History of Fayette County, Alabama
Located in northwestern Alabama, Fayette County is home to large portions of the Sipsey River, one of the longest free-flowing swamp and stream systems in the state. The county is governed by an elected six-member commission and includes four incorporated communities.
Founding Date: December 20, 1824
Area: 630 square miles
Population: 16,321 (2020 Census estimate)
Major Waterways: Sipsey River
Major Highways: U.S. 43
County Seat: Fayette
Largest City: Fayette
History
Fayette County was created by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on December 20, 1824, from portions of Tuscaloosa and Marion counties. The county was named for French general and Revolutionary war hero Marquis de Lafayette, who was touring Alabama at the time of the county’s creation. The first settlement around what is now the county seat, Fayette, was originally called LaFayette. On January 15, 1821, the town was incorporated and renamed Fayette County House.
The original Fayette County Courthouse was built in 1892 but burned in 1911 when a fire consumed it and most of the town. The present courthouse was built in 1911.
Population
According to 2020 Census estimates, the population of Fayette County was 16,321. The county seat, Fayette, had a population of 4,329. Other population centers in the county include Berry, Glen Allen, and Belk.
Economy
During the nineteenth century, the economy of Fayette County was centered around farming, with cotton and corn being the primary cash crops. The Richmond and Danville Extension Company completed a line of the Georgia Pacific Railroad through Fayette County in 1887. The line extended from Atlanta, Georgia to Greenville, Mississippi and was later taken over by Southern Railway Company. Current agricultural crops include cotton, soybeans, and corn. Clothing, latex gloves, truck beds, hardwood flooring, and manufactured homes and lumber are major industries in the county.
Geography
Comprising approximately 630 square miles, Fayette County lies in the northwestern area of the state, with the western section located in the East Gulf Coast physiographic section and the east in the Cumberland Plateau. It is bounded to the east by Walker County, to the South by Tuscaloosa and Pickens Counties, to the west by Lamar County, and to the north by Marion County.
The Sipsey River, a tributary of the Tombigbee River flows through the center of the county, while the North River, a tributary of the Upper Black Warrior River, flows through the eastern half. Luxapallila Creek, a tributary of the upper Tombigbee River, flows south to north through the north-central and eastern portions of the county.
Events and Places of Interest
The Sipsey River, which flows through the entirety of central Fayette County, is one of the last free-flowing swamp streams in Alabama. One of the largest bottomland wetlands, the river is highly prized among canoers for its scenery. The river also offers fishing for such species as catfish, crappie, pickerel, bream, and largemouth and spotted bass. The area also offers waterfowl and deer hunting. The Fayette County Depot Museum, housed in a historic train station, interprets the city’s and county’s history. The Fayette Art Museum and Civic Center features folk art by local artists including outsider artists Lois Wilson and Jimmy Lee Sudduth, whose works hang in the Smithsonian. One of the largest events held in Fayette County each year is the Frog Level Festival, honoring the nickname gave to the town in the early 1800s. Read more about Frog Level’s Origins.
Further Reading
The above information has been sourced from The Encyclopedia of Alabama. For more information, please visit https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/fayette-county/.
