Fort Payne, Alabama
Fort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,877.[3] The city is the county seat of DeKalb County. The city calls itself the "Official Sock Capital of the World."
| |
Coordinates: 34°27′13″N 85°42′23″W / 34.45361°N 85.70639°WCoordinates: 34°27′13″N 85°42′23″W / 34.45361°N 85.70639°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Alabama |
County | DeKalb |
Area | |
• Total | 56.76 sq mi (147.01 km2) |
• Land | 56.41 sq mi (146.09 km2) |
• Water | 0.35 sq mi (0.92 km2) |
Elevation | 1,079 ft (329 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 14,877 |
• Density | 264/sq mi (102/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP code | 35967-35968 |
FIPS code | 01-27616 |
GNIS feature ID | 2403645[2] |
Website | www |
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred here in 2003.[4]
Local Attractions
Fort Payne has the headquarters for the nearby Little River Canyon National Preserve, a 14000 acre National Park Service facility. The canyon itself is at Lookout Mountain outside the city limits. Another attraction is DeSoto State Park, a smaller facility with a lodge, restaurant, cabins, and river access areas.
Education
Fort Payne is served by the Fort Payne City Schools system which includes:
- Wills Valley Elementary (K-2)
- Williams Avenue Elementary (3-4)
- Fort Payne Middle School (5-8)
- Fort Payne High School (9-12)
Fort Payne is also served by the Northeast Alabama Community College which is in Rainsville.
Health care
- DeKalb Regional Medical Center- 134 bed facility
Media
- Radio stations
- Newspapers
- The Times-Journal
- The DeKalb Advertiser
Transportation
- Interstate 59
- U.S. Highway 11
- Alabama State Route 35
- Norfolk Southern Railway
- Isbell Field (municipal airport)
Notable natives and residents
- Miles C. Allgood (1878–1977), United States Congressman
- Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, and Randy Owen, founders of the Country music band Alabama
- Lt. Gen. Duward Crow (1919–1997), Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, USAF and Associate Deputy Administrator, NASA
- Howard Finster (1916–2001), religious folk artist and Baptist minister
- Flock Family (NASCAR drivers)
- Bob Flock (1918–1964)
- Fonty Flock (1921–1972)
- Tim Flock (1924–1998)
- Ethel Mobley (1920–1984)
- Milford W. Howard, United States Congressman and writer
- Lt. Gen. Forrest S. McCartney(ret.), USAF and director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center
- Larry Nelson, professional golfer
- Philip Ober (1902–1982), actor
- Lilius Bratton Rainey (1876–1959), United States Congressman
- Ron Sparks, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee
- Katherine Stinson, pioneer female pilot, fourth woman in the U.S. to become a licensed pilot
Fort Payne, Alabama Media
References
- ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fort Payne, Alabama
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "QuickFacts: Fort Payne city, Alabama". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey: Fort Payne, Alabama Earthquake of 29 April 2003