Valley Head

James P. Kaetz, Auburn University
Winston Place
Valley Head is located in northeastern DeKalb County in the northeastern corner of the state. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Folk artist Howard Finster was born in Valley Head.
History
White settlers began arriving in the Valley Head area by the early nineteenth century; in 1837, the area warranted establishment of a post office. Early settler Col. Vance Larmore, who was instrumental in getting the railroad (possibly the Wills Valley Railroad and later the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad) to come through Valley Head, making it a shipping center for the area. Sequoyah lived in the Valley Head area when he was working on his Cherokee syllabary. The town incorporated in 1922.
Demographics
According to 2020 Census estimates, Valley Head recorded a population of 904. Of that number, 95.6 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 6.4 percent as Hispanic, 3.6 percent as two or more races, 1.5 percent as American Indian, and 0.2 percent as African American. The town's median household income was $38,914, and the per capita income was $15,579.
Employment
According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Valley Head was divided among the following industrial categories:
  • Construction (29.2 percent)
  • Manufacturing (27.4 percent)
  • Educational services and health care and social assistance (11.5 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (8.0 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (5.2 percent)
  • Retail trade (5.2 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (4.2 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (3.8 percent)
  • Information (2.4 percent)
  • Public administration (1.7 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (1.4 percent)
Education
Schools in Valley Head are part of the DeKalb County school system; the town has one high school.
Transportation
County Road 137 bisects Valley Head northeast-southwest. State Highway 117 northeast-northwest and connects the town with Interstate 59 to the west.
Events and Places of Interest
Sequoyah Caverns
The Winston Place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The Council Bluff School, the J. C. Larmore Home, the V. C. Larmore Home, the Valley Head United Methodist Church, and the Winston Place are listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. Sequoyah Caverns, named after the man who created the Cherokee syllabary, is located in Valley Head.

Additional Resources

DeKalb County Heritage Book Committee. Heritage of DeKalb County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1998.
Published:  July 5, 2013   |   Last updated:  February 28, 2023