Escambia County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,757. Its county seat is Brewton.
Escambia County is coextensive with the Atmore, AL Micropolitan Statistical Area; which is itself a constituent part of the larger Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL-AL Combined Statistical Area.
The county is the base of the state's only federally recognized Native American tribe, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. They have developed gaming casinos and a hotel on their reservation here, but also a much larger business extending to locations in other states and the Caribbean.
Etymology
The name "Escambia" may have been derived from the Creek name Shambia, meaning "clearwater", or the Choctaw word for "cane-brake" or "reed-brake".
History
Historic American Indian tribes in the area included the Muskogean-speaking Creek, Choctaw, and Alabama, who had inhabited the lands for centuries and had many settlements. The former two tribes were among those in the Southeast whom the European-American settlers called the Five Civilized Tribes, as they adopted some European-American cultural ways. Many of their members had close working relationships with traders and settlers moving into the area in the early 19th century. Following the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson, several Creek families, including the Colberts, Gibsons, Manacs and Weatherfords, secured small reservations from federal government in the vicinity of present-day Poarch. Members of these families had remained friendly towards the United States during the Creek wars of 1813 and 1814. In 1836, the federal government permitted several additional Creek families to secured reservations.
Escambia County was organized and established after the American Civil War, on December 10, 1868, during the Reconstruction era. The state legislature created it from parts of Baldwin and Conecuh counties, to the west and north, respectively. The area was part of the coastal plain. It was largely agricultural into the 20th century.
The county is subject to heavy winds and rains due to seasonal hurricanes. In September 1979, the county was declared a disaster area due to damage from Hurricane Frederic. It was declared a disaster area again in September 2004 due to damage from Hurricane Ivan.
In the 20th century, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians organized to gain recognition as a tribe, and established a government under a written constitution. The federal government recognized the Boarch Band on August 11, 1984.
Major highways
- 20px Interstate 65
- 20px U.S. Highway 29
- 20px U.S. Highway 31
- 20px State Route 21
- 20px State Route 41
- 20px State Route 113
Adjacent counties
- Conecuh County (north)
- Covington County (east)
- Okaloosa County, Florida (southeast)
- Santa Rosa County, Florida (south)
- Escambia County, Florida (southwest)
- Baldwin County (west)
- Monroe County (northwest)
Escambia County in Alabama and Escambia County in Florida are two of 22 counties or parishes in the United States with the same name to border each other across state lines.<!--Hide this list, or put it as an article to be referenced from articles related to these places. It's not significant for these southern counties to have all the other pairs listed. "The others are Bristol County, Massachusetts and Bristol County, Rhode Island, Kent County, Delaware and Kent County, Maryland, Vermillion County, Indiana and Vermilion County, Illinois, Pike County, Illinois and Pike County, Missouri, Union Parish, Louisiana and Union County, Arkansas, Sabine Parish, Louisiana and Sabine County, Texas, Teton County, Idaho and Teton County, Wyoming, Big Horn County, Montana and Big Horn County, Wyoming, Park County, Montana and Park County, Wyoming, and San Juan County, New Mexico and San Juan County, Utah."-->
National protected area
- Conecuh National Forest (part)