Moulton

Moulton is the seat of Lawrence County and is located in the northwest corner of the state just north of the William B. Bankhead National Forest. It is named for Michael Moulton, a member of Gen. Andrew Jackson's forces who was killed in the Creek War of 1813-14. Moulton has a mayor-council form of government. The Moulton Advertiser, which began publication in 1828, is the oldest continuously published weekly newspaper in the state. Moulton was the birthplace of Holiness Movement founder Mary Lee Cagle and Confederate brigadier general Philip Roddey.

When Alabama became a state in December 1819, the only structure on the site of present-day Moulton was an inn. The site lay along several important east-west and north-south routes to Tennessee, south Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. After Alabama became a state, both the settlement of Moulton and the town of Courtland incorporated and began vying for selection as the county seat. After Gov. Thomas Bibb decreed that the county must choose the most centrally located city, Moulton was awarded the title. By the following year, a village had begun to spring up around the inn, including a log courthouse. During the early nineteenth century, most residents made their living by farming or as merchants in the town. The town hosted the Baptist Female Institute, a school for women that opened in 1852. In 1859, the original courthouse burned and was replaced with a brick building the following year. That structure was torn down in 1936 and replaced with the current courthouse.

The town expanded significantly in the mid-twentieth century, and manufacturing enterprises and other businesses located there. In 1974, a devastating tornado killed 28 and injured 272 people.

On April 27, 2011, a massive storm, causing numerous powerful tornadoes, struck the southeastern United States. More than 250 people were killed in Alabama, including one person in Moulton.

According to 2020 Census estimates, Moulton recorded a population of 3,237. Of that number, 78.3 percent identified themselves as white, 16.8 percent as African American, 3.6 percent as two or more races, 1.0 percent as American Indian, and 0.2 percent as Asian. The city's median household income was $34,227 and the per capita income was $25,944.

According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Moulton was divided among the following industrial categories:

Moulton is part of the Lawrence County Public School System. The city itself has one elementary school and one middle school. The Lawrence County High School draws students from a multi-city area.

Moulton lies on State Road 33, which runs north-south through the city, and State Road 24, which runs east-west through the city, as does County Road 460. Henson Field Airport serves general aviation.

Moulton lies just north of the William B. Bankhead National Forest, which offers numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation. The Prairie Grove Glades, a Nature Conservancy preserve, offers visitors views of rare plants on 191 acres just outside Moulton. Also nearby are the Oakville Indian Mounds, which were built by Native Americans during the Woodland Period, some 2,000 years ago.

Events in Moulton include the Fiddle Fest held in August and the Strawberry Festival in May. Also each May, the county celebrates the Annual Cherokee River Homecoming Indian Festival, which features Native American crafts, foods, and games as well as dances and demonstrations of traditional activities.

Additional Resources

The Heritage of Lawrence County. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1998.

Mullican, Anna Lynn. Images of America Series: Lawrence County. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing, 2022.