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Alabama Counties
Alabama currently has sixty-seven counties. The oldest county, Washington, was created on June 4, 1800, when what is now Alabama was then part of the Mississippi Territory. The newest county is Houston, created on February 9, 1903.Henry County, Alabama History
Henry County Education, Geography, and History
Henry County is a county of the state of Alabama. Based on the 2010 census, its
population was 17,302. Henry County was created
on December 13, 1819 and was formed from Conecuh County. The county
seat is Abbeville. Henry county is named in honor of Patrick Henry (1736-1799), famous orator and Governor of Virginia.
Henry County is part of the Dothan, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Henry County Name
The county was named for Revolutionary War patriot Patrick Henry (Virginia).
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Henry County History
Henry County, Alabama
Henry county formed on December 13, 1819. The original county was vast in size, until its boundaries were reduced by the establishment of the counties of Pike and Covington in 1821, by Dale in 1824, by Barbour in 1832 and Houston in 1903. The county was named for Revolutionary War patriot Patrick Henry (Virginia).
Henry County is located in the southeastern corner of the state, bounded to the east by the State of Georgia and the Chattahoochee River. It encompasses 557 square miles. It is identified as part of the coastal plain or Wiregrass region. The county seat is located in Abbeville. Other towns include Headland and Newville.
Upon formation, Henry County was the largest county within Alabama, composing all or portions of the present counties of Barbour, Coffee,
Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Houston, and Pike. When the youngest county of Houston was formed in 1903, Henry became the smallest.
After 1814, the colonial settlers' developed Franklin as the first white settlement in the Creek territory. The former river port served
Abbeville on the Chattahoochee River. Much of the original Henry County was part of the original Alabama wiregrass region.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 568 square miles (1,470 km2), of which 562 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 6.6 square miles (17 km2) (1.2%) is water. It is the fourth-smallest county in Alabama by total area.
The Chattahoochee River and its lower tributaries flow throughout Henry County, as do several tributaries of the Choctawhatchee River. Because the Chattahoochee River is one of the most dammed rivers in the Southeast, its ecosystems have been severely altered over the last half century. The overall biological diversity of the river has declined, and several fish and mussel species are at risk. Both rivers provide scenic views and recreational opportunities for visitors to Henry County.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Northeast: Clay County, Ga.
- Southeast: Early County, Ga.
- South: Houston County
- Southwest: Dale County
- Northwest: Barbour County
Education
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