Rockford

Rockford is the seat of Coosa County. It has a mayor/council form of government.

Located on Hatchet Creek, Rockford was founded in 1835. Prior to its selection as the county seat, the county government was located in the town of Lexington. When that town was abandoned in 1834, Rockford was established as the seat the following year. In 1840, the county held a vote to decide among Rockford, Nixburg and Wetumpka as the county seat, and Rockford was selected and retained the honor. In 1906, the courthouse was renovated. Later in the twentieth century, the textile industry became a major employer for local residents, particularly Avondale Mills. Avondale established a plant in Rockford and plants in Sylacauga to the north and Alexander City to the east. The Rockford plant closed in January 2008, and Avondale went out of business shortly thereafter.

Rockford's population according to 2016 Census estimates was 618. Of that number, 56.3 percent of the population reported itself as white and 43.7 percent as African American. The city's median household income was $21,429, and per capita income was $14,461.

According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Rockford was divided among the following industrial categories:

Public education in Rockford is administered by the Coosa County School District, which oversees one K-8th grade elementary school and one 9th-12th grade high school. In addition, there is a science and technology school for 9th-12th graders.

Rockford is accessed by U.S. Route 231 and state routes 21 and 53, all of which run north-south, and State Route 22, which runs east-west. In addition, County Road 18 enters the town from the southeast.

The Old Rock Jail, more formally the former Coosa County Jail, dates from 1825. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and houses a museum. On the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage are the Rockford Women's Club House (ca. 1932), the James Powell House, and Old Rockford Elementary School (ca. 1927). Behind the Rock Jail lies the grave of Fred the Town Dog, a stray who was adopted by the town in 1993 and lived there a decade, dying in 2002. He became nationally known after being featured on the Animal Planet television network and was inducted into the Alabama Animal Hall of Fame in 2004.

Additional Resources

Brewer, George. History of Coosa County, Alabama. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1987.

Heritage of Coosa County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.