Wetumpka, Alabama
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- There is also the Wetumpka crater
Wetumpka is a city located in Elmore County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 5,726. The city is the county seat of Elmore County.
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Etymology
The name "Wetumpka" is said to be a Creek term meaning "rumbling waters", a description of the nearby Coosa River. Wetumka, Oklahoma is thought to have been named by the same group of Native Americans, after they were displaced by the Indian Removal Act.
Geography
Wetumpka is located at 32°32'27" North, 86°12'28" West (32.540972, -86.207726)Template:GR, and sits at the joint of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers, where they merge to become the Alabama.
Downtown Wetumpka covers two city blocks, and is bordered on the northwest by the Coosa River. The Bibb Graves Bridge crosses the river here, and is the city's most recognizable landmark. Directly across the bridge sits the First Baptist and First Presbyterian churches.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.1 km² (8.9 mi²). 22.0 km² (8.5 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.49% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 5,726 people, 1,797 households, and 1,128 families residing in the city. The population density is 259.8/km² (672.9/mi²). There are 2,139 housing units at an average density of 97.0/km² (251.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.80% White, 29.01% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.38% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 2.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,797 households out of which 28.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% are married couples living together, 16.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% are non-families. 34.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.30 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the city the population is spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 62.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 54.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,536, and the median income for a family is $41,500. Males have a median income of $32,403 versus $23,234 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,729. 11.7% of the population and 7.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.5% of those under the age of 18 and 10.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The City in Movies
Two major films have been filmed in downtown Wetumpka. On both occations, the city has taken the opportunity to use this to fund permanent restorations of the historic downtown area. Unfortunately, most of the changes involved simply adding facades to buildings to give the illusion of history. One example of this is the Fain Theatre, which has carried a misspelled sign reading "Fane Theatre" since 2003, and has not shown a film since the 1970s: it is currently rented out as office space.
- The Grass Harp, in 1995
- Big Fish, in 2003
External links
- City of Wetumpka Web Site (http://wetumpka.al.us/)