Kellyton

Kellyton is located in eastern Coosa County in the east-central part of the state. It has a mayor/city council form of government. Justin Tuck, who played in the National Football League and won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, was born and raised in Kellyton.

History

Bird Dog The area known today known as Kellyton was originally an outpost called Webbsville, named for the area’s first postmaster, William Webb. In 1874, the name was changed to Kellyton in honor of James Kelly, a prominent local physician. The town began to expand quickly after a branch line of the Central of Georgia Railroad was built through the area in 1880. Kellyton reached its economic zenith in the early 1920s. The abundance of timber in the area, as well as access to the rail line, led to the establishment of many small sawmills as well as a turpentine distillery. Other major businesses included grist mills and a tanning yard. In later years, Kellyton residents found employment at nearby textile mills, which were open in the area as late as 1999. The town has tended to expand toward U.S. Highway 280, the main route in the area. Kellyton incorporated in 2001.

Demographics

According to 2020 Census estimates, Kellyton recorded a population of 175. Of that number, 94.9 percent of respondents identified themselves as white and 5.1 percent as African American. The town’s median household income was $50,156, and the per capita income was $20,315.

Employment

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

• Educational services and health care and social assistance (57.0 percent)
• Manufacturing (11.4 percent)
• Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (7.6 percent)
• Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (6.3 percent)
• Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (5.1 percent)
• Retail trade (5.1 percent)
• Other services, except public administration (3.8 percent)
• Public administration (2.5 percent)
• Construction (1.3 percent)

Education

Students in Kellyton attend Coosa County schools; no public schools are located within the town limits.

Transportation

U.S. Highway 280 runs through the southern town limits of Kellyton, going northwest-southeast. County Road 115 bisects the town running northeast-southwest. The Norfolk Southern Corporation operates a rail line through Kellyton.

Events and Places of Interest

The McClendon-Mayfield House (ca. 1851) is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. Though located in Tallapoosa County, it is just north of Kellyton. The town is northwest of Lake Martin and about 16 miles from Wind Creek State Park and its numerous recreational opportunities. The Five Star Plantation, a hunting preserve established in 1919, offers visitors outdoor activities related to hunting sports.

Additional Resources

Brewer, George E. History of Coosa County. Wetumpka, Ala.: Wetumpka Printing Company, 1955.

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