Hueytown is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area, and was part of the heavy industry development in this area in the 20th century. The population was 16,776 at the 2020 census.
In 1992 the city became known for the unexplained "Hueytown Hum", a mysterious noise later thought to be caused by large underground ventilation fans used in a nearby coal mine.
Its nearby residential and business communities were damaged by an F5 tornado on April 8, 1998 and by an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , is water.
It is accessible from I-20/59 exits 112 and 115.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Hueytown city, Alabama – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)12,82511,1578,63983.47%69.28%51.50%Black or African American alone (NH)2,3734,3686,49915.45%27.12%38.74%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2241320.14%0.25%0.19%Asian alone (NH)1973650.12%0.45%0.39%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0050.00%0.00%0.03%Other race alone (NH)313470.02%0.08%0.28%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)501325280.33%0.82%3.15%Hispanic or Latino (any race)723219610.47%1.99%5.73%Total15,36416,10516,776 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Hueytown had a population of 16,776 and 6,545 households, including 4,553 families. The median age was 40.3 years; 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 84.6 males age 18 and over.
80.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.8% lived in rural areas.
The population density was . Of all households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 43.0% were married-couple households, 17.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 7,128 housing units, of which 8.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 8,810 52.5% Black or African American 6,513 38.8% American Indian and Alaska Native 37 0.2% Asian 65 0.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 6 0.0% Some other race 558 3.3% Two or more races 787 4.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 961 5.7%
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 16,105 people, 6,412 households, and 4,517 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 70.0% White, 27.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 2.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,412 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 15,364 people, 6,155 households, and 4,517 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,519 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.81% White, 15.49% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,155 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
Economy The median income for a household in the city was $41,225, and the median income for a family was $49,380. Males had a median income of $36,087 versus $26,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,735. About 5.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
Industrial history Although the Hueytown area has a history of farming, it has been a part of both the steel and coal mining industries in Jefferson County.
William & Joseph Woodward formed The Woodward Iron Company on New Year's Eve, 1881. With William as company president and Joseph as company secretary, the brothers purchased the plantation of Fleming Jordan. The plantation had originally been developed by his father, Mortimer Jordan, in 1828. The plantation included portions of present-day Hueytown and was one of the largest cotton plantations in the area.
On the former site of Mrs. Jordan's rose garden, Woodward Furnace No. 1 began operation on August 17, 1883. A second furnace went into blast in January 1887 and the two furnaces had a daily output of 165 tons. A mine also went into operation in the Dolomite community, which is today mostly within the City of Hueytown. By 1909, there was a third furnace and a daily capacity of 250,000 tons with a workforce of 2000 men on the payroll.
By the 1920s Woodward Iron's many expansions made it one of the nation's largest suppliers of pig iron. Joseph's son, A. H. (Rick) Woodward, had become chairman of the Board of Woodward Iron, and was one of the most prominent citizens of Alabama. He is probably best remembered as the owner of the Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team and the namesake of Rickwood Field, the nation's oldest professional baseball park still in use.
In 1968, Mead Corporation acquired Woodward Iron just as the steel industry was going into decline. In 1973, the last blast furnace closed, and Koppers Corporation bought the remaining coke production plant. Eventually, even Koppers had closed coke production as well. Much of the site today has been re-developed for lighter industrial use.The Birmingham District, An Industrial History and Guide, 1981, pp. 135-138, by Marjorie L. White
Coal mining began about the start of the 20th century at Virginia Mines. Today this section of Hueytown contains mostly subdivisions of homes (Virginia Estates and Edenwood). However, some of the original buildings from its mining past remain, including the superintendent's house, multiple supervisors' houses, and two company-built churches.
Some source say veteran prospector Truman H. Aldrich assembled these lands as part of his extensive coal properties, others cite two red-headed brothers, George and E. T. Shuler, as having opened the Virginia Mine in 1902. Having recently arrived from Virginia City, Nevada, they named their new mine after that western city. A mine disaster in February 1905 caused extensive damage. An underground explosion, one of the worst recorded mining disasters in Alabama history, entombed the entire day crew and caved in the mine entrance. When rescuers finally cleared the 1 shaft, they found 106 men dead and 20 dead mules.
In 1936, Republic Steel purchased the mine. It continued to be worked until September 1953, when it closed permanently.The Birmingham District (1981), pp. 129 & 309, by Marjorie L. White
Government The City of Hueytown was incorporated on December 3, 1959, and operates under a Mayor-Council form of government. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term. The five City Council members are also elected to four-year terms. Originally elected at-large, the city changed to single-member districts in the 1990s which resulted in the creation of one majority-minority council district. Neither position is term-limited.Hueytown Historical Society
Mayors Number of Terms Year Elected Years served Majors Nordan 1 1960 1960–1964 Wally Watson 1 1964 1964–1968 J. P. Campbell 1 1968 1968–1972 Wade Jackson 1 1972 1972–1976 Preston E. Darden 3 1976 1976–1988 Lillian P. Howard 2 1988 1988–1996 C. C. "Bud" Newell 1 1996 1996–1997 Gerald Hicks 1 1997–2000 Joe Williams 1 2000 2000–2004 Delor Baumann 3 2004 2004–2016 Steve Ware 2 2016 2016–
Mayor C.C. "Bud" Newell died in office. The President of the City Council, Gerald Hicks, was then elevated to the position of Mayor and completed the remaining years of the term.
The original Alderman for the City of Hueytown in 1960 were as follows:Incorporation Plaque in Hueytown City Hall
J. P. Campbell Prude T. Cowen Sr. Myrtle T. Durrett David N. Kornegay R. G. Wall
Listed below is a partial list (alphabetical) of former members of The City Council who were not otherwise members of the original Council.
Richard Autry Allan Brown Ken Burns Gerald Bush Phillip Contorno (2004–2020) John Linden Cox (1976–1980) Phifer Crane (2004–2020) Neil Ferguson Jimmy Forrester Georgia Grey Hampton Gerald Hicks Brad Hinton (1984–1988) Lillian P. Howard JoAnn Logan (the first minority member ever elected to the council) Carole Marks Raleigh Rheuby Lewis Robertson Ray Robertson (2004–2016) Howard Segars J. B. Skates (1976–1980) Charles Young
Schools and education history The Hueytown area has been served by many schools over the past one hundred years. Most of these have been public schools of the Jefferson County School System which was founded in 1898. However, the first established school in the community was in August 1874, when several families gathered to build a small log building that served as both a church and school. That structure was located on the hill behind present-day Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. A later grammar school was built on Upper Wickstead Road but burned down in 1907. The following year, Hueytown Grammar School opened with just four teachers for its 100 students. Also located across the street from Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church it faced Dabbs Avenue. The school was replaced with a larger building in 1935 which faced Hueytown Road. That entire structure burned to the ground on the night of March 3, 1949. The present Hueytown Elementary School, which has been expanded many times, first opened in the fall of 1950.
The present Hueytown Intermediate School opened to the students in the fall of 2020. (November 2 or 9)
Other schools serving the city include: Hueytown High School, Hueytown Middle School (formerly Pittman Middle School and Pittman Junior High), Concord Elementary School and North Highland Elementary School. Four private religious schools, Deeper Life Academy, Garywood Christian School, Brooklane Baptist Academy, and Rock Creek Academy are located in Hueytown.