Gordo, Alabama

Gordo, Alabama
Town
Location of Gordo in Pickens County, Alabama
Coordinates: 33°19′17″N 87°54′13″W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Pickens
Government
• Mayor	Craig Patterson
Area
• Total	3.26 sq mi (8.44 km2)
• Land	3.25 sq mi (8.42 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	282 ft (86 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,628
• Density	496.16/sq mi (191.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	35466
Area code	205, 659
FIPS code	01-30736
GNIS feature ID	0119169
Website	www.townofgordo.org

Gordo is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, its population was 1,628, down from 1,750 in 2010. It was the second-largest municipality in Pickens County as of 2020, after Aliceville. The town incorporated in 1900.

History

A post office called Gordo has been in operation since 1847. The name of the town likely commemorates the 1847 Battle of Cerro Gordo in the Mexican–American War.

Geography

Gordo is located at 33°19′17″N 87°54′13″W (33.321461, -87.903729).

The city is located in west central Alabama along U.S. Route 82, which runs northwest to southeast through the town. It leads southeast 22 mi (35 km) to Northport and 23 mi (37 km) to Tuscaloosa. It runs northwest 8 mi (13 km) to Reform and 37 mi (60 km) to Columbus, Mississippi. Alabama State Route 86 runs west 14 mi (23 km) to Carrollton, the Pickens county seat. Alabama State Route 159 runs north 31 mi (50 km) to Fayette.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) is land and 0.31% is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	707		—
1920	642		−9.2%
1930	811		26.3%
1940	934		15.2%
1950	952		1.9%
1960	1,714		80.0%
1970	1,991		16.2%
1980	2,112		6.1%
1990	1,918		−9.2%
2000	1,677		−12.6%
2010	1,750		4.4%
2020	1,628		−7.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,750 people living in the town. 58.9% were White, 37.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.9% from some other race and 2.0% of two or more races, or were aliens. 1.5% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,677 people, 728 households, and 474 families living in the town. The population density was 527.1 inhabitants per square mile (203.5/km²). There were 810 housing units at an average density of 254.6 per square mile (98.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 58.91% White, 40.31% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.30% from other races, and 0.30% from two or more races. 1.25% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 728 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the age distribution of the population showed 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,813, and the median income for a family was $35,714. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $21,029 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,937. About 17.5% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.4% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Education in Gordo is overseen and governed by the Pickens County Board of Education. Students of Gordo and its surrounding areas are served by Gordo Elementary School and Gordo High School.

Notable people

• Larry Blakeney, former Auburn quarterback and head coach at Troy University
• Charles W. Davis, World War II Medal of Honor recipient
• Verdo Elmore, former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Browns
• Wayne Davis, former NFL Linebacker and record holder for most tackles at the University of Alabama

Crime (Notable Events)

• Sean Worsley In 2016, disabled veteran Sean Worsley was arrested in Pickens County for possession of prescription medical marijuana by Police Officer Carl Abramo of the Gordo Police Department. Worsley was arrested after stopping at a gas station when Abramo allegedly heard loud music and "observed a black male get out of the passenger side vehicle". In 2020, Mr. Worsley was extradited from his home state in Arizona to Pickens County, where he was sentenced by a judge to 60 months in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections. After serving almost 10 months in Alabama jails for felony possession of medical marijuana legally prescribed in his home state of Arizona, the disabled Iraqi War veteran was released with a pardon.