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Wetumpka, Alabama

18 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1901 and the latest in 1987. It stands in the Wetumpka census division. It lies in ZIP code area 36092. It stands on We-hemt-le. The Survey maps it on the Wetumpka quadrangle. 7,220 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 200 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Wetumpka within Elmore County

On record in Wetumpka

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 9 records

Surveyed buildings and structures 11 records

Population over time

2 figures

Wetumpka grew from 6,528 to 7,220 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.

YearPeople Change
20106,528
20207,220+692 (+11%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

11 surveys from 18 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.

Photographs

8 of 11 photographs shown,

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.

E. L. Smoot House, 705 Mansion Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
E. L. Smoot House, 705 Mansion Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Bradford House, 401 West Main Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Bradford House, 401 West Main Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
John Bullard House, Harrogate Springs Road vicinity, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
John Bullard House, Harrogate Springs Road vicinity, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Kelly Fitzpatrick House, Autauga Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Kelly Fitzpatrick House, Autauga Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Baptist Church, 205 West Bridge Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Baptist Church, 205 West Bridge Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
J. Bruce Airey House, 1202 West Tuskeena Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
J. Bruce Airey House, 1202 West Tuskeena Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Wetumpka Presbyterian Church, West Bridge & North Bridge Streets, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Wetumpka Presbyterian Church, West Bridge & North Bridge Streets, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Bates-Jesse House, 311 Government Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Bates-Jesse House, 311 Government Street, Wetumpka, Elmore County, AL
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Every photograph of Elmore County

Fires near this place

152 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 152 fires within 5 miles of Wetumpka between 1994 and 2017, burning about 880 acres in total. 7 started naturally. 14 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 burning64
Equipment and vehicle use19
Missing data/not specified/undetermined19
Recreation and ceremony18
Arson/incendiarism14
Natural7
Misuse of fire by a minor6
Railroad operations and maintenance3
Smoking2

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 1998Debris and open burningunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
16 September 1999Debris and open burningunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
16 September 1998Debris and open burning25 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
12 September 2002Debris and open burningunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 2002Debris and open burningunder an acreAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
1 September 1995Recreation and ceremony3.5 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
7 August 2006Arson/incendiarism1.2 acresAlabama Forestry Commissionnot named
27 August 2011Debris and open burning3.0 acresAlabama Forestry Commission9 REDWOOD LN, AL

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Elmore County

Mines and quarries near this place

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Wetumpka: 4 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. 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
Hillabee Pit No 2ClayProducer
Flatwood QuarrySand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerUnconsolidated Sediments
Nichols/PoundstoneSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pit #1Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Elmore County

Storms near this place

60 of 106 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Wetumpka in 106 storm reports between 1995 and 2026: 56 thunderstorm wind, 27 hail, 8 tornado, 8 flash flood. The reports record 4 injuries. 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
January 2019Tornado (EF2)Wetumpka4 hurtNational Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Elmore County and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph. The tornado began near the Coosa River just southwest of downtown Wetumpka. It quickly intensified as it moved northeast into downtown Wetumpka. The extent of damage done to multiple structures in Wetumpka indicated a tornado with high-end EF2 wind speeds. The damage included: collapse/failure of exterior walls, significant damage to interior walls, roof failures, shifting of structures, and collapse of structures due to direct and indirect causes. Several vehicles were also tossed or rolled, with debris puncturing framing. Trees were also snapped and uprooted. The First Presbyterian Church was heavily damaged, but rescue/clean-up efforts precluded an accurate assessment of damage.||The tornado continued northeastward, crossed the Coosa River, and then paralleled State Route 170 as it continued to damage structures and snap and uproot trees. The tornado cycled as it moved northeast into the northern portions of the town of Eclectic, evident via a new radar TDS (tornado debris signature) and fluctuating degree of damage. The tornado dissipated just before Lake Martin, near Holly Mill Road.
March 1996Tornado (F1)Wetumpka$150,000no account filed
May 2008LightningWetumpka$50,000A tree that was struck by lightning fell onto a house and briefly trapped its occupants.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$45,000Trees were down and part of a roof was blown off at the Jordan Lake Marina.
November 2010Tornado (EF0)Wetumpka$35,000The tornado touched down west of US 231, north of Wetumpka. Some homes suffered shingle damage along River Falls Road. The tornado moved northeastward and as it approached US Highway 231, a roof of a large hay barn collapsed. The tornado then crossed CR-209 near Fortner Road, where several trees were uprooted. The tornado finally lifted near the intersection of Balm Road and Mt Zion Road.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$30,000Trees and power lines were blown down in and around Wetumpka. One vehicle was totally destroyed by a falling tree.
August 1995Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$22,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Elmore County. Considerable damage was caused in the Red Hill area in the northeast part of the county along Lake Martin. The Red Hill Volunteer Fire Department reported damage to 16 lakefront homes, two of the houses had their roofs blown completely off. Wetumpka Police reported trees and power lines down. Trees fell on two houses.
May 2019LightningWetumpka$20,000Lightning produced a house fire on River Ridge Street.
May 2006LightningWetumpka$20,000Lightning caused a fire that heavily damaged the attic of a home in the Redland Community.
September 1998Tornado (F0)Wetumpka$18,000A tornado moved northwest across western Elmore county from just northeast of Wetumka to just northwest of the Wallsboro community. Some minor damage was reported at the Julia Tutwiler Prison . Trees and power lines were down in Wallsboro and a doctor's office was damaged.
November 2005Tornado (F0)Wetumpka$11,000National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage that affected a small area just west of Weoka. It has been determined that the damage was the result of a tornado. The tornado has been rated an F0 on the Fujita Damage Intensity Scale. A weak tornado briefly touched down near the intersection of Woods Road and Grass Farm Road. This location is approximately 1.4 miles southwest of Weoka or 11.7 miles north of Wetumpka. A few trees were snapped off along the short path. The tornado damage path was only 0.1 miles long and 30 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado was on the ground at 730 PM CST. Begin/End: 32.7121/86.2078
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$10,000Several trees and power lines were blown down, causing damage to the roof of at least one home.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$10,000A large tree was blown down onto AL-14, west of Wetumpka. Two vehicles subsequently ran into the fallen tree, although the occupants were not injured.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$10,000Trees and power lines were blown down in several locations around Elmore County, including Wetumpka. A few vehicles were damaged by the fallen trees.
July 2004Flash FloodWetumpka$10,000Numerous roads were covered with water and temporarily impassable.
May 1998HailWetumpka$10,000Golf ball size hail was reported near Emerald Mountain.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$10,000no account filed
June 1996HailWetumpka$10,000no account filed
March 1996HailWetumpka$10,000no account filed
March 1996HailWetumpka$10,000no account filed
June 2005Flash FloodWetumpka$8,000Several roadways across central Elmore County were covered with water and were temporarily impassable.
November 2004Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$8,000Several trees wee blown down on US 231 just south of Wetumpka. A few large signs were also damaged.
January 1996Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$8,000no account filed
April 2011Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$7,000A tree fell on a trailer on Wigwam Way in Wetumpka.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$7,000Trees and power lines were reported down in and around Wetumpka.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$5,000The south end zone fence was blown down and stadium lights received damage at the Hohenburg Football stadium.
April 2007Tornado (EF0)Wetumpka$5,000A brief tornado touched down near Ridgefield Drive in the New Bingham Community. The tornado caused minor damage to at least one home and knocked a few trees over.
March 2006Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$5,000Several trees and power lines were blown down.
March 2001Flash FloodWetumpka$5,000Roads were flooded and temporarily impassible on the western side of Wetumpka.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$5,000Trees were down in Wetumpka.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$5,000Trees were blown down and a trailer was overturned in Titus, in the northwest part of the county.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$5,000no account filed
August 2006Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$4,000Trees and power lines were blown down.
April 1997HailWetumpka$4,000Dime to quarter sized hail was reported in Wetumpka.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$4,000Power lines and small trees were reported down just south of Wetumpka.
January 2010Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$3,000Several trees and power lines were blown down.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$3,000Trees were blown down at several locations near the city of Wetumpka. One large tree brought down power lines and poles, which blocked a portion of Willow Springs Road.
March 2000Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$3,000Trees were blown down near the intersection of Redland Road and Starr Road in Wetumpka.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$3,000no account filed
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$2,000Several trees were blown down around the city of Wetumpka.
June 2001HailWetumpka$2,000no account filed
July 2011Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$1,000A portion of a privacy fence was blown over.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$1,000Several trees were blown down on AL-170, northeast of Wetumpka.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$1,000Trees were blown down at several locations in and around Wetumpka.
April 2005HailWetumpka$1,000Quarter size hail was reported in the Holtville area.
April 2005HailWetumpka$1,000Quarter size hail was observed just north of Wetumpka.
April 2005HailWetumpka$1,000Numerous reports of quarter size hail were received from in and around Wetumpka.
March 2003Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$1,000A few trees were blown down near Wetumpka. Pea size hail also fell during the storm.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindWetumpka$1,000no account filed
January 2026Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Trees and power lines were downed in the Wetumpka area.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Numerous trees were downed on Flatwood Rd, Chapel Rd, and Holtville Rd northwest of Wetumpka.
February 2025Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Trees and power lines were downed in the Wetumpka area.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Multiple trees and power lines were downed across Elmore County.
May 2024HailWetumpka-Ping pong ball-size hail reported near Elmore County EMA office.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Trees uprooted in various parts of Elmore County.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Trees uprooted around and north of Wetumpka, including at Chapel Road and Crenshaw Drive, Rea Road and Weoka Road, and U.S. Highway 231 and Green Street.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in Wetumpka.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Several trees uprooted in the Wetumpka area.
April 2022Tornado (EF2)Wetumpka-National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southern Elmore County and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum winds near 134 mph. The tornado touched down on Harrogate Springs Road and tracked northeast snapping and uprooting trees. It strengthened to EF2 as it crossed Wildwood Lane where a large swath of trees were snapped and one residence suffered significant damage. The tornado weakened as it crossed Jimshill Road and dissipated near Firetower Road.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindWetumpka-Several trees uprooted along Central Plank Road.

Every storm recorded in Elmore County

Newspapers printed here

168 digitised pages

1 paper published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 42 issues, 168 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
The State Guard1847 to 18??

What the paper printed

20,177 words

Front pages of the local paper, read from the Library of Congress scans: 6 issues spread across its run from 1847 to 1848, 20,177 words in total. Each is reproduced on its own page, exactly as the recogniser returned it.

These pages read less well than anything else here, and the number is worth stating: about three words in four come through cleanly, against nine in ten for the building records. An 1896 broadsheet sets eight-point type in seven columns on microfilm, which is the hardest thing in this archive to read by machine. We tested our own recognisers against the Library's and they were not better, so the Library's text is what appears, with the wholly unreadable columns removed. Read it as a guide to what the paper covered, and follow the link to the scan before quoting anything.

IssuePaper Length
1847-05-11The State Guard3,235 words
1847-06-08The State Guard3,337 words
1847-07-13The State Guard4,300 words
1847-08-17The State Guard3,036 words
1848-06-20The State Guard3,245 words
1848-10-24The State Guard3,024 words

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
Saint Clair1.3 miles18
Blueberry Hill1.4 miles18
Tarwater1.8 miles18
Quail Run1.8 miles18
Harrogate Springs2.1 miles18
Cherokee Estates2.6 miles18
Wallsboro3.0 miles18
Tuskugu (historical)3.5 miles17

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 WetumpkaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q79433The 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 155305. 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.