Pleasant Grove

Pleasant Grove is located in southwest Jefferson County in the north-central part of Alabama. It has a mayor-city council form of government.

History

The first settler in the area was David Brown, who arrived around 1836. By the 1880 census, the area had 74 people and became known as Pleasant Grove. Originally the town was sustained primarily by agriculture, but with the opening of the first coal mine in the area in 1916, the Pleasant Grove economy quickly grew dependent on the mines.

The town was not incorporated until 1934, a move made necessary because many local wells were failing as the area’s water table was undercut by the deep coal mines. A federal program enabled the town to build a new water system after incorporation.

On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado struck Pleasant Grove, destroying numerous homes and killing 10 people.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Pleasant Grove recorded a population of 9,625. Of that number, 60.9 percent identified themselves as African American, 36.8 percent as white, 2.2 percent as two or more races, 0.6 percent as Hispanic, 0.1 percent as Asian. The city’s median household income was $64,087, and per capita income was $32,004.

Employment

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

  • Educational services and health care and social assistance (21.5 percent)
  • Retail trade (12.8 percent)
  • Manufacturing (11.5 percent)
  • Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (10.8 percent)
  • Public administration (8.5 percent)
  • Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (7.7 percent)
  • Other services, except public administration (7.7 percent)
  • Construction (6.1 percent)
  • Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (5.6 percent)
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (3.4 percent)
  • Wholesale trade (2.8 percent)
  • Information (1.5 percent)

Education

Schools in Pleasant Grove are part of the Jefferson County School District; the town has one elementary school and one high school.

Transportation

County Road 57 runs north-south through Pleasant Grove, and Interstate 59 is located approximately five miles southeast of the city. The closest major airport to Pleasant Grove is the BirminghamShuttlesworth International Airport, approximately 20 miles to the northeast.

Events and Places of Interest

Pleasant Grove has one city park that includes basketball and tennis courts, pavilions, playground equipment, and picnic areas. The city also has an athletics complex with baseball, softball, and football fields.

Pleasant Grove holds an annual Christmas Parade.

Additional Resources

Jefferson County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Jefferson County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2002.

External Links

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