Attalla, Alabama
Attalla is a city of 5,775 people in Etowah County, Alabama, founded in 1870.
Why visit Attalla
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 12 places to eat and 6 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Attalla Downtown Historic District and United States Post Office.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 33°F.
Weather in Attalla
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Attalla
Attalla is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census, Attalla had a population of 5,827.
From the Wikipedia article Attalla, Alabama (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Attalla Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic district in Alabama, United States
United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Government building in Attalla, Alabama
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes12
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.8 mi
966 Gilbert Ferry Road Southeast, Attalla
Mo 09:30-24:00; Tu-Su 00:00-01:00,09:30-24:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.8 mi
964 Gilbert Ferry Road, Attalla
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
Jack's
Fast food · Burger · 2.4 mi
1718 West Grand Avenue, Gadsden
Mo-Th 04:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 04:00-23:00; Su 04:30-22:00
Daylight Donuts
Fast food · Donut · 1.8 mi
977 Gilbert Ferry Road Southeast, Attalla
Mo-Sa 05:00-11:00; Su closed
Where to stay6
History
The town developed on the area of a former Muscogee (Creek) village that was important during the Creek War. Most of the Creek people were forced out under the Indian Removal Act of 1830. White European migrants from the coastal areas came into this area to acquire land. The wealthier ones developed cotton plantations based on the labor of enslaved African Americans.
Cherokee people had also lived in this area, after being encroached on in Tennessee and western North Carolina. David Brown (Cherokee) was assisted by the Rev. D. S. Butterick in preparing the Cherokee Spelling Book while he lived here.
Attalla was not founded until 1870; it was established on land donated by W. C. Hammond, a plantation owner. It was incorporated as a city government on February 5, 1872. The town was officially named "Attalla" in 1893, derived from the Cherokee language word otali meaning "mountain".
Railroads served the town and connected it to other markets. When the railroads went into bankruptcy, Attalla's prosperity declined in the late 19th century financial troubles.
Attalla is the site of the first hydroelectric dam constructed to provide electricity for a city; it was built in 1887.
From the History section of Attalla, Alabama on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship12
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries18
Map of Attalla
58 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 33°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 36°F | 5.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 82°F | 59°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 68°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 71°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 70°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 64°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 52°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 36°F | 5.5 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Gadsden (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Etowah County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2020-09-14: Hurricane Sally (Hurricane)
- 2020-07-10: Severe Thunderstorms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-04-26: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Rainbow City 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Steele 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Gadsden 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Southside 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Glencoe 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Tidmore Bend 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Sardis City 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Lookout Mountain 13 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Ashville 13 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Boaz 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- AttallaAlabamaDowntown, DwayneP, CC BY-SA 3.0
- AttallaAlabamaPostOffice, DwayneP, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bank of Attalla Oct 2014, Chris Pruitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS043-E-184805 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-263250 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-184806 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS016-E-18448 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- AL77sRoad-ChattanoogaInt59Int759signs (35060805051), formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Int59nRoad-Exit182-Int759-US278US411OneMile (34804693670), formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- AL77nRoad-RainbowCitySunset (34804693150), formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
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