Fort Payne, Alabama

Fort Payne
Gault Avenue in downtown Fort Payne
Gault Avenue in downtown Fort Payne
Flag of Fort Payne
Official logo of Fort Payne
Nickname: 
Official Sock Capital of the World
Location of Fort Payne in DeKalb County, Alabama.
Location of Fort Payne in DeKalb County, Alabama.
Coordinates: 34°27′13″N 85°42′23″W / 34.45361°N 85.70639°W / 34.45361; -85.70639
CountryUnited States
StateAlabama
CountyDeKalb
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council (5 members)
 • MayorBrian Baine
Area
 • Total56.76 sq mi (147.01 km2)
 • Land56.41 sq mi (146.09 km2)
 • Water0.35 sq mi (0.92 km2)
Elevation1,079 ft (329 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,877
 • Density263.75/sq mi (101.83/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
35967-35968
Area code256
FIPS code01-27616
GNIS feature ID2403645[2]
Websitewww.fortpayne.org

Fort Payne is a city in and county seat of DeKalb County, in northeastern Alabama, United States. It is near Lookout Mountain. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,877.

This city developed around a fort of the same name, built in the 1830s to intern the Cherokee tribe who were being rounded up by the military before being forcibly removed to Indian Territory in 1838 on what they called the Trail of Tears.

European-American settlers gradually developed a community around the former fort. It grew rapidly in the late 19th century based on industrial resources, and manufacturing increased in the early 20th century. At the beginning of the 21st century, it still had 7000 workers in 100 mills producing varieties of socks, nearly half the world production. The volume of production has declined because of competition from China.

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fort Payne, Alabama

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