Russellville is the county seat of Franklin County and is located in the northwest corner of the state. In the Reconstruction era, Russellville was a center of the iron and steel industry. Russellville has a mayor-council form of government.
History

Russellville was once again designated the Franklin County seat in 1891, after a portion of the existing county was carved out to form Colbert County, thus making Russellville the most centrally located city again. During the twentieth century, Russellville's economy diversified and then faced the general decline shared by most cities in north Alabama, as industry and mining operations left the area.
Demographics
Russellville's population according to 2016 Census estimates was 9,804. Of that number, 77.6 percent identified themselves as white, 40.6 percent as Hispanic, 9.7 percent as African American, 2.4 percent as Native American, 1.3 percent as two or more races, and 0.9 percent as Asian. The city's median household income was $31,262, and per capita income was $16,779.
Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Russellville was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Manufacturing (36.5 percent)
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (16.8 percent)
- Construction (13.8 percent)
- Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (7.1 percent)
- Retail trade (6.9 percent)
- Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (4.1 percent)
- Information (3.9 percent)
- Public administration (2.9 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (2.4 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.9 percent)
- Transportation and warehousing and utilities (1.7 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services (1.1 percent)
- Wholesale trade (1.1 percent)
Education
The Russellville City School System has two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.
Transportation
Russellville is served by County Highway 48, which runs east-west through the city and connects with U.S. Highway 43, and County Highway 55, which runs north-south through the city. The city of Russellville operates the Russellville Municipal Airport, which serves general aviation.
Events and Places of Interest

Every August, the town of Russellville hosts the annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival, which features a pageant, a 5K race, arts and crafts, and tennis tournaments. The historic Roxy Theater hosts local events.
The privately owned Alabama Iron Works is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Additional Resources
Heritage of Franklin County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.
Additional Resources
Heritage of Franklin County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.
Stewart, Margaret Estelle. Alabama's Franklin County: A History of Franklin County and Her People. Centre, Ala.: Stewart University Press, 1988.