Enterprise

Boll Weevil Monument Enterprise is located in Coffee County in the Wiregrass region of southeastern Alabama. It is a center of the peanut industry in the state. Enterprise has a mayor/council form of government. Notable individuals born in Enterprise include author Michael McDowell, U.S. senator Katie Britt, and U.S. representative Barry Moore.

History

Enterprise was founded by entrepreneur John Henry Carmichael, who moved to the area in 1881 and opened a store. The following year, more settlers came to the area, and a nearby post office was relocated to the town. It was officially incorporated as Enterprise in 1896 with a population of 250. In 1898, the Alabama Midland Railroad Company established its headquarters in the town, bringing new industry and growth. By this time, the town was a center of Alabama's cotton economy, with a population of more than 3,700 by 1906. This success was threatened in 1915 with the arrival of the boll weevil, a devastating cotton pest from Mexico. After suffering significant losses to their crops, farmers in the region shifted to other crops, including corn and peanuts, in part owing to the efforts of agricultural pioneer George Washington Carver. On December 11, 1919, the town dedicated the Boll Weevil Monument to acknowledge the role played by the pest in saving the region's economy.

In the 1940s, the U.S. Army established Fort Rucker outside of Enterprise, and as the facility has expanded, it has brought many economic benefits to the area. During the 1960s, Enterprise-Ozark Community College (now Enterprise State Community College) developed a training program, now known as the Aviation Campus, to train local residents for jobs at Fort Rucker. The military base continues to play an important role in the city's economy. In 1981, Enterprise Electronics Corporation contributed to the development of Doppler radar.

On March 1, 2007, an EF4 tornado struck the Enterprise High School during the February-March tornado outbreak of that year. The structure was heavily damaged and nine people were killed.

Fort Rucker is the leading employer in the region, with many other residents being employed in the peanut industry. Sessions Peanut Company, founded in 1917, is the oldest company in the city.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Enterprise recorded a population of 28,170. Of that number, 68.9 percent identified themselves as White, 21.9 percent as African American, 9.4 percent as Hispanic, 4.4 percent as two or more races, 2.6 percent as Asian, and 0.9 percent as American Indian. The city's median household income was $62,182, and per capita income was $29,205.

Employment

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

• Educational services, and health care and social assistance (28.0 percent)
• Retail trade (11.4 percent)
• Public administration (11.1 percent)
• Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (9.2 percent)
• Manufacturing (8.9 percent)
• Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (8.0 percent)
• Transportation and warehousing and utilities (8.0 percent)
• Other services, except public administration (4.2 percent)
• Construction (3.5 percent)
• Finance, insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (3.2 percent)
• Wholesale trade (2.1 percent)
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.3 percent)
• Information (1.0 percent)

Education

The Enterprise City Schools oversees six elementary schools, two junior high schools, and one high school. There are also two private schools. Enterprise State Community College serves post-secondary students in the area.

Transportation

Enterprise is bisected by U.S. Highway 84, which runs north-southeast through the city, and State Highway 27, which runs northeast-southeast through the city. State Highway 134 runs east-west through the city, and State Highway 248 runs east from the city. Enterprise Municipal Airport, with one runway, lies to the southwest of the city.

Events and Places of Interest

Our Wall of Freedom The Boll Weevil Monument, erected in 1919, is located in the historic town square and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also listed are the Rawls Hotel, constructed in 1903, and the privately held Seaboard Coastline Depot building, constructed in 1900. Visitors may view exhibits on the city's history at the Enterprise Depot Museum, which is also home to the Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society. Enterprise has three parks and four sports complexes that offer visitors various recreational and athletic opportunities. Our Wall of Freedom, a memorial located at the entrance to the Enterprise Recreational Complex, honors people from Coffee County who have died in service to their country.

Enterprise Depot Museum Enterprise hosts numerous events throughout the year. In March, residents and visitors can enjoy the World's Smallest St. Patrick's Day Parade, which features a single person dressed as a leprechaun. Thunder on the Tholocco, an annual powerboat race, and Piney Woods Arts Festival, an event featuring art, craft, and food vendors, live performances, and a juried art competition, are both held each April. The city also hosts the Downtown Summerfest in May, the Boll Weevil Fall Festival in October, and an annual Christmas Parade in December. Yearly events at nearby Fort Rucker include an aviation festival each October and an annual Fourth of July Freedom Fest.