Colbert

Formed February 6, 1867 (61^st county)

Colbert County (57,232), Tuscumbia (9,050), Muscle Shoals (16,275)

The white brick antebellum courthouse of Colbert County was built in 1909 and added to in 1948 and 1973.  It is located on a square between Walter and Main streets and 3^rd and 4^th streets.  United States Highway 43 Business is Main Street in Tuscumbia.  There was an 1881 version of the courthouse in Tuscumbia.  The designers are Bearden, Foreman, and C. L. Peckinpaugh in Greek Revival architecture.  The building features a dome and columns and veteran memorials are on the grounds.  Native American chiefs George and Levi Colbert are the source for the county’s name.  Tuscumbia was also named for a Cherokee chief.  Tuscumbia has been the only county seat.  The county was carved from Franklin County on February 6, 1867 as the 61^st county. 

Colbert County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 6 commissioners (legislative.)  Two Circuit Judges, a District Judge, a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Colbert County (judicial.)  The county is located in far northwest corner of Alabama.  The center of the county is in Tuscumbia 2.3 miles West of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lauderdale, Lawrence, and Franklin counties and Mississippi.  Mississippi is on the western border.  The Tennessee River is the northern border and Town River is the eastern border of the county.  Huntsville, Alabama is east of the county.  Tuscumbia is slightly northeast of center although the northern border dips down almost to Tuscumbia.  Muscle Shoals is east and adjacent to Tuscumbia.  The county is pronounced COLE-BURT.  The county seat is pronounced TUS-KUM-BEE-A.  Muscle Shoals is the largest city.  Tuscumbia is 15.8% of the county population.  Muscle Shoals is 28.4% of the county population. 

The county has an area of 592.6 square miles.  It ranks 56 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 25 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 97.9 persons per square mile making it 21 out of 67 in the state.  Colbert County has 65.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 43 transits from Lauderdale County, north, into Franklin County, south.  United States Highway 72 enters from the north with United States Highway 43, splits south of Tuscumbia, and exits west into Mississippi.  A rectangle with a wavy top is the best description of the county.  The county is in the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Statistical Area.