Town of Cedar Bluff

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History

More Cedar Bluff History  *  Cedar Bluff Baptist Church  * CBHS History

All About Cedar Bluff, Alabama

Cedar Bluff is a town in Cherokee County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,467.  An updated census estimate from 2005 showed the population to be 1,537.  NASCAR driver Tina Gordon is from the town. Unlike the rest of the county, Cedar Bluff is a wet city.

Geography

Cedar Bluff is located at 34°13'14.182" North, 85°35'45.596" West (34.220606, -85.595999)GR1.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.7 km˛ (4.1 mi˛). 10.3 km˛ (4.0 mi˛) of it is land and 0.4 km˛ (0.1 mi˛) of it (3.40%) is water. The town sits on Lake Weiss.

 

History

The town  began as a meeting of the roads to Livingston, Georgia, Lyerly, Georgia, and Centre, Alabama. To the east of the town, there's a Civil War site where Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest defeated Abel Streight and his band of raiders. 

Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 1,467 people, 630 households, and 444 families residing in the town. The population density was 142.7/km˛ (369.3/mi˛). There were 975 housing units at an average density of 94.8/km˛ (245.5/mi˛). The racial makeup of the town was 87.18% White, 11.38% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 0.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 630 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,211, and the median income for a family was $33,984. Males had a median income of $29,750 versus $20,231 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,864. About 19.5% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under age 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 or over.

*Information comes from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 

CORNWALL FURNACE

Cornwall Furnace is the a preserved furnace built by the Confederate States of America. In 1862, the 35-foot high furnace became the first to supply iron for the construction of Confederate cannons during the Civil War. It took a thousand men seven months to construct the furnace using limestone from the nearby Coosa River. Though General Sherman twice ordered the furnace destroyed in 1864, it still stands in its original location. 

Cornwall Furnace was declared a National Historical site in 1972, and is perhaps the best preserved stack in the southeast.

Passing through Cedar Bluff, one can easily understand the origins of the town's name. Cedars still grow through- out the area, many on bluffs overlooking Weiss Lake. Cedar Bluff's history is filled with visits from well-known figures, from Spanish explorer Fernando De Soto in the 1500's to Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest during the Civil War. Cornwall Furnace (above), built to supply iron for the Confederate army, still stands today.
 

Picture of Cornwall Furnace up close

To learn more about Cherokee County History,

visit Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce History page.
Established in 1832 on the site of the Indian village Costa--and originally named Jefferson--Cedar Bluff boasted several industries, including mercantile, mills, and hotels. Cotton was and remains the primary crop of local farmers. Over time, Cedar Bluff grew into a thriving hamlet around the town square. Today, the Square remains the town's centerpiece, and features a modern walking track, playground, volleyball court, and pavilion.