Spanish_Fort,_Alabama

Spanish Fort, Alabama

Spanish Fort is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.

The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 5,423.

Development

Since incorporating on July 19th, 1993, Spanish Fort has seen major growth. Major development in the western area of the city later lead to the opening of the Eastern Shore Centre, a commercial shopping center complex, on November 17, 2004. The area in what has more commonly been called Malbis, at Highway 181 (formerly Baldwin County Road 27) and I-10, has seen major development due to this and other related projects.

Geography

Spanish Fort is located at 30°40'7.403" North, 87°55'19.844" West (30.668723, -87.922179).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.1 square miles (28.8 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) of it (42.23%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,423 people, 2,035 households, and 1,518 families residing in the city. The population density was 844.2 people per square mile (326.1/km²). There were 2,164 housing units at an average density of 336.9/sq mi (130.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.64% White, 4.37% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,035 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.1% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $56,699, and the median income for a family was $67,844. Males had a median income of $50,240 versus $30,273 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,081. About 2.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

Originally a French trading post, the Spanish built a fort at the site of modern-day Spanish Fort in 1780, soon after taking the area from the British during the American Revolutionary War. The British attacked and destroyed the fort in 1781, but the Spanish rebuilt it in 1799. Spanish Fort was taken by the United States in 1814.

During the American Civil War, Spanish Fort was heavily fortified as an eastern defense to the city of Mobile. Fort Huger, Fort (Battery) Tracey, Fort (Battery) McDermott, Fort Alexis, Red Fort, and Old Spanish Fort were all part of the Mobile defenses in what is now Spanish Fort. After the Union victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay, Mobile nevertheless remained in Confederate hands. Union forces embarked on a land campaign in early 1865 to take Mobile from the east. Spanish Fort was the site of the Battle of Spanish Fort in the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. Its fall allowed Union forces to concentrate on Fort Blakeley to the north, and hence destroy the last organized resistance to northern occupation east of the Mississippi River. The falls of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley permitted Union troops to subsequently enter Mobile unopposed after the conclusion of the Civil War.