Walker

Formed December 26, 1823 (33^rd county)

Walker County (65,342), Jasper (14,575)

A masonry and concrete 1886 courthouse overlooks Jasper.  It is sited on 2^nd Avenue between 18^th and 19^th streets.  Alabama State Highway 69 is one block to the south.  Charles H. MacAuley provided the building designs for this Art Deco structure.  The building was restored in 1975 following a tornado.  A Courthouse Annex was added in 1977.  The grounds feature veteran memorials and a fountain.  The downtown has painted ceramic donkeys.  Senator John W. Walker provided the name for the county.  Sergeant William Jasper was the county seat’s namesake.  Walker County was created on December 26, 1823 from parts of Blount, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa counties as the 33^rd county.  Jasper has been the only county seat. 

Walker County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 5 commissioners (legislative.)  Two Circuit Judges, Two District Judges, a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Walker County (judicial.)  The county is situated in the northwest just northwest of Birmingham, Alabama.  The center of the county is in Jasper 1.6 miles South-Southwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Winston, Cullman, Blount, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Fayette, and Marion counties.  Jasper is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.3% of the county population. 

The county has an area of 791.2 square miles.  It ranks 21 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 21 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 81.3 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 67 in the state.  Walker County has 38.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 78 crosses east to west in the county coming from Jefferson County and going into Marion County.  The overall shape of the county is the number 7.  Jasper is in the northern half of the county. The county is in the Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area.