Lowndes

Formed January 20, 1830 (36^th county)

Lowndes County (10,310), Hayneville (831), Fort Deposit (1,224)

The tall, clocked dome and balcony of this white masonry courthouse stand out in the small city.  It was built in 1896, remodeled and enlarged in 1905, and renovated in 1982.  It is located on Washington Street between Lafayette and Tuskeena streets.  Tuskeena Street is Alabama State Highway 21 in Hayneville.  The architect is unknown for the Greek Revival courthouse.  Across the street in a park are veteran memorials.  An annex is diagonal to the courthouse front.  South Carolina Governor Robert Y. Hayne provided the county seat its name.  South Carolina Congressman William Lowndes is the namesake for the county. Lowndes County was created in January 20, 1830 from parts of Butler, Dallas, and Montgomery counties as the 36^th county.  The only county seat has been in Hayneville.   

Lowndes County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 5 commissioners (legislative.)  A Circuit Judge serves Lowndes, Butler, and Crenshaw counties and a District Judge, a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Lowndes County (judicial.)  The county is located in south central Alabama.  Montgomery, Alabama is northeast of the county.  The Alabama River forms the northern county border.  The center of the county is 5.8 miles West-Southwest of Hayneville in Mosses.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Autauga, Montgomery, Crenshaw, Butler, Wilcox, and Dallas counties.  A bag of popcorn shaped county best describes its shape.  Hayneville is slightly east of center in the county.  Fort Deposit is in the extreme southern part of the county.  Hayneville is 8.1% of the county population and Fort Deposit is 11.9% of the county population.  The county is pronounced LOUN-DEZ.  The county seat is pronounced HANE-VIL. 

The county has an area of 715.9 square miles.  It ranks 31 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 65 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 13.7 persons per square mile making it 61 out of 67 in the state.  Lowndes County has 39.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 65 crosses the southeast corner of the county coming from Montgomery County to the east and exiting into Butler County to the south.  United States Highway 31 parallel Interstate Highway 65 from Montgomery County to Butler County.  United States Highway 80 goes east to west from Montgomery County to Dallas County.  Hayneville is the county seat and Fort Deposit is the largest city.  The county is in the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.

White Hall