Montevallo, Alabama

Montevallo is a college town in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. It serves as the home of the University of Montevallo, a public liberal arts university with around 3000 students. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city of Montevallo is 4,825.

Geography

Location of Montevallo, Alabama

Montevallo is located at 33°6′18″N 86°51′46″W (33.104927, -86.862817)Template:GR.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.7 km² (7.6 mi²). 19.6 km² (7.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.66%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 4,825 people, 1,711 households, and 946 families residing in the city. The population density was 246.4/km² (638.5/mi²). There were 1,897 housing units at an average density of 96.9/km² (251.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.54% White, 25.89% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,711 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 36.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 14.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 78.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,541, and the median income for a family was $40,164. Males had a median income of $36,222 versus $23,705 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,468. About 14.5% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 21.5% of those age 65 or over.

Orr Park

• Dragon carved into a tree by Tim Tingle in Orr Park
  Dragon carved into a tree by Tim Tingle in Orr Park

Orr Park, located in Montevallo along Shoal Creek offers residents and visitors a natural recreational environment. Orr Park features a walking and bicycle trail, picnic tables (some of which are covered), restrooms, and a playground.

Orr Park features many carvings by local artist Tim Tingle. Dragons, old men, and various creatures are carved into the trees around the walking trail.

Parnell Memorial Library and Foundation

The Montevallo Public Library was founded in March of 1958 under the leadership of the City of Montevallo and the Montevallo Branch of the American Association of University Women. In 1974 the public library was moved to the Depot-in-the-Park. It remained there until a 1978 fire destroyed the building and all its contents. The library was then relocated to the City Hall Annex until 1984 when, the library was moved to a building at 845 Valley Street that had been donated by Dr. and Mrs. L.C. "Foots" Parnell, Jr.,. The renovation of the building was made possible through the efforts of many people in this community and beyond. From March of 1984 until December of 2006, that facility served as the Parnell Memorial Library, named so in memory of Dr. Parnell’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. L.C. Parnell, Sr. In response to the offer from Dr. L. C. Parnell, Jr., to house his Civil War collection in the existing library, if an expansion of the library were undertaken, Parnell Memorial Library Foundation was incorporated on March 23, 1998. The mission of the Foundation is to promote funding for expansion of the facilities, services, and programs of Parnell Memorial Library. As community needs grew, and particularly as community arts programming expanded, it was apparent that Montevallo needed a facility that was more than a traditional library. The Montevallo Main Street Players,the community theater group which began more than thirty years ago and had never had for a permanent home, joined the effort in 2001. At that time, representatives from the Foundation, the Montevallo Library Board, the Library Staff, the Montevallo Main Street Players, and the City of Montevallo agreed that the community needed a new library in a new location to meet diverse community needs and to house the Parnell Collection of historical books and documents. The group requested that the City locate property suitable for building a new library that would also serve as a community cultural center. It was decided the new facility would be located adjacent to Orr Park where it was subsequently built. Groundbreaking took place on November 1, 2004, and the Grand Opening was held February 25, 2007. The new library, now open, includes a quality theater used by the Montevallo Main Street Players, the public schools, and other area groups and large meeting room.

External links

• City of Montevallo: Official City Website
• [1] Parnell Memorial Library Foundation
• University of Montevallo: Alabama's Public Liberal Arts University