|
Anniston, Alabama
| Anniston, Alabama | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Nickname(s): The Model City | |
| Location in Alabama | |
| Coordinates: 33°39′46″N 85°49′35″W / 33.66278°N 85.82639°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Calhoun |
| Settled | April 1872 |
| Incorporated | 3 July 1883 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Gene Robinson |
| Area | |
| - City | 45 sq mi (116.5 km2) |
| - Land | 45.4 sq mi (117.7 km2) |
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 719 ft (219 m) |
| Population (2007)[1][2] | |
| - City | 23,689 |
| - Density | 534.4/sq mi (203.8/km2) |
| - Metro | 112,240 |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 36201-36207 |
| Area code(s) | Area code 256 |
| Federal Information Processing Standard | 01-01852 |
| Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) feature ID | 0159066 |
| Website | www.ci.anniston.al.us |
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama. As of 2000, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741. .
Named the The Model City by Atlanta newspaperman Henry W. Grady for its careful planning in the late 1800s, the city is situated on the slope of Blue Mountain.
Culture, events and attractions
In 1899, the county seat of Calhoun County moved from Jacksonville to Anniston. More than 100 years later, the community is a bustling center of industry and commerce with more than 24,000 residents. Over the years, city officials and local citizens have worked to retain the environmental beauty of the area while allowing it to thrive economically and to preserve its history. The Spirit of Anniston Main Street Program, Inc., a nonprofit organization started in 1993, spearheaded the restoration and revitalization of historic downtown Anniston, with a strong focus on the city's main thoroughfare, Noble Street.
The Noble Streetscape Project encouraged local business owners to refurbish storefront facades, while historic homes throughout the downtown area have been repaired and returned to their former glory. The preservation effort even included the historic Calhoun County Courthouse, located on the corner of 11th Street & Gurnee Avenue since 1900. The original building burned down in 1931, but the courthouse was rebuilt a year later. Thanks to a complete restoration in 1990, the stately structure is still in use today.
Anniston has long been a cultural center for northeastern Alabama. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival was founded in the city in 1972, and has since moved to Montgomery to receive more robust support. The Knox Concert Series regularly brings world-renowned musical and dance productions to the area. The city also is home to the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum of World History. These quaint institutions house mummies, dioramas of wildlife and artifacts from a bygone age in an understandable fashion.
References
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Alabama" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21, 2006. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2005-04-01.csv. Retrieved November 9 2006.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Alabama". United States Census Bureau. 2008-07-10. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-01.csv. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
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