Pelham

Pelham is located in Shelby County in central Alabama. It has a mayor-city council form of government.

History

Peavine Falls The first settlement located at the present site of Pelham, established in 1820, was named Shelbyville; it served as the location of the first county courthouse until Columbiana was named county seat in 1826. The town was renamed Pelham in 1867 after Civil War hero Maj. John Pelham, who reportedly camped overnight with his troops near Shelbyville during the war. The town remained relatively small, with a population of only around 250 in 1887.

In response to an attempt by Alabaster to annex the area, Pelham was incorporated in July 1964, with the first city elections held the following September. Population at the time was listed at 654. Construction of a city water system followed in 1967. Like other towns in Shelby County, Pelham has benefitted from the expansion of population and businesses south from Birmingham in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Pelham recorded a population of 23,707. Of that number, 79.7 percent identified themselves as white, 13.2 percent as Hispanic, 9.8 percent as black, 4.0 as two or more races, 1.6 percent as Asian, and 0.7 percent as American Indian and Alaska Native. The city’s median household income was $52,035, and per capita income was $28,934.

Employment

According to 2020 Census estimates, the workforce in Pelham was divided among the following industrial categories:

  • Educational services, and health care and social assistance (22.7 percent)
  • Manufacturing (14.2 percent)
  • Retail trade (11.6 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (9.6 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services (8.3 percent)
  • Construction (6.7 percent)
  • Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (5.6 percent)
  • Public administration (5.5 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing and utilities (5.5 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (4.9 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (2.5 percent)
  • Information (1.5 percent)
  • Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.4 percent)

Education

Schools in Pelham are part of the Shelby County School District; the town has one elementary school, one intermediate school, and one high school. There are also three private schools in the town.

Transportation

Pelham is bisected by State Highway 31 (north-south) and County Road 52 (east-west). Interstate 65 lies just east of the city. The closest major airport to Pelham is the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, approximately 20 miles to the north.

Events and Places of Interest

Pelham has five area parks, including a city park complex that features baseball and softball fields, football fields, tennis courts, and playgrounds. The other area parks include walking trails, fitness areas, outdoor basketball courts, and picnic areas. The Pelham Civic Complex has two full-sized ice hockey rinks and meeting areas and halls that can be rented for business and private events.

The Ballantrae Golf Club offers an 18-hole course, and the Pelham Racquet offers 20 clay and five hard tennis courts.

Oak Mountain State Park is located just four miles northeast of the city and offers swimming, boating, hiking, and camping among its many activities.

Additional Resources

Shelby County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Shelby County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.

External Links

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