The Alabama Midland Railway was incorporated in Alabama and Georgia in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia , to a point near Montgomery, Alabama . The route was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway .
26-608: On July 2, 1880, the Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct a new railroad linking Montgomery to the Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as the Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and reorganized a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888,
52-654: A distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km). Two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines, the Southwestern Alabama Railway and the Abbeville Southern Railway . The former reached Elba in 1898 and the latter connected Abbeville to Grimes, Alabama , by 1901. After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of
78-536: A female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.8% of households were one person and 14.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95. The age distribution was 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% 65 or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males. The median household income
104-536: A female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 33.8% of households were one person and 19.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85. The age distribution was 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males. The median household income
130-409: A new railroad linking Montgomery to the Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as the Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888, the railroad reached the site of Luverne in the central part of Crenshaw County , near
156-468: Is a city in and the county seat of Crenshaw County, Alabama , United States. The city describes itself as "The Friendliest City in the South", a slogan that appears on its "welcome" signs. At the 2020 census , the population was 2,765. Luverne was one of numerous towns developed in the state as a result of railroad construction. On July 2, 1880, the Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct
182-470: Is water. According to the Köppen climate classification , Luverne has a humid subtropical climate (abbreviated Cfa ). As of the census of 2000, there were 2,635 people, 1,107 households, and 710 families living in the city. The population density was 212.7 inhabitants per square mile (82.1/km ). There were 1,249 housing units at an average density of 100.8 per square mile (38.9/km ). The racial makeup of
208-680: The Bay Line over the Abbeville branch. Northwest and Florida Railroad The Alabama Midland Railway was incorporated in Alabama and Georgia in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia , to a point near Montgomery, Alabama . The route was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway . On July 2, 1880,
234-468: The Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct a new railroad linking Montgomery to the Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as the Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and reorganized a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888, the railroad reached Luverne, Alabama . Now totaling 51 miles (82 km)
260-606: The Plant System and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape. The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902 with the line becoming part of their Waycross—Montgomery Line . Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line to form
286-641: The Seaboard Coast Line and the mergers into the Seaboard System and CSX Transportation in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With the exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of the Dothan Subdivision of CSX Transportation and as part of two shortlines operating former branches, the Wiregrass Central on the remaining Elba branch, and
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#1732845667421312-453: The Southwestern Alabama Railway and the Abbeville Southern Railway . The former reached Elba in 1898 and the latter connected Abbeville to Grimes, Alabama , by 1901. After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as
338-411: The "bow line" due to its distinctive shape. The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902 with the line becoming part of their Waycross—Montgomery Line . Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line and the mergers into the Seaboard System and CSX Transportation in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With
364-542: The Patsaliga River. Now totaling 51 miles (82 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889 and it was decided to proceed no further. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company , a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway , controlled the railroad by 1889 and the line from Montgomery to Luverne was into the network of the latter. The new railroad terminus attracted related development, and
390-401: The city was 70.25% White, 28.43% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 0.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,107 households 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together (2.4% same-sex couples), 19.5% had
416-425: The city. The racial makeup of the city was 62.6% White, 29.6% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 5.5% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,135 households 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together (2.4% same-sex couples), 19.2% had
442-428: The exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of the Dothan Subdivision of CSX Transportation and as part of two shortlines operating former branches, the Wiregrass Central on the remaining Elba branch, and the Bay Line over the Abbeville branch. Luverne, Alabama Luverne ( / l uː ˈ v ɜːr n , l ə ˈ v ɜːr n / loo- VURN )
468-461: The former mass public displays. On June 22, 1940, an African-American man named Jesse Thornton was lynched in Luverne for failing to address a white man with the title of "Mister". He was fatally shot and his body was later found in the Patsaliga River. The Equal Justice Initiative documented that the white man Thornton had apparently offended by his Jim Crow infraction was a police officer. This
494-734: The line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated the line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network. In March 1887, the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of the same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with
520-494: The purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company was consolidated on October 28, 1888, and completed the entire 175 miles (282 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama , built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad, a distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km). Two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines,
546-438: The railroad reached Luverne, Alabama . Now totaling 51 miles (82 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated the line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network. In March 1887, the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of
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#1732845667421572-402: The same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with the purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company was consolidated on October 28, 1888, and completed the entire 175 miles (282 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama , built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad,
598-513: The town grew. It was incorporated in 1891, and became a center of timbering in the Piney Woods of southern Alabama, as the land was not fertile enough to be suitable for large-scale cotton plantation agriculture. In 1893, the citizens of Crenshaw County voted to move the county seat from Rutledge to the more populous Luverne. By the late 1930s, lynchings of African Americans were increasingly conducted in small groups or in secret, rather than in
624-421: Was $ 22,457 and the median family income was $ 30,950. Males had a median income of $ 30,680 versus $ 17,813 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,244. About 19.2% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, there were 2,800 people, 1,135 households, and 729 families living in
650-434: Was $ 40,602 and the median family income was $ 51,500. Males had a median income of $ 43,464 versus $ 19,483 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 18,869. About 12.6% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 2,765 people, 1,005 households, and 634 families residing in
676-453: Was the only lynching recorded in the county. Luverne is located at 31°42′52″N 86°15′48″W / 31.714427°N 86.263323°W / 31.714427; -86.263323 . The town of Rutledge lies along Luverne's western border. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 15.7 square miles (40.6 km ), of which 15.6 square miles (40.5 km ) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km ), or 0.17%,
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