Welcome

Montgomery County is located in the south-central part of Alabama and is bounded by the Alabama and Tallapoosa Rivers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Montgomery County has a total area of 800 square miles, of which, 790 square miles of it is land and 10 square miles is water. Currently Alabama's fourth most populous county, Montgomery County in 2006 had an estimated population of 223,571. The median household income in 2003 was $35,523, slightly below the median income for the state of $36,131. Montgomery County's largest city is Montgomery, which has a population of approximately 201,000. The warm Southern hospitality, high quality of life and low cost of living make Montgomery County a wonderful place to put down roots and raise a family.

Montgomery County offers everything expected in a big city from world class arts and theater to state of the art health care and vibrant retail all with the small town warmth seldom found in a city of this size. Within this guide, you will find invaluable information about this wonderful county. Welcome!

CLIMATE
Semi-tropical conditions dominate local weather patterns. Montgomery's climate is hot during the summer when temperatures tend to be in the 90's and cold during the winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The mild winters mean snowfall is rare, with an average snow fall of 0.3 inches. Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during the summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during the winter with an average difference of 23 degrees Fahrenheit.

Montgomery receives ample amounts of rain. The annual average precipitation in Montgomery is 51 inches. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is March with an average rainfall of 5.86 inches. March, April and May are prime tornado warning months.

ARRIVAL
Car Arrival
Montgomery is located at the intersection of Interstate 85 (East) and I-65 (North and South). Montgomery is 162 miles southwest of Atlanta, which is a pleasant two and one half hour drive by car along I-85. The city of Birmingham is located just 82 miles to the north of Montgomery and is less than ninety minutes traveling along I-65.

Air Arrival
Montgomery Regional Airport
4445 Selma Highway
Montgomery, AL 36108
(334) 281-5040
The Montgomery Regional Airport is located six short miles southwest of the capital city of Montgomery. Delta, Continental Express, Northwest and US Airlines operate out of this airport. 20 arrival and departure flights are operated daily. The airport is served by seven car rental companies; Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, Thrifty, Alamo and Enterprise. Short term parking costs $1 per half hour, with a maximum of $12 day. The maximum for long term parking is $8 per day.

Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport
5900 Airport Highway
Birmingham, AL 35212
(205) 595-0533
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is Alabama's largest airport serving the Greater Birmingham area and surrounding Southeastern cities. This airport is located about 4.5 miles east of downtown Birmingham. Six major airlines and five regional carriers serve it.

Bus Arrival
Greyhound Bus Lines
950 W. South Blvd.
Montgomery, AL 36105
For bus schedules and more information, contact the station at (334) 286-0658.

Other Transportation
There is a local city bus system in the city of Montgomery with 16 fixed routes, Demand Response Services and Paratransit Service. Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS) consists of 32 buses that serve 16 fixed routes, Monday through Saturday, 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Paratransit operates six days a week, 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a fleet of 10 vehicles.

Passes may be purchased at the MATS office located at 2318 W. Fairview Ave. and at the Intermodal Transfer Center on Molton Street. The price of the monthly bus passes are $35.00 for regular fare and $17.50 for students/seniors/ disabled.

Additionally, the Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS) operates the Lightning Route Trolley System. The Lunch Trolley Express circulates throughout downtown Montgomery, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

HISTORY
The early 1800s marked the era where Settlers began to populate the area known today as Montgomery County. Montgomery County was named after the memory of Major Lemuel P. Montgomery, who was the first man to die at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814. Today, a statue in honor of Major Montgomery is displayed within the entrance of the Montgomery Country Courthouse.

The battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812 in Central Alabama, a battle where Andrew Jackson sought to "clear" Alabama for American settlement. General Jackson was in command of an army that composed of the West Tennessee militia, 39th United States Infantry and about 600 Cherokee, Choctaw and Lower Creek Indians who all fought against the Red Stick Creek Indians. The battle lasted for five hours and on Aug. 9, 1814, Andrew Jackson forced the Creeks to sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson.

Initially located within the Mississippi Territory, the County of Montgomery was established on Dec. 6, 1816. Soon after, Congress passed an enabling act that permitted the creation of the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory. The lands within Montgomery County were put up for auction at the Federal Land Office in Milledgeville, George. The larger lots were bought by developers for the purpose of commercial and residential use. As a result, these lots predetermined a major city on the banks of the Alabama River at Montgomery.

The Alabama lands were put up for auction in 1817. A group of Georgians, led by General John Scott bought the land located along the river bluff and named it, "Alabama Town." Soon afterwards, a group of other individuals, led by Andrew Dexter, bought the area known today as Court, Ripley, Scott and Jefferson streets and named it "New Philadelphia." In the spirit of competition, the Georgians abandoned Alabama Town and built the town of east Alabama. Two years later, the two towns merged under the name Montgomery (in honor of Major General Richard Montgomery who fought in the Revolutionary War) on Dec. 3, 1819. Within 11 days, the state of Alabama was admitted into the Union. The city of Montgomery became the county seat in 1822 and remained the sole municipality in the county until the town of Pike Road was incorporated in 1997. Today, Montgomery County has an estimated population of over 221,000, making it the fourth largest county in the State.
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