Lee County


Located in east-central Alabama, Lee County was home to two Alabama governors: William J. Samford and Forrest "Fob" James. The county is also home to one of the two largest institutions of The Lee County Courthouse in Opelika was built Lee County Courthousehigher education in the state of Alabama: Auburn University. The county is governed by an elected six-member commission and includes eight incorporated communities, although only four lie entirely within the borders of Lee County.

· Founding Date: December 5, 1866
· Area: 609 square miles
· Population: 140,247 (2010 Census)
· Major Waterways: Chattahoochee River
· Major Highways: Interstate 85, U.S. 280, U.S. 431
· County Seat: Opelika
· Largest City: Auburn

History 

Lee County was created by an act of the Alabama legislature on December 5, 1866. The land that would eventually become Lee County came from a land cession to the United States by the Creek Indians in the 1832 Treaty of Cusseta. Lee County was created from lands carved out from Macon, Russell, Chambers, and Tallapoosa counties. Lee County was named in honor of General Robert E. Lee. The earliest settlers came to the area from Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. Some of the first towns included Opelika, Auburn, Salem, and Loachapoka. During World War II, Camp Opelika in Lee County served as one of four major prisoner-of-war camps in Alabama that housed mostly German soldiers captured in Africa and Europe. The camp then served as temporary housing for returning servicemen before the area was converted to an industrial site in the 1950s.

Opelika is the first and only county seat of Lee County. The first courthouse was built in 1867 by the formerly enslaved and renowned bridge builder Horace King. The two-story, brick building served as the county courthouse until a second courthouse was built in 1896 across the street from the original structure, which was eventually torn down. The 1896 courthouse has undergone a number of renovations since it was first built and continues to serve as the county courthouse for Lee County.

Major Cities and Demographics 

Auburn, located in west-central Lee County, is the Downtown AuburnThe population of Lee County, according to the 2010 Census, was 140,247. Of that total, 71.3 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 22.7 percent as African American, 3.3 percent as Hispanic, 2.6 percent as Asian, 1.6 percent as two or more races, and 0.3 percent as Native American. The largest city in Lee County is Auburn, with an estimated population of 53,380. Other significant population centers include Phenix City (partially located in Lee County) and Opelika. The median household income was $39,381, compared with $40,547 for the state as a whole, and the per capita income was $21,184, compared with $22,732 for the state as a whole.

Economy 

Farming of cotton, corn, and cattle was the Lee County CottonLike most of Alabama's counties, farming was the prevailing occupation of Lee County until well into the twentieth century. Cotton, corn, and cattle served as the county's main agricultural products. With its proximity to the Chattahoochee River and Georgia markets, however, shipping and other forms of transportation were also important parts of Lee County's economy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The first major industry in Lee County was the Opelika Cotton Mill, which opened in 1900. Industrial development increased during the 1940s after the construction of dams on the Chattahoochee and Tallapoosa rivers provided hydroelectric power to the area. In recent decades, the economy has shifted to service and industry. As the home of Auburn University, Lee County is also recognized as a center of education in the state of Alabama.

Employment 

The workforce in present-day Lee County is divided among the following occupational categories:

· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (27.0   percent)
· Retail trade (12.4 percent)
· Manufacturing (11.6 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services   (9.5 percent)
· Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste   management services (7.9 percent)
· Construction (7.1 percent)
· Finance and insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (6.4   percent)
· Other services, except public administration (5.0 percent)
· Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (3.8 percent)
· Public administration (3.5 percent)
· Information (2.2 percent)
· Wholesale trade (2.1 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.6 percent)

Education

One of the largest universities in Alabama, Auburn Auburn UniversityThe Lee County school system employs approximately 1,150 teachers and administrators who serve more than 9,200 students in 12 primary and secondary schools. Auburn City Schools employ nearly 700 teachers and administrators in 11 primary and secondary schools, serving more than 4,500 students. With more than 620 teachers and administrators, Opelika City Schools serve nearly 4,350 students in nine primary and secondary schools. Located in Auburn, Auburn University is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the state, with over 23,000 students. A land-grant institution, the university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Southern Union State Community College has campuses in both Opelika and Valley and offers two-year programs in the arts and sciences as well as technical and vocational degrees.

Geography 

Lee County is 51st in size among Alabama Lee County MapComprising just over 600 square miles, Lee County is located in east-central Alabama along the Alabama-Georgia border. The northern half of the county is part of the Piedmont physiographic section, whereas the county's southern portion is part of the Coastal Plain physiographic section. Some sources place the county in the eastern part of Alabama's Black Belt, but others do not. Loblolly and shortleaf pine forests dot the county's landscape. The county is bordered by Chambers County to the north, the state of Georgia to the east, Russell County to the south, and Macon and Tallapoosa counties to the west.

The Chattahoochee River and its tributaries flow throughout the eastern half of the county, whereas the Tallapoosa River and its tributaries flow throughout the western half. Together, the rivers provide a number of scenic views as well as recreational and economic opportunities for visitors to and citizens of Lee County.

Interstate 85 is one of Lee County's main transportation routes, running southwest-northeast. U.S. 280 and U.S. 431 run southeast-northwest through most of the county and split at Opelika, where 431 continues north and 280 continues northwest. The Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport is Lee County's only public airport.

Events and Places of Interest 

Located in west-central Lee County, Chewacla State Park Chewacla State ParkThere a number of recreational opportunities for visitors to Lee County. Chewacla State Park in Auburn offers 696 acres of hiking and biking trails as well as overnight camping facilities. The park also boasts a 26-acre lake for swimming, fishing, and boating as well as tennis courts, a playground, and picnic areas. Located on the campus of Auburn University, the Donald E. Davis Arboretum is home to 150 different tree species native to Alabama and the Southeast. The arboretum features a walking trail through the trees as well as a guide to help identify the different species. The Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, run by the Auburn University school of Forestry and Wildlife Science, is located just north of campus. The 110-acre preserve includes a number of walking trails as well as a wetland preserve and butterfly garden. Other outdoor recreational opportunities in Lee County include Kiesel Park, the Lee County Public Fishing Lake, and Saugahatchee Lake in Opelika.

The Donald E. Davis Arboretum on the campus Wild Azalea at Auburn University ArboretumThe Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University houses a permanent collection of American and European art in eight galleries and includes a gift shop, restaurant, auditorium, and formal gardens. The museum offers a number of educational programs throughout the year for people of all ages. The Lee County Historical Society Museum in Loachapoka features artifacts and memorabilia related to the history of Lee County in the nineteenth century. The museum is also the site of the annual Lee County Historical Fair held each October. The Museum of East Alabama in Opelika houses over 5,000 artifacts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Other cultural attractions in Lee County include the Jonathan B. Lovelace Athletic Museum and Hall of Honor in Auburn and the Opelika Performing Arts Series, which hosts events such as Broadway tours and international and national symphony orchestras and opera companies.

Syrup Sopping Day has been an autumn tradition Syrup Sopping Day at LoachapokaThere are a number of historical attractions throughout Lee County. The Loachapoka Historic District and the Northside Historic District of Opelika each contain a number of homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During mid-December, visitors can take self-driving and walking tours of historic Opelika, where more than 45 homes serve as backdrops for unique holiday decorations. Other historic attractions in Lee County include the turn-of-the-century Salem-Shotwell Covered Bridge, the 1896 Lee County Courthouse, and the Tiger Trail of Auburn, which honors Auburn University's greatest athletes and coaches. Grand National Golf Course on Lake Saugahatchee in Opelika is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Additional Resources  

The Heritage of Lee County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2000.

Donna J. Siebenthaler
Auburn University


Published August 21, 2007
Last updated March 14, 2013