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Huntsville, Alabama
please note:
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{{Short description|City in North Alabama, US}}{{redirect|Huntsville}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
- it has been imported raw for GetWiki
| factoids | |
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|border = infobox
|total_width = 300
|image_style = border:1;
|caption_align = center
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|image1 = Huntsville,_Alabama_(2023).jpg
|caption1 = Downtown Huntsville
|image2 = Huntsville Art Museum - front façade and stairs 2023.jpg
|caption2 = Huntsville Museum of Art
|image3 = The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama LCCN2010639646.tif
|caption3 = U.S. Space & Rocket Center
|image4 = Propst Arena, Huntsville Alabama.jpg
|caption4 = Propst Arena
|image5 = Historic building on the square in Huntsville, Alabama LCCN2010639592.tif
|caption5 = First National Bank
}}|imagesize = |image_caption = |image_flag = |image_seal = Huntsville, AL Seal.png|image_blank_emblem = Huntsville, AL Logo.png|blank_emblem_type = Logo|image_map = Limestone County and Madison County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Huntsville Highlighted 0137000.svg|mapsize = 250px|map_caption = Location of Huntsville in Limestone County and Madison County, Alabama|pushpin_map = Alabama#USA|pushpin_mapsize = 200px|pushpin_map_caption = Location within Alabama##Location within the United States|pushpin_label = Huntsville|pushpin_relief = yes|subdivision_type = Country|subdivision_name = United States|total_width = 300
|image_style = border:1;
|caption_align = center
|perrow = 1/2/2
|image1 = Huntsville,_Alabama_(2023).jpg
|caption1 = Downtown Huntsville
|image2 = Huntsville Art Museum - front façade and stairs 2023.jpg
|caption2 = Huntsville Museum of Art
|image3 = The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama LCCN2010639646.tif
|caption3 = U.S. Space & Rocket Center
|image4 = Propst Arena, Huntsville Alabama.jpg
|caption4 = Propst Arena
|image5 = Historic building on the square in Huntsville, Alabama LCCN2010639592.tif
|caption5 = First National Bank
History
{{see also|Timeline of Huntsville, Alabama}}The City of Huntsville was incorporated on November 25, 1811WEB, Municipalities of Alabama Incorporation Dates, Alabama League of Municipalities,weblink March 13, 2024,Early history
Due to settlement pressures after the United States gained independence, this area had become largely empty of indigenous peoples by the turn of the 19th century. An Indian trader and boatman named Ditto established himself at a landing on the river prior to American settlement.Edward Chambers Betts. (1909). Early History of Huntsville Alabama 1804 to 1870. Revised 1916. Montgomery, Alabama: The Brown Printing Company. p. 6. Library of Congress website Retrieved October 7, 2023. Revolutionary War veteran John Hunt was a pioneer in 1805 on land around the Big Spring. The US negotiated an 1805 treaty with the Chickasaw and an 1806 treaty with the Cherokee who ceded their claims to land to the federal government.WEB, Hill, Sarah H., January 16, 2008, Cherokee Indian Removal,weblink December 18, 2022, Encyclopedia of Alabama, en, File:BigSpring.jpg|thumb|left|The Big Spring, the center of the street plan in Twickenham (renamed "Huntsville" in 1812)]]The area was subsequently purchased by LeRoy Pope, who named it Twickenham after the home village of his distant kinsman Alexander Pope.WEB,weblink Notes on the History of Huntsville, History.msfc.nasa.gov, November 8, 2011,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100527092424weblink">weblink May 27, 2010, Thomas Freeman and {{not a typo|Pharoah}} Roach started government surveys in 1805.Kathleen Paul Jones. "Madison County, Mississippi. Territorial Period, 1801-1817." The Huntsville Historical Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, January 1971. p. 35. Univ. of Ala. Huntsville website Retrieved October 7, 2023. Twickenham was carefully planned, with streets laid out in a northeast to southwest direction based on the flow of Big Spring. Given anti-British sentiment during this period after the Revolution and with tensions leading to the War of 1812, in 1811 the town name was changed to "Huntsville" to honor pioneer John Hunt.Record, James, and John McCormick; "Huntsville, Alabama: Rocket City, U.S.A.", pamphlet published in 1953 by Strode PublishersBoth John Hunt and LeRoy Pope were Freemasons and charter members of Helion Lodge #1, the oldest lodge in Alabama.WEB, Toby, Norris,weblink Helion Lodge #1, Huntsville, Alabama, Helionlodge.org, November 8, 2011, In 1811, Huntsville became the first incorporated town in what is now Alabama. However, the recognized "founding" year of the city is 1805, the year of John Hunt's arrival.WEB, History of Huntsville,weblink December 17, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, David Wade settled in Huntsville in 1817. He built the David Wade House on the north side of what is now Bob Wade Lane (Robert B. Wade was David's grandson), just east of Mt. Lebanon Road.WEB, David Wade House, Bob Wade Lane, Huntsville, Madison County, AL,weblink December 18, 2022, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA,Emerging industries
Huntsville's initial growth was based on wealth generated by the sale of cotton from plantations, for which there was international demand, and trade associated with railroad industries. Many wealthy planters moved into the area from Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas to develop new cotton plantations.JOURNAL, Snow, Whitney Adrienne, October 1, 2010, Cotton Mill City: The Huntsville Textile Industry, 1880-1989,weblink The Alabama Review, English, 63, 4, 243–282, 10.1353/ala.2010.0006, 154931802, The invention of the cotton gin in the late eighteenth century meant that uplands areas could be profitably cultivated with short-staple cotton, which could be grown in a much larger area than the long-staple cotton of the Sea Islands and Low Country. The increased use of cotton meant an increased use of slave labor throughout the South as well.WEB, Phillips, Kenneth E., Roberts, Janet, Cotton,weblink December 18, 2022, Encyclopedia of Alabama, en, Like the rest of Alabama, Huntsville was involved in the slave trade.WEB, Rohr, Nancy, Free People of Color in Madison County, Alabama,weblink May 26, 2023, Huntsville History Collection, Slaves worked in factories and on cotton plantations.WEB, Austin, Daniel B., 1971, The Life of the Negro Slave in Alabama,weblink May 26, 2023, Jacksonville State University, 45, Many cotton mills in the area relied on slave labor, most notably the Bell Factory, where slaves ran textile machinery. The factory was known throughout Alabama for its high levels of production.WEB, Hebert, Keith S., August 5, 2009, Slavery,weblink May 26, 2023, Encyclopedia of Alabama, en-US, Cotton mills grew Huntsville and the South's economies greatly, becoming 60% of all U.S. exports and connecting Huntsville to major cotton markets in Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans. An 1822 census showed that out of the 1,300 inhabitants of Huntsville, 448 were slaves, making up 36% of the city's population.In 1819, Huntsville hosted a constitutional convention in Walker Allen's large cabinet-making shop. The 44 delegates 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. The capital was moved to more central cities in the state; to Cahaba, then to Tuscaloosa, and finally to Montgomery.WEB,weblink History of the Alabama State Capitol, Alabama Historical Commission, October 7, 2019, In 1855, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad was constructed through Huntsville, becoming the first railway to link the Atlantic seacoast with the lower Mississippi River.BOOK, Harper's Encyclopædia of United States History from 458 A.D. to 1905: Based Upon the Plan of Benson John Lossing ...,weblink 1906, Harper & brothers, 526,Civil War
File:Huntsville Alabama 1862.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A Union officer of General Mitchell's army sketched Huntsville during the 1862 occupation]]Huntsville initially opposed secession from the Union in 1861, but provided many men for the Confederacy's efforts.BOOK, Cole, R.T., From Huntsville to Appomattox: R.T. Coles's History of 4th Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A., Army of Northern Virginia., University of Tennessee Press, 1996, 978-1-57233-340-6, Stocker, Jeffrey D., United States, en, 149517107, The 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment, led by Col. Egbert J. Jones of Huntsville, distinguished itself at the Battle of Manassas/Bull Run, the first major encounter of the American Civil War. The regiment, which contained two Huntsville companies, were the first Alabama troops to fight in the war. They were also present when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. Nine generals of the war were born in or near Huntsville; five fought for the Confederacy and four for the Union.BOOK, North Alabama Civil War generals: 13 wore gray, the rest blue, Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table, Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table, 2014, 978-1-63318-182-3, Madison, Alabama, en, 1141202898, Other Huntsville residents joined the Union Army and helped establish the Union Army's 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment.WEB, Ross, Steve, History of the First,weblink December 18, 2022, 1st Alabama Cavalry, On the morning of April 11, 1862, Union troops led by General Ormsby M. Mitchel seized Huntsville in order to sever the Confederacy's rail communications and gain access to the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Huntsville was the control point for the Western Division of the Memphis & Charleston.BOOK, Alabama Railroads, Cline, Wayne, The University of Alabama Press, 1997, Tuscaloosa, 4, During the first occupation, Union officers took over many of the larger homes in the city while the enlisted soldiers camped in tents mainly on the outskirts. Union troops searched for Confederate troops hiding in the town and weapons. There was not much resistance, and they treated Huntsville residents in a relatively civil manner. However, residents of nearby towns reported harsher treatment.BOOK, Rohr, Nancy M., Incidents of the war: the Civil War journal of Mary Jane Chadick, Chadick, Mary Jane, SilverThreads Publishing, 2005, 978-0-9707368-1-9, Huntsville, Alabama, en, 62675679, Union troops were forced to retreat a few months later. In the fall of 1863, they returned to Huntsville, using it as a base of operations for the war in the South until the last months of 1864. According to the journal of a nearby resident, Union troops burned many homes and villages in the surrounding countryside in retaliation for the active guerrilla warfare in the area. Many houses and buildings were burned,BOOK, Kvach, John F., Ethridge, Charity, Hopkins, Michelle, Leberman, Susanna, Huntsville (Images of America), 2013, April 1, 2013, Arcadia Publishing, 978-0-7385-9891-8, 9,weblink May 28, 2022, although most of Huntsville was kept intact as it housed both Union officers and troops.After the Civil War
File:Child workers in Huntsville, Alabama.jpg|thumb|Child workers at Merrimac Mills in Huntsville, November 1910, photograph by Lewis HineLewis HineDuring the Reconstruction era, three delegates from Huntsville attended the 1867 Constitutional Convention including Andrew J. Applegate, originally from Ohio, who went on to serve as Alabama's first Lieutenant Governor.WEB, Attendance Records of the state Constitutional Convention, 1867–1868,weblink December 18, 2022, Document Bank of Virginia, Councill Training School, which eventually became William Hooper Councill High School, was established as the first public school for African American students. It was named for educator and school founder William Hooper Councill.WEB, William Hooper Councill High School Site,weblink December 18, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, Huntsville became a center for cotton textile mills, such as Lincoln, Dallas, and Merrimack. Each mill company constructed worker housing outside the city, creating communities that eventually included schools, churches, grocery stores, theaters, and hardware stores, all within walking distance of the mill. In many such company towns, workers were required to buy goods at the company stores, which sometimes overcharged them. The mill owners also established rules for behavior and could throw out workers from housing if they violated these policies. As was common for the time, work was highly segregated with only whites being allowed to work inside the mills and Blacks relegated to working outside as laborers and groundskeepers.JOURNAL, Snow, Whitney Adrienne, 2010, Cotton Mill City: The Huntsville Textile Industry, 1880–1989,weblink{{!, A241619803&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=b6a8a1e4 |journal=Alabama Review |language=en |volume=63 |issue=4 |pages=243–281 |doi=10.1353/ala.2010.0006 |s2cid=154931802 |issn=2166-9961}}During the 1930s, industry declined in Huntsville due to the Great Depression. Huntsville became known as the Watercress Capital of the World because of its abundant harvest in the area. Madison County led Alabama in cotton production during this time.WEB, NASA MSFC Notes on the History of Huntsville,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100527092424weblink">weblink May 27, 2010, November 8, 2011, History.msfc.nasa.gov,Military and NASA involvement
By 1940, Huntsville was still relatively small, with a population of about 13,000 inhabitants. This quickly changed in early 1941 when the U.S. Army selected {{convert|35000|acre|km2}} of land adjoining the southwest area of the city for building three chemical munitions facilities: the Huntsville Arsenal, the Redstone Ordnance Plant (soon redesignated Redstone Arsenal), and the Gulf Chemical Warfare Depot. These operated throughout World War II, with combined personnel approaching 20,000. Resources in the area were strained as new workers flocked to the area, and the construction of housing could not keep up.BOOK, Baker, Michael E., Redstone Arsenal: yesterday and today, U.S. Army Missile Command, 1993, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, At the end of the war in 1945, the munitions facilities were no longer needed. They were combined with the designation Redstone Arsenal (RSA), and a considerable political and business effort was made in attempts to attract new tenants. One significant start involved manufacturing the Keller automobile, but this closed after 18 vehicles were built. With the encouragement of US Senator John Sparkman (D-AL), the U.S. Army Air Force considered this for a major testing facility, but selected another site. Redstone Arsenal was prepared for disposal, but Sparkman used his considerable Southern Democratic influence (the Solid South controlled numerous powerful chairmanships of congressional committees) to persuade the Army to choose it as a site for rocket and missile development.As the Korean War started, the Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC) was given the mission to develop what eventually became the Redstone Rocket. This rocket set the stage for the United States' space program, as well as major Army missile programs, to be centered in Huntsville. Brigadier General Holger Toftoy commanded OGMC and the overall Redstone Arsenal. In early 1956, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) under Major General John Medaris was formed.In 1950, about 1,000 personnel were transferred from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Redstone Arsenal to form the Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC). Central to this was a group of about 200 German scientists and engineers, led by Wernher von Braun; they had been brought from Nazi Germany to the United States by Colonel Holger Toftoy under Operation Paperclip following World War II. Assigned to the center at Huntsville, they settled and raised families.BOOK, Laney, Monique, German Rocketeers in the Heart of Dixie: Making Sense of the Nazi Past During the Civil Rights Era, Yale University Press, 2015, 978-0-300-21345-4, New Haven, Connecticut, en, 910553920, File:USSRC Rocket Park.JPG|thumb|left|Historic rockets in Rocket Park of the U.S. Space & Rocket CenterU.S. Space & Rocket CenterThe city is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its close association with U.S. space missions.WEB, Marcia, Dunn,weblink Rocket City, Alabama: Space history and an eye on the future, Associated Press, August 6, 2018, On January 31, 1958, ABMA placed America's first satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit using a Jupiter-C launch vehicle, a descendant of the Redstone. This brought national attention to Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville, with widespread recognition of this being a major center for high technology.NEWS, Bracker, Milton, Roars Up in Florida Tense 15 3/4 Seconds After It Is Fired Jupiter-C Rocket Bearing Nation's First Satellite Is Launched by Army in Florida – Device Goes Up With Great Roar – Weight of 80-Inch Satellite Is 30.8 Pounds — Rocket's Final Stage Is 12.67,weblink August 29, 2021, The New York Times, February 1, 1958, On July 1, 1960, 4,670 civilian employees, associated buildings and equipment, and {{convert|1840|acre|km2}} of land were transferred from ABMA to form NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Wernher von Braun was MSFC's initial director. On September 8, President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the MSFC.BOOK, Dunar, Andrew J.,weblink Power to Explore: A History of Marshall Space Flight Center 1960-1990, Waring, Stephen P., NASA, 1999, Washington, D.C., en, During the 1960s, the major mission of MSFC was in developing the Saturn boosters used by NASA in the Apollo Lunar Landing Program. For this, MSFC greatly increased its employees, and many new companies joined the Huntsville industrial community. The Cummings Research Park was developed just north of Redstone Arsenal to partially accommodate this industrial growth, and has now become the second-largest research park of this type in America.Huntsville was selected as the permanent home of the United States Space Operations Command in 2020, but in 2023 the Pentagon announced that the temporary headquarters would be expanded and remain in Colorado.NEWS,weblink The Loss of Space Command Headquarters Brings an Alabama City Down to Earth, The New York Times, August 5, 2023, August 5, 2023,Civil Rights Movement to modern day
Huntsville was a key location in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1962, students from Alabama A&M University held the city's first lunch counter sit-in.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=66}} After the mayor refused to address the protests, the Community Service Committee (CSC) was formed to help organize sit-ins and protests, as well as bail out arrested protestors.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=67}}WEB, Robinson, Kerry, April 14, 2014, Blacks in Huntsville, Alabama, sit in and win racial desegregation at lunch counters, 1962,weblink May 23, 2023, Global Nonviolent Action Database, In April 1962, a committee was formed by the city to "address the concerns of the African American community,"{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=77}} and eight lunch counters, as well as a number of other public spaces, were desegregated.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=77}} On May 11, 1962, Huntsville became the first city in Alabama to be racially integrated.In June 1963, the admission of two Black students to the University of Alabama in Huntsville was challenged by Governor George Wallace. Wallace pushed back the registration dates for multiple state universities (presumably to allow more time for state troopers to move into the area) but instead moved them to Tuscaloosa. The students were admitted without issues. Around the same time, the color barrier was broken further when the first white person enrolled at Alabama A&M University.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=79–80}} In August 1963, a court ruling determined that Huntsville must desegregate their schools. Wallace used state troopers to stop four students from entering the first desegregated school. On September 6, the troopers announced that the desegregated schools were closed for three more days, but the Board of Education issued a statement denying the closure.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=80–82}} When the schools opened on September 9, Wallace was served a restraining order against further interference with the desegregation of Huntsville schools.{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=85}} Huntsville became the first city in Alabama to desegregate its schools as well.WEB, Gray, Margo, January 18, 2011, Blue jeans put Huntsville in civil rights movement,weblink May 24, 2023, WAFF (TV), WAFF 48, en, Alabama's opposition to desegregation at this time caused concern from the NASA Administrator James E. Webb, who investigated equal employment opportunities for Black people in Huntsville. After failing to attract high-level staff to Huntsville, Webb said that "some research work would have to be switched from Huntsville to New Orleans". This investigation into employment caused MSFC to open their engineering education programs to Black students at Alabama A&M and Oakwood College, as well as for local contractors to "work for progress in race relations".{{Sfn|Fisk|2019|p=86–87}}WEB, Neuman, Scott, July 22, 2019, As NASA's Apollo Space Program Grew, Alabama Was Pressured To Desegregate,weblink May 25, 2023, NPR, The emergence of the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and a wide variety of advanced research in space sciences led to a resurgence in NASA-related activities that has continued into the 21st century.WEB, McCarter, Mark, September 25, 2017, Huntsville tethers International Space Station to Earth,weblink May 25, 2023, City of Huntsville, en-US, In addition, new Army organizations have emerged at Redstone Arsenal, particularly in the ever-expanding field of missile defense.WEB, Kesner, Kenneth, September 6, 2012, 'Epicenter of missile defense' growing on Redstone Arsenal,weblink December 18, 2022, AL.com, en,Geography
{{see also|Huntsville metropolitan area}}This city is located at {{Coord|32|31|03|N|87|50|11|W|type:city}} (34.6934098, -86.5607619).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|225.17|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|223.63|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.54|sqmi|km2}}, is water as of 2023.According to the City of Huntsville Statistics, the city has a total area of {{convert|226.62|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|225.09|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.54|sqmi|km2}}, is water as of 2024.WEB, Huntsville Statistics,weblink May 31, 2023, maps.huntsvilleal.gov, Huntsville has grown through recent annexations west into Limestone County by {{convert|21.5|mi2}} ({{convert|13885|acres|disp=comma}}) in the early 2000s,NEWS, Haskins, Shelly, Huntsville council annexes more Limestone land ahead of anti-annexation bill, The Huntsville Times, Huntsville, February 14, 2008,weblink January 9, 2010, and south into Morgan County with 1.03 square miles (2.67 km2) (659.1 acres, 266.73 ha) in 2018. Huntsville borders Marshall County across the Tennessee River near Hobbs Island.Huntsville has the 29th largest land area in the United States, for cities with a population over 100,000.Huntsville has borders surrounding both the cities of Madison and Triana. Huntsville also borders the cities of Decatur, Athens, Owens Cross Roads, the town of Mooresville as well as the census-designated places of Moores Mill, Meridianville, Laceys Spring, and Redstone Arsenal.Situated in the Tennessee River valley, Huntsville is partially surrounded by several plateaus and large hills. These plateaus are associated with the Cumberland Plateau, and are locally called "mountains". Monte Sano Mountain (Spanish for "Mountain of Health") is the most notable and is east of the city, along with Round Top (Burritt), Chapman, Huntsville, and Green mountains.WEB, Monte Sano State Park,weblink Alabama State Parks, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, April 11, 2016, Others are Wade Mountain to the north, Rainbow Mountain to the west, and Weeden and Madkin mountains on the Redstone Arsenal property in the south. Brindley Mountain is visible in the south across the Tennessee River.WEB, Adams, Eric, Mountains of Madison County Part One - Huntsville Outdoors,weblink December 19, 2022, huntsvilleoutdoors.com, July 22, 2016, en-us, As with other areas along the Cumberland Plateau, the land around Huntsville is karst in nature. The city was founded around the Big Spring, which is a typical karst spring. Many caves perforate the limestone bedrock underneath the surface, as is common in karst areas. The National Speleological Society is headquartered in Huntsville.WEB, About NSS,weblink December 19, 2022, National Speleological Society, en-US,Climate
Huntsville has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from near {{convert|90|°F|1|abbr=on}} in the summer to {{convert|49|°F|1|abbr=on}} during winter.WEB, Huntsville Climate: Narrative,weblink December 19, 2022, weather.gov, National Weather Service, EN-US, WEB, Climate,weblink December 19, 2022, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber, en-US, Huntsville is near the center of a large area of the U.S. mid-South that has maximum precipitation in the winter and spring, not summer. The average yearly precipitation is more than 54 inches. On average, the wettest single month is December, but Huntsville has a prolonged wetter season from November to May with, on average, nearly or over 5 or more inches of precipitation most of those months. On average, August to October represent slightly drier months (see climate chart, showing less than 3.6 inches of precipitation these months). Droughts can occur, primarily August through October, but usually there is enough rainfall to keep soils moist and vegetation lush. Much of Huntsville's precipitation is delivered by thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are most frequent during the spring, and the most severe storms occur during the spring and late fall.WEB, Madison County Tornadoes,weblink December 19, 2022, weather.gov, EN-US, December 19, 2022,weblink These storms can deliver large hail, damaging straight-line winds, and tornadoes. Huntsville lies in a region colloquially known as Dixie Alley, an area more prone to violent, long-track tornadoes than most other parts of the US.NEWS, Rice, Doyle, April 25, 2011, Dixie Alley may see more tornado action than even Tornado Alley, USA Today,weblink January 24, 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120229014823weblink">weblink February 29, 2012, WEB, Gerard, Alan, Gagan, John, Gordon, John, October 17, 2005, A Comparison of Tornado Statistics from Tornado Alley and Dixie Alley,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20121019091458weblink">weblink October 19, 2012, January 24, 2012, National Weather Service, PPT, On April 27, 2011, the largest tornado outbreak on record, the 2011 Super Outbreak, affected northern Alabama. During this event, an EF5 tornado that tracked near the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant destroyed many transmission towers and caused a multi-day power outage for the majority of North Alabama. That same tornado also resulted in considerable damage to the Anderson Hills subdivision and in Harvest, Alabama. In total, nine people were killed in Madison County, and many others were injured.WEB, Stephens, Challen, April 29, 2011, Tornadoes now responsible for 9 deaths in Madison County, officials say,weblink November 8, 2011, The Huntsville Times, AL.com, Other significant tornado events include the Super Outbreak in April 1974, the November 1989 tornado that killed 21 and injured over 460, and the 1995 Anderson Hills tornado that killed one person and caused extensive damage.NEWS, The Associated Press, Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina), The Times-News, Hendersonville, North Carolina, 19, 42 Persons Dead in Severe Storms, Tornadoes in Alabama,weblink March 25, 1974, March 20, 2010, {{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}NEWS, Dennis, Sherer, TimesDaily, Florence, Alabama, B1, Night of April 3, 1974, marked change in severe weather alerts, preparedness,weblink April 3, 2004, March 20, 2010, On January 21, 2010, an EF2 tornado struck Huntsville, resulting in moderate damage. Because it was not rain-wrapped and was easily photographed, it received extensive media coverage.NEWS,weblink Huntsville tornado measured EF-2 on Fujita scale, January 23, 2010, Associated Press, Huntsville Times, While most winters have some measurable snow, heavy snow is rare in Huntsville.WEB, Huntsville Winter Statistics,weblink May 25, 2023, weather.gov, EN-US, However, there have been some unusually heavy snowstorms, like the New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm, when {{convert|17|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} fell within 24 hours. Likewise, the Blizzard of 1993 and the Groundhog Day snowstorm in February 1996 were substantial winter events for Huntsville. On Christmas Day 2010, Huntsville recorded over {{convert|4|in|cm}} of snow, and on January 9–10, 2011 it received {{convert|8.9|in|cm}} at the airport and up to {{convert|10|in|cm}} in the suburbs.NEWS,weblink Snowfall most since 1988 in Huntsville, third-biggest on record, Steve, Doyle, January 10, 2011, The Huntsville Times, October 4, 2011, {{Weather box,weblink
, NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
, June 6, 2021, WEB
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, Station: Huntsville INTL AP, AL
, U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
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, Comparative Climatic Data For the United States Through 2018
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, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
, June 6, 2021, WEB
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, Station: Huntsville INTL AP, AL
, U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
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, Comparative Climatic Data For the United States Through 2018
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, World Meteorological Organization Standard Normals 1961–1990
, June 6, 2021, |date=August 2010}}
Demographics
{{US Census population|1840= 2496|1850= 2863|1860= 3634|1870= 4907|1880= 4977|1890= 7995|1900= 8068|1910= 7611|1920= 8018|1930= 11554|1940= 13050|1950= 16437|1960= 72365|1970= 139282|1980= 142513|1990= 159789|2000= 158216|2010= 180105|2020= 215006|estyear=2022|estimate=2219332020 census{| class"wikitable" style"text-align:center;"
Economy
Huntsville's main economic influence is derived from aerospace and military technology.WEB, Vollers, Anna Claire, Huntsville, Alabama Job Market,weblink May 25, 2023, U.S. News & World Report, Redstone Arsenal, Cummings Research Park (CRP), Jetplex Industrial Park, 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. The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a center for technology and engineering research in the area. There are commercial technology companies such as the network access company ADTRAN, computer graphics company Intergraph and designer and manufacturer of IT infrastructure Avocent. Cinram manufactures and distributes 20th Century Fox DVDs and Blu-ray discs out of their Huntsville plant. Sanmina-SCI has a presence in the area. A number of Fortune 500 companies have operations in Huntsville.WEB, 2021 Fortune 500 - Huntsville Metro Area,weblink December 17, 2022, asmartplace.com, There are several strip malls and shopping malls throughout the city. Huntsville has one enclosed mall, Parkway Place, built in 2002 on the site of the former Parkway City Mall.WEB, Parkway Place {{!, Huntsville AL |url=https://www.parkwayplacemall.com/ |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website= parkwayplacemall.com}} A larger mall built in 1984, Madison Square Mall, was closed in 2017 and the site is being redeveloped into the Mid City lifestyle center.WEB, DeButy, Lucy Berry, May 12, 2021, A look ahead: What's to come at MidCity District in Huntsville,weblink December 20, 2022, City of Huntsville Blog, en-US, WEB, MidCity District,weblink December 20, 2022, MidCity District, en-US, An additional lifestyle center, Bridge Street Town Centre, was completed in 2007, in Cummings Research Park.WEB, Home,weblink December 20, 2022, Bridge Street Town Centre, en-US, Huntsville is a key city in rocket-propulsion research for NASA and various organizations run by the Army. The Marshall Space Flight Center has been designated to develop NASA's Space Launch System (SLS),WEB, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center,weblink December 20, 2022, Space Foundation, en-US, and the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is responsible for developing a variety of rocket-based tactical weapons.WEB, U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command Fact Sheet,weblink December 19, 2022, amcom.army.mil, December 20, 2022,weblink Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama was constructed in 2003 and is located in North Huntsville Industrial Park. The plant has 1,800 employees as of 2022. The plant manufactures engines for Toyota vehicles.WEB, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama (TMMAL),weblink December 17, 2022, Toyota USA Newsroom, en-US, Navistar Huntsville Powertrain Manufacturing Plant was opened in 2008 and provides powertrain components to Navistar's vehicle assembly plants in Springfield, Ohio and Escobedo, Mexico. The plant is located north of Huntsville International Airport.WEB, Navistar Manufacturing Locations,weblink April 11, 2023, Navistar - Our Company, en-US, The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA was constructed in 2021 with a plan to hire 4,000 employees.WEB, January 10, 2018, Huntsville lands $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda manufacturing plant,weblink December 17, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, The facility produces Toyota and Mazda SUVs and pickup trucks. The majority of the plant is located in Huntsville; however, the southern third is located in the unincorporated community of Greenbrier.WEB, Mazda Toyota Location in North AL {{!, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing |url=https://mazdatoyota.com/who-we-are/our-location/ |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Careers |language=en-US}}More than 25 biotechnology firms have developed in Huntsville due to the Huntsville Biotech Initiative.WEB, September 26, 2014, Mayor Tommy Battle Announces Huntsville Biotech Initiative,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141011031558weblink">weblink October 11, 2014, HuntsvilleAL.gov, The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is part of the {{Convert|4,000|acre}} Cummings Research Park. The non-profit HudsonAlpha Institute has contributed genomics and genetics work to the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE).WEB, The Story of HudsonAlpha,weblink December 24, 2022, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, en, For-profit business ventures within the Biotech Campus focus on subjects such as diagnosing disease, immune responses to cancer, protein crystallization, lab-on-a-chip technologies, and agricultural technologies.WEB, Short, Gail Allyn, April 11, 2018, Alabama Biotech Investment 101,weblink registration,weblink September 11, 2018, December 24, 2022, Business Alabama Magazine, The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) created a doctoral program in biotechnology to help develop scientists to support HudsonAlpha in addition to the emerging biotechnology economy in Huntsville.NEWS, Hansen, Jeff, March 13, 2013, HudsonAlpha Institute builds base in Huntsville for biotech research, Made in Alabama, Alabama Department of Commerce,weblink In 2018, Meta broke ground on a $1.5 billion data center in North Huntsville Industrial Park, and was opened in 2021. In June 2022, they announced they would be expanding the facility to seven buildings across a 3.5 million square foot area, but paused construction in December. The company advertised that the facility runs on 100% renewable energy and provides 300+ jobs to the community.WEB, Meta Data Centers - Huntsville,weblink December 17, 2022, Meta, December 18, 2022,weblink WEB, Gattis, Paul, June 9, 2022, Facebook expansion of Meta Data Center in Huntsville tops $1.5 billion,weblink December 18, 2022, AL.com, en, WEB, Koplowitz, Howard, December 17, 2022, Meta pauses construction on part of Huntsville data center over redesign,weblink December 18, 2022, AL.com, en,Arts and culture
File:SpaceShuttleAtSpaceCamp.jpg|thumb|right|Space Shuttle Pathfinder at the United States Space & Rocket CenterUnited States Space & Rocket Center(File:EarlyWorks Children's Museum.jpg|thumb|EarlyWorks Children's Museum)Historic districts and museums
Twickenham Historic District was chosen as the name of the first of three of the city's historic districts. It features homes in the Federal and Greek Revival architectural styles introduced to the city by Virginia-born architect George Steele about 1818.WEB, Districts,weblink December 18, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, The 1819 Weeden House Museum was home to female artist and poet Howard Weeden, whose watercolors include portraits of African Americans.WEB, Maria Howard Weeden,weblink December 18, 2022, Encyclopedia of Alabama, en, Old Town Historic District contains a variety of styles, with homes dating from the late 1820s through the early 1900s.WEB, Old Town Historic District,weblink December 18, 2022, Old Town Historic District, en-US, Lowe Mill Village and Lincoln Mill and Mill Village Historic District were established during the textile boom of the 1890s and were recognized for their historical importance in 2011, along with Dallas Mill Village.WEB, July 10, 2011, Huntsville's Dallas Mill, Lowe Mill & Lincoln Mill textile neighborhoods are now on National Register of Historic Places,weblink December 18, 2022, AL.com, EarlyWorks Family of Museums runs multiple museums in Huntsville. EarlyWorks Children's Museum is an interactive history museum.WEB, EarlyWorks Children's Museum,weblink January 11, 2023, EarlyWorks Family of Museums, en-US, WEB, January 26, 2020, Top Things To Do In Huntsville,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville Scoop, Alabama Constitution Village features eight reconstructed Federal style buildings, with living-museum displays downtown.WEB, Alabama Constitution Hall Park & Museum,weblink December 18, 2022, EarlyWorks Family of Museums, en-US, The Huntsville Depot, completed in 1860, is the oldest extant railroad depot in Alabama and one of the oldest extant depots in the United States.WEB, Historic Huntsville Depot,weblink December 18, 2022, EarlyWorks Family of Museums, en-US, December 18, 2022,weblink Burritt on the Mountain, located on Monte Sano Mountain, is a regional history museum and event venue featuring a 1950s mansion, interpretive historic park, nature trails, and scenic overlooks.WEB, Burritt on the Mountain,weblink January 10, 2023, burrittonthemountain.com, Harrison Brothers Hardware Store, established in 1879, is the oldest operating hardware store in Alabama. Now owned by the Historic Huntsville Foundation, it is still a working store and museum.WEB, Harrison Brothers,weblink January 10, 2023, Historic Huntsville Foundation, August 26, 2016, WEB, Young, Jennifer, March 17, 2020, One Of The Oldest Hardware Stores In The U.S., Harrison Brothers Hardware In Alabama Is Now 141 Years Old,weblink January 11, 2023, Only In Your State, en-US, Huntsville Museum of Art in Big Spring International Park offers permanent displays, traveling exhibitions, and educational programs.WEB,weblink Huntsville Museum of Art, Hsvmuseum.org, November 8, 2011, North Alabama Railroad Museum features locomotives, coach cars, and other train cars.The United States Space & Rocket Center features the United States Space Camp, Aviation Challenge, and the only Saturn V rocket designated a National Historic Landmark.WEB, U.S. Space & Rocket Center,weblink December 18, 2022, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, en, WEB, November 2, 1978, Alabama SP Saturn V Space Vehicle,weblink December 18, 2022, National Archives Catalog, December 18, 2022,weblink The U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum displays more than 30 military vehicles from World War I to the present, including the world's oldest jeep, artifacts, and small arms dating back to the Revolutionary War.WEB, U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum,weblink December 18, 2022, memorialmuseum.org, WEB, U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum,weblink January 11, 2023, alabama.travel, en,Libraries
Branches of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library include: South Huntsville Public Library, North Huntsville Public Library, Downtown Huntsville Public Library, Cavalry Hill Public Library, Gurley Public Library, Madison Public Library, Monrovia Public Library, New Hope Public Library, Tillman D. Hill Public Library of Hazel Green, and Triana Public Library.WEB, Locations,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library has Alabama's highest materials circulation rate,WEB, Free Wi-Fi,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, en, WEB, Computer Use,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, and features a historical resource archive.WEB, Stamps, Katie, May 7, 2021, Library archives offers glimpse into Huntsville history via tangible, digital assets,weblink December 17, 2022, City of Huntsville Blog, en-US,Visual arts and festivals
Arts Huntsville (TAC) includes over 100 local arts organizations and advocates,WEB, About Arts Huntsville,weblink May 28, 2022, Artshuntsville.org, May 18, 2022,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20220518162230weblink">weblink and promotes visual arts with two galleries: art@TAC, and JavaGalleria. TAC supports Create Huntsville, a county initiative to expand arts and cultural opportunities.WEB, McKinley, Meridith C., Bressi, Todd W., 2019, City of Huntsville Public Art Master Plan,weblink Arts Huntsville, en-US, December 18, 2022, December 18, 2022,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20221218163833weblink">weblink The Huntsville Museum of Art opened in 1970.WEB, Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA),weblink November 9, 2011, Hsvmuseum.org, It purchased the largest privately owned, permanent collection of art by American women in the U.S., featuring Anna Elizabeth Klumpke, among others.WEB, July 30, 2022, A World Within: Art by Women from the Permanent Collection — Aug 20-Feb 26,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville Museum of Art, en-US, The Huntsville Photographic Society started in 1956, dedicated to furthering the art and science of photography in North Alabama.WEB, Huntsville Photographic Society,weblink November 9, 2011, Huntsville Photographic Society, The Huntsville Art League started in 1957, adopting the name "The Huntsville Art League and Museum Association" (HALMA).WEB, Huntsville Art League,weblink November 9, 2011, Huntsville Art League, In addition to their Visiting Artists and "Limelight Artists" series, which highlight both nonresident and member artists at the home office, HALMA features its members' works at galleries located in the Jane Grote Roberts Auditorium of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library Main Branch, the Heritage Club, and the halls of the Huntsville Times.WEB, Exhibit Your Art – Huntsville Art League,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville Art League, en-US, Panoply Arts Festival occurs every spring, and includes demonstrations, performances, competitions, workshops, and fireworks.WEB, Panoply Arts Festival,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100903041228weblink">weblink September 3, 2010, November 8, 2011, Panoply.org, WEB, Panoply Arts Festival {{!, Community Events In Huntsville, AL |url=https://www.huntsville.org/events/spring-annual-events/panoply-arts-festival/ |access-date=December 18, 2022 |website=huntsville.org |language=en-us}}WEB, 2023 Panoply Arts Festival – Arts Huntsville,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20221218163834weblink">weblink December 18, 2022, December 18, 2022, Arts Huntsville, en-US, The Cigar Box Guitar Festival occurs each June, and is the world's longest running Cigar Box Guitar festival, featuring live music using home made instruments.WEB, May 18, 2023, World's longest-running Cigar Box Guitar Festival set for June 2–4,weblink May 25, 2023, City of Huntsville, en-US, NEWS, Wake, Matt, May 28, 2014, Celebrate with a Cigar (Box Guitar Festival); World's longest-running event of its kind turns 10 in Huntsville this weekend, AL.com,weblink April 20, 2017, The Galaxy of Lights is a holiday-themed light showcase hosted by the Huntsville Botanical Garden each winter. The Botanical Garden hosts a fun-run through the event.WEB, Galaxy of Lights,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville Botanical Garden, en-US, WEB, Galaxy of Lights 3k Fun Run,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville Botanical Garden, en-US, WEB, Gattis, Paul, October 12, 2022, Huntsville's Galaxy of Lights to feature more walking nights this season,weblink May 25, 2023, AL.com, en,Performing arts
The Huntsville Community Chorus Association (HCCA) is one of Alabama's oldest performing arts organizations, with its first performance dating to December 1946. HCCA produces chorale concerts and musical theater productions.WEB, Huntsville Community Chorus Association,weblink November 8, 2011, thechorus.org, WEB, History,weblink December 18, 2022, thechorus.org, WEB, Huntsville Community Chorus Association,weblink May 25, 2023, Arts Huntsville, en, The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra (HSO) is Alabama's oldest continuously operating professional symphony orchestra, featuring performances of classical, pops and family concerts, and music education programs in public schools.WEB, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra,weblink November 8, 2011, Hso.org, WEB, Symphony School,weblink December 17, 2022, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, en-US, WEB, Parker, Gregg, November 3, 2020, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra again performing at VBC,weblink May 25, 2023, The Madison Record, The Huntsville Youth Orchestra was founded by Russell Gerhart, founding conductor of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, in 1961.WEB, Welcome!,weblink November 9, 2011, Huntsvilleyouthorchestra.org, WEB, Poe, Brenda, January 31, 2023, Huntsville Youth Orchestra Spring Registration today,weblink May 25, 2023, The Item, en, Huntsville Chamber Music Guild was organized in 1952 to promote and present chamber music programs; the group seeks to present recitals in which artists are presented in works of the classical masters.WEB, Huntsville Chamber Music Guild Celebrity Concert Series,weblink December 17, 2022, Huntsville Chamber Music Guild Celebrity Concert Series, en-US, WEB, Huntsville Chamber Music Guild,weblink May 25, 2023, Arts Huntsville, en, Broadway Theatre League was founded in 1959. BTL presents a season of national touring Broadway productions each year, a family-fun show, and additional season specials. Shows are presented in the Von Braun Center's Mark C. Smith Concert Hall.WEB, Broadway Theatre League,weblink November 8, 2011, Broadway Theatre League, WEB, April 4, 2023, Broadway Theatre League announces 2023-2024 season,weblink May 25, 2023, FOX54, en-US, Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theatre, Huntsville's oldest children's theater, was founded in 1961. Fantasy Playhouse Theater Academy, the organization's dance, music, and art school, teaches children and adults each year.WEB, Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy,weblink December 17, 2022, Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy, en-US, WEB, Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy,weblink May 25, 2023, Arts Huntsville, en, Fantasy Playhouse regularly produces three plays a year with an additional play, A Christmas Carol, produced early each December.WEB, Mom, Rocket City, November 1, 2022, Back for 2022 - Fantasy Playhouse Presents "A Christmas Carol",weblink December 18, 2022, Rocket City Mom, en-US, Independent Musical Productions (IMP), was founded in 1993 and stages musical productions performed by volunteers from the community. Three musicals are presented throughout the year, as well as several Cabaret performances at smaller local venues to round out each season. IMP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and offers technical and performance workshops for the community.WEB, Independent Musical Productions (IMP),weblink November 8, 2011, IMP Huntsville, WEB, Independent Musical Productions (IMP),weblink May 25, 2023, huntsville.org, en-us, The Von Braun Center, which originally opened in 1975 as the Von Braun Civic Center, includes 10,000-seat capacity arena, a 2,000-seat concert hall, a 500-seat playhouse (330 seats with proscenium staging), and {{convert|150000|sqft|m2|-3}} of convention space. Both the arena and concert hall have undergone major renovations; as a result, they have been rechristened the Propst Arena and the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, respectively.WEB, Improvements,weblink December 18, 2022, vonbrauncenter.com, en-us, WEB, Von Braun Center,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org,Breweries
A number of local breweries are located in Huntsville. Straight to Ale Brewery opened in 2010 in North Huntsville,WEB, Busdeker, Jon, March 31, 2010, Huntsville's newest brewery Straight to Ale set to open in April,weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en, later relocated to South Huntsville,WEB, Marshall, Mike, March 15, 2011, Huntsville's Straight to Ale microbrewery taking over Olde Towne Brewery,weblink August 20, 2016, AL.com, and then moved to Campus 805 in West Huntsville.WEB, Berry, Lucy,weblink Straight to Ale expansion near completion at Campus 805 in Huntsville, Alabama Media Group (AL.com), May 28, 2016, August 20, 2016, WEB, Straight to Ale - Southern Born. Southern Brewed.,weblink December 18, 2022, Straight to Ale, Yellowhammer Brewing opened in 2010 in West Huntsville.WEB,weblink Yellowhammer Brewing Release Party, RateBeer.com, October 16, 2010, It later moved to a new facility at Campus 805 in West Huntsville.WEB,weblink Brian, Lawson, Yellowhammer Brewing's new brewery will open December 26 at Campus No. 805 site, Nexstar Media Group Inc., WHNT News-19, December 17, 2015, Salty Nut Brewery opened in 2013 in North Huntsville and moved to West Huntsville on brewery row.WEB, Salty Nut Brewery – We're A Handful,weblink December 18, 2022, Salty Nut Brewery, en, WEB, Berry, Lucy, June 13, 2013, Huntsville's Salty Nut Brewery unveiling new craft beer this week in Madison County,weblink al.com, Alabama Media Group, WEB, Lucy, Berry,weblink Salty Nut Brewery will find a new home next year at Yellowhammer facility in Huntsville, Alabama Media Group, al.com, August 17, 2015, Green Bus Brewing in downtown Huntsville opened in late 2015.WEB, Green Bus Brewing,weblink December 18, 2022, huntsville.org, en-us, WEB, Lucy, Berry,weblink Green Bus Brewing to launch brewhouse, taproom in downtown Huntsville, Alabama Media Group, al.com, August 4, 2015,Sports
Huntsville is home to a number of adult sports teams and leagues. The Huntsville Havoc are a professional ice hockey team with the SPHL that play home games at the Von Braun Center.WEB, Homepage,weblink December 23, 2022, huntsvillehavoc.com, en-US, Huntsville City FC, a reserve team for Nashville SC of Major League Soccer, began playing in 2023 in MLS Next Pro, the third level of soccer in the US.NEWS, Silverman, Alex, April 11, 2023, Nashville SC charts new MLS Next Pro territory, adding a team in Huntsville,weblink Nashville Business Journal, June 12, 2023, The Huntsville Adult Soccer League, based at Merrimack Sports Complex, is an amateur adult soccer league with seven teams, including four men's divisions, a premier team, a women's team, and a master's team. The Rocket City Roller Derby is part of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and plays at the NSS Conference Center.WEB, Rocket City Roller Derby,weblink December 23, 2022, Rocket City Roller Derby, en-US, The Alabama–Huntsville Chargers (University of Alabama in Huntsville) Men's and Women's Basketball teams are part of NCAA D-II and play at Spragins Hall.WEB, UAH Athletics - Official Athletics Website,weblink December 20, 2022, UAH Athletics, en, WEB, Facilities,weblink December 23, 2022, UAH Athletics, en, The Alabama A&M Bulldogs (Alabama A&M University) Men's Football team is part of NCAA D-I FCS.WEB, Alabama A&M Quick Facts,weblink December 22, 2022, Alabama A&M Athletics, en, Huntsville has numerous sports venues. The Von Braun Center has a maximum seating capacity of 9,000.WEB, 2018, VBC Propst Arena Rental Rates,weblink December 23, 2022, Von Braun Center, en, Toyota Field is a baseball park with a capacity of about 7,500, in nearby Madison that is home to the AA-minor league Rocket City Trash Pandas team.WEB, February 27, 2020, Toyota Field officially open for Trash Pandas baseball,weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en-US, WEB, Trash Pandas' first season pays off at the bank for city of Madison,weblink March 29, 2022, December 23, 2022, Al.com, en-US, A former baseball park, Joe Davis Stadium, was converted into a 6,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in 2023 for Huntsville City FC. The soccer field was named the Wicks Family Field to honor and recognize the Wicks family's contributions.NEWS, Gattis, Paul, May 1, 2023, Once an eyesore, Joe Davis Stadium wraps up $29 million facelift,weblink AL.com, June 12, 2023, A number of smaller stadiums are used by universities or public schools, including Louis Crews Stadium with a capacity of 21,000,WEB, Facilities,weblink December 23, 2022, Alabama A&M Athletics, en, and Milton Frank Stadium with a capacity of 12,000.WEB, Milton Frank Stadium,weblink December 23, 2022, huntsville.org, en-us, The Merrimack Soccer Complex has 14 soccer fields used by youth soccer organizations.WEB, Merrimack Soccer Complex,weblink December 23, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, WEB, February 19, 2020, Merrimack Soccer Complex - Turf,weblink May 25, 2023, North Alabama Soccer Coalition, The Huntsville Speedway is a quarter mile oval race track used for race days and other events.WEB, Huntsville Speedway,weblink December 20, 2022, Huntsville Speedway, en, WEB, Huntsville Speedway,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, Huntsville has had many professional sports teams in its past, most of which were discontinued due to lack of funding or being transferred to a different city. Huntsville's first sports team was the Huntsville Rockets football team, launched in 1962 and folded in 1967 due to lack of funding.NEWS, Chick, Bob, October 18, 1966, Huntsville's Dead, Buried, 14–A, St. Petersburg Independent, St. Petersburg, Florida,weblink December 23, 2022, The Alabama Hawks were a football team founded in 1963 and were discontinued in 1969 due to lack of funding.WEB, October 10, 1969, Will the COFL's Alabama Hawks move to Birmingham?,weblink December 23, 2022, birminghamprosports.com, The Huntsville Stars were a Minor League Baseball team founded in 1985, originally as the Nashville Sounds in Nashville, Tennessee, but were transferred to Huntsville soon after. In 2014, they were transferred to Biloxi, Mississippi and renamed the Biloxi Shuckers.WEB, McCarter, Mark, January 15, 2014, A timeline of Huntsville Stars' history (gallery),weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en, The Huntsville Blast were a minor league ice hockey team, originally founded in 1981 as the Roanoke Valley Rampage in Vinton, Virginia, and were relocated to Huntsville in 1993. The following season, the team was relocated to Tallahassee, Florida as the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks.WEB, McCarter, Mark, March 25, 2015, Von Braun Center has celebrated much sports success, but also been graveyard for some franchises,weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en, The Huntsville Fire were an indoor soccer team founded in 1997 and dissolved in 1998 due to lack of funding."Huntsville Fire ceases operations". The Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL: New York Times Company. September 29, 1998. p. B3. Retrieved June 5, 2013. The Huntsville Channel Cats were an ice hockey team founded in 1995 and renamed the Huntsville Havoc in 2004. The Huntsville Flight were a basketball team founded in 2001 and were moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2005. Today, they are the Cleveland Charge.WEB, Dyer, Jessica, July 8, 2011, T-Birds Sold, Moving to Ohio,weblink December 23, 2022, Albuquerque Journal, The Tennessee Valley Raptors were an indoor football team established in 2000 and relocated to Rockford, Illinois in 2005.WEB, January 26, 2005, Tennessee Valley Football renamed Raptors,weblink December 23, 2022, OurSports Central, en, The Alabama Hammers, which played at the Von Braun Center, were an indoor football team established in 2010 and folded in 2016 due to the collapse of the league.Parks and recreation
(File:Big Spring International Park 2019.jpg|thumb|243x243px|Big Spring International Park in 2019)There are more than 60 parks within the city limits of Huntsville.WEB,weblink Parks and Trails - City of Huntsville, Huntsvilleal.gov, January 8, 2022, In 2013, for the fifth time in seven years, Huntsville was named a 'Playful City USA' by KaBOOM! for their efforts to provide a variety of play opportunities for children that included after school programs and parks within walking distance of home.WEB, Doyle, Steve, May 7, 2013, Huntsville, Birmingham named '2013 Playful City USA' communities for devotion to letting kids play,weblink May 25, 2023, AL.com, Centered on the natural Big Spring in downtown Huntsville is Big Spring International Park, containing the Huntsville Museum of Art. Fish and ducks live in the spring and in surrounding water bodies. There is a waterfall and a constantly lit gas torch.WEB, Stilwell, Bobby, January 11, 2022, Eternal flame temporarily extinguished at Huntsville park,weblink December 19, 2022, WHNT19, en-US, WEB, Big Spring International Park,weblink December 23, 2022, Huntsville.org, en-us, John Hunt Park is the city's largest park, with {{convert|428|acres|ha}} of open space, tennis courts, soccer fields, and walking trails, as well as facilities near the sports fields.WEB, John Hunt Park Championship Fields,weblink December 23, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, WEB, John Hunt Park,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, Burritt on the Mountain atop Monte Sano Mountain features a mid-century mansion and museum, a historic park depicting rural life in the 19th century, nature trails, and functions as a venue for regional events throughout the year.WEB, Burritt on the Mountain - Huntsville Museum, Education, History,weblink December 23, 2022, Burritt On The Mountain, en, WEB, Burritt on the Mountain,weblink December 23, 2022, Huntsville.org, en-us, WEB, Burritt on the Mountain,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, WEB, Lee, Lauren, February 14, 2023, Spend your spring at Burritt on the Mountain,weblink May 25, 2023, Rocket City Mom, en-US, The Huntsville Botanical Garden's {{Convert|112|acre|ha}} site features educational programs, woodland paths, grassy meadows, and vast floral collections.WEB, Huntsville Botanical Garden – Home,weblink November 8, 2011, Huntsville Botanical Garden, WEB, Huntsville Botanical Garden,weblink December 23, 2022, Huntsville.org, en-us, Land Trust of North Alabama is a member supported, non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the natural heritage of the area. They work to preserve open space, wildflower areas, wetlands, and working farms in North Alabama, including some of the Monte Sano Nature Preserve (Monte Sano Mountain).WEB, Monte Sano Nature Preserve,weblink December 23, 2022, Land Trust of North Alabama, en, Monte Sano State Park has over {{convert|2000|acre|km2|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} and features hiking and bicycling trails, rentable cabins, campsites, full RV hookups, and a lodge.WEB, Monte Sano State Park,weblink December 23, 2022, Alabama State Parks, WEB, Monte Sano State Park,weblink December 23, 2022, huntsville.org, en-us, Other state parks nearby include Cathedral Caverns in Woodville, Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville, and Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville.WEB, March 4, 2022, 5 State Parks Near Huntsville, Alabama,weblink December 23, 2022, America's State Parks, en-US, There are six main golf courses in Huntsville. Hampton Cove is one of the eleven courses making up the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, featuring two championship 18-hole courses, one par-three course, and a driving range.WEB, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove,weblink December 23, 2022, Huntsville.org, en-us, WEB, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, Sunset Landing Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course next to Huntsville International Airport.WEB, Sunset Landing Golf Course,weblink December 23, 2022, FlyHSV, en, WEB, Sunset Landing Golf Course,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, The Links on Redstone Arsenal is available for Military, NASA, and others that have base access. The Links has four separate 9-hole courses (two of which can be used for footgolf) and a driving range.WEB, Links at Redstone Golf Course,weblink December 23, 2022, redstone.armymwr.com, en, WEB, The Links at Redstone Arsenal,weblink May 25, 2023, Huntsville.org, en-us, The Ledges is an exclusive 18-hole championship golf course, also offering a banquet hall, grand hall, and a number of meeting rooms at their clubhouse.WEB, Huntsville, AL – Golf - The Ledges,weblink December 23, 2022, theledges.com, WEB, The Ledges Country Club,weblink May 25, 2023, Top 100 Golf Courses,Government
{{See also|List of mayors of Huntsville, Alabama}}(File:New Huntsville City Hall.jpg|thumb|Huntsville City Hall)The current mayor of Huntsville is Tommy Battle, who was first elected in 2008 and then re-elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020. The City Administrator is John Hamilton, who replaced Rex Reynolds on January 1, 2014, when Reynolds retired.WEB, Doyle, Steve, July 15, 2015, Huntsville City Administrator Rex Reynolds to retire in January, will be replaced by former Redstone Garrison Commander John Hamilton (updated),weblink July 16, 2017, AL.com, The city has a five-member (1 per district) City Council.WEB,weblink City Council, City of Huntsville, December 16, 2018, Council elections are staggered, meaning that Districts 2, 3, and 4 had elections in August 2018, while Districts 1 and 5 had elections simultaneously with mayoral elections in 2020. The city has boards and commissions which control most public services and development projects.WEB, Boards & Commissions,weblink December 23, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, In 2020, the city announced that they would build a new $80 million city hall, planned to centralize all boards and committees in one building.WEB, Gattis, Paul, September 23, 2021, Work expected to begin soon on Huntsville's new $80 million city hall,weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en, In July 2007, then Senator Barack Obama held the first fundraiser in Alabama for his presidential campaign in Huntsville.WEB, White, Ronnie, July 6, 2007, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama will visit Huntsville Monday,weblink December 23, 2022, AL.com, en, In 2022, former Rep. Mo Brooks (R-5th Congressional District, AL) announced his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives to run for the Senate. In November, Dale Strong won the election to replace Mo Brooks.WEB, Smith, Dylan, June 21, 2022, Dale Strong defeats Casey Wardynski, secures AL-5 GOP nod in dominant victory,weblink December 23, 2022, Yellowhammer News, en-US,Education
K–12 education
{{See also|Huntsville City Schools}}K–12 public education in Huntsville is provided by Huntsville City Schools.WEB,weblink Huntsville City Schools, Hsv.k12.al.us, November 8, 2011, In the 2022–2023 school year 23,939 students attended Huntsville City Schools. According to U.S. News & World Report, "49% of high school students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 45% tested at or above that level for math". They also stated that high schoolers have a 92% graduation rate.WEB, Huntsville City,weblink December 17, 2022, U.S. News & World Report, en, Of the 46 schools in the Huntsville City Schools system in 2020–2021, there were:- 26 Preschools (Pre-K)
- 28 Elementary schools (K–5)
- 14 Middle schools (grades 6–8)
- 6 high Schools (grades 9–12)
- 3 special centers (two Schools of Choice and one Program of Choice)
Higher education
Huntsville has four main higher education institutions. The University of Alabama in Huntsville is the largest university serving the greater Huntsville area, with 9,636 undergraduate students in 2022–2023.WEB, University of Alabama at Huntsville,weblink January 10, 2023, U.S. News & World Report, en, About half of its graduates earn a degree in engineering or science, making it one of the larger producers of engineers and physical scientists in Alabama.WEB, March 7, 2018, Facts & Figures - The University of Alabama in Huntsville,weblink December 17, 2022, uah.edu, en, The Carnegie Foundation ranks the school very highly as a research institution, placing it among the top 75 public research universities in the nation.WEB, August 17, 2011, UAH joins select group of national research universities - Carnegie Foundation - The University of Alabama in Huntsville,weblink December 17, 2022, uah.edu, en, Alabama A&M University is the oldest university in the Huntsville area, dating to 1875. With over 5,000 students,WEB, Alabama A&M University,weblink December 17, 2022, U.S. News & World Report, it is home to the AAMU Historic District with 28 buildings and four structures listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places. Oakwood University, founded in 1896, is a Seventh-day Adventist university with over 1,300 students and a member institution of the United Negro College Fund.WEB, Oakwood University,weblink December 17, 2022, U.S. News & World Report, J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, founded in 1961, is a public technical college with 872 students as of 2022.WEB, College Navigator - J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College,weblink December 23, 2022, National Center for Educational Statistics, Various colleges and universities have satellite locations or extensions in Huntsville. Calhoun Community College's Cummings Research Park location offers in-person technical and medical programs.WEB, Homepage,weblink December 23, 2022, Calhoun Community College, en-US, Columbia College's Redstone Arsenal location and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Redstone Arsenal location offer higher education programs in-person and online to military individuals and their families.WEB, Redstone Arsenal, AL,weblink December 23, 2022, Columbia College, en, WEB, Huntsville,weblink December 23, 2022, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Faulkner University's Research Park location and Strayer University's Research Park offers in-person and online learning.WEB, Huntsville Campus,weblink December 23, 2022, Faulkner University, en-US, WEB, December 2, 2022, Huntsville, AL Campus,weblink December 24, 2022, Strayer University, en, Georgia Institute of Technology's Redstone Arsenal research institute is the "Development and technology home for Army Air Defense Systems, Missile Defense Systems, Rotary Wing Aviation Technology and more..." and offers professional training in those areas.WEB, GTRI Huntsville Research Center,weblink December 24, 2022, Georgia Tech Research Institute, en, Several medical centers and universities with medical programs offer education in medicine. University of Alabama at Birmingham's Huntsville Regional Medical Campus offers a number of on-site programs, including the Family Medicine Residency, Internal Medicine Residency, Obstetrics and Women's Health Fellowship. The campus also serves as a physician practice for the public.WEB, Huntsville,weblink December 24, 2022, University of Alabama in Birmingham, en-US, WEB, UAB Medicine Huntsville,weblink December 24, 2022, UAB Medicine, Ross Medical Education Center in Research Park offer 36-week experience programs in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine fields.WEB, Ross Education Huntsville, AL,weblink December 24, 2022, Ross Education, en, Huntsville Hospital has an accredited school of radiology.WEB, Radiologic Technology Associate Degree Program by Huntsville Hospital,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville Hospital,Media
Newspapers and magazines
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 Times has a weekday circulation of 60,000, which rises to 80,000 on Sundays. Both papers were owned by the Newhouse chain.NEWS, Beyerle, Dana, October 15, 1990, Times editor defends 'Alabama Bound' piece, 4–5, The Huntsville Times,weblink December 24, 2022, In May 2012, Advance Publications, owner of the Times, announced that the Times would become part of a new company called the Alabama Media Group, along with the other three newspapers and two websites owned by Advance. As part of the change, the newspapers moved to a three-day publication schedule, with print editions available only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The Huntsville Times and its sister papers publish news and information seven days a week on AL.com.WEB, September 30, 2022, Alabama Media Group is the Chamber's 2022 Minority Business Advocate,weblink December 24, 2022, Mobile Chamber, en, WEB, Huntsville, AL {{!, Alabama Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather |url=https://www.al.com/ |access-date=December 24, 2022 |website=AL.com |language=en}}WEB, May 24, 2012, Alabama Media Group, a new digitally focused company, will launch this fall with expanded online coverage and enhanced three-day-a-week newspapers,weblink December 24, 2022, AL.com, en, As of 2023, print editions have stopped production.A few alternative newspapers are available in Huntsville. The Redstone Rocket is a newspaper distributed throughout Redstone Arsenal's housing area covering activities on Redstone.WEB, The Redstone Rocket,weblink December 24, 2022, The Redstone Rocket, en, Speakin' Out News is a weekly newspaper focused on African Americans.WEB, About,weblink December 24, 2022, Speakin' Out News, en-US, Huntsville Magazine is a quarterly lifestyle magazine, which, "Serves as a guide to the best of the city with insightful reads on culture, people, entertainment, and businesses catalyzing the city's transformation."WEB, Huntsville Magazine, Your #1 Guide to Rocket City Life,weblink December 17, 2022, Huntsville Magazine, en-US, WEB, November 23, 2019, About Huntsville Magazine {{!, Huntsville Magazine |url=https://huntsvillemagazine.com/about-huntsville-magazine/ |access-date=December 17, 2022 |website=Huntsville Magazine |language=en-US}}Radio, television, and film
{{See also|List of radio stations in Alabama}}Station KIH20 broadcasts the National Weather Service's forecasts and warnings for the Huntsville area.WEB, NWR Station Propagation,weblink December 17, 2022, weather.gov, EN-US, The Huntsville DMA serves Madison, Limestone, and Morgan counties.WEB, DMA: Huntsville, AL,weblink December 24, 2022, Viamedia, Major stations include WHNT 19.1 CBS, WHIQ 25.1 PBS/Alabama Public Television, WAAY 31.1 ABC, WAFF 48.1 NBC, and WZDX 54.1 FOX.WEB, Huntsville, Alabama TV Channels,weblink December 24, 2022, TV Stations Near Me, A few feature films have been shot in Huntsville, including SpaceCamp, 20 Years After (2008, originally released as Like Moles, Like Rats)WEB, Hitt, David, July 29, 2021, What You Can Learn About Huntsville From Movies,weblink December 24, 2022, huntsville.org, en-us, and Constellation (2005).WEB, February 14, 2007, 'Constellation' movie showcases Huntsville,weblink December 24, 2022, NBC News, en, Columbia Pictures filmed Ravagers (1979) in The Land Trust's Historic Three Caves Quarry, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and at an antebellum home.WEB, Kazek, Kelly, October 31, 2015, Vintage photos of 3 horror and sci-fi movies filmed in Alabama,weblink December 24, 2022, AL.com, en, Dark Entities (2022) takes place in Huntsville and was filmed throughout North Alabama.NEWS, Claborn, Jocelyn, May 24, 2022, Local talent, big hit movie: New movie filmed in North Alabama, WAFF 48,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville's legacy in the space program continues to draw film producers looking for background material for space-themed films. During the pre-production of Apollo 13 (1995), the cast and crew spent time at Space Camp and Marshall Space Flight Center preparing for their roles.WEB, Finn, Natalie, June 30, 2020, Blast Off With These 25 Facts About Apollo 13,weblink December 24, 2022, E! Online,Infrastructure
Transportation
File:I-565 at Space and Rocket Center.jpg|thumb|right|The Saturn V replica at the US Space and Rocket Center stands as a prominent landmark near mile 15 on Interstate 565Interstate 565Huntsville is served by several U.S. Highways, including 72, 231, 431 and Interstate I-565, that links Huntsville and Decatur, and connects to I-65. Alabama Highway 53 also connects the city with I-65 in Ardmore, Tennessee.WEB, Interstate 565 Alabama,weblink December 24, 2022, Interstate-Guide.com, February 27, 2019, en-us, Major roadways include University Drive, Governors Drive, Airport Road, Memorial Parkway and Research Park Blvd.WEB, Greenways and Major Roads,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville Outdoors, June 7, 2016, en, Public transit in Huntsville is run by the city's Department of Parking and Public Transit.WEB, Parking and Public Transit Department,weblink December 24, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, The Huntsville Orbit 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.WEB, Orbit,weblink December 24, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, The city runs Access, a demand-response transit system for the handicapped,WEB, Access,weblink December 24, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, and CommuteSmart, a county-wide carpooling program.WEB, Ride-sharing,weblink December 24, 2022, City of Huntsville, en-US, There are several bicycle routes in the city.WEB, the OpenStreetMap Cycle Map,weblink August 11, 2012, OpenCycleMap.org, WEB, Huntsville Bike Committee » Bike Routes Map,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110818025109weblink">weblink August 18, 2011, November 8, 2011, Hsvbike.com, There are bike paths for exercise available.WEB, Bike Maps,weblink October 12, 2017, Huntsville's government is working to improve bicycle network within the city limits.WEB, Bikeway Plans,weblink October 12, 2017, In 2020, Huntsville released a master plan for a 70-mile bicycling and walking trail, named Singing River Trail of North Alabama, to connect downtown Huntsville to the cities of Madison, Decatur, and Athens.WEB, Singing River Trail of North Alabama,weblink July 22, 2020, singingrivertrail.com, en-US, Huntsville has two active commercial rail lines. The mainline is run by Norfolk Southern, which runs from Memphis to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The original depot for this rail line, the Huntsville Depot, still exists as a railroad museum, though it no longer offers passenger service.WEB, Huntsville, AL *,weblink December 17, 2022, Norfolk Southern, WEB, Historic Huntsville Depot (public grounds open),weblink December 17, 2022, huntsville.org, en-us, Another rail line, formerly part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N), successor to the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway (NC&StL), is being operated by the Huntsville and Madison County Railroad Authority (HMCRA). The line connects to the Norfolk Southern line downtown and runs {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} 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-1950s, the L&N provided freight and passenger service to Guntersville. The rail cars were loaded onto barges at Hobbs Island. The barge tows were taken upstream 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.WEB, Services,weblink December 17, 2022, Huntsville & Madison County Railroad Authority, en-US, A third line, the Mercury and Chase Railroad, runs {{convert|10|mi|km|adj=on}} weekend tourist rides on part of another former NC&StL and L&N line from the North Alabama Railroad Museum's Chase Depot, located in the community of Chase, Alabama. Their collection includes one of the oldest diesel locomotives in existence (1926). The rail line originally connected Huntsville to NC&StL's Nashville-to-Chattanooga mainline in Decherd, Tennessee. The depot was once the smallest union station in the United States when it served the NC&StL and Memphis and Charleston Railroad, the predecessor to the Norfolk Southern.WEB, Welcome To The North Alabama Railroad Museum,weblink December 17, 2022, North Alabama Railroad Museum, en-US, December 17, 2022,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20221217221620weblink">weblinkPorts
The inland Port of Huntsville combines the Huntsville International Airport, International Intermodal Center, and Jetplex Industrial Park for truck, train and air transport. The intermodal terminal transfers truck and train cargo to aircraft. The port has on-site U.S. Customs and USDA inspectors.WEB, Customs & Border Protection,weblink December 18, 2022, Port of Huntsville, en, The port is Foreign Trade Zone No. 83.WEB, Foreign Trade Zone #83,weblink December 18, 2022, Port of Huntsville, en, Huntsville International Airport is served by several regional and national carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Breeze Airways, Silver Airways and American Airlines.WEB, Airline Info,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville International Airport, en, Delivery companies have hubs in Huntsville, making flights to Europe, Asia, and Mexico.WEB, Home,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville International Airport, en, The airport was reported to have the highest fares in the United States in 2014.WEB, Brancatelli, Joe, June 12, 2013, Most expensive airports for air travel,weblink June 26, 2014, The Business Journals, Huntsville is also served by the Meridianville–located Madison County Executive Airport, sometimes denoted as Huntsville Executive Airport due to its proximity to the city.WEB, Executive Flight Center is the Fixed Base Operator at KMDQ, Huntsville Executive Airport.,weblink May 6, 2021, executiveflightcenter.com, The airport is a general aviation airport and does not have any regularly-scheduled commercial services.WEB, December 1, 2022, AIRPORT MASTER RECORD,weblink December 24, 2022, Federal Aviation Administration, December 24, 2022,weblinkUtilities
Electricity, water, and natural gas are all provided in Huntsville by Huntsville Utilities (HU).WEB, Huntsville Utilities,weblink December 17, 2022, Huntsville Utilities, en, HU purchases and resells power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. 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.WEB, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant,weblink December 24, 2022, Tennessee Valley Authority, WEB, Guntersville,weblink December 24, 2022, Tennessee Valley Authority, A third, Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant in Jackson County, was built in the 1980s but was never activated. TVA attempted to sell the plant in 2016, but withdrew from the deal, stating they could not sell the plant under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.WEB, Logan, Noah, August 4, 2022, Judge rules in favor of TVA over Bellefonte sale,weblink December 24, 2022, Huntsville Business Journal, en, Telephone service in Huntsville is provided by AT&T, EarthLink, WOW!, and Comcast. Comcast and WOW! are the two cable providers in the Huntsville city limits. Mediacom operates in rural outlying areas. AT&T announced the start of its DSL U-verse service in the Huntsville-Decatur metro area in November 2010.WEB, Phone History,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120603123827weblink">weblink June 3, 2012, October 4, 2011, Huntsville Rewound, huntsvillerewound.com, AT&T and Google offer fiber Internet service across the city.WEB, Gigabit Internet Service in Huntsville, AL,weblink December 18, 2022, Google Fiber, en, WEB, AT&T Fiber Internet in Huntsville, AL,weblink December 24, 2022, AT&T, en,Public safety
The Huntsville Fire and Rescue provides fire protection for the city.WEB, Huntsville Fire Department,weblink July 22, 2020, Fire & Rescue Department, Hsvcity.com, On a daily basis the department staffs and coordinates twenty-one engine companies, five ladder trucks, four rescue trucks, along with a Special Operations Division that includes Hazardous Materials Units, Technical Rescue Units, and several specialized support units. Huntsville Fire & Rescue also has Fire Investigations, emergency response dispatch, logistics, and training divisions.WEB, History,weblink December 24, 2022, Join HFR, en, Huntsville has two volunteer public safety organizations in their city. The Huntsville-Madison County Rescue Squad is the county-wide volunteer rescue organization with tasks ranging from vehicle extrication to water rescues.WEB, HMCRSI - About Us,weblink December 18, 2022, rescuesquad.net, The other is the Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit which is the region's only all-volunteer cave rescue organization. It is tasked with cave, cliff and high angle rope rescues. These organizations are located in Huntsville but operate both in the city and outside with HCRU, responding to many cave rescue calls coming from caves well outside the city limits.WEB, About,weblink December 18, 2022, Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit, December 18, 2022,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20221218033403weblink">weblink File:Huntsville Hospital.jpg|thumb|The main building of Huntsville Hospital ]]Huntsville Hospital in the downtown area is the largest hospital and trauma center. In 2021, Huntsville Hospital opened the Orthopedic & Spine Tower, a seven-story building with 24 surgical orthopedic suites,NEWS, Gattis, Paul, September 22, 2021, Huntsville Hospital quietly opens $150 million surgical tower, The Huntsville Times, AL.com,weblink January 14, 2022, which brings the total bed count to 881 for Huntsville Hospital.WEB, North Alabama Southern Tennessee Health Care with Huntsville Hospital,weblink January 14, 2022, Huntsville Hospital, Located further south, Crestwood Medical Center is a smaller, 180-bedWEB, About Us,weblink December 12, 2020, Crestwood Medical Center, teaching hospital that is ranked nationally in two specialties.WEB, Overview of Crestwood Medical Center,weblink November 23, 2020, US News, Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) provides emergency medical services to Huntsville and surrounding Madison county. HEMSI operates from 12 stations with a fleet of 36 ambulances.WEB, HEMSI,weblink November 8, 2011, HEMSI, The Huntsville Police Department has three precincts and one downtown headquarters, over 500 sworn officers,WEB, Lightfoot, Franklin & White, LLC, Report by Independent Counsel to The Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council, April 22, 2021, 21 of 248,weblink August 29, 2021, 200 civilian personnel, and patrols an area of approximately 220 square miles. The department also boasts its own academy, which has been in operation since 1965.WEB,weblink About HPD, joinhuntsvillepd.com, April 26, 2021, Huntsville spent $1.2 million in 2015 to buy body cameras to be used by the Huntsville Police Department. Mayor Tommy Battle pushed for the purchase of the body cameras, saying: "We can provide a trust situation with police and our general public."NEWS, December 14, 2015, Huntsville police testing new body cameras, WAFF 48 News, Gray Media Group, Inc., NBC,weblink September 2, 2021, The mayor also said: "Having that body cam there, having the police video there record what actually happens, and when people come in with complaints against Huntsville police officers, they get to see the action that actually happened."NEWS, Sydney, Martin, Huntsville police refuse to release body camera video,weblink September 2, 2021, WAAY 31, ABC, Allen Media Broadcasting, LLC, May 22, 2018, September 2, 2021,weblink Following the conviction of a former Huntsville police officer for murder, after he was originally cleared of any wrongdoing by the Police department,NEWS, Levenson, Michael, Former Alabama Officer Is Sentenced to 25 Years for Murdering Suicidal Man,weblinkweblink December 28, 2021, limited, August 28, 2021, The New York Times, August 20, 2021, {{cbignore}} the City of Huntsville voted to change the way police shootings are reviewed. Beginning in August 2021, all shootings that result in death that occur by Huntsville Police are to be investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency instead.NEWS, Remkus, Ashley, August 13, 2021, Huntsville asks state to take over investigations when city police shoot someone, The Huntsville Times, AL.com,weblink August 28, 2021, The first investigation following the policy change started in January 2022 after an off-duty Huntsville police officer allegedly killed his girlfriend.NEWS, Gray, Margo, HPD officer accused of girlfriend's murder, sources confirmed,weblink January 8, 2022, WAFF 48 News, NBC, Gray Media Group, Inc., January 7, 2022, NEWS, Kroschel, Matt, January 8, 2022, Sources: Huntsville police officer charged with capital murder involving girlfriend, WAAY 31 News, Allen Media Broadcasting, ABC,weblink January 8, 2022, The officer had initially reported the death as a suicide; however, it was later investigated as a homicide.NEWS, Koplowitz, Howard, January 7, 2022, Off-duty Huntsville officer charged with capital murder, The Huntsville Times, AL.com,weblink January 8, 2022, An advisory council created by the cityWEB, Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council,weblink City of Huntsville, August 29, 2021, described actions by Huntsville Police department (HPD) as being "in a manner that was, at a minimum, unprofessional and on multiple occasions in violation of HPD policy."WEB, Huntley, Elizabeth H., Sharman, Jackson R. III, April 22, 2021, Report by Independent Counsel to The Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council,weblink August 29, 2021, 13 of 248, NEWS, Remkus, Ashley, Protest review finds 'unprofessional' behavior, policy violations by Huntsville police,weblink August 29, 2021, The Huntsville Times, April 23, 2021,Notable people
Notable people from Huntsville include Pseudopedia co-founder Jimmy Wales,WEB, Wilson, Claire M., July 13, 2010, Jimmy Wales,weblink December 24, 2022, Encyclopedia of Alabama, en, professional wrestler Bobby Eaton,WEB, Mooneyham, Mike, August 21, 2021, Beloved wrestling great 'Beautiful' Bobby Eaton was an 'everyman' favorite,weblink December 24, 2022, Post and Courier, en, film composer and musician Mervyn Warren,WEB, Mervyn Warren,weblink December 24, 2022, Alabama Music Hall of Fame, en-US, early-20th century actress Tallulah Bankhead,WEB, Tallulah Bankhead / I. Schiffman Building Historical Marker,weblink live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160303223620weblink">weblink March 3, 2016, August 11, 2016, Historical Marker Database, and horror actor David Howard Thornton (Terrifier and Terrifier 2).WEB, Wake, Matt, October 21, 2022, 'Terrifier 2′ star David Howard Thornton talks hit horror film, Alabama roots,weblink August 15, 2023, Alabama Local News, en,Sister cities
Huntsville has 2 sister cities:- {{flagicon|TWN}} Tainan, TaiwanWEB, May 9, 2011, 臺å—市政府全çƒè³‡è¨Šç¶²,weblink December 18, 2022, 政風處, zh,
- {{flagicon|FRA}} Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, a suburb of ParisWEB, Sister cities of Huntsville, Alabama — sistercity.info,weblink June 2, 2023, en.sistercity.info,
Notes and references
Notes
{{notelist}}References
{{Reflist}}Sources
- BOOK, Fisk, Kelly Hamlin, The Civil Rights Movement in Huntsville, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2019, Historical Context,weblink
Further reading
- WEB, Munson, Emily D., May 29, 2015, Dead Children's Playground, December 17, 2022, Atlas Obscura, en,weblink
- WEB, Norah, Jessica, April 3, 2021, Top 20 Things to Do in Huntsville Alabama,weblink December 17, 2022, Independent Travel Cats, en-US,
- WEB, Why Huntsville is the ultimate destination for history lovers, September 30, 2020, Deborah, Storey, December 17, 2022, This Is Alabama, en,weblink
External links
{{Commons category|Huntsville, Alabama}}{{wikivoyage|Huntsville (Alabama)|Huntsville, Alabama}}{{EB1911 poster|Huntsville}}- {{official websiteweblink}}
- Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Huntsville History Collection
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