Shelby

Formed February 7, 1818 (17^th county)

Shelby County (223,034), Columbiana (4,459), Alabaster (33,330)

This classic domed stone courthouse was built in 1905 and sits at Main and Depot streets.  The building is one block north of Alabama State Highway 70.  Bruce Architectural Company provided the Beaux Arts designs.  The structure was enlarged in 1955 and 2002 and renovated in 1992.  The building features a working clock and the grounds have veteran memorials and a gazebo.  There was an 1854 courthouse in Columbiana and an 1820 one in Shelbyville.  The county was formed on February 7, 1818 from Montgomery County as the 17^th county.  Shelbyville was the original county seat.  There have been 1826 and 1854 courthouses in Columbiana. 

Shelby County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 9 commissioners (legislative.)  Three Circuit Judges, Three District Judges, and a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Shelby County (judicial.)  The county is located in central Alabama just to the south of Birmingham, Alabama.  The Coosa River is the eastern border of this county.  The center of the county is 12.6 miles Northwest of Columbiana nearer Chelsea.  The county is surrounded clockwise by St. Clair, Talladega, Coosa, Chilton, Bibb, and Jefferson counties.  Shelby comes from Kentucky Governor Isaac Shelby.  Shelby County was the birthplace of 1 Alabama Governor, Robert J. Bentley.  Presumably Christopher Columbus provided the inspiration for the seat’s name. The county is shaped like an overstuffed chair.  Columbiana is located in the southeast quarter of the county.  Alabaster is located in the western quarter of the county.  The county seat is pronounced KOE-LUM-BEE-ANN-A.  The largest city is pronounced AL-A-BAS-TUR.  Columbiana is 2.0% of the county population and Alabaster is 14.9% of the county population. 

The county has an area of 784.9 square miles.  It ranks 22 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 6 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 293.2 persons per square mile making it 5 out of 67 in the state.  Shelby County has 70.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 65 crosses from Jefferson County, north, into Chilton County, south.  United States Highway 31 parallels Interstate Highway 65 from Jefferson County to Chilton County.  United States Highway 231 crosses eastern Shelby County entering from St. Clair County and going into Talladega County.  United States Highway 280 comes from Jefferson County to the northwest, joins with United States Highway 231, and exits into Talladega County.  Columbiana is the county seat while Alabaster is the largest city.  The county is in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area.