Warrior

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City of Warrior
Incorporated 1899
Population 3,190
Mayor Johnny Ragland
School district Jefferson County Schools
Government

Warrior City Council
Warrior Fire Department
Warrior Police Department

Web site cityofwarrior.com
Warrior locator map.png
Locate with Google Maps

Warrior (incorporated in 1899) is a city of 3,224 on 9.77 square miles in northern Jefferson County, directly north of Kimberly on the Blount County line. It is traversed by I-65 and U.S. Highway 31. The city takes its name from the Warrior coal fields, which James Pierce opened in 1872 in the vicinity. The coal fields were named, in turn, after the Black Warrior River that drains them. The town, which was built on a spur of the L & N Railroad, was originally Warrior Station. The Warrior Post Office (35180) was established in 1872 with Pierce as postmaster.

In 1884 the bluff-top community, centered on Stouts Road, boasted 500 residents. The Warrior Coal and Coke Company, Watts Coal and Coke and Iron Company, and Jacob Brake and Company were active in the area. Brake and Pierce jointly operated a general merchandise store in town, attracting local farm families. By 1887 the community had grown to 1,200. A number of saloons had opened and a brick tile manufacturer was employing townsmen. Soon the area became the main terminal for shipping Jefferson County coal by barge.

By 1900, T. M. Davidson had established a Bank of Warrior and S. C. Davidson was publishing the Warrior Breeze. C. C. Johnson operated the Johnson House Hotel. By 1910 Warrior was the largest rural community in the county and boasted a millinery store, a confectionary, and six physicians.

Sign at Logan's General Store

In December 2009 the City of Warrior attempted to collect a 1.5% sales tax from businesses outside its city limits, but within its police jurisdiction, which extends 1.5 miles from the city into parts of unincorporated Jefferson and Blount counties. Bill Logan of Logan's General Store launched a boycott of Warrior businesses in retaliation and threatened to bulldoze his 40-year-old business if the tax were upheld. Ultimately most of the businesses were annexed into Hayden and Warrior never attempted any collections before settling a lawsuit filed against it by the Blount Country District Attorney and the State of Alabama.

"Warrior Day" is celebrated in town each Fall. The Alabama Warriors minor-league football team plays at Warrior Stadium adjacent to Warrior Elementary School. Warrior High School competed in the Alabama High School Athletic Association's Class 2A before it closed in 2002.

The city is leading the effort to create a Regional Library and Arts Center for small communities in the North Jefferson and Western Blount County region.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there are 3,176 people residing in the city's 1,453 housing units, for an average household of 2.19 persons. The population density is 325.0/mi²; with housing units at an average density of 148.7/mi². The racial makeup of the city is 83.1% White, and 14.2% Black. 0.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000 there were 1,302 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,143, and the median income for a family was $35,697. Males had a median income of $32,306 versus $20,486 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,919. 11.0% of the population and 12.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

The Jefferson County Board of Equalization evaluated 850 homes in Warrior and determined that their average market value for 2007 was $85,423, a 2.4% increase since 2006.

Government

The city is governed by Mayor Johnny Ragland and a five-member Warrior City Council. The city operates its own police and fire department. The former long-time mayor was Rena Hudson.

Jefferson County Schools operate Warrior Elementary and Corner High School within the community.

References

  • White, Marjorie Longenecker (1981) The Birmingham District: An Industrial History and Guide. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society ISBN 9990230099
  • Foscue, Virginia O. (1989) Place Names in Alabama. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 081730410X
  • * "Warrior, Alabama" (May 7, 2007) - accessed May 7, 2007
  • Patterson, Melanie (January 25, 2010) "Blount County D.A. files suit against Warrior." North Jefferson News
Jefferson County Seal.png Jefferson County
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Adamsville | Bessemer (seat) | Birmingham (seat) | Brighton | Brookside | Cardiff | Center Point | Clay | Fairfield | Fultondale | Gardendale | Graysville | Homewood | Hoover | Hueytown | Irondale | Kimberly | Leeds | Lipscomb | Maytown | Midfield | Morris | Mountain Brook | Mulga | North Johns | Pinson | Pleasant Grove | Sylvan Springs | Tarrant | Trafford | Trussville | Vestavia Hills | Warrior | West Jefferson