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Morgan County, Alabama

122 topographic sheets and 14 fire insurance atlases across 2 places.

Research this county

From the record

20 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Alabama within the United States
Morgan County within Alabama

What the record shows

  • 2 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Decatur, Hartselle, between 1884 and 1953.
  • 14 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 1,707 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 20 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 14 buildings and 6 districts.
  • 2 of the 20 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 85 populated places in this county; 84 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

38 photographs, 1939 to 1942

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Dacetur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A young tacker working on one of the barges
Dacetur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A young tacker working on one of the barges
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A chipper at work in the wheelhouse of a barge
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A chipper at work in the wheelhouse of a barge
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. "Tacker" at work on the deck of a barge
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. "Tacker" at work on the deck of a barge
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Welding one of the bulkheads of an oceangoing barge
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Welding one of the bulkheads of an oceangoing barge
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Crane operator in the yard
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Crane operator in the yard
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of one of the sides of the stern of a barge being lowered into place
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of one of the sides of the stern of a barge being lowered into place
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Sheffield, Alabama. Reynolds Alloys Company. Cold rolling of aluminum sheets
Sheffield, Alabama. Reynolds Alloys Company. Cold rolling of aluminum sheets
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Hinds-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore St., Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama
Hinds-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore St., Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama
Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1939. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Barge under construction in the yard
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Barge under construction in the yard
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Preparations for launching an Army barge
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Preparations for launching an Army barge
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Lowering into place one of the sides of the stern of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A shipfitter and his helper who were working on one of the barges. They are C.R. Willingham (right), and E.L. Sparkman
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A shipfitter and his helper who were working on one of the barges. They are C.R. Willingham (right), and E.L. Sparkman
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Working on the stern of one of the cargo barges under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Working on the stern of one of the cargo barges under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Bringing up a hawser to use in launching an Army barge
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Bringing up a hawser to use in launching an Army barge
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Waiting in line for paychecks
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Waiting in line for paychecks
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Hinds-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore St., Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama
Hinds-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore St., Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama
Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1939. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Morris Black, timekeeper, going off to the army, pinning up his badge on the bulletin board reserved for men from the yard who have joined the armed forces. Two of his friends look on
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Morris Black, timekeeper, going off to the army, pinning up his badge on the bulletin board reserved for men from the yard who have joined the armed forces. Two of his friends look on
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Work goes on twenty-four hours a day. The night shift working on the stern of one of the barges under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Work goes on twenty-four hours a day. The night shift working on the stern of one of the barges under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. The wheelhouse of a barge under construction
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. The wheelhouse of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Giant crane
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Giant crane
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Army barge just after launching
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Army barge just after launching
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Workman
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Workman
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Deck of an Army barge just before launching
Ingalls Shipbuilding Company, Decatur, Alabama. Deck of an Army barge just before launching
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A welder at work on the deck of one of the barges
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A welder at work on the deck of one of the barges
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. War bonds come in the pay envelopes of the workers
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. War bonds come in the pay envelopes of the workers
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Barge under construction in the yard
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Barge under construction in the yard
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place. The signal means "boom up"
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. A section of a ship's bottom being lowered into place. The signal means "boom up"
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Ala. Ingalls Shipbuilding Co. The wheelhouse of a barge under construction
Decatur, Ala. Ingalls Shipbuilding Co. The wheelhouse of a barge under construction
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Night shift at work on the barges
Decatur, Alabama. Ingalls Shipbuilding Company. Night shift at work on the barges
Delano, Jack, 1942. Library of Congress
Rhea-Burleson-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore Street, Decatur, Morgan County, AL
Rhea-Burleson-McEntire House, 120 Sycamore Street, Decatur, Morgan County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
State Bank of Alabama, Decatur Branch, Bank Street & Wilson Avenue, Decatur, Morgan County, AL
State Bank of Alabama, Decatur Branch, Bank Street & Wilson Avenue, Decatur, Morgan County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

20

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Albany Heritage Neighborhood Historic Districtdistrict198383002981
Bank Street Historic Districtdistrict198080000731
Bank Street-Old Decatur Historic District (Boundary Increase)district198585001067
Cotaco Opera Housebuilding198686000914
Crabb-Stewart-Key Housedistrict2019100004618
Col. Francis Dancy Housebuilding198080000732
Forest Homebuilding198080000733
Hartselle Downtown Commercial Historic Districtdistrict199999000469
Dr. William E. Murphey Housebuilding198686001547
New Decatur-Albany Historic District (Boundary Increase)building199999000148
New Decatur-Albany Residential Historic District (Boundary Increase)district200404000274
Princess Theaterbuilding199595000810
Princess Theatrebuilding2025100012405
Rhea-McEntire Housebuilding198484000715
Green Pryor Rice Housebuilding198686001546
Simpson's Florist (Additional Documentation)building2023100009550
Somerville Courthousebuilding197272000177
Southern Railway Depotbuilding198080004470
State Bank Building, Decatur Branchbuilding197272000176
Westviewbuilding198282002068

The county from the air

24 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 481 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 24 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-10-11, scale 1:60000
1953-10-11, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-10-11, scale 1:60000
1953-10-11, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-10-11, scale 1:60000
1953-10-11, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-10-11, scale 1:60000
1953-10-11, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-21, scale 1:121003
1971-05-21, scale 1:121003. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-21, scale 1:121003
1971-05-21, scale 1:121003. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-21, scale 1:121003
1971-05-21, scale 1:121003. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-21, scale 1:121003
1971-05-21, scale 1:121003. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-09-16, scale 1:133000
1973-09-16, scale 1:133000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-12-01, scale 1:78000
1975-12-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-04-06, scale 1:80000
1979-04-06, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-04-06, scale 1:80000
1979-04-06, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-04-06, scale 1:80000
1979-04-06, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-04-06, scale 1:80000
1979-04-06, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1988-07-09, scale 1:64000
1988-07-09, scale 1:64000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1988-07-09, scale 1:64000
1988-07-09, scale 1:64000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1988-07-09, scale 1:64000
1988-07-09, scale 1:64000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1988-07-09, scale 1:64000
1988-07-09, scale 1:64000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-23, scale 1:15000
2002-03-23, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-23, scale 1:15000
2002-03-23, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-23, scale 1:15000
2002-03-23, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-03-23, scale 1:15000
2002-03-23, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

28 stations, 3 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

55 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 52-1Election Precinct 1, Decatur: Austinville town
  • 52-2Decatur city: Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; 7th S., 19th Avenue E., Tower Avenue; Somerville Road, Moulton, Commercial Avenue, Riverview Avenue
  • 52-3Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; Riverview Avenue; Commercial Avenue, E. Moulton; 6th Avenue E., Alabama
  • 52-4Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; Alabama, 6th Avenue E.; E. Moulton; 2nd Avenue E., Ferry
  • 52-5Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; Ferry, 2nd Avenue E.; E. Moulton; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line), Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Belt line), 1st Avenue E., Lee, Oak
  • 52-6Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part excluding Lyons Hotel Bounded by City limits; Oak, Lee, 1st Avenue E.; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Belt Line); Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line), Southern Railroad (Main Line)
  • 52-7Lyons Hotel (In Decatur City)
  • 52-8Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; Southern Railroad (Main Line); Southern Railroad (Main Line); McCartney
  • 52-9Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits; McCartney; Vine, Courtland Road; City limits
  • 52-10Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by Courtland Road, Vine; McCartney; Southern Railroad (Main Line); City limits
  • 52-11Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by City limits, Southern Railroad (Main Line); 9th Avenue W.; City limits; City limits
  • 52-12Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by Southern Railroad (Main Line); Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line); W. Moulton; 9th Avenue W.
  • 52-13Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by W. Moulton; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line); City limits; City limits
  • 52-14Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by E. Moulton; 6th Avenue E.; Prospect Drive; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line)
  • 52-15Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by E. Moulton; Somerville Rd.; 5th S.; 6th Ave. E.
  • 52-16Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by Prospect Dr.; 6th Ave. E; 5th S., 5th S. extended; Louisville & Nashville Railroad
  • 52-17Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by 5th S. extended, 5th Ave. S; Somerville Rd.; 8th S., 4th Ave. E, Austinville Rd.; Louisville & Nashville Railroad (Main Line)
  • 52-18Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by Tower Ave.; 19th Ave. E.; 7th S.; Somerville Rd.
  • 52-19Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by 7th S.; City limits; City limits; Somerville Road
  • 52-20Election Precinct 1: Decatur city - That part Bounded by 8th S.; Somerville Road; City limits; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (Main Line), Austinville Road, 4th Avenue E.
  • 52-21Election Precinct 1, Decatur - That part north of State Highway 24, outside Decatur city
  • 52-22Election Precinct 1, Decatur - That part west of Austinville-Neel Road and east of State Highway 24, outside Decatur city and Austinville town
  • 52-23Election Precinct 1, Decatur - That part east of Neel-Austinville Road, outside Decatur city and Austinville town
  • 52-24Election Precinct 2, Lanes
  • 52-25Election Precinct 3, Danville
  • 52-26Election Precinct 4, Massey (Gibson)
  • 52-27Election Precinct 5, Falkville: Falkville town
  • 52-28Election Precinct 5, Falkville - That part west of U.S. Highway 31, outside Falkville town
  • 52-29Election Precinct 5, Falkville - That part east of U.S. Highway 31, outside Falkville town
  • 52-30Election Precinct 6, Lawrence Cove
  • 52-31Election Precinct 7, Center Grove (Apple Grove)
  • 52-32Election Precinct 8, Valhermosa Springs
  • 52-33Election Precinct 9, Somerville: Election Precinct 9, Somerville - That part north of State Highways 33 and 67 and east of range line between Ranges 2 and 3, West
  • 52-34Election Precinct 9, Somerville - That part west of range line between Ranges 2 and 3, West and north of State Highway 67
  • 52-35Election Precinct 9, Somerville - That part south of State Highway 67 and north of State Highway 33
  • 52-36Election Precinct 9, Somerville - That part south of State Highway 33
  • 52-37Election Precinct 10, Hartselle: Hartselle city: Hartselle city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Unnamed street, McClannahan, E. Main, W. Main; N. Bowery, Bee Line Highway
  • 52-38Hartselle city - That part Bounded by City limits; Bee Line Highway, N. Bowery, S. Bowery, Bee Line Highway; City limits; City limits
  • 52-39Hartselle city - That part Bounded by W. Main, E. Main, McClannahan, Unnamed street; City limits; City limits; Bee Line Highway, S. Bowery
  • 52-40Election Precinct 10, Hartselle - That part east of U.S. Highway 31, outside Hartselle city
  • 52-41Election Precinct 10, Hartselle - That part west of U.S. Highway 31, outside Hartselle city
  • 52-42Election Precinct 11, Trinity: Trinity town
  • 52-43Election Precinct 11, Trinity - That part outside Trinity town
  • 52-44Election Precinct 12, Priceville
  • 52-45Election Precinct 13, Flint
  • 52-46Election Precinct 14, Florette (Nunns Mill)
  • 52-47Election Precinct 15, Wolff
  • 52-48Election Precinct 16, Neel (Shady Grove)
  • 52-49Election Precinct 17, Eva: That part east of the section line from the northwest corner of section 29, Township 7 South, Range 2, West to the southwest corner of section 28, Township 8 South, Range 2, West
  • 52-50Election Precinct 17, Eva - That part west of the section line from the southwest corner of section 28, Township 8 South, Range 2 West to the northwest corner of section 29, Township 7 South, Range 2 West
  • 52-51Election Precinct 18, Ryans Crossroads
  • 52-52Election Precinct 20, Laceys Spring
  • 52-53Election Precinct 21, Lacon
  • 52-54N/A
  • 52-55Election Precinct 24, Gum Pond

Wildfire, 1993 to 2020

487 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 487 of them, burning about 4,551 acres. 6 started naturally and 93 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning170
Missing data/not specified/undetermined104
Arson/incendiarism93
Equipment and vehicle use46
Recreation and ceremony34
Smoking13
Misuse of fire by a minor13
Natural6
Railroad operations and maintenance5
Power generation/transmission/distribution1
Fireworks1
Other causes1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Four of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 November 1999Arson/incendiarism385 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
22 February 2011Arson/incendiarism134 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionTRUCK TRAIL, AL
23 February 2007Arson/incendiarism100 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionCOLE SPRINGS
3 July 2012Arson/incendiarism97 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNOR-20120703-006
8 March 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined83 acresAlabama Forestry Commission20160308-1
2 October 2014Missing data/not specified/undetermined70 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNOR-20141002-005
18 January 2014Missing data/not specified/undetermined63 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNOR-20140118-003
19 February 1994Railroad operations and maintenance60 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1952 to 2026

60 of 1,098 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 1,098 reports for this county, causing 15 deaths, 251 injuries and about $24,890,750 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind671
Hail198
Flash Flood111
Tornado50
Flood36
Lightning25
Funnel Cloud4
Heavy Rain2
Dust Devil1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1955Tornado (F4)not stated5 killed, 20 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
March 1952Tornado (F4)not stated4 killed, 50 hurt, $25,000no account filed
April 1957Tornado (F3)not stated2 killed, 90 hurt, $250no account filed
December 1967Tornado (F2)not stated2 killed, $2,500,000no account filed
April 2009Thunderstorm WindBrooksville1 killed, $41,000Thunderstorm winds downed two large trees onto a mobile home at 531 South Bethel Road. Tragically, the occupant was killed by the fallen trees.
March 2023Tornado (EF2)Danville Arpt1 killedA tornado tracked out of far east central Lawrence County into Morgan County. Minor damage was noted around Danville High School with the football scoreboard partially destroyed. The tornado intensified as it tracked east-northeast toward Targum Road. Uprooted trees, minor damage to a home, and a destroyed carport were observed. Tracking east, the tornado uprooted and snapped a significant number of trees along Iron Man Road and Forest Chapel Road. While there was heavy structural damage to single-family homes, the bulk of the damage was due to trees falling on houses. The tornado remained on the ground uprooting trees and tracking toward Vaughn Bridge Road. Near the Vaughn Bridge and Vest Road intersection, the tornado lifted and snapped the anchoring system of a single-wide mobile home. This caused the unit to overturn and roll, destroying the home. One fatality was reported at this location. Given the degree of damage, and strapping of anchors to the I-beam, the damage indicator held consistent with expected wind speed values. As the tornado tracked east, numerous trees were uprooted causing structural damage along Highway 31 and further east on Sparkman Street and through Bethel Road. The tornado likely lifted before the Bethel Road and I-65 intersection.
April 1974Tornado (F5)not stated56 hurtno account filed
May 1978Tornado (F1)not stated11 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2025Thunderstorm WindCole Spgs6 hurtTrees were snapped and uprooted at 12 Frost Road and neighboring areas.
November 1973Tornado (F2)not stated3 hurt, $250,000no account filed
August 1985Tornado (F3)not stated2 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
June 2011Thunderstorm WindTrinity2 hurt, $60,000A large tree fell onto a house, which was totally destroyed. A family was in the house at the time and a woman and her child were injured.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindNeel2 hurt, $50,000Trees fell onto a home on Ironman Road injuring two occupants. One suffered severe cuts and a concussion and was treated a local hospital. The other experienced minor bruises.
May 1958Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
March 2012LightningHartselle1 hurt, $20,000Lightning struck a female who was taking photos with a cell phone of a storm with her arm outside the home through a doorway. The female felt a surge of electricity through her arm, into her neck and out her wrist which appeared bruised. She then fell backwards and suffered a seizure for several minutes, then called 911 for emergency assistance. She was hospitalized overnight and released the next morning. The Morgan County emergency manager reported at least 3 fires sparked by lightning their county. Two 46000 volt circuits were also damaged in Decatur with about 4250 utility customers losing power for a few hours.
July 1999LightningDecatur1 hurt, $10,000Lightning struck a metal awning at a large home supply store and traveled down a metal pole into the parking lot shocking a man who was loading lumber under the awning. The man was temporarily blinded by the lightning strike but was able to transport himself to a nearby hospital. Doctors kept him overnight but he displayed no serious injuries other than a small exit wound on his left ear. The telephone system in the store was damaged by the lightning strike.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindEchols Xrds1 hurt, $3,000Multiple trees were knocked down along Cain Road at East Upper River Road. One tree fell onto an SUV, breaking glass producing minor cuts to an occupant.
March 1996LightningDecatur1 hurt, $2,000no account filed
September 2020LightningPumpkin Center1 hurtA 14-year old male was struck by lightning at the 1500 block of Neel School Road. Little information was available, but the injury was not believed to be serious. Time and location of strike were confirmed by NOAA's NCEI Severe Weather Data Inventory.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindUnion1 hurtA bowing line segment of severe thunderstorms created damaging straight-line winds. The winds blew a tree on a house and caused 1 injury.
May 1991Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
May 1990Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
August 1985Tornado (F3)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
April 1974Tornado (F3)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
May 2009LightningHartselle$2,000,000Lightning struck a four story, 20,000 square foot house on Breeding Drive north of Hartselle. A mother and child were in the home at the time and escaped without injury, as the fire erupted and quickly spread throughout the house. Tragically, this house was burned to the ground. In addition, the blaze destroyed two antique cars.
December 2009FloodOak Ridge$1,000,000Up to 7.12 inches of rain fell in Hartselle as reported by a CoCoRahs observer. Resulting runoff produced extensive stream and creek flooding in the Hartselle community. In many locations in the downtown area, water of 2 to 4 feet in depth was reported inundating businesses. Several roads were washed out in the Hartselle area, including Rice Road, Celia Drive, Rustic Lane, and a public street near Westwood Drive. Eighty tons of rocks were used to repair one lane on Celia Drive.||Many roads were washed out near area streams, creeks and some river branches. Over 1 million dollars worth of damage was estimated to have occurred by city officials. Also, in the Somerville area, flooding closed roads.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAustinville$1,000,000Powerlines were blown down at the intersection of Highway 31 and Kayo Road in the Decatur area.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindRyan Xrds$1,000,000A severe thunderstorm produced wind damage in a swath 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. Numerous large trees were blown down. The winds produced roof damage to multiple chicken houses and outbuildings.
April 2011LightningPumpkin Center$500,000Lightning sparked a fire at the Bellview Baptist Church on Old Moulton Road. The fire destroyed the education building and fellowship hall. Lightning data from the NCDC Severe Weather Data Inventory correlated the location and time of the strike.
December 2009Flash FloodTrinity$500,000Three to six inches of rainfall caused widespread flash flooding across Morgan county and closed numerous roads across the county. Especially hard hit were areas along a line from Massey to Hartselle to Lacey Springs. Isolated higher amounts occurred in the extreme southwestern portions of the county. ||Extensive flash flooding occurred in the Hartselle community, pushed into area businesses and home in the downtown area. Several roads were damaged and closed across the county. Some roads affected included: Rice Road, Celia Drive, Rustic Lane, and a public street near Westwood Drive.||At least one water rescue was needed in the Somerville community, where a car was swept off Gum Springs Road. Conditions were so extreme that even the rescue squad had a hard time bringing the man in the car to safety.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindGriffin Addition$500,000The rear flank downdraft from a large steady state supercell produced straight lined wind gusts between 65 and 75 mph across much of southern and central Morgan county. The damage path from the storm began just over the border in Lawrence county along CR 431 north of Caddo, where several trees were blown down. The damaging winds then spread southeast into southern portions of Decatur and Priceville. Numerous trees were reported down along this portion of the path and some damage to structures occurred. A gust to 75 mph was reported east of Hartselle on Highway 67 S. Damage to structures included: an automobile dealership sign blown down in the southern portions of Decatur and minor damage to homes. Damage was more sporadic near the Stringer community, which is a very rural area. As the storm pushed southeast of Florette, it's rear flank downdraft produced it's most devastating straight lined winds in the Eva, Center Dale, and Gum Pond communities (damage roughly covered 16 square miles). In these locations, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, including many hardwood trees. Power poles were also snapped and some homes received minor to moderate damage. Peak wind gusts were estimated to reach 95 mph in this portion of the storm track. A few more trees were blown down near the Marshall and Cullman county border from this storm.
April 2011Tornado (EF3)Trinity$400,000The tornado briefly crossed rural areas of Northwest Morgan County. High resolution MODIS satellite imagery combined with aerial surveys show a well-defined path of tree/vegetation damage between 1/2 and 3/4 mile wide indicative of low end EF-3 wind speeds of around 140 MPH. Just before crossing the Tennessee River into Limestone County, this tornado may have done some unconfirmed structural damage to a few buildings in an Industrial Park area along Mallard Fox Dr NW and Independence Ave.
October 1997LightningFalkville$250,000Lightning struck an electric meter box at the Roundtop Community Church in Falkville, in the southern part of the county. This started a fire and as a result the entire church was destroyed.
November 2001Tornado (F2)Trinity$250,000no account filed
November 1992Tornado (F0)not stated$250,000no account filed
July 2012LightningHuntsville Laceys Sp$200,000Lightning sparked a house fire in the attic of a home on Edwards Circle in Laceys Spring. The house was a total loss according to firefighters. Thankfully, no injuries occurred.
June 2006LightningBasham$200,000Lightning sparked a fire destroying a double-wide hilltop home on Mud Tavern Road. A pet dog perished in the fire. Time estimated by radar. Damage amount estimated.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindTrinity$150,000Significant severe thunderstorm winds snapped several wooden power poles near the base along highway 20. One concrete pole was knocked down to the ground and at least one small plane was flipped over at Pryor field. Many residents were without power for over a day due to the numerous trees and power lines that were downed in the area. Based on this evidence from a storm survey, it is estimated that peak winds approached 110 mph.
March 2024Thunderstorm WindHartselle Arpt$100,000Several trees were knocked down and minor roof damage indicated in social media photos. The damage occurred from Guy Roberts Road, across Barkley Bridge Road to the Powell Road and Garner Road intersection. Roof metal strewn through a field at the intersection of Powell Road and Huckaby Bridge Road. Report from social media.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindFairview$100,000A powerful small-scale downburst occurred in southeast Decatur, including the Point Mallard neighborhood. Based on newspaper reports and photos, winds were estimated up to 75 mph. The winds produced significant tree damage, including numerous fallen trees, some on area homes. Several power poles were snapped and power lines were down, knocking out power to hundreds of residents in the area.||Further south and across Highway 67/Beltline Road, the downburst knocked down numerous trees within the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). At the visitors Center complex, a tree was knocked onto the building causing roof and water damage. Several trees blocked roads and hiking trails which had to be closed for cleanup. Time estimated by radar.
January 2009FloodHuntsville Laceys Sp$100,000Heavy rainfall caused area creeks and streams to flood across much of Morgan county. Some roads that were closed included: portions of Six Mile Road, several roads in Apple Grove, River Loop Road in Lacey Springs, the intersection of Douglas road and Highway 55 near Falkville, and Ruth Road in the Ruth community.
October 1997LightningHartselle$90,000Lightning struck a switch box and traveled into a house starting a fire in Falkville. The house was completely destroyed. A man inside the house died of smoke inhalation.
April 2006Tornado (F1)Danville$80,000The tornado that touched down in southeast Lawrence county continued its track into southwest Morgan county and moved east through Danville, Alabama. The tornado produced light to moderate roof damage to the Danville high school gymnasium roof, roofs of the press boxes at the Danville high school football field and further damage to the back stop and outfield walls at the Danville high school baseball field. The tornado further uprooted several trees and produced minor roof and awning damage to six homes in Danville. The tornado further moved northeast and slightly damaged the roofs of four homes and destroyed a barn along Craze road, about two miles northeast of Danville, Alabama.
April 2009Tornado (EF1)Huntsville Laceys Sp$66,000An EF-1 tornado with a peak wind of 105 mph, path length of 1.2, and a maximum path width of 200 yards touched down in a field south of Lower Dry Creek Road. This tornado tracked northeast across Kay Road and across Sherbrook Drive before lifting. Several large trees were uprooted or snapped. Multiple residences sustained minor damage and a shed was destroyed. Greater structural damage resulted from large trees falling on structures and not the tornado itself.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindCountywide$65,000Numerous trees and power lines were down across the county. About 15,000 people were without power in Morgan County. Numerous trees were uprooted on the Calhoun Community College campus in Decatur. A roof of a building in the Priceville shopping center, just east of Decatur, was blown off.
February 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$60,000Trees and power lines were knocked down in many locations throughout the county. Some of the fallen trees landed on homes in Decatur causing major damage. Thousands of customers were left without power for several hours in Morgan County
March 2010Tornado (EF1)Penn$50,000An EF-1 tornado touched down just inside southwest Morgan county, west of Massey. This tornado tracked east northeast along a 3 mile path before dissipating. Initial damage was seen off of Holladay road and CR 55, where a mobile home was flipped upside down and several surrounding large trees were snapped near their base. Additional damage occurred along Summerford road between Tanner road and CR 55. A small barn was completed destroyed and two chicken houses sustained significant loss roof and siding panels. Just to the east of this location at Safe-T-Shelter, off of CR 55, a portion of the roof was completely lifted off one of their warehouses as the front of the facility collapsed on itself.
May 2009Tornado (EF1)Pumpkin Center$50,000The tornado continued its track northeast into western portions of Morgan County. Numerous large trees were uprooted and snapped along it's path. Minor structural damage to homes occurred as trees were knocked down onto them. The tornado lifted about half of a mile north of the intersection of Raper Road and Pleasant Hill Road.
May 2009Tornado (EF0)Oakworth$50,000A tornado briefly touched down near the intersection of 7th Avenue and 5th Street in Decatur with peak winds of 80 mph. Trees were uprooted and snapped along the brief damage path. Several homes and vehicles were also damaged by the downed trees. The tornado lifted near the intersection of 16th Avenue and Sherman Street.
December 2008Flash FloodMoulton Hgts$50,000Four to Six inches of rainfall produced flash flooding on several roads in Morgan County. Some of the roads which were flooded included the followed: Ipsco, Mud Tavern, Gum Springs Cutoff, Ruth Mountain, Foreman Bottom, Six-Mile Creek, Pleasant Valley, Wilson and River Loop. A few of the roads were washed out.
August 2001Flash FloodCountywide$50,000Extensive flooding occurred on many roadways and streams across Morgan County. Many roads were closed through the early afternoon hours and several bridges were flooded. High water made the roads extremely dangerous and impassable. Sandbags were placed around 2 to 3 homes in Hartselle due to flooding. Three businesses sustained minor damage when flood waters entered the buildings.
March 1995Tornado (F0)Lacey's Springs$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew the roof off one house and damaged a barn at Eva. What was believed to be a small tornado touched down on Highway 36 just west of Lacey's Springs damaging a house, a barn, and a shed as well as downing numerous trees and power lines. Near Cotaco, thunderstorm winds downed trees and damaged one house.
June 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated$50,000Thunderstorm wind affected Mud Tavern, Falkville, and Harknotselle during the afternoon from 1400 to 1500 CST. Hail that ranged in size from pea to larger than marble occurred for five to seven minutes over much of Harknotselle. Five vehicles were damaged at one Chevrolet dealership.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindFalkville$50,000Morgan County Sheriff's Office reported high wind and trees down along Highway 55 about five miles west of Falkville.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindSomerville$50,000Roof was reported blown off a porch and large trees were down in the Somerville area.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindOak Ridge$45,000Large trees were reported down in the Neel and Oak Ridge area of Morgan County. In the Oak Ridge area, one tree fell on two pick-up trucks. Trees were reported blocking five roads in the area, and one tree fell on a mobile home.
April 2006HailHartselle$40,000Tennis ball size hail was reported and produced slight to moderate damage to around ten vehicles and five homes.
April 2006HailLaceys Spg$40,000Golf ball size hail covered the ground to a depth of six inches at the intersection of Deaton road and Highway 36 at Lacey Springs in Morgan county. The golf ball size hail slightly to moderately damaged several vehicles and roofs in this vicinity.
February 2000Thunderstorm WindHartselle$40,000A large tree fell onto a home damaging it. One outbuilding was totally destroyed. A roof was torn off a car wash in Hartselle with no injuries reported.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindGum Pond$36,000Multple trees were blown down on Martin road, Gum pond road, and Rock Creek road near Bethel.

Mines and quarries

7 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 7 workings inside this county. 6 still produce and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Stone, Crushed/Broken6
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Falkville QuarrySand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Decatur QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Lacon Plant No. 3 PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Lacon Quarry No. 2Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Plant 1 PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Plant 4 PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Plant No. 5 PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every populated place in the county

85

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 2 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

The vanished settlements of Morgan County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Recorded here

Decatur, Alabama

25 topographic sheets and 11 fire insurance atlases, 1884 to 1953

Hartselle, Alabama

19 topographic sheets and 3 fire insurance atlases, 1917 to 1948

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

5 structures

The vanished settlements of Morgan County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.