Sheffield, Alabama

Sheffield
City
Sheffield Downtown Commercial Historic District
Nicknames:  "Center of the Shoals", "Sheffvegas", "Sheffghanistan"
Location of Sheffield in Colbert County, Alabama.
Coordinates: 34°45′35″N 87°41′41″W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Colbert
Founded by	Alfred Huger Moses
Named for	Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Government
• Mayor	Steve Stanley
Area
• Total	7.07 sq mi (18.32 km2)
• Land	6.95 sq mi (18.01 km2)
• Water	0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2)
Elevation	489 ft (149 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,403
• Density	1,352.37/sq mi (522.16/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	35660
Area codes	256, 938
FIPS code	01-69648
GNIS feature ID	2405452
Website	sheffieldalabama.org

Sheffield is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 9,403. Sheffield is the birthplace of "country-soul pioneer" and songwriter Arthur Alexander, French horn player Willie Ruff, notable attorney, actor, former senator and presidential contender Fred Thompson, Watergate committee U.S. Senator Howell Heflin and U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, whose father was working in nearby Athens when he was born. It sometimes is referred to as "the City of Senators" due to the births of Heflin, McConnell and Thompson within its borders. Col. Harland Sanders worked for Southern Railway in Sheffield in 1907. It is also home to the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio where many popular 20th century musicians recorded their work, including Alexander and Ruff. It is the site of historic Helen Keller Hospital, formerly known as Colbert County Hospital, originally constructed in 1921. It was changed to Helen Keller Hospital in 1979, and Keller's birthplace Ivy Green is located less than one mile southwest of the hospital in adjacent Tuscumbia.

Geography

Sheffield is located in eastern Colbert County at 34°45′35″N 87°41′41″W (34.759721, -87.694592), on the south bank of the Tennessee River. Sheffield is bordered to the south by the city of Tuscumbia, to the southeast by Muscle Shoals, and to the north, across the river, by Florence.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.7 km²), of which 6.4 square miles (16.5 km²) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.2 km²), or 1.39%, is water.

Sheffield was one of the Colbert County sites of embarkation by riverboat and barge on the Tennessee River during the forced relocation of Eastern and Southern United States Indian tribes, known as the Trail of Tears. The embarkation site was at what is now the Spring Creek boat launch and park area.

Sheffield is also home to the oldest bridge site in the state of Alabama. What is today known as the "Old Railroad Bridge," is actually a bridge site that dates back to the early 1800s.

Economy

In 1940, the Reynolds Metals Company set up its first aluminum smelting facility in Sheffield, paving the way for wartime expansion of aircraft production in the country.

Sheffield was the home of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios at 3614 Jackson Highway and later at 1000 Alabama Avenue. Cher, The Rolling Stones, The Osmonds, Aretha Franklin, Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Simon & Garfunkel, The Staple Singers and many others recorded the biggest hits of their careers in this small studio, that remains well known and respected throughout the music industry.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	2,731		—
1900	3,333		22.0%
1910	4,865		46.0%
1920	6,682		37.3%
1930	6,221		−6.9%
1940	7,933		27.5%
1950	10,767		35.7%
1960	13,491		25.3%
1970	13,115		−2.8%
1980	11,903		−9.2%
1990	10,380		−12.8%
2000	9,652		−7.0%
2010	9,039		−6.4%
2020	9,403		4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate

1990 census

As of the census of 1990, there were 10,380 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 70.9% White or European American, 27.61% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. 2.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 9,652 people, 4,243 households, and 2,711 families living in the city. The population density was 1,471.4 inhabitants per square mile (568.1/km²). There were 4,760 housing units at an average density of 725.6 per square mile (280.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.21% White or European American, 26.21% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,243 households 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 32.5% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.

The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median household income was $26,673 and the median family income was $33,877. Males had a median income of $30,378 versus $18,033 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,022. About 16.5% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 9,039 people, 4,055 households, and 2,421 families living in the city. The population density was 1,419 inhabitants per square mile (548/km²). There were 4,692 housing units at an average density of 733.1 per square mile (283.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White or European American, 26.8% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. 2.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,055 households 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.1% of households were one person and 15.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.89.

The age distribution was 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% 65 or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median household income was $34,910 and the median family income was $42,718. Males had a median income of $39,692 versus $25,464 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,619. About 16.4% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.3% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Sheffield racial composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	6,165	65.56%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,350	24.99%
Native American	20	0.21%
Asian	54	0.57%
Pacific Islander	2	0.02%
Other/Mixed	464	4.93%
Hispanic or Latino	348	3.7%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,403 people, 4,046 households, and 2,240 families residing in the city.

Transportation

There is no fixed-route transit service in Sheffield. However, the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments operates a dial-a-ride transit service known as NACOLG Transit.

Notable people

• Arthur Alexander, country music songwriter and soul singer
• Gary Baker, songwriter and famous for "I Swear"
• Bo Carter, College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame member
• Ben Cunningham, founder of the political advocacy group Tennessee Tax Revolt
• Douglas A. Foster, historian and theologian
• Donna Godchaux, musician
• Wayne Greenhaw, writer and journalist
• Howell Heflin, United States Senator from Alabama
• David Hood, musician
• Rick James, former pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
• Jimmy Johnson, guitarist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
• John W. Keys, director of the United States Bureau of Reclamation from 2001 to 2006
• Adam Lazzara, lead singer for Taking Back Sunday
• Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader (2007-2015; 2021-), Senate Majority Leader (2015-2021), United States Senator from Kentucky (1985-)
• Alfred Huger Moses, founder and first mayor
• Anthony Piccione, poet
• Willie Ruff, French horn and double bass player
• Roger Dale Stafford, serial killer
• Fred Thompson, actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee
• Kerry Underwood, member of the Alabama House of Representatives
• William Willis, abstract art painter

External links

• City of Sheffield official website
• The Old Railroad Bridge (Historical Site)