Huntsville, Alabama
Nickname: "Rocket City"
Coordinates: 34°42′49″N 86°35′10″W / 34.71361, -86.58611
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Counties	Madison, Limestone
Government
- Mayor	Loretta Spencer
Area
- City	202.4 sq mi (323.8 km²)
- Land	202 sq mi (323.2 km²)
- Water	0.4 sq mi (0.6 km²)
Elevation	600 ft (193 m)
Population (2006)[1]
- City	168,132
- Density	963.8/sq mi (372.14/km²)
- Metro	368,661
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	35800–35899
Area code(s)	256
FIPS code	01-37000
GNIS feature ID	0151827
Website: http://www.hsvcity.com/

Huntsville, Alabama (top center), near the Tennessee border, is north of Birmingham and northeast of Decatur, across the Tennessee River flowing northwest.

Huntsville is a city in Madison County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and the county seat of Madison County.^[2] Huntsville is the largest city in northern Alabama in a region of a half-million people, with the city proper having 168,132 residents (2006 estimate).^[1] Started with a single cabin in 1805, the city was incorporated six years later as Twickenham. However, it was renamed "Huntsville" (after first settler John Hunt) during the War of 1812, and has grown across nearby hills and along the Tennessee River, adding textile mills, then munitions factories, to become a major city, hosting the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2032x1524, 770 KB) Summary View of downtown Huntsville, Alabama from Big Spring International Park. ... // A nickname is a name of an entity or thing that is not its proper name. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This list of countries, arranged alphabetically, gives an overview of countries of the world. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states... This article is about the U.S. State. ... List of 67 counties in the U.S. state of Alabama: Autauga County Baldwin County Barbour County Bibb County Blount County Bullock County Butler County Calhoun County Chambers County Cherokee County Chilton County Choctaw County Clarke County Clay County Cleburne County Coffee County Colbert County Conecuh County Coosa County Covington... Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. ... Limestone County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Loretta Spencer in 2004 holds the office of mayor of Huntsville, Alabama. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time (UTC-6) and five hours during daylight saving time (UTC-5). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time (UTC-6) and five hours during daylight saving time (UTC-5). ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Mr. ... A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating telephone number ranges to countries, regions, areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks such as mobile phone networks. ... Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the U.S. Federal government for use by all (non-military) government agencies and by government contractors. ... GNIS (The Geographic Names Information System) contains name and locative information about almost two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its Territories. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 362 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (810 × 1340 pixel, file size: 243 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 362 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (810 × 1340 pixel, file size: 243 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Nickname: Location in Jefferson County in the state of Alabama Coordinates: , Country State Counties Jefferson, Shelby Incorporated December 19, 1871 Government  - Type Mayor - Council  - Mayor Bernard Kincaid (Current) Larry Langford (Mayor-Elect) Area  - City 151. ... Decatur, Alabama (top center), along the Tennessee River, is southwest of Huntsville and north of Birmingham, along Interstate 65. ... A riverboat passing under the Henley Street Bridge on the Tennessee River. ... Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... This article is about the U.S. State. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... North Alabama is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama, generally thought to include these 11 counties: Cherokee, Colbert, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, and Winston. ... This article is about the U.S.–U.K. war. ... A riverboat passing under the Henley Street Bridge on the Tennessee River. ... For other uses, see Textile (disambiguation). ... Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... Aerial view of the test area at Marshall Space Flight Center The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a lead NASA center for propulsion, Space Shuttle propulsion, external fuel tank, crew training and payloads, International Space Station (ISS) design and construction, for computers, networks, and information management. ... Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) located next to the city of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. ...

Huntsville is the largest core city of the four-county large Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated Sub-Region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA. It is also currently the 93rd largest CSA in the country. ...

As of the 2000 census, the population of Huntsville was 164,570. As of 2006 Census estimates the Huntsville Metropolitan Area had a population of 368,661 with the city proper having 168,132 residents.^[1] Huntsville, and its cross-river neighbor Decatur, combine their separate metro areas to form the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, which, in 2004, had a total population of 510,088. 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... Decatur, Alabama (top center), along the Tennessee River, is southwest of Huntsville and north of Birmingham, along Interstate 65. ... The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated Sub-Region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA. It is also currently the 93rd largest CSA in the country. ...

History

First settlers

The Big Spring, basis of street plan in Twickenham (renamed in 1812 to "Huntsville").

Huntsville is named after Revolutionary War veteran John Hunt, the first settler of the land around the Big Spring. However, Hunt did not properly register his claim, and the area was purchased by Leroy Pope, who imposed the name Twickenham on the area to honor the home village of his distant kinsman Alexander Pope. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2032x1524, 1041 KB) The Big Spring, namesake of Big Spring International Park in Huntsville, Alabama. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2032x1524, 1041 KB) The Big Spring, namesake of Big Spring International Park in Huntsville, Alabama. ... Big Spring Park is located in downtown Huntsville, AL. It is most noted as being the site of Big Spring Jam, an annual music festival that usually occurs on the fourth weekend in September. ... LeRoy Pope (Jan 30, 1765 – June 17, 1844) was a prominent American planter, lawyer, and early settler of Madison County, Alabama. ... For other uses, see Alexander Pope (disambiguation). ...

Twickenham was carefully planned, with streets laid out on the northeast to southwest direction based on the Big Spring (see images below). However, due to anti-English sentiment during the War of 1812, the name was changed to Huntsville to honor John Hunt, who had been forced to move to other land south of the new city.

Both John Hunt and Leroy Pope were Freemasons and charter members of Helion Lodge #1.^[3] Freemasons redirects here. ...

Incorporation 1811

In 1811, Huntsville became the first incorporated town in Alabama. However, the recognized "birth" year of the city is 1805, the year of John Hunt's arrival. The city's sesquicentennial anniversary was held in 1955 and the bicentennial was celebrated in 2005. For the US Federal Agent designation, see Special agent. ... Thomas Jefferson. ... An anniversary is a day that commemorates an event that occurred on the same day of the year some time in the past. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... An anniversary is a day that commemorates an event that occurred on the same day of the year some time in the past. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Emerging industries

Huntsville's quick growth was from wealth generated by the cotton and railroad industries. Many wealthy planters moved into the area from Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. In 1819, Huntsville hosted a constitutional convention in Walker Allen's large cabinetmaking shop. The forty-four delegates meeting there wrote a constitution for the new state of Alabama. In accordance with the new state constitution, Huntsville became Alabama's first capital when the state was admitted to the Union. This was a temporary designation for one legislative session only, and the capital was then moved to another temporary location, Cahawba, until the legislature selected a permanent capital. (Today, the capital is Montgomery.) For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Year 1819 (MDCCCXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) in the [[Grhttp://en. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Cahawba (sometimes spelled Cahaba) was the first capital of Alabama. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Montgomery Incorporated December 3, 1819 Government  - Mayor Bobby Bright Area  - City  156. ...

Civil War

Bird's Eye View of 1871 Huntsville, Alabama.

In 1855, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad was constructed through Huntsville, becoming the first railway to link the Atlantic seacoast with the Mississippi River. Huntsville initially opposed secession from the Union in 1861, but provided many men for the state's defense when Abraham Lincoln called for an invasion of the South. The 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment, led by Col. Egbert J. Jones of Huntsville, distinguished itself at the Battle of Mannasas/Bull Run, the first major encounter of the American Civil War. The Fourth Alabama Infantry, which contained two Huntsville companies, were the first Alabama troops to fight in the war and were present at the end when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox in April 1865. Eight generals of the war were born in or near Huntsville, evenly split with four on each side. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (8016x6912, 10571 KB) // Summary Part of the American Memory Map Collection Source SID File Licensing Bibliographic Information Birds eye view of the city of Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama 1871. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (8016x6912, 10571 KB) // Summary Part of the American Memory Map Collection Source SID File Licensing Bibliographic Information Birds eye view of the city of Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama 1871. ... Year 1855 (MDCCCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Memphis and Charleston Railroad completed in 1857 was the first railroad in the United States to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Irvin McDowell Joseph E. Johnston P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 35,000 32,500 Casualties 2,896 (460 killed, 1,124 wounded, 1,312 captured/missing)[1] 1,982 (387 killed, 1,582 wounded, 13 missing)[1] For other uses... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Appomattox is a town located in Appomattox County, Virginia. ... Year 1865 (MDCCLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

On the morning of April 11, 1862, Union troops led by General Ormsby M. Mitchel seized Huntsville to sever the Confederacy's rail communications. The Union troops were forced to retreat some months later, but returned to Huntsville in the fall of 1863 and thereafter used the city as a base of operations for the remainder of the war. While many homes and villages in the surrounding countryside were burned in retaliation for the active guerrilla warfare in the area, Huntsville itself was spared because it housed the occupying Union Army. is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about 1862 . ... Ormbsy MacKnight (or McKnight) Mitchel (July 20, 1805 – October 30, 1862) was an American astronomer and major general in the American Civil War. ...

After the Civil War

Child workers at Merrimac Mills in Huntsville, November 1910. Photographed by Lewis Hine.

After the Civil War, Huntsville became a center for cotton textile mills, such as Lincoln, Dallas and Merrimack. Each mill had its own housing community that included everything the mill workers needed (schools, churches, grocery stores, theatres, and hardware stores, all within walking distance of the mill). A twelve year old American uneducated child laborer, Furman Owens, who stated Yes I want to learn but cant when I work all the time. ... Power house mechanic working on steam pump, 1920 Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940), was an American photographer. ...

Great Depression 1930s

During the 1930s, industry declined in Huntsville due to the Great Depression. Huntsville became known as the Watercress Capital of the World^[4] because of its abundant harvest in the area. Madison County led Alabama in cotton production during this time.^[4] For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... Species Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum L. Nasturtium microphyllum Boenn ex Rchb. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ...

World War II

By 1940, Huntsville was still a small quiet town with a population of only 13,150 inhabitants. This quickly changed at the onset of World War II, when Huntsville was chosen as the location of Redstone Arsenal, with its numerous munitions manufacturing plants. The Arsenal was almost closed in 1949 when it was no longer needed, but it saw new life when General H. N. Toftoy with support from Senator John Sparkman convinced the U. S. Army to choose Huntsville as the location for its missile research program. In 1950, General Toftoy brought German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun and his colleagues to Redstone Arsenal to develop what would eventually become the United States' space program. Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of von Braun, see von Braun (disambiguation). ... Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) located next to the city of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ...

Space flight

Historic rockets in Rocket Park of the US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama.

On September 8, 1960, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. (NASA had already activated this facility, which is located on Redstone Arsenal, on July 1 of that year.) Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1059 KB) Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1059 KB) Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Rocket Garden. ... Some of the rockets in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dwight David Eisenhower, born David Dwight Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), nicknamed Ike, was a five-star General in the United States Army and U.S. politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ... Aerial view of the test area at Marshall Space Flight Center The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a lead NASA center for propulsion, Space Shuttle propulsion, external fuel tank, crew training and payloads, International Space Station (ISS) design and construction, for computers, networks, and information management. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Huntsville is thus home to both Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center, and is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its close history with U.S. space missions. Huntsville has been important in developing space technology since the 1950s, when the German scientists headed by Dr. Wernher von Braun, brought to the United States at the end of World War II through Operation Paperclip, arrived to develop rocketry for the U.S. Army. Their work included designing the Redstone ballistic missile, a variant of which, the Juno I, carried the first U.S. satellite and astronauts into space. Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) located next to the city of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. ... Aerial view of the test area at Marshall Space Flight Center The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a lead NASA center for propulsion, Space Shuttle propulsion, external fuel tank, crew training and payloads, International Space Station (ISS) design and construction, for computers, networks, and information management. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... For other uses of von Braun, see von Braun (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Operation Paperclip scientists pose together. ... First launched in 1953, the American Redstone rocket was a direct descendant of the German V-2. ... The Jupiter-C Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) was designed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) The vehicle consists of a modified Redstone ballistic missile with three solid-propellant upper stages. ...

Space Shuttle Pathfinder at Space Camp

The Saturn V, utilized by the Apollo program manned Moon missions, was developed from the Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville continues to play an important role in the United States' Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs. It is estimated that 1 in 13 of Huntsville's population are employed in some engineering field of work. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 325 KB) Summary This is a space shuttle model situated in the rocket park at the alabama space and rocket center. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 325 KB) Summary This is a space shuttle model situated in the rocket park at the alabama space and rocket center. ... The Space Shuttle Orbiter Pathfinder (honorary Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-098) is a Space Shuttle simulator made of steel and wood. ... Towering rockets in the Rocket Park are a daily sight for campers at U.S. Space Camp. ... For the moon designated Saturn V, see Rhea. ... This article is about the series of human spaceflight missions. ... This article is about the space vehicle. ... ISS redirects here. ...

Huntsville's economy was nearly crippled and growth came to a near standstill in the 1970s following the closure of the Apollo program, but the emergence of the Space Shuttle and the ever-expanding field of missile defense in the 1980s helped give Huntsville a resurgence that continues to this day. The city continues to be the center of rocket-propulsion research in the United States, and is home to large branches of many defense contractors. Project Apollo was a series of human spaceflight missions undertaken by the United States of America (NASA) using the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn launch vehicle, conducted during the years 1961 – 1975. ... Missile defence is an air defence system, weapon program, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. ... A defense contractor (sometimes called a military contractor) is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a defense department of a government. ...

Huntsville is also the location of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM). Huntsville's contributions to United States Cold War missile armament and technology earned it a "red star" designation as a target of the Soviet Union in the event of a nuclear exchange, fourth behind only New York City, Washington, DC, and NORAD.^{[citation needed]} ATACMS missile The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is the U.S. Army organization primarily responsible for life cycle management of army missile, helicopter, unmanned ground vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle weapon systems. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... NORAD Headquarters Building. ...

Geography

Huntsville is located at 34°42' North, 86°35' West (34.7, -86.6)^[5].

According to the Huntsville Times from Tuesday April 15, 2008^[6], the city now has a total area of 202 square miles (451.8 km²). Recent annexations into Limestone County have pushed Huntsville City to a total of 4.5 square miles inside Limestone County and officially abuts Huntsville to Athens, a city to the west. The Huntsville Times is the daily morning newspaper of record for the city of Huntsville, Alabama and its surrounding areas. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... Limestone County is the name of several counties in the United States: Limestone County, Alabama Limestone County, Texas This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Huntsville is located in the Tennessee River Valley. Several mesas and large hills partially surround the city. These mesas are associated with the Cumberland Plateau, and are locally called "mountains." Monte Sano (Italian for "Mountain of Health") is the most notable, and is east of the city along with Round Top (Burritt), Chapman, Huntsville, and Green Mountains. Others are Wade Mountain to the north, Rainbow Mountain to the west, and Weeden and Madkin Mountains on Redstone Arsenal in the south. Brindlee Mountain is visible in the south across the Tennessee River. A riverboat passing under the Henley Street Bridge on the Tennessee River. ... For other uses, see Mesa (disambiguation). ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... Monte Sano is a horseshoe-shaped mountain in Madison County, Alabama beside the city of Huntsville. ... Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) located next to the city of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. ... Brindley Mountain, also spelled Brindlee Mountain, is a plateau in northern Alabama. ...

As with other areas along the Cumberland Plateau, the land around Huntsville is karst in nature. Huntsville was founded around the Big Spring, which is a typical karst spring, and many caves perforate the limestone bedrock underneath the city, as is common in karst areas. The headquarters of the National Speleological Society are located in Huntsville. Karst topography occurs when a landscape is marked by underground drainage patterns. ... For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ... The National Speleological Society (NSS) is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. ...

Climate

Huntsville has a humid subtropical climate. It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from 89.0 °F (31.6 C) in the summer to 49.0 °F (9.4 C) during winter. Some years, Huntsville experiences tornadoes during the spring and fall. Significant tornado events include the Super Outbreak in 1974, the more recent November 1989 Tornado Outbreak that killed 21 and injured almost 500, and the Anderson Hills Tornado that killed one and caused extensive damage in 1995. Since Huntsville is nearly 300 miles (480 km) inland, hurricanes are rarely experienced with their full force; however, many weakened tropical storms cross the area after a U.S. Gulf Coast landfall. While most winters have some measurable snow, significant snow is rare in Huntsville; but there have been some anomalies, like the 1963 New Years Day snowstorm, when 17 inches (43 cm) fell within 24 hours. Likewise, the Blizzard of 1993 and a Groundhog Day snowstorm in 1996 were substantial winter events for Huntsville. However, as of the winter of 2005-06, Huntsville has gone 10 years without any significant snowfall (>4 inches). The humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. ... This article is about the weather phenomenon. ... 1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita Scale The Super Outbreak is the largest tornado outbreak on record. ... 1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale The November 1989 Tornado Outbreak was a destructive tornado outbreak on November 15 and 16, 1989 across a wide swath of the southern and eastern United States and into Canada. ... Note: The following is adapted from a National Weather Service report about the Anderson Hills tornado. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ... States that border the Gulf of Mexico are shown in red The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. ... ... For the movie of the same name, see Groundhog Day (film) Groundhog Day or Groundhogs Day is a traditional holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

source A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...

Demographics

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 158,216 people living within the city limits. There are 66,742 households and 41,713 families residing in the city. The population density was 909.0 people per square mile (351.0/km²). There were 73,670 housing units at an average density of 423.3/sq mi (163.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.47% White, 30.21% Black or African American, 0.54% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 2.04% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There are 66,742 households out of which 27.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% are married couples living together, 13.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% are non-families. 32.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.91.

Huntsville, Alabama Demographic Distribution

Huntsville, Alabama Sex Ratio & Income Distribution

This article is about the statistical concept. ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Politics and government

Huntsville's Administration Building, also known as City Hall

The current mayor of Huntsville is Loretta Spencer, who was elected in 1996 and is the first female mayor of the city. The city has a five-member/district City Council. The current members are: District 1 (Northwest)- Richard Showers, Sr.; District 2 (East)- Mark Russell (President); District 3 (Southeast)- Sandra Moon; District 4 (Southwest)- Bill Kling; District 5 (West)- Glenn Watson. Council elections are "staggered", meaning that Districts 1 and 5 will have elections simultaneously with mayoral elections in 2008, while Districts 2, 3, and 4 will have elections in August 2010. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2032x1524, 759 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Huntsville, Alabama Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2032x1524, 759 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Huntsville, Alabama Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Loretta Spencer in 2004 holds the office of mayor of Huntsville, Alabama. ...

There are also many boards and commissions run by the city, controlling everything from schools and planning to museums and downtown development.

See also: List of mayors of Huntsville, Alabama This is a list of mayors that served the city of Huntsville, Alabama. ...

Public Safety

In 2007, Mayor Loretta Spencer combined the police, fire, and animal services departments to create the Department of Public Safety. The former chief of police, Rex Reynolds, was appointed as its director. The new department has nearly 900 employees and an annual budget of $63 million.

Fire

The Huntsville Fire Department has 18 engine companies and 4 ladder/rescue companies located in 17 stations throughout the city of Huntsville. Many Huntsville firefighters are also members of the regional Hazardous Materials and Heavy Rescue response teams. The current chief is Danny Loggins.

Police

The Huntsville Police Department has 3 precincts and 1 downtown HQ, 360 sworn officers, 150 civilian personnel, and patrols an area of 194.7+ square miles (this number has grown due to recent annexations). The current chief is Henry Reyes.

Police Academy

The Huntsville Police Academy is one of the oldest police academies in the United States. To date the Academy has completed 46 basic academies, and most recently the 47th Lateral Session. On May 8, 2006 the Huntsville Police Academy began the 47th Basic Session. Until the 47th Lateral Session, academies were held at the Old Huntsville Airport on Airport Rd. After the gradation of the 46th Session, the academy moved to the Public Safety Training Complex on Sparkman Drive, which is also home to the Huntsville Fire Academy. is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Economy

Huntsville's main economic influence is derived from aerospace and military technology. Redstone Arsenal, Cummings Research Park (CRP), and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center comprise the main hubs for the area's technology-driven economy. CRP is the second largest research park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world, and is over 38 years old. Huntsville is also home for commercial technology companies such as the network access company ADTRAN, computer graphics company Intergraph and design and manufacturer of IT infrastructure Avocent. Telecommunications provider Deltacom, Inc. and copper tube manufacturer and distributor Wolverine Tube are also based in Huntsville. Sanmina-SCI also has a large presence in the area. Forty-two Fortune 500 companies have operations in Huntsville. Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. Army post and a census-designated place (CDP) located next to the city of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. ... Cummings Research Park, located primarily in the city of Huntsville, Alabama is the second largest research park in the United States, and the fourth largest in the world. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... Aerial view of the test area at Marshall Space Flight Center The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a lead NASA center for propulsion, Space Shuttle propulsion, external fuel tank, crew training and payloads, International Space Station (ISS) design and construction, for computers, networks, and information management. ... Adtran is a telecommunications equipment manufacturer based in Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A. It was founded in 1986 by Mark C. Smith and Lonnie McMillian. ... Intergraph was founded in 1969 as M&S Computing, Inc. ... Avocent Corporation was formed in 2000 from the merger of the world’s two largest KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) switch manufacturers: Apex and Cybex Computer Products Corporation. ... Deltacom, Inc. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ...

In 2005, Forbes Magazine named the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area as 6th best place in the nation for doing business, and number one in terms of the number of engineers per total employment. In 2006, Huntsville dropped to 14th; the prevalence of engineers was not considered in the 2006 ranking. Alternate meaning: For the Boston Brahmin family associated with John Forbes Kerry, see Forbes family. ... The Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area is the most populated Sub-Region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 510,088 living within the CSA. It is also currently the 93rd largest CSA in the country. ...

• Other Media Recognition for Huntsville

Retail

Huntsville is fast becoming a regional retail center. There are many strip malls and "power centers" throughout the city. Huntsville has two malls- Madison Square Mall, built in 1984, and Parkway Place, built in 2002 on the site of the former Parkway City Mall. The city also has a lifestyle center called Bridge Street Town Centre, built in 2007, in Cummings Research Park. Another "live, work, and play" center is being constructed on the former site of the Heart of Huntsville Mall. It is to be called Constellation with ground breaking in Fall 2007 and scheduled completion by 2010. [1] Madison Square Mall is Huntsville, Alabamas largest enclosed shopping center, encompassing over 932,452 sq. ... Parkway Place is an upscale shopping mall in Huntsville, Alabama. ... Bridge Street Town Centre is an upscale 2 million sq. ... Cummings Research Park, located primarily in the city of Huntsville, Alabama is the second largest research park in the United States, and the fourth largest in the world. ...

Utilities

Electricity, water, and natural gas are all provided in Huntsville by Huntsville Utilities (HU). HU gets its power from the Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA for short. TVA has two plants that provide electricity to the Huntsville area- Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in Limestone County and Guntersville Dam in Marshall County. A third, Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant in Jackson County, was built in the 1980s but was never activated. Due to the rapid growth of the region, TVA has plans to eventually activate the plant. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Browns Ferry nuclear power plant is located on the Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. ... A nuclear power station. ... Limestone County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... Guntersville Lake area Lake Guntersville is located in north Alabama between Bridgeport and Guntersville. ... Marshall County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... The Tennessee Valley Authoritys unfinished Bellefonte nuclear power plant is located in Hollywood, Alabama, abandoned in 1988 after a $6 billion investment. ... Jackson County is a county of the State of Alabama. ...

Telephone service in Huntsville is provided by AT&T,Knology and Comcast . Huntsville has 2 cable providers in the city limits. They are Comcast and Knology (Mediacom in rural outlying areas). This article is about the current AT&T. For the 1885-2005 company, see American Telephone & Telegraph. ... Knology logo. ... Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest cable television company and the second largest Internet service provider in the United States. ... Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest cable television company and the second largest Internet service provider in the United States. ... Knology logo. ...

Transportation

Huntsville is served by several U.S. Highways, including 72, 231, 431 and an Interstate highway spur, I-565, that links the two cities of Huntsville and Decatur to I-65. Alabama Highway 53 also connects the city with I-65 in Ardmore, Tennessee. United States Highway 72 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 432 miles from southeast Tennesee through northern Alabama and northern Mississippi to southwest Tennessee. ... U.S. Highway 231 is a spur of U.S. Highway 31. ... U.S. Highway 431 is a spur of U.S. Highway 31. ... Interstate Highways in the lower 48 states. ... Interstate 565 (I-565) is a 21 mile (34 km) Interstate spur which connects Interstate 65 (I-65) near Decatur, Alabama with Huntsville, Alabama. ... Decatur is a city located in Morgan County, Alabama on the shore of the Tennessee River. ... Interstate 65 (abbreviated I-65) is an Interstate Highway in the United States. ... State Route 53 runs from the Tennessee-Alabama state line near Ardmore and runs to Huntsville at a junction with US 231. ... Interstate 65 (abbreviated I-65) is an Interstate Highway in the United States. ... Ardmore is a city in Giles County, Tennessee, United States. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ...

Public transit

Public transit in Huntsville is run by the city's Department of Parking and Public Transit. The Huntsville Shuttle runs 11 fixed routes throughout the city, mainly around downtown and major shopping areas like Memorial Parkway and University Drive and has recently expanded some of the buses to include bike racks on the front for a trial program. There is also a Tourist Trolley that makes stops at tourist attractions and shopping centers. The city also runs HandiRide, a demand-response transit system for the handicapped, and RideShare, a county-wide carpooling program. The Huntsville Shuttle fixed-route bus system began in 1990 in response to the growing population and congestion of the city of Huntsville, Alabama. ... Memorial Parkway (colloquially The Parkway or Parkway) is a major thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama. ...

Railroads

Huntsville has two active commercial rail lines. The mainline is run by Norfolk Southern, which runs from Memphis, TN to Chattanooga. Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ... City nickname: The River City or The Bluff City Location in the state of Tennessee County Shelby County, Tennessee Area  - Total  - Water 763. ... Chattanooga is a city located in United States of America. ...

Another rail line, formerly part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, successor to the Nashville, Chattanooga and Saint Louis Railroad, is being operated by HMCRA (Huntsville-Madison County Railroad Authority). The line connects to the Norfolk Southern line downtown and runs 13 miles (21 km) South, passing near Ditto Landing on the Tennessee River, and terminating at Norton Switch, near Hobbs Island. This service, in continuous operation since 1894, presently hauls freight and provides transloading facilities at its downtown depot location. Until the mid-fifties, L & N provided freight and passenger service to Guntersville and points South. The rail cars were loaded onto barges at Hobbs Island. The barge tows were taken through the Guntersville Dam & Locks and discharged at Port Guntersville. Remnants of the track supporting piers still remain in the river just upstream from Hobbs Island. The service ran twice daily. L & N abandoned the line in 1984 at which time it was acquired by the newly-created HMCRA, a State Agency. A riverboat passing under the Henley Street Bridge on the Tennessee River. ...

The North Alabama Railroad Museum in Chase maintains a line once owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The museum runs weekend tourist rides along a short track in Northeast Madison County. Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business. ...

Ports

The inland Port of Huntsville combines the Huntsville International Airport, International Intermodal Center, and Jetplex Industrial Park. The intermodal terminal transfers truck and train cargo. The port has on-site U.S. Customs and USDA inspectors and is Foreign Trade Zone No. 83. The Port of Huntsville is an inland port located in Huntsville, Alabama that consists of the: Huntsville International Airport International Intermodal Center Jetplex Industrial Park Categories: | ... FAA Official Diagram Huntsville International Airport (IATA: HSV, ICAO: KHSV, FAA LID: HSV), also known as Carl T. Jones Field, is an airport located 9 miles (14 km) southwest of the central business district of Huntsville, a city in Madison County, Alabama, United States. ... The United States Customs Service (now known as U.S. Customs and Border Protection or CBP) was the portion of the US Federal Government dedicated to keeping illegal products outside of US borders. ... USDA redirects here. ... A free port (porto franco) or free zone (US: Foreign-Trade Zone) is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. ...

Huntsville International Airport is served by several regional and national carriers (including Delta, Northwest, US Air, Continental, United, and American) and offers non-stop flights to many airports across the Eastern U.S. However, Huntsville International gets its name because of its reputation as a cargo transport hub. Many delivery companies have hubs in Huntsville, making delivery flights to Europe, Asia, and Mexico. Port of Huntsville website FAA Official Diagram Huntsville International Airport (IATA: HSV, ICAO: KHSV, FAA LID: HSV), also known as Carl T. Jones Field, is an airport located 9 miles (14 km) southwest of the central business district of Huntsville, a city in Madison County, Alabama, United States. ...

Media and communications

Newspapers

The Huntsville Times has been Huntsville's only daily newspaper since 1996, when the Huntsville News closed. Before then, the News was the morning paper, and the Times was the afternoon paper until 2004. The Huntsville Times has a weekday circulation of 60,000, which rises to 80,000 on Sundays. The Huntsville Times is the daily morning newspaper of record for the city of Huntsville, Alabama and its surrounding areas. ...

A few alternative newspapers are available in Huntsville. The Valley Planet covers entertainment in the Huntsville area. The Redstone Rocket is a newspaper distributed throughout Redstone Arsenal's housing area covering activities on Redstone.