34|42|40|N|86|43|52|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type = ZIP Codes
| postal_code = 35756, 35757, 35758
| area_code = 256 and 938
| blank_name = FIPS code
| blank_info = 01-45784
| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
| blank1_info = 2404989{{GNIS|2404989}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.madisonal.gov/|madisonal.gov}}
| footnotes =
}}
Madison is a city located primarily in Madison County, near the northern border of the U.S. state of Alabama. Madison extends west into neighboring Limestone County. The city is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area, the second-largest in the state, and is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The population was 56,933 at the 2020 census.{{cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Madison_city,_Alabama?g=160XX00US0145784 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 7, 2024}} Madison is bordered by Huntsville on nearly all sides with some small unincorporated lands within Madison in Madison and Limestone counties.
Madison was mostly a small city for many years, with its population being around 400-500 for much of its history until the Redstone Arsenal was established to the southeast, which attracted many people to the area for jobs. This rapidly increased the city's population and stimulated economic growth. Many of Madison's residents work in Research Park or the Redstone Arsenal. Madison has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Alabama, as well as one of the wealthiest in the state.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} In 2022 census estimates, Madison was the 9th largest city in Alabama, the 8th densest city in Alabama, and the second largest city in North Alabama after Huntsville.{{Cite web |last=Carney |first=Kristen |title=Alabama Cities by population 2024 |url=https://www.alabama-demographics.com/cities_by_population |website=Alabama Demographics}}
History
File:Madison,AL Southern RR Depot.jpg
The area was occupied historically by the Koasati (also known as Coushatta), a Muskogean-speaking people. Before them were thousands of years of indigenous cultures.
Madison's first European-American resident was John Cartwright, who settled in the area in 1818. The city was originally known as "Madison Station", as it developed in the 1850s around a stop of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Textile mills were built in the area in the late 19th century for processing and manufacture of cotton products.
Madison was the site of a battle in the American Civil War. On May 17, 1864, Col. Josiah Patterson's 5th Alabama Cavalry, supported by Col. James H. Stuart's cavalry battalion and a section of horse artillery, drove Col. Adam G. Gorgas's 13th Illinois Infantry Regiment from the city. Patterson's men captured the 13th Illinois Regiment's wagon train, taking 66 prisoners. They also burned Union supplies and tore up the railroad tracks before retreating. Portions of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, the 59th Indiana Infantry, and the 5th Iowa Infantry were sent in pursuit from Huntsville. They skirmished with Patterson's rear guard that evening at Fletcher's Ferry on the Tennessee River south of Madison.
The town was incorporated on December 2, 1869.{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3140 |title=Madison |website=Encyclopedia of Alabama |language=en |access-date=September 28, 2017}} From 1880 to 1950, rural Madison had a population of some 400-500 residents.
In World War II and the postwar period, military and NASA operations were moved to Huntsville, stimulating an increase in population in the region. Subsidized highways stimulated suburbanization, attracting residents to outlying areas where new homes were built. By 1980, Madison's population was 4,057. In the late 20th century, Madison's population increased rapidly as it developed as a suburb of Huntsville. In 1986, Madison voters overwhelmingly voted to remain independent by not merging with Huntsville.{{Cite web|last1=Peck |first1=John |date=July 31, 2011 |title=Huntsville annexations hem in Madison but both cities need to remain neighborly (editorial) |url=https://www.al.com/times-views/2011/07/huntsville_annexations_hem_in.html |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=al |publisher=The Huntsville Times |language=en}} By 2010, its population had grown to 42,938, and over the following ten years it grew to a population of 56,933.{{Cite web |title=Huntsville only steadily growing large city in Alabama {{!}} John Blue Realty |url=https://www.johnbluerealty.com/huntsville-only-steadily-growing-large-city-in-alabama/ |access-date=January 26, 2021 |website=johnbluerealty.com}}
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|30.694|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|30.563|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.131|sqmi|km2}}, is water.
Madison is located at {{Coord|34|42|54|N|86|44|23|W|type:city}} (34.711236, -86.731024),{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=April 23, 2011 |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} primarily within Madison County, while extending west into Limestone County. Downtown Huntsville is {{convert|11|mi}} east of the center of Madison, although Huntsville also borders Madison to the south and west. Athens is {{convert|17|mi}} to the northwest, and Decatur is {{convert|16|mi}} to the southwest, across the Tennessee River.
Demographics
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 410
| 1900 = 412
| 1910 = 426
| 1920 = 435
| 1930 = 431
| 1940 = 455
| 1950 = 530
| 1960 = 1435
| 1970 = 3086
| 1980 = 4057
| 1990 = 14904
| 2000 = 29329
| 2010 = 42938
| 2020 = 56933
| estyear = 2024
| estimate = 64029
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}{{failed verification|date=May 2024|reason=No mention of Madison at that link}}
2020 Census
}}
=2020 census=
| class="wikitable"
|+Madison racial and ethnic composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0145784&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=December 16, 2021 |website=data.census.gov}} !Race !Number !Percentage |
| White (non-Hispanic)
|37,194 |65.33% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|8,367 |14.7% |
| Native American
|175 |0.31% |
| Asian
|4,426 |7.77% |
| Pacific Islander
|73 |0.13% |
| Other/Mixed
|3,410 |5.99% |
| Hispanic or Latino
|3,288 |5.78% |
As of the 2020 census, there were 56,933 people, 20,787 households, and 15,540 families residing in the city.{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Madison%20city,%20Alabama%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 7, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|1875.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|0|}} There were 21,980 housing units.
=2010 census=
As of the 2010 census, there were 42,938 people, 16,111 households and 11,770 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1450.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|0|}}. There were 17,203 housing units. The average household size was 2.65, while the average family size was 3.16. 30.8% of the population was age 19 or younger, 61.0% was 20–64, and 8.2% was 65 or older. The median age was 37.0 years. The population was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.
The racial makeup of the city was 74.0% White, 14.6% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 7.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 4.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Madison was the fastest-growing city in Alabama as of 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://www.madisonalchamber.com/ |title=Madison Chamber of Commerce – Madison, AL |website=madisonalchamber.com |language=en |access-date=September 28, 2017}}
Economy
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
=Personal income=
The median income for a household in the city was $92,136, and the median income for a family was $111,217. The per capita income for the city was $41,490. About 3.9% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
=Industry=
Madison's largest employer is Intergraph, a computer software company. It is a subsidiary of Hexagon, a Swedish software company that bought Intergraph in 2008 and invested in the city and area to improve it. Currently, they are working on a streetlight maintenance program for Madison. Thousands of Madison residents commute to jobs at Cummings Research Park and Redstone Arsenal in nearby Huntsville, about 12 miles away. The high-tech and academic positions in the area have attracted numerous highly educated, professional residents.
Education
The Madison City School System, formed in 1998, serves over 10,000 students from the city of Madison and town of Triana.[http://www.madisoncity.k12.al.us/AboutUs.htm Madison City Schools - About Us] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310052347/http://www.madisoncity.k12.al.us/AboutUs.htm |date=March 10, 2009}}. madisoncity.k12.al.us It has consistently been rated as one of the best school systems in the state. The current superintendent is Dr. Ed Nichols. Nationally, it ranks in the top 5 best school systems.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}
The school system currently has seven elementary schools serving grades K-5 (Columbia Elementary School, Heritage Elementary School, Horizon Elementary School, Madison Elementary School, Mill Creek Elementary School, Rainbow Elementary School, and Midtown Elementary School), three middle schools serving grades 6-8 (Discovery Middle School, Journey Middle School, and Liberty Middle School), and two high schools serving grades 9-12 (Bob Jones High School and James Clemens High School). There was formerly an additional elementary school, West Madison Elementary; however, it is permanently closed and planned to be adapted as a pre-K center.{{Cite web |first=Gregg|last=Parker|date=June 2, 2021 |title=West Madison's legacy to thrive in memories of its friends |url=https://themadisonrecord.com/2021/06/01/west-madisons-legacy-to-thrive-in-memories-of-its-friends/ |access-date=December 28, 2021 |website=The Madison Record}} Madison Elementary, built about 1936, is the oldest school in the system while Journey is the newest, opening in 2023.
In 2019, Madison residents approved a voluntary property tax increase in order to fund school growth and expansion. These funds were used to build Midtown Elementary School (completed in 2020){{Cite web |last=Torres-Perez |first=Alex |title=New elementary school opening to help deal with Madison City Schools growth |url=https://www.waaytv.com/news/huntsville/new-elementary-school-opening-to-help-deal-with-madison-city-schools-growth/article_86ce8fab-8cf4-5346-ad91-cce8fe7c19f7.html |access-date=December 28, 2021 |website=Allen Media|date=July 29, 2021 }} and were also used to construct Journey Middle School, opening for the 2023–2024 school year.{{Cite web |title=Journey Middle School Groundbreaking |url=https://www.madisoncity.k12.al.us/site/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.madisoncity.k12.al.us%2Fsite%2Fdefault.aspx%3FPageType%3D3%26DomainID%3D19%26ModuleInstanceID%3D32%26ViewID%3D6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108%26RenderLoc%3D0%26FlexDataID%3D16405%26PageID%3D31 |access-date=December 28, 2021 |website= madisoncity.k12.al.us}}
Government
{{see also|List of mayors of Madison, Alabama}}
Media
The Madison Record[http://www.themadisonrecord.com/ The Madison Record] and the Madison County Record[http://www.madisoncountyrecord.com/ Madison County Record] have been newspapers for the city since 1967. The Madison Weekly News{{Cite web |url=http://www.madisonweeklynews.com |title=Madison Weekly News |website=madisonweeklynews.com |access-date=September 28, 2017}} was another local newspaper.
Infrastructure
=Roads=
Madison is served by Interstate 565, US 72 (University Drive), and Madison Boulevard (Alabama State Route 20, and Alt. US 72) and Gillespie Road, as main routes for east–west traffic. Slaughter Road, Hughes Road, Wall Triana Highway, and County Line Road serve as main north–south roads in the city.
=Rail and airline=
The Norfolk Southern railway has the main line and a spur running through Madison. The Port of Huntsville, an intermodal center that includes Huntsville International Airport and a rail cargo center, is located just south of the city.
=Transit=
Dial-a-ride transit service is provided by Transportation for Rural Areas of Madison County (TRAM).{{cite web|url=https://www.madisoncountyal.gov/departments/planning-and-economic-development/tram|title=TRAM|access-date=November 10, 2024}}
Culture and entertainment
{{Expand section|date=September 2019}}
=Sports=
The Rocket City Trash Pandas (formerly Mobile BayBears) is a Double A Southern League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels that moved from Mobile, Alabama to Madison. The team was to begin play in Madison at Toyota Field beginning in April 2020,{{Cite web |last=Gattis |first=Paul |url=https://www.al.com/news/2019/08/trash-pandas-release-2020-schedule-opening-vs-braves.html |title=Trash Pandas release 2020 schedule, opening vs. Braves |website=AL.com |date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=September 2, 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Rocket City Trash Pandas Schedule |url=https://www.milb.com/rocket-city/schedule |access-date=September 2, 2020 |website=Minor League Baseball |language=en}}{{Cite web |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/02/27/toyota-field-awarded-certificate-of-occupancy/|title=Toyota Field Awarded Certificate of Occupancy|date=February 27, 2020}} but coronavirus concerns delayed the team's debut until May 11, 2021.
=Parks and greenways=
The City of Madison has several greenways and parks within city limits.{{Cite web |title=Greenways & Trails |url=https://www.madisonal.gov/681/Greenways-Trails |access-date=July 22, 2020 |website=City of Madison}}
Madison is working with the nearby cities of Huntsville and Decatur to create a 70-mile bicycling and walking trail.{{Cite web |last=Petit |first=Rebecca |date=February 6, 2019 |title=Singing River Trail plans to connect three North Alabama counties |url=https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/singing-river-trail-plans-to-connect-three-north-alabama-counties/525-e4032ced-4f9d-4580-a0ee-3789794f0d79 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=rocketcitynow.com |publisher=WZDX-DT FOX |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Singleterry |first=Sarah |date=February 5, 2019 |title=Singing River Trail gets positive community feedback |url=https://www.waaytv.com/content/news/Singing-River-Trail-gets-positive-community-feedback-505394331.html |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=WAAY News |language=en}}
Notable people
- Mike Ball, politician and member of the Alabama House of Representatives{{cite web |url=http://www.alaae.org/mike-ball.html |title=Board of Directors |publisher=Alabama Alliance for Arts Education |access-date=February 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208060412/http://www.alaae.org/mike-ball.html |archive-date=February 8, 2015 |url-status=dead}}
- Grant Dayton, Major League baseball pitcher
- Lewie Hardage, American football player and coach, baseball coach
- Robert Hoffman, actor, dancer, and choreographer{{cite web |url=http://www.themadisonrecord.com/2012/01/11/actor-dancer-robert-hoffman-brings-moves-to-dance-trance/ |title=Actor, dancer Robert Hoffman brings moves to Dance Trance |work=The Madison Record |date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2015}}
- Bill Holtzclaw, politician and Republican member of the Alabama State Senate[http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd002.html Alabama State Senate: Bill Holtzclaw] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219190528/http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senatebios/sd002.html |date=February 19, 2007}}{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20140727004905/http://www.district2.us/meet-bill.html District 2: Meet Bill and His Family]}}
- Kerron Johnson, professional basketball player{{cite web |url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/03/madison_academy_grad_kerron_jo.html |title=Madison Academy grad Kerron Johnson leading Belmont into third straight NCAA tournament |date=March 20, 2013 |publisher=Alabama Media Group |access-date=February 7, 2015}}{{Update inline|date=May 2021}}
- Kerryon Johnson, professional football player free agent
- Walter Jones, former offensive lineman at Florida State and a Hall of Famer for the Seattle Seahawks{{Cite web |first1=Bob|last1=Labbe |date=January 6, 2019 |title=NFL Hall Of Famer Walter Jones Claims Madison His "Second" Home |url=https://themadisonrecord.com/2019/01/06/nfl-hall-of-famer-walter-jones-claims-madison-his-second-home/ |access-date=January 26, 2021 |website=The Madison Record}}
- Chip Lindsey, college football coach for Troy University
- Will Mastin, entertainer and member of the Will Mastin Trio
- Reggie Ragland, American football linebacker{{cite news |url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/birmingham_news_super_senior_r.html |title=Birmingham News Super Senior Reggie Ragland ready to roll with Tide |newspaper=The Huntsville Times |date=August 17, 2011}}
- Levi Randolph, basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.madisonal.gov}}
- [http://www.madisonalchamber.com/ Madison Chamber of Commerce site]
- [http://findmoremadison.com/ Find More Madison site]
{{Limestone County, Alabama}}
{{Madison County, Alabama}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Cities in Madison County, Alabama
Category:Cities in Limestone County, Alabama
Category:1818 establishments in Alabama Territory