From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Piedmont, Alabama
Piedmont, Alabama
Piedmont Area code(s) 256
FIPS code 01-59640
— City —
GNIS feature ID 0160373
Website City of Piedmont
Piedmont is a city in Calhoun and Cherokee counties in
the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 5,120 at
the 2000 census. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford,
Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. Many surround-
ing communities utilize the 36272 ZIP code, including
Spring Garden, Rock Run, Knighten’s Crossroads, and
Nance’s Creek. The current mayor Brian Young, who was
elected in 2008.
History
Founding and Early Growth
The area now known as Piedmont is a community that
began in the early 1840’s, located at the crossroads of
two early post roads. Major Jacob Forney Dailey of North
Carolina came to Alabama in 1848 and bought land in
present-day Piedmont. Major Dailey named the area
Cross Plains, and an official post-office was named Cross
Plains, Alabama on September 22, 1851.
In Reconstruction-era Alabama, an incident at Cross
Plains affected race relations and the future of the north-
Piedmont
Location in Alabama. east section of the state for generations as a result of
Coordinates: 33°55′34″N 85°36′47″W / 33.92611°N the lynching of William Luke, a northern missionary, and
85.61306°W / 33.92611; -85.61306 several other men in 1870. In that year, the new Northern
owned railroad to connect Washington, D.C. and the
Country United States
North with New Orleans was to have its headquarters
State Alabama
near the small northeast Alabama town, at Patona. After
Counties Calhoun, Cherokee
the Ku Klux Klan activities discussed here, however, the
Government headquarters was moved, and the town never achieved
• Type Mayor-Council (7 members) the dominant position in Calhoun County, with Anniston,
• Mayor Brian Young founded the next year, achieving that status instead.
Area Wall Street financier Franklin Delano, uncle of
• Total 9.8 sq mi (25.3 km2) Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was president of the railroad
• Land 9.8 sq mi (25.3 km2) at the time. The railroad sponsored a school for African-
• Water 0 sq mi (0 km2) American children of freedmen and Luke was the
Elevation 702 ft (214 m) teacher. Word spread in the area that Luke was teaching
racial equality, and resentment developed against him
Population (2000)
in the northern Calhoun County area. The railroad was
• Total 5,120
planning to use the graduates as a source of students for
• Density 522.4/sq mi (202.4/km2)
Talladega College who might then go on to work for the
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) railroad. A racial fight at the Cross Plains station gave
DST)
• Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5) rise to arrests of certain Freedmen, and then of Luke as
ZIP code 36272 well. Klansmen then seized the prisoners and murdered
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Piedmont, Alabama
them, in the manner generally referred to as "lynching". Chief Ladiga Trail
Congressional hearings followed, with strengthened civil
Piedmont is home to the Chief Ladiga Trail. The Se-
rights laws, but the murderers were never properly pun-
aboard/CSX Railroad was converted into a recreational
ished.[1]
bike and walking trail as non-motorized way to travel,
On July 30, 1888, the Postal Department renamed the
exercise, and relax while enjoying the outdoors. The
office Piedmont, which means "Foot of the Mountains".
Chief Ladiga Trail and the Silver Comet Trail stretch
nearly 100 miles from Anniston, AL to Atlanta, GA making
Recent History it the longest paved trail in the United States.
An F4 tornado struck the community on Palm Sunday
1994, killing twenty people at Goshen United Methodist Cheaha Challenge
Church, destroying two other area churches mid-service
Hundreds of cyclists from more than 20 states participate
as well as many homes in the town and neighboring com-
in the Cheaha Challenge every year. The "Toughest Ride
munities.
in the South" is a recreational bicycle ride that starts at
Piedmont’s Civic Center following the Appalachian High-
Geography lands Scenic Byway and ending at the top of Cheaha
Mountain, Alabama’s highest point. The Cheaha Chal-
Piedmont is located at 33°55′34″N 85°36′47″W /
lenge was selected as a Top 10 Event in the State of Alaba-
33.92611°N 85.61306°W / 33.92611; -85.61306[2] According
ma by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel.
to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 9.8 square miles (25 km2).
Demographics
Culture As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,120 people, 2,221
households, and 1,481 families residing in the city. The
School Sports population density was 524.9 people per square mile
(202.8/km²). There were 2,495 housing units at an av-
The Piedmont City School athletic teams are known as
erage density of 255.8 per square mile (98.8/km²). The
the Bulldogs. Piedmont High School is a member of the
racial makeup of the city was 88.77% White, 9.38% Black
Alabama High School Athletic Association, and partici-
or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.08%
pates in Class 3A Football, Basketball, Baseball, Wrestling,
Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and
Golf, Volleyball, and Track.
1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any
Football race were 1.00% of the population.
On December 3, 2009, at Bryant–Denny Stadium in There were 2,221 households out of which 26.8% had
Tuscaloosa, Head Coach Steve Smith led Piedmont to a children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were
35-28 overtime win over the Cordova Blue Devils in the married couples living together, 14.0% had a female
AHSAA 3A State Championship Game. Quarterback Chase householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were
Childers earned Most Valuable Player honors. non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of in-
dividuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was
Wrestling 65 years of age or older. The average household size was
On February 6, 2009, under head coach Harley Lamey, the 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86.
Piedmont High School wrestling team won the first state In the city the population was spread out with 22.2%
championship in school history. At the AHSAA 1A-4A under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to
State Wrestling Championship, the bulldogs had two in- 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of
dividual champions, two runners-up, and nine wrestlers age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100
that placed. The Bulldogs were 14-0 in dual meets. females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age
18 and over, there were 80.4 males.
Media The median income for a household in the city was
$24,893, and the median income for a family was $32,163.
Radio Males had a median income of $27,274 versus $20,000 for
• WPID 1280 AM females. The per capita income for the city was $14,220.
• WJCK 88.3 FM (Christian) About 17.8% of families and 22.8% of the population were
• WFXO 105.9 FM (Rock) - Broadcasts Piedmont High below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under
School Football Games age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Piedmont, Alabama
Education • Garcy, manufacturer of display showcases for
retailers such as Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Schools
The Piedmont City School District consists of three
Notable natives and residents
schools: Piedmont Elementary School, Piedmont Middle • Desmond Doss, World War II conscientious objector
School, and Piedmont High School. The Piedmont ath- and Medal of Honor recipient
letic teams are known as the Bulldogs and the marching • Rick Bragg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
band is known as The Piedmont Blue Knights. Piedmont
High School competes in the Alabama High School Ath-
letic Association in Class 3A.
References
[1] Gene L. Howard, Death at Cross Plains, An Alabama
One-to-One Laptop Program Reconstruction Tragedy, the University of Alabama
Piedmont City Schools implemented the very first One- Press 1984, Tuscaloosa and London
to-One laptop program in the state of Alabama, giving [2] "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United
every student and teacher in grades 4-12 a laptop com- States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12.
puter to use at school and home. The system formed a http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/
partnership with Jacksonville State University and Apple gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
Inc. to develop a pilot program that will be used as a na- [3] "American FactFinder". United States Census
tional model for other school systems.[4] Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved
2008-01-31.
School System Awards [4] Laura Johnson (2011-09-24) "Apple, JSU team up for
America’s Most Connected Schools - U.S. News & World teaching in Piedmont ". The Anniston Star.
Report Retrieved 2011-11-11
• 2011 [5] "Best High Schools Spring Update" (Piedmont High
America’s Best Schools[5] - U.S. News & World Report School listing), U.S News & World Report, Eddy
• 2008 Ramirez, May 16, 2008. Retrieved on July 3rd, 2008.
• 2009
• 2010
External links
• City website
Economy
Employers
• Bostrom, manufacturer of truck seats for heavy-duty
trucks such as Freightliner and Mack Trucks.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Piedmont,_Alabama&oldid=471404712"
Categories:
• Cities in Alabama
• Populated places established in 1888
• Populated places in Calhoun County, Alabama
• Populated places in Cherokee County, Alabama
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