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Ashland, Alabama

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1891 and the latest in 1978. It stands in the Ashland census division. It lies in ZIP code area 36251. The Survey maps it on the Lineville West quadrangle. 1,984 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,119 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Ashland within Clay County

On record in Ashland

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

3 figures

Ashland grew from 1,965 to 1,984 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20001,965
20102,037+72 (+4%)
20201,984-53 (-3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 12 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

159 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 159 fires within 5 miles of Ashland between 1994 and 2019, burning about 2,115 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 77 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism77
Debris and open burning40
Missing data/not specified/undetermined27
Equipment and vehicle use6
Recreation and ceremony6
Natural1
Misuse of fire by a minor1
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 1998Arson/incendiarism1.5 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
6 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined30 acresAlabama Forestry Commission20190906-24
25 September 1999Arson/incendiarismunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
25 September 1999Arson/incendiarismunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
19 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreAlabama Forestry CommissionTYSON RD, AL
11 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commission20190911-7
10 September 1998Arson/incendiarism40 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 1998Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Clay County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 50 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 50 workings within 5 miles of Ashland: 36 past producers, 6 occurrences, 4 prospects, 2 unknowns. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Graphite, Gold, Mica, Vanadium. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Ashland Cyanite ProspectKyaniteOccurrence
Ashland DistrictGraphite, Vanadium, MicaPast ProducerBEDDED
Bowden Grove Manganese ProspectManganeseOccurrencePyrolusite
Central Clay County Gibbsite ProspectAluminum, ManganeseOccurrence1977
Clay County Hwy Dept. Ashland PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Franklin MineGold, IronPast Producer
Suggs Beryl ProspectBeryllium, MicaOccurrence
Carbon MountainGraphite, Mica, VanadiumPast Producer1917
Enitachopco MineGraphite, Mica, VanadiumPast ProducerSurface
Alabama No. 1 MineGraphite, Vanadium, MicaPast Producer1912

Every working recorded in Clay County

Storms near this place

51 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ashland in 51 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 23 thunderstorm wind, 19 hail, 4 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 death and 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 1998Flash FloodAshland1 killed, $15,000A flash flood, about 3 inches in an hour, washed out sections of Fuller Road in Mellow Valley. A 51 year-old man drove into the washed out area and was severely injured. He died the next day in the hospital from his injuries.
June 2002LightningAshland1 hurt, $3,000A seven year old girl was struck by lightning inside the Cheaha State Park grounds. She suffered minor injuries. One home was also struck by lightning near the park and minor damage occurred.
April 2005Tornado (F1)Ashland$80,000no account filed
May 2003LightningAshland$70,000no account filed
July 1999LightningAshland$50,000Lightning apparently struck a home causing a fire. The fire virtually destroyed everything inside the home. No injuries were reported.
March 1994HailAshland$50,000Hail about the size of nickels was reported about five miles west of Ashland.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindAshland$15,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and around Ashland, including a tree that fell onto a house in the Shireys Mill community.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindAshland$10,000A few trees were down, including one on a house, which did minor roof damage.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindAshland$10,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindAshland$10,000no account filed
March 1996HailAshland$10,000no account filed
June 1997LightningAshland$8,000The steeple on the First United Methodist Church was struck by lightning resulting in damage to a sound system and a computer. The steeple and cross were also damaged. Time estimated.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindAshland$5,000Several trees were blown down across Clay County. At least one structure suffered unspecified wind damage.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindAshland$5,000Several trees were blown down on Mines Road, west of Ashland. Trees were also blown down on State Lake Road, and Church Road.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindAshland$5,000A few trees were knocked down in the extreme northwest part of Clay County near the Cheaha Wilderness Area.
March 2002HailAshland$4,000no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindAshland$2,000Trees and power lines down.
May 2003Tornado (F0)Ashland$2,000A small tornado touched down south-southeast of Ashland just west of SR 77 and the Wellborn Cabinet Plant. The weak tornado was observed by a number of people and did very little damage. Besides downing a few small trees, the tornado damaged a couple of light posts at the cabinet plant.Beg: 33 15.014/85 49.373 End: 33 15.206/85 48.301
February 1998Thunderstorm WindAshland$2,000There were some trees down in the southern part of the county.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindAshland$1,000Power lines were blown down AL-9, near Ashland.
April 2006HailAshland$1,000Quarter sized hail broke a windshield in Ashland.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindAshland$1,000Trees down in Ashland and Lineville.
February 2025Thunderstorm WindAshland-A social media report was received showing a large tree down on a shed in Ashland.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindAshland-Numerous trees were downed around Clay County, some of which landed on vehicles. A few barns/small buildings were damaged as well. Relayed via social media.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindAshland-Multiple trees were blown down along Highway 9.
June 2023HailAshland-Penny size hail reported in Ashland.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindAshland-Multiple trees uprooted in Ashland.
March 2020Thunderstorm WindAshland-Numerous trees uprooted between the towns of Ashland and Lineville.
January 2020Thunderstorm WindAshland-Several trees uprooted along County road 31 north of the town of Ashland.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindAshland-Several trees uprooted in the city of Clay.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindAshland-Numerous trees uprooted in the city of Ashland.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindAshland-Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in and around the city of Ashland.
April 2016Thunderstorm WindAshland-A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Clay county and produced a path of wind damage from the city of Ashland to the city of Lineville. Numerous trees were uprooted and power lines downed.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindAshland-Trees were down along the Highway 77 Loop near County Road 5.
January 2007Funnel CloudAshland-A funnel cloud was reported near the Oakgrove Community.
April 2006HailAshland-Reported in the Highland Community.
April 2006HailAshland-Accompanied by winds estimated at 50 mph.
February 2005HailAshland-Penny size hail fell in extreme eastern Clay County near the Cragford community.
July 2005HailAshland-Dime to penny size hail was reported on Country Club Road half way between Ashland and Lineville.
December 2005HailAshland-Nickel size hail fell in Ashland.
October 2004Funnel CloudAshland-A funnel cloud was reported in western Clay County west of Ashland and Pyriton. A tornado touchdown was not confirmed and no damage was reported.
May 2003HailAshland-Quarter size hail fell in Ashland.
September 2000Thunderstorm WindAshland-One very large tree was blown down and blocked the road near Ashland.
May 1999HailAshland-Dime size hail fell near the city of Ashland.
May 1999HailAshland-Dime size hail was reported near Ashland.
June 1999HailAshland-Dime size hail was reported in Ashland.
June 1994HailAshland-Three-quarter inch hail was reported in south Clay County.
June 2023HailAshland-no account filed
June 2023HailAshland-no account filed
March 2015HailAshland-no account filed
May 2003HailAshland-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Clay County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Midway3.1 miles12
Harkins Crossroads3.4 miles11
Rays Crossroads3.6 miles15
High Pine4.0 miles15
Bowden Grove4.5 miles12
Shiloh4.7 miles12
Lineville5.0 miles12
Springhill5.2 miles15

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on AshlandAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q67796The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 159091. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.