BlockBefore

Pickens County, Alabama

55 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases across 1 place.

Research this county

From the record

7 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Alabama within the United States
Pickens County within Alabama

What the record shows

  • 1 place in this county was surveyed for fire insurance: Aliceville, in 1933.
  • 2 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 567 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 7 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 buildings and 1 structure.
  • 1 of the 7 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 51 populated places in this county; 51 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

17 photographs,

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.

Town of Memphis, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Town of Memphis, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Bridges of the Upper Tombigbee River Valley, Cochrane, Pickens County, AL
Bridges of the Upper Tombigbee River Valley, Cochrane, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Methodist Episcopal Church, Tuscaloosa Street (State Highway 86), Carrollton, Pickens County, AL
Methodist Episcopal Church, Tuscaloosa Street (State Highway 86), Carrollton, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Baptist Church, Bonner Mill Road, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Baptist Church, Bonner Mill Road, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Charity House, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Charity House, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Phoenix Hotel, Phoenix Street, Carrollton, Pickens County, AL
Phoenix Hotel, Phoenix Street, Carrollton, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Charity House, Outbuilding, State Route 32 & County Route 1, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Charity House, Outbuilding, State Route 32 & County Route 1, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Pickensville Stagecoach Inn, East side of Broad Street at Seymer Road, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Pickensville Stagecoach Inn, East side of Broad Street at Seymer Road, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Doctor Wilkins House, State Highways 14 & 86 vicinity, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Doctor Wilkins House, State Highways 14 & 86 vicinity, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Charity House, Outhouse, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Charity House, Outhouse, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Ingleside, House & Outbuildings, Second Street (State Highway 14), Aliceville, Pickens County, AL
Ingleside, House & Outbuildings, Second Street (State Highway 14), Aliceville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Store, State Highways 14 & 86, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Store, State Highways 14 & 86, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Henry Williams Saunders House, Bonner Mill Road & Ferguson Street, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Henry Williams Saunders House, Bonner Mill Road & Ferguson Street, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Dr. William Hughes House & Outbuildings, Hughes Creek vicinity, Aliceville, Pickens County, AL
Dr. William Hughes House & Outbuildings, Hughes Creek vicinity, Aliceville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Pickensville Methodist Church, Ferguson Street & Chopitoolas Avenue, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Pickensville Methodist Church, Ferguson Street & Chopitoolas Avenue, Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Ferguson-Long House, Chopitoulas Street (State Highway 14), Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Ferguson-Long House, Chopitoulas Street (State Highway 14), Pickensville, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Will Boykin House, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Will Boykin House, State Route 32 & County Route 1 vicinity, Memphis, Pickens County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

7

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
Aliceville Elementary and High Schoolbuilding198080000734
Parks E. Ball Housebuilding198282002069
Hugh Wilson Hill Housebuilding198989000292
MONTGOMERY (snagboat)structure198383003521
Old Jailbuilding197474000434
Pickens County Courthousebuilding199494000441
Stewart-Blanton Housebuilding198585001130

The county from the air

32 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 1,989 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 32 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, 1952-03-08, scale 1:69000
1952-03-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-03-08, scale 1:69000
1952-03-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-03-08, scale 1:69000
1952-03-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-03-08, scale 1:69000
1952-03-08, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-01-29, scale 1:19000
1964-01-29, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-01-29, scale 1:19000
1964-01-29, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-01-29, scale 1:19000
1964-01-29, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-01-29, scale 1:19000
1964-01-29, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-03-07, scale 1:24000
1966-03-07, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-03-07, scale 1:24000
1966-03-07, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-03-07, scale 1:24000
1966-03-07, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-03-07, scale 1:24000
1966-03-07, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-02-21, scale 1:19000
1967-02-21, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-02-21, scale 1:19000
1967-02-21, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-02-21, scale 1:19000
1967-02-21, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-02-21, scale 1:19000
1967-02-21, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-16, scale 1:20500
1971-03-16, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-16, scale 1:20500
1971-03-16, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-16, scale 1:20500
1971-03-16, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-16, scale 1:20500
1971-03-16, scale 1:20500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-25, scale 1:15000
1972-01-25, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-25, scale 1:15000
1972-01-25, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-25, scale 1:15000
1972-01-25, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-01-25, scale 1:15000
1972-01-25, scale 1:15000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-09-16, scale 1:135000
1973-09-16, scale 1:135000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-09-16, scale 1:135000
1973-09-16, scale 1:135000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-09-16, scale 1:135000
1973-09-16, scale 1:135000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-09-16, scale 1:135000
1973-09-16, scale 1:135000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1983-03-13, scale 1:40000
1983-03-13, scale 1:40000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1983-03-13, scale 1:40000
1983-03-13, scale 1:40000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1983-03-13, scale 1:40000
1983-03-13, scale 1:40000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1983-03-13, scale 1:40000
1983-03-13, scale 1:40000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

8 stations, 7 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

39 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.

  • 54-1Election Precinct 1, Shelton
  • 54-2Election Precinct 2, Palmetto
  • 54-3Election Precinct 3, Vail
  • 54-4Election Precinct 4, Providence
  • 54-5Election Precinct 5, Henry: Election Precinct 5, Henry - That part west and north of Magby Creek
  • 54-6Election Precinct 5, Henry - That part south and east of Magby Creek
  • 54-7Election Precinct 6, Ethelville
  • 54-8Election Precinct 7, Beard
  • 54-9AReform town: Reform town - That part east of State Highway 17
  • 54-9BReform town - That part west of State Highway 17
  • 54-10BElection Precinct 8, Reform - That part west of State Highway 17, outside Reform town
  • 54-10AElection Precinct 8, Reform - That part east of State Highway 17, outside Reform town
  • 54-11Election Precinct 9, Corrs: Election Precinct 9, Corrs - That part east of Bear Creek
  • 54-12Election Precinct 9. Corrs - That part west of Bear Creek
  • 54-13Election Precinct 10, Gordo: Gordo town
  • 54-14Election Precinct 10. Gordo - That part northeast and north of Mobile and Ohio Railroad, outside Gordo town
  • 54-15Election Precinct 10, Gordo - That part southwest and south of Mobile and Ohio Railroad, outside Gordo town
  • 54-16Election Precinct 11, Bostic
  • 54-17Election Precinct 12, Spring Hill
  • 54-18Election Precinct 13, Pickensville Election Precinct 13, Pickensville - That part east of Big Creek and Woolbank Creek
  • 54-19Election Precinct 13, Pickensville - That part west of Woolbank Creek and Big Creek
  • 54-20Election Precinct 14, Carrollton Carrollton town
  • 54-21Election Precinct 14, Carrollton - That part west of Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern Railroad, outside Carrollton town
  • 54-22Election Precinct 14, Carrollton - That part east of Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern Railroad, outside Carrollton town
  • 54-23Election Precinct 15, Speeds Mills
  • 54-24Election Precinct 16, Raleigh
  • 54-25Election Precinct 17, Kings Store
  • 54-26Election Precinct 18, Olney
  • 54-27Election Precinct 19, Aliceville: Aliceville town: Aliceville town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Town limits; Town limits; Duncan, Hobson, Bridgeville, 2nd., East, 4th Avenue, Franconia Road
  • 54-28BAliceville town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Franconia Road, 4th Avenue, 2nd East, Bridgeville, Hobson Avenue, Duncan; Town limits; Frisco Railroad, Town limits
  • 54-28AAliceville town - That part Bounded by Frisco Railroad; Frisco Railroad, Town limits; Town limits; Town limits
  • 54-29Election Precinct 19, Aliceville - That part east of State Highway 40 and Lubbub Creek
  • 54-30Election Precinct 19, Aliceville - That part west of Lubbub Creek and east of San Francisco Railway and Aliceville- Carrollton Road, outside Aliceville town
  • 54-31Election Precinct 19, Aliceville - That part west of Aliceville- Carrollton Road and north and northeast of St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, outside Aliceville town
  • 54-32Election Precinct 19, Aliceville - That part southwest and south of St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, and northwest of State Highway 17, outside Aliceville town
  • 54-33Election Precinct 19, Aliceville - That part west and south of St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, Lubbub Creek and State Highway 40 and southeast of State Highway 17, outside Aliceville town
  • 54-34Election Precinct 21, Cochrane
  • 54-35Election Precinct 24, Pine Grove
  • 54-36Election Precinct 25, Whitten

Wildfire, 1994 to 2020

641 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 641 of them, burning about 5,577 acres. 23 started naturally and 137 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning222
Arson/incendiarism137
Missing data/not specified/undetermined112
Recreation and ceremony43
Equipment and vehicle use37
Railroad operations and maintenance37
Natural23
Smoking16
Misuse of fire by a minor11
Power generation/transmission/distribution3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
27 March 2006Arson/incendiarism230 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionREFORM
24 July 2000Natural220 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
16 September 2000Debris and open burning165 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
14 February 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined119 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNWR-20150214-004
17 September 2015Debris and open burning118 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionNWR-20150917-001
22 April 2007Railroad operations and maintenance110 acresAlabama Forestry CommissionMCGEE
11 April 1999Railroad operations and maintenance100 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
15 October 2006Debris and open burning92 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 315 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 315 reports for this county, causing 7 deaths, 79 injuries and about $43,979,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind148
Hail93
Tornado55
Flash Flood14
Funnel Cloud2
Flood2
Lightning1

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
January 2020Tornado (EF2)Union Chapel3 killed, 7 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Pickens County and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum sustained winds near 134 mph.||A tornado touched down south of Highway 86, just on the south side of Coleman Road. The tornado tracked northeast and crossed Highway 86. Along Highway 86, there were at least three homes damaged with one home losing most of its roofing. Numerous hardwood and softwood trees were snapped off or uprooted at this location. The tornado continued northeast across Turnipseed Road, causing significant tree damage. The tornado tracked along Settlement Road where it likely reached its peak intensity. Numerous homes were damaged or destroyed on the west side of Settlement Road, while homes on the east side sustained minor damage. Of the homes destroyed, six were site-built homes. Four manufactured homes were completely destroyed, three of which had anchoring systems that failed. All four manufactured home frames were found considerable distances from the home sites. Three fatalities occurred in two of these manufactured homes on Settlement Road. In addition, all of the injuries were also on Settlement Road. The tornado continued through a forest and crossed Pine Grove Road near McDaniel Road. The farm at this location sustained significant damage with a home and at least two barns heavily damaged. Numerous hardwood and softwood trees were uprooted or snapped as well. From here, the tornado continued northeastward and began to weaken. It crossed Pearson Road, uprooting several trees before dissipating north of Pearson Road and west of Phoenix Road. At least 22 homes suffered varying degrees of damage.
January 2009Flash FloodPickensville2 killed, 1 hurt, $50,000Heavy rainfall produced flooding at several locations across Pickens County. At least 5 roads were closed due to high water, and 2 bridges were washed out. Flash flooding caused a bridge to wash out on Antioch Chuch Road, over Buncomb Creek. A mother and child subsequently drove off the washed out roadway, and drowned in the flood waters. A second vehicle following behind also drove into the creek at the same place, but the occupants were successfully rescued.
March 1986Tornado (F3)not stated2 killed, $2,500,000no account filed
February 1965Tornado (F3)not stated18 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 1966Tornado (F5)not stated11 hurt, $250,000no account filed
November 1992Tornado (F2)not stated7 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
March 1952Tornado (F3)not stated6 hurt, $25,000no account filed
August 2017Tornado (EF2)Reform6 hurtNWS meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Pickens County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF2 tornado. The tornado touched down at 7th Ave SW in the town of Reform. The tornado tracked northeast crossing Highway 82 and into residential areas where the worst damage occurred. Several single family wood framed homes and a mobile home were destroyed. One wood framed home was completely swept off its foundation. Several vehicles were also overturned. Four people, including an infant, were in the house that was swept off its foundation. They only suffered minor injuries. The tornado continued northeast and crossed near the intersection of County Road 25 and 15th Ave NW where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. It then crossed Highway 17 about one mile south of County Road 8 where several trees were snapped and a house lost part of its roof. The tornado paralleled Highway 17 for several miles and did extensive tree and power line damage in the community of Palmetto. A fire station was also heavily damaged in Palmetto. From Palmetto, it traveled along County Road 59 where is snapped and uprooted trees, then it crossed into extreme southeast Lamar County.
April 1974Tornado (F4)not stated5 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
November 1957Tornado (F1)not stated5 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2014Tornado (EF2)Stafford5 hurtA tornado initially touched down in Lowndes County, Mississippi, south of Columbus and traveled to the northeast, crossing the Alabama state line at County Road 30 in Pickens County. Tornado wind speeds were estimated at 115-120mph as it moved into Alabama. Along County Road 30, one site-built home was shifted off its foundation, trapping 10 people in the basement. There were also several mobile homes that were completely destroyed along with one small concrete building that had its roof removed and one exterior wall completely destroyed. The tornado continued northeast crossing U.S. Highway 82 and began to weaken along Bains Road, where several roofs sustained minor damage and several trees were uprooted. The tornado then rapidly dissipated near Tabernacle Road where only sporadic damage was found. It is also noteworthy that several damage points south of the tornado track were consistent with straight-line winds.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Union Chapel4 hurt, $3,800,000The first segment of this long track tornado initially touched down 5 miles northeast of Pickensville near Basinger Rd, north of AL Hwy 86. This tornado continued through portions of Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman (See Storm Data for Huntsville), and Blount Counties, before it dissipated in Marshall (See Storm Data for Huntsville) County. While the average path width of this tornado in Pickens County was around 0.4 mile (704 yds), the maximum path width was 0.6 mile (1056 yds). The tornado crossed AL Hwy 17 and US Hwy 82, across the southern and western extents of the city of Reform. The storm strengthened to an EF1 rating with winds of 110 mph to the northeast of Reform. Along CR 49, several chicken houses were destroyed and grain feed bins were tossed up to 100 yards. As the tornado crossed AL Hwy 159, north of CR 49, several homes sustained roof damage and several outbuildings were destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted along the path. The tornado moved northeast entering Tuscaloosa County south of Mid Walters Rd.
April 2017Thunderstorm WindOwens1 hurtSeveral trees uprooted along County Road 17. One tree fell on a car and resulted in minor injuries to one person.
February 2016Tornado (EF2)Dancy1 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Pickens County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF-2 tornado. Maximum winds were estimated to be around 135 mph. The tornado first touched down in southwestern Pickens County south of AL Hwy 32 and west of County Road 87. From there, it continued on a northeastward path across a large part of Pickens County. The tornado was caught live on Camera by local media just after it crossed the intersection of Hwy 32 and County Road 1, just west of Cochrane. It continued northeast to the Cochrane Campground on the Tombigbee River, where scores of trees were snapped, causing minor damage to one of the buildings on the campground. The tornado first reached EF-2 magnitude as it crossed private wooded land just south of County Road 78 snapping and uprooting hundreds of trees. As the tornado crossed Huff-Barnett Road, it mowed down a wide swath of trees, with a distinct classic convergence pattern of tree fall just east of Beaver Creek. The tornado continued northeastward across Al Hwy 14 causing damage to the federal prison, and then moved on to the Martin Luther King Road/Sapp community northwest of Aliceville. Here, the tornado reached its highest rated damage. Many of the homes in this portion of the Sapp community received some extent of damage, and several were destroyed. From there, the weakening tornado continued northeastward roughly parallel to AL Hwy 17 over open and forested rural Pickens County until it passed just west of Carrollton. The tornado reintensified and broadened somewhat, with a more significant tree-fall causing damage to a few homes on the west side of Carrollton. The tornado continued on the same northeastward path gradually weakening over rural areas before lifting near Herbert Windle Road southwest of Reform.
December 1987Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1985Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Dancy$2,900,000A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System and touched down in Kemper County Mississippi (See Storm Data Jackson), then tracked northeast through Noxubee County before crossing into Pickens County, southwest of Dancy. The tornado weakened to an EF1 rating as it entered Alabama, with winds of 100 mph. As the tornado moved across AL Hwy 17 near Dancy, a barn with metal siding and roofing and two small silos were destroyed. Significant tree damage was noted along CR 85. The tornado crossed the Tombigbee River and moved parallel to CR 13. The tornado crossed AL Hwy 14 south of Aliceville, damaging a farm irrigation system. The tornado continued northeast, lifting near Hamilton Jr Craft Rd, northwest of Benevola. Dozens of trees were also downed along this path. The average path width of the Alabama portion of the tornado path was 0.5 mile (880 yds).
April 2011Tornado (EF2)Carrollton$1,800,000A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System. It touched down in central Pickens County, northwest of Carrollton, near the intersection of CR 7 and CR 26, where trees were snapped off. The tornado moved northeast and strengthened to an EF2 rating with winds of 120 mph as it approached CR 35 where it downed thousands of trees. The tornado crossed US Hwy 82 and AL Hwy 17 where it caused mostly tree damage across northwestern portions of Reform. East of AL Hwy 17, at least two outbuildings sustained roof damage along CR 3. Near the end of the tornado path, a home sustained minor wall damage and significant roof damage. The tornado lifted along CR 3, south of CR 57.
April 2011Tornado (EF3)Vienna$1,600,000A tornado initially touched down in Kemper County Mississippi (See Storm Data Jackson), near Scooba, and tracked northeast through Sumter County, Alabama and into southern Pickens County just west of CR 85. As the tornado strengthened to an EF3 rating with winds of 140, the path width decreased to 0.4 mile (704 yds). As the tornado crossed CR 85, a large cinder block building sustained significant loss of roofing and partial wall collapse. The tornado continued to cause tree damage along its path as it moved northeast and crossed the Tombigbee River at Vienna. The tornado weakened and lifted at AL Hwy 14, just north of the Sipsey River.
March 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated$500,000A thunderstorm produced wind damage in the Carrollton-Gordo area as well as in the Reform area. Damage was light in the Reform area with a number of trees down, several blocking roads and several falling on other buildings. In the area from Carrollton to Gordo, many trees were downed and a number of structures sustained minor damage. A house near Aliceville reportedly suffered major damage.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindAliceville$300,000A line of thunderstorms moved through Pickens County and produced wind damage generally across the eastern and southern parts of the county. Trees and power lines were blown down around Aliceville and Reform. Structural damage was reported to the Winn Dixie in Aliceville. Three chicken houses were destroyed just northeast of Gordo and hundreds of chickens were killed. Two airport hangars were destroyed north of Gordo. No injuries were reported.
April 1991Tornado (F0)not stated$250,000no account filed
November 1984Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 1996Tornado (F1)Aliceville$200,000no account filed
March 2005Tornado (F0)Ethelsville$175,000National Weather Service Meteorologist surveyed the damage in Pickens County and determined a weak tornado occurred. The tornado damage was rated an F0. The tornado first touched down just west ofCR 75 near the Pine Grove Community. The tornado tracked east northeast through the Pine Grove Community, where one home suffered extensive damage from fallen and uprooted trees. The tornado continued almost parallel to Will Jones Road where two homes sustained significant damage. The tornado ended near the intersection of Will Jones Road and Moorehead Road just south of the McShanCommunity. Numerous trees were blown down or uprooted along the path and a few outbuildings weredestroyed. The tornado was on the ground from 954 pm CST until 1004 pm CST. The tornado damage path was approximately 7 miles long and 150 yards wide at its widest point.Begin: 33 20.544/88 16.529 End: 33 21.254/88 09.311
April 2003Tornado (F1)Dancy$100,000A landspout, a tornado that forms under a strong updraft of a developing thunderstorm, touched down in extreme southwestern Pickens County. The brief tornado destroyed a mobile home, destroyed a home, and downed a few trees. The damage occurred in the Dancy-Cochrane Community. Many surrounding trees and structures were undamaged. No injuries occurred with this tornado.Beg: 33 01.952/88 18.763 End: 33 01.952/88 18.739
February 2001Thunderstorm WindCountywide$100,000Pickens County reported numerous trees and power lines knocked down. Numerous homes reported roof damage.
April 1996Thunderstorm WindCarrollton$100,000no account filed
May 2009Tornado (EF1)Pickensville$50,000The tornado touched down along the Tombigbee River basin near the Rogersville Camp area. It then tracked northeastward for about a mile before it lifted. Several trees were snapped off and several tops of trees were taken off along the path. Some of the fallen trees landed on trailers and caused varying degrees of damage.
May 2009Tornado (EF1)Carrollton$50,000The tornado touched down in Carrollton near the intersection of Rose Street and CR-35. It then tracked east-northeast and lifted in a rural area along Lubbub Creek. Several trees were snapped off or were blown down along the path. A few of the trees fell on homes and caused varying degrees of damage.
January 2008Tornado (EF1)Gordo$50,000The tornado touched down between Gordo and the Tuscaloosa County line, near the intersection of Ben Elmore Road and CR-33. From there, it travelled east-northeast before crossing into Tuscaloosa County. A barn and several old chicken houses on CR-33 east of Gordo sustained heavy damage.
April 2005Tornado (F0)Aliceville$50,000National Weather Service Meteorologists surveyed the damage in Aliceville and determined that the damage was caused by a tornado. The tornado was rated an F0 on the Fujita Scale with localized winds of up to 73 miles an hour. The tornado touched down near the Aliceville Manor nursing home at approximately 551 pm CDT. The weak tornado tracked northeast generally parallel to 17th Street NW. At least 9 homes suffered mainly minor roof damge, although one house had major rood damage. A few porches were completely torn off homes and the debris was tossed up to one half of a mile away. Several outbuildings were damaged and many lawn or outdoor items were overturned. The tornado crossed SR 14 where a few large trees were snapped off or uprooted at the Aliceville Country Club. Several additional trees and power lines were blown down along the relatively short path. The tornado lifted at the end of Country Club Lane at the Aliceville Country Club at approximately 553 pm CDT. The tornado pathlength was one and one half miles long and 50 yards wide at its widest point. No injuries were reported. Begin: 33 07.83/88 10.47 End: 33 08.70/88 09.31
May 1998Tornado (F0)Carrollton$50,000A weak tornado touched down northwest of Carrollton and uprooted and snapped several trees. The tornado actually moved across the Pickens County Hospital on the north side of Carrollton on SR 17. Minor roof damage was done at the hospital but there were a number of trees down.
January 1998Flash FloodCountywide$50,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindGordo$30,000no account filed
March 1996Thunderstorm WindCarrollton$30,000no account filed
July 2002Thunderstorm WindCarrollton$25,000The roof was blown off the Carriage House Antiques in downtown Carrollton. In addition, several trees and power lines were blown down in isolated locations across the county.
June 1997Flash FloodGordo$25,000Heavy rains forced the evacuation of between 7 and 10 families from their homes off US 82 in Gordo. Heavy rain also damaged a portion of Preacher Street.
June 2000LightningAliceville$25,000no account filed
May 1998Tornado (F0)Gordo$25,000no account filed
February 1990Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 1988Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
December 1983Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
December 1978Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1976Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1967Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1963Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 2011Thunderstorm WindAliceville$20,000Numerous trees were blown down in Aliceville, some of which fell on homes. In addition, multiple businesses sustained roof damage.
February 2004Thunderstorm WindCochrane$20,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindAliceville$20,000no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindAliceville$15,000Numerous trees were down on the south side of Aliceville.
April 1998Tornado (F3)Gordo$15,000no account filed
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Gordo$11,000This tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System in far eastern Pickens County, 5.5 miles south southeast of Gordo and moved northeastward for 3.46 miles. It crossed into Tuscaloosa County just to the west of Holman, south of AL Hwy 140. This tornado continued for almost 19 miles in Tuscaloosa County before dissipating 2.5 miles east northeast of Samantha. The tornado touched down east of AL Hwy 63, along Grover Plate Rd where it uprooted many hardwood trees. The tornado continued to cause tree damage as it moved northeast and approached the Tuscaloosa County line. The tornado damage in Pickens County was consistent with an EF1 rating and winds of 90 mph.
October 2010Thunderstorm WindGordo$10,000A tree fell on a vehicle.
September 2009Flash FloodPickensville$10,000Water was flowing over AL-86 in several spots, both west and east of the city of Pickensville. Several roads in the city of Carrollton also had to be closed due to flooding.
January 2008Tornado (EF0)Pickensville$10,000The tornado briefly touched down on the south side of Pickensville, near Jackson Ferry Road, and was on the ground for less than a minute. One metal storage barn was damaged, and several small trees were blown down.
May 1998HailReform$10,000Golf ball size hail was reported in Reform by the EMA.
May 1998HailAliceville$10,000Golf ball size hail was reported in Aliceville by the EMA.
May 1998HailGordo$10,000Golf ball size hail was reported by storm spotters, near US 82 and SR 86.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindAliceville$10,000Numerous trees were down in Aliceville.

Mines and quarries

4 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 4 workings inside this county. 2 still produce and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction4

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Gulf State CrusherSand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Gulf States PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Little H. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Pickens Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

51

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 1 place that was also surveyed for fire insurance comes first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Recorded here

Aliceville, Alabama

11 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases, 1933

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

18 structures

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.