| Official Name: | Greenville |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Nickname: | Camellia City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Coordinates: | 31.8311°N -86.6275°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alabama |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Butler |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1819 |
| Named For: | Greenville, South Carolina |
| Government Type: | Mayor/Council |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Dexter McLendon |
| Area Total Km2: | 55.76 |
| Area Land Km2: | 55.31 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.46 |
| Elevation M: | 134 |
| Elevation Ft: | 440 |
| Population Total: | 7374 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | 133.33 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 36037 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 334 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 01-31912 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0119376 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 345.32 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 21.53 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 21.35 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.18 |
Greenville is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,374. Greenville is known as the Camellia City, wherein originated the movement to change the official Alabama state flower from the goldenrod to the camellia with legislative sponsors LaMont Glass and H.B. Taylor.[2]
Greenville was first settled in 1819. Its original name was Buttsville,[3] but after becoming the county seat in 1822, its name was changed to Greenville, in remembrance of the former locale in South Carolina of many of the original settlers.[4] [5] The first county seat was at Fort Dale, a fortification that was named for Sam Dale, who fought to defend the area during the Creek War. The site of Fort Dale lies on the north of the city near the Fort Dale Cemetery, along what is now Alabama Highway 185.
The namesake of the county, Captain William Butler, was killed during the Creek War. He is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, which is across from the oldest church in Butler County, the First United Methodist Church of Greenville.
During World War II, a satellite camp for German prisoners was based in Greenville.[6]
Interstate 65 and U.S. Route 31 pass through the city. Montgomery, the state capital, is northeast, the closest city to Greenville with a population above 50,000.[7]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Greenville has a total area of 55.8sqkm, of which 55.3sqkm is land and 0.5sqkm, or 0.82%, is water.[8]
The city of Greenville has a humid subtropical climate, with an average high temperature of and an average low temperature of . The city averages of precipitation per month.[9]
| Black or African American | 4,292 | 58.2% |
| White | 2,624 | 35.58% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 133 | 1.8% |
| Asian | 118 | 1.6% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.11% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 197 | 2.67% |
As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 8,135 people, 3,332 households, and 2,126 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 55.5% Black or African American, 41.7% White, 0.0% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. 1.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In the city, 27.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.6% were 18 to 24, 25.0% were 25 to 44, 24.4% were 45 to 64, and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3. For every 100 females, there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.7 males.
There were 3,332 households. Of those, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.06.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,664, and the median income for a family was $31,107. Males had a median income of $33,716 versus $24,928 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,649. About 20.3% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Prior to the Civil War, cotton farming was the main occupation in Butler County. Due to this, slave trade was very prominent in the surrounding areas such as the Alabama riverboat in Montgomery which paraded new slaves through the streets of downtown Montgomery. During the 1850s, the Mobile and Ohio Railroad constructed a line through Greenville, enabling it to became the center of commerce between Montgomery and south Alabama. During the late nineteenth century, the construction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad through Greenville contributed further to Greenville's prosperity. In 1900, Gulf Red Cedar Company and Factory in Greenville was a bucket manufacturer in Greenville.
As of 2009, Greenville had a diverse industrial manufacturing base of companies in the textile, wood products, automobile, and other industries. Major employers included Hwashin American Corporation, Hysco America Corporation, CorStone Industry, and Connector Manufacturing.[12]
The Ritz Theatre in Greenville hosts community events, plays,[13] and an annual musical revue called "Puttin' on the Ritz".[14]
Each September, the city hosts the Butler County Fair, which includes the "Old Time Farm Day" featuring tractor races, blacksmithing and quilting demonstrations.[15]
Cambrian Ridge is a golf course in Greenville. Sherling Lake Park and Campground has 41 campsites and surrounds two lakes east of the golf course.
The local government of Greenville is run by the Mayor and City Council. The city council consists of five members each elected from single member districts. The city is located in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District and is currently represented by U.S. Representative Barry Moore.
Public education is provided by the Butler County Board of Education.[16]
Private schools in Greenville include Fort Dale Academy[17] and Camellia City Christian School.
Weekly newspapers include The Greenville Standard,[19] and Greenville Advocate.[20]
Residents were featured in the premiere episode of My Kind of Town (2005).
The movie Honeydripper (2007), was filmed in locations around Greenville in 2006.[21]