Centreville

History

The Cahaba River falls near Centreville, which made the town a strategic location for transportation through the region. The first post office in Bibb County was established in Centreville in 1821. Sarah Willis Chotard obtained a patent for land in this area in 1823 and began moving squatters off the land and laid out a plot for the new town of Centreville. In 1829, Centreville became the permanent seat for Bibb County after several years of debate and different locations of the county courthouse, and the town was incorporated in 1832. On May 27, 1973, a violent tornado struck the city, causing major damage across the area. On March 25, 2021, a violent tornado hit the southern and eastern portions of Centreville, causing significant damage to the area and rendering the Bibb County Airport a total loss. In 1910, a white woman by the name of Mrs. Crow gave birth to a child of "doubtful color", who was thought by many to be the product of a relationship between Crow and an African American, and she was accused of having such a relationship. At first she vigorously denied it, but then – under intense peer pressure – she confessed to the baby's origin but claimed that she had been raped. When asked if she knew who raped her, Crow gave them the name of Grant Richardson, an African American who lived near the Braehead Slope Mine Camp, northeast of Centreville. The miners and other local residents were so incensed at the affair that they decided to apply "summary vengeance" to Richardson as soon as they knew that the sheriff had apprehended him. Deputy Sheriff Cam Riley apprehended Richardson on October 12, 1910, and was returning him to the jail at Centreville for processing and trial, but was waylaid by a lynch mob. The mob took Richardson from Riley and shot the…

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Centreville has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.52%, is water. The city is bordered to the west by the city of Brent by the Cahaba River. The city is located in the central part of the state along U.S. Route 82, which runs from southeast to northwest to the north of the city, leading southeast to Montgomery, the state capital, and northwest to Tuscaloosa. Alabama State Routes 25 and 219 both run through the center of the city from south to north. AL-25 leads northeast to Montevallo and southwest to Greensboro. AL-219 leads north to Alabama State Route 5 north of Brent and south to Selma. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Centreville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated Cfa on climate maps. Centreville is the site of the highest recorded temperature in the state of Alabama, when on September 6, 1925, the temperature reached . The data below are for the years 1916 to 1974.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Brent Elementary School
  Elementary · Brent · 601 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Bibb County High School
  High · Centreville · 471 students · 17.4:1 ratio
• Centreville Middle School
  Middle · Centreville · 425 students · 17:1 ratio
• Bibb County Career Academy
  High · West Blocton