Geneva County was established on December 26, 1868. The county was declared a disaster area in September 1979 due to damage from Hurricane Frederic. On March 10, 2009, a gunman, identified as Michael McLendon, went on a shooting spree at nine locations in Geneva County from the town of Samson to the city of Geneva, killing ten people and wounding six others. McLendon entered his former place of employment, Reliable Metal Products on the northeastern side of Geneva, where he took his own life.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The county is located in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama. It is the fifth-smallest county in Alabama by total area.
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,764 people, 10,477 households, and 7,459 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile. There were 12,115 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 87.11% White, 10.65% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 10,477 households out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couplesliving together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92. In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 90.00 men. The median income for a household in the county was $26,448, and the median income for a family was $32,563. Males had a median income of $26,018 versus $19,341 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,620. About 15.90% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.20% of those under age 18 and 21.80% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Geneva
Hartford
Samson
Slocomb
Towns
Black
Coffee Springs
Malvern
Taylor
Census-designated places
Eunola
Unincorporated communities
Bellwood
Chancellor
Dundee
Earlytown
Fadette
Hacoda
High Bluff
Highfalls
Highnote
Government and politics
Much like the state and the rest of the Deep South, Geneva County was locked for the Democrats before 1964, except when powerful anti-Catholic and Prohibitionist feelings directed against “wet” Democratic nominee Al Smith allowed Herbert Hoover to win in 1928 by forty-eight votes. However, ever since1980, Geneva County has been a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry the county was Deep South native Jimmy Carter in 1976. Geneva is also noteworthy for being the best county in the country for segregationist and Alabama native George Wallace in the 1968 election, where his main support was from the Deep South and was strongest in the Wiregrass and Piney Woods regions.
