Alabaster

City of Alabaster
Incorporated	1953
Population	31,545
Mayor	Charles Shaw
School district	Shelby County Schools
Government	Alabaster City Council Alabaster Fire and Rescue Service Alabaster Police Department
Web site	cityofalabaster.com
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Alabaster is a city and southern suburb of Birmingham occupying 20.5 square miles in Shelby County. According to the 2015 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city has a population of 31,545. The Mayor of Alabaster is [Charles Shaw]].

The vicinity of Alabaster was developed near the mill village of Siluria along the Montgomery Highway in the 1930s, primarily on behalf of the Alabaster Lime Company owned by George Scott, Sr. The community took its name from the white high-calcium limestone which was abundant there, especially on the outcropping later called Scott Rock. The Alabaster Water Works was incorporated on June 19, 1933. A concrete bridge connecting Alabaster and Siluria over the John Allen Branch was completed on December 12, 1935.

In 1951 A. H. Albright, Postmaster of Birmingham, approved a new post office for Alabaster, housed in the store owned by Sara Reed, who was appointed the town's post mistress. Scott's son, George Scott Jr opened the First Bank of Alabaster on January 21, 1952 and led the efforts to incorporate the town. He was elected as the city's first Mayor upon successful incorporation on February 23, 1953. At the time the community was served by a small newspaper, the Alabaster Advertiser until it ceased publication in 1958.

On September 21, 1959 the Shelby Memorial Hospital was dedicated in Alabaster. The current Alabaster City Hall was completed in 1960 and housed the first Alabaster Public Library.

Siluria was merged into Alabaster in 1971.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,619 people, 8,164 households, and 6,482 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,104.8/mi². There were 8,594 housing units at an average density of 419.8/mi². The racial makeup of the city was 88% White and 10% Black or African American. 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,164 households out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 37.7% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $58,379, and the median income for a family was $63,685. Males had a median income of $41,690 versus $31,901 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,466. About 4.8% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

Until the 2013–2014 school year, Alabaster students attended Shelby County Schools. The Alabaster City Council voted on October 17, 2011 to form a separate school district, and appointed five citizens to the new Alabaster Board of Education on March 5, 2012. The district officially split on July 1, 2013.

Six Shelby County schools within the Alabaster city limits became the city's first (and current) schools: Creekview Elementary School, Meadowview Elementary School, Thompson Intermediate School, Thompson Sixth Grade Center, Thompson Middle School, and Thompson High School. The Linda Nolen Learning Center, serving Shelby County children with special needs, was moved from Thompson High to Pelham in 2012 in anticipation of the new Alabaster school district.

Notable locations

• Buck Creek
• Edmondson's Barber Shop
• Veterans Skate Park, opened 2006

References

• Seales, Bobby Joe (n. d.) "The Beginning of Alabaster". History of Shelby County website
• "Alabaster, Alabama" (April 22, 2009) Wikipedia - accessed May 10, 2009

External links

• City of Alabaster