Gadsden, Alabama
Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located on the Coosa River about 56 miles (90 km) northeast of Birmingham and 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,931. The population 33,945 at the 2020 census.
Gadsden, Alabama | |
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Aerial photo of downtown Gadsden | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Motto: "City of Champions" | |
Location of Gadsden in Etowah County, Alabama | |
| Coordinates: 34°0′36″N 86°0′37″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Etowah |
| Founded | February 18, 1867 |
| Incorporated | March 9, 1871 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor Council (with seven councilmen) |
| • Mayor | Craig Ford (D) |
| Area | |
| • City | 38.657 sq mi (100.121 km2) |
| • Land | 37.443 sq mi (96.978 km2) |
| • Water | 1.214 sq mi (3.143 km2) |
| Elevation | 581 ft (177 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 33,945 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 33,335 |
| • Rank | US: 1200th AL: 16th |
| • Density | 890/sq mi (343.8/km2) |
| • Urban | 57,975 (US: 460th) |
| • Urban density | 947/sq mi (365.7/km2) |
| • Metro | 103,088 (US: 357th) |
| • Metro density | 192.6/sq mi (74.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 35901, 35902, 35903, 35904, 35905, 35906, 35907 |
| Area code(s) | 256 and 938 |
| FIPS code | 01-28696 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403673 |
| Website | cityofgadsden.com |
In the 19th century, Gadsden was Alabama's second-most important center of commerce and industry, trailing only the seaport of Mobile. The two cities were important shipping centers: Gadsden for riverboats and Mobile for international trade.
From the late 19th century through the 1980s, Gadsden was a center of heavy industry, including the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Republic Steel. In 1991, following more than a decade of sharp decline in industry, Gadsden was awarded the honor of All-America City by the National Civic League.