Shorter, Alabama
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Shorter-Hardaway census division. It lies in ZIP code area 36075. The Survey maps it on the Shorter quadrangle. 385 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 367 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresShorter fell from 474 to 385 between 2010 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 474 | |
| 2020 | 385 | -89 (-19%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
5 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1955 USGS Phenix City quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Phenix City quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Phenix City quadrangle1:250000
- 1971 USGS Shorter quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1981 USGS Tuskegee quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
175 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 175 fires within 5 miles of Shorter between 1994 and 2020, burning about 2,704 acres in total. None started naturally. 38 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 |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 56 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 38 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 37 |
| Smoking | 22 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 10 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 7 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 3 |
| Other causes | 1 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2010 | Arson/incendiarism | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 30 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 6.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20160930-1 |
| 30 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 20160930-13 |
| 29 September 2003 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 25 September 2010 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 25 September 2004 | Smoking | under an acre | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
| 19 September 2008 | Equipment and vehicle use | 5.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | CO ROAD 7, AL |
| 18 September 2010 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 10 workings within 5 miles of Shorter: 8 producers, 1 unknown, 1 past producer. 8 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, REE. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shorter Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, REE | Producer | Placer | |
| B. & W. Shorter Mine | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Calloway Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Milstead Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Milstead Quarry | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | Unconsolidated Sediments | |
| Mitylene Quarry | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | Unconsolidated Sediments | |
| Shorter Mine | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Shorter Quarry | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | Unconsolidated Sediments | |
| Shorters Station Quarry | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | Unconsolidated Sediments | |
| Ward Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this place
25 since 1996Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Shorter in 25 storm reports between 1996 and 2024: 9 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 5 tornado, 1 lightning. The reports record 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | 1 hurt, $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2009 | Flash Flood | Shorter | $100,000 | Flash flooding caused numerous roads to become impassable. High water was reported on several city and county roads, in and around the city of Tuskegee. |
| April 2003 | Hail | Shorter | $50,000 | The hail storm moved across much of western and southern Macon County. Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported along the path. The hail may have been larger in surrounding rural areas. |
| March 2005 | Hail | Shorter | $18,000 | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Shorter | $18,000 | no account filed |
| December 2000 | Tornado (F0) | Shorter | $15,000 | An F0 tornado touched down near the intersection of CR 30 and CR 9, just off Hooks Road. Three homes sustained damage mainly in the form of blown out windows and roof damage. Several trees were also snapped off or blown over along the path. Two outbuildings were destroyed at the homes and two satellite dishes were also destroyed. Beginning: 32 24.642/85 52.256 Ending: 32 24.966/85 51.693 |
| March 2005 | Hail | Shorter | $11,000 | Golf ball size hail was reported along Interstate 85 northeastward to near Notasulga. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | $5,000 | A few trees and fences were blown down in Shorter. Marble size hail also accompanied this storm. |
| March 2000 | Hail | Shorter | $4,000 | Pea to golfball size hail fell in western Macon County near Shorter. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | $3,000 | Three utility poles were snapped off on CR 9 between Shorter and Milstead. |
| November 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | $2,000 | Several trees were reported down near Shorter. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | $2,000 | A few trees were blown down in Shorter. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | $2,000 | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Hail | Shorter | $2,000 | no account filed |
| December 2024 | Tornado (EF0) | Shorter | - | A tornado began over an inaccessible area north of County Road 2 and south of Old Federal Road. Several trees were uprooted or limbs were snapped around a couple homes and a church as the tornado crossed Old Federal Road and U.S. 80. The church also sustained minor siding damage. More trees were uprooted as the tornado crossed Redland Road and Cross Keys Road, where the most substantial area of tree damage occurred just north of Deborah Cannon Wolfe School. The damage extent decreased substantially crossing County Road 30, with small trees and tree limbs downed. A few more tree limbs were downed along County Road 9 as the tornado track ended. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph. |
| January 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Shorter | - | National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in western Macon County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 70 mph. This brief tornado began in an inaccessible area southwest of Deer Run Trail, in the town of Shorter. It caused minor tree damage and damage to some outbuildings along Deer Run Trail, also knocking over a couple basketball goals. It quickly dissipated after crossing Deer Run Trail. A brief TDS was observed on MXX radar. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | - | Multiple trees uprooted in western Macon County, including the Shorter area. |
| April 2021 | Hail | Shorter | - | Golf ball size hail reported in the town of Shorter. |
| May 2021 | Tornado (EF0) | Shorter | - | National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in western Macon County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph. Observable damage was apparent along Crosskeys Road at Chubahatchee Creek where multiple softwood trees were uprooted. Most of the path was in an inaccessible wooded area. In all, radar evidence suggests the tornado was brief in duration. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | - | Several trees uprooted along Highway 80 in the town of Shorter. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shorter | - | Two trees and one powerline were downed in the town of Shorter. |
| November 2006 | Hail | Shorter | - | Reported on I-85, near the racetrack in Shorter. |
| August 2005 | Hail | Shorter | - | Penny size hail was reported in and around Shorter. |
| August 2005 | Hail | Shorter | - | Dime to penny size hail was observed along Interstate 85 at the Montgomery and Macon County line. |
| August 2002 | Lightning | Shorter | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calebee | 1.8 miles | 9 | |
| La Place | 3.1 miles | 9 | |
| Goodwyn | 3.1 miles | 9 | |
| Milstead | 3.5 miles | 9 | |
| Tysonville | 4.3 miles | 9 | |
| Cross Keys | 4.4 miles | 9 | |
| Hornady | 5.6 miles | 9 | |
| Talasse (historical) | 6.8 miles | 9 |
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 Shorter | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q67960 | The 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 126817. 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.




