Geneva County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,659. Its county seat is Geneva. Geneva County is a dry county. However, beer and wine are sold in the city limits of Geneva, Samson, Slocomb, and most recently in Hartford, after residents voted to become wet in a 2022 election.
Geneva County is part of the Dothan, Alabama metropolitan area.
History
Geneva County was established on December 26, 1868 from Coffee, Dale, and Henry counties. The county was named after its county seat, which in turn was named after Geneva, New York, which was named after Geneva, Switzerland, by Walter H. Yonge, an early town resident and Swiss native.
The county was declared a disaster area in September 1979 due to damage from Hurricane Frederic.
On March 10, 2009, a gunman, identified as Michael McLendon, went on a shooting spree at nine locations in Geneva County from the town of Samson to the city of Geneva, killing ten people and wounding six others. McLendon entered his former place of employment, Reliable Metal Products on the northeastern side of Geneva, where he killed himself. McLendon fired in excess of 200 rounds during the spree.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. The county is located in the Wiregrass region of southeast Alabama.
It is the fifth-smallest county in Alabama by total area.
Major highways
- 20px State Route 27
- 20px State Route 52
- 20px State Route 54
- 20px State Route 85
- 20px State Route 87
- 20px State Route 103
- 20px State Route 123
- 20px State Route 153
- 20px State Route 167
- 20px State Route 196
Adjacent counties
- Dale County (north-northeast)
- Houston County (east)
- Jackson County, Florida (southeast)
- Holmes County, Florida (south)
- Walton County, Florida (southwest)
- Covington County (west)
- Coffee County (north-northwest)