St. Clair County EMA

Because Ashville is geographically located in the center of St. Clair County, it was chosen as the county seat; however, early travel was difficult since the county was cut in half by Backbone Mountain, and in 1902 a branch county seat was established in Pell City.

St. Clair County, with a population of 64,742, is the sixth fastest growing county in the state and is Alabama's most populated county. It is located at the end of the Appalachian Mountain Range in northeast central Alabama and covers 646 square miles. St. Clair County has two excellent interstate systems, 1-59 and 1-20, and two railroads, the Norfolk and CSX.

The widely traveled U.S. 231 runs from north to south right through the middle of Ashville, the county seat and Pell City, the largest city in the county. Highway 411 runs east to west from Ashville to Leeds. St. Clair County lies almost entirely within the Tennessee section of the Valley and Ridge province. The eastern edge of the county is delineated by the Coosa River and the topography ranges from rolling to hilly in the southeastern part of the county, to valleys and ridges that trend northeastward in the central and northwestern part. The river has two dams, the H. Neely Henry Dam and the Logan Martin Dam, thus offering all kinds of water sports and recreation. St. Clair County is unequaled in natural beauty and in a county older than the state, you can expect to find a rich and interesting history.

St. Clair County has a well-diversified economy with a strong agricultural base with modern industries. The average annual rainfall is 48" inches.