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Gadsden "The Spirit of American Citizenship Monument on Rainbow Drive (US 411), just before the Broad Street Bridge. The Coosa River and East Gadsden are visible in the background." The Spirit of American Citizenship Monument on Rainbow Drive (US 411), just before the Broad Street Bridge. The Coosa River and East Gadsden are visible in the background. is a city located in northeastern Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 38,978. The city is the seat of Etowah County.

It was at one time the state's 2nd most important industrial center, trailing only Mobile. The two cities were important shipping centers: Gadsden for riverboats and Mobile for international trade. Up until the 1980s, Gadsden was almost totally dependent on heavy industy, including Goodyear Tire, and Republic Steel. After virtually crumbling in the 1970s and 1980s, Gadsden decided its best course of action was to stop being dependent on industry, and shedding its "company town" image.

In the 1990s, Gadsden began to prosper, having changed its focus in industrial recruitment. Instead of going after the heavy industries, the city began to try and lure the more high tech companies, and automotive suppliers. The Gulf States Steel plant (formerly Republic Steel), closed in August, 2000.

Today, Gadsden is a booming city, and is one of Alabama's most rapidly expanding cities, with 104,000 people living within in the Gadsden Metropolitan Area

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The first substantial white settlement in what is now Gadsden was a tiny town called Double Springs. It was begun by a mixed Indian-white settler named John Riley when he built his house near two springs around 1825. It became a stagecoach stop on the Huntsville-to-Rome route. The original house still stands today as the oldest house in Gadsden. The house changed hands to a couple named Gabriel and Asenath Hughes in 1840. Shortly thereafter, they began to purchase much of the land between Lookout Mountain, the Coosa River, and down to the mouth of Wills Creek. Their land, plus that of John S. Moragne and Joseph Rhea, became the first part of the city of Gadsden. Double Springs was transformed on July 4, 1845, when one Captain James Lafferty piloted the first steamboat to the area, aptly named the em. He landed near the site of the current Memorial Bridge on that date. The Hughes brothers offered to name the town "Lafferty's Landing" in his honor, but Lafferty declined. Instead, the name Gadsden was chosen, in honor of Colonel James Gadsden of South Carolina, famous for the later Gadsden Purchase.

After the civil rights movement and the closing of most of Gadsden's major industries in the 1970's and 80's, the city began to crash. Thanks to Mayor Steve Means, a 1989 Rand McNally article listed Gadsden as one of the "Seven Worst Cities to Live in the United States." But due to the forward-looking citizenry of Gadsden, efforts like the Cultural Arts Center and downtown redevelopment earned Gadsden first place in the 2000 City Livability Awards Programspan .

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 96.3 km² (37.2 mi²). 93.2 km² (36.0 mi²) of it is land and 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.25% water.

of 2000, there are 38,978 people, 16,456 households, and 10,252 families residing in the city. The population density is 418.4mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 62.69% White, 34.00% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. 2.67% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 16,456 households out of which 24.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% are married couples living together, 18.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% are non-families. 33.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.28 and the average family size is 2.91.

In the city the population is spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $24,823, and the median income for a family is $31,740. Males have a median income of $29,400 versus $19,840 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,610. 22.9% of the population and 18.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 33.9% of those under the age of 18 and 14.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

The Gadsden City Board of Education contains a collection of the best schools in Northeast Alabama. The Board oversees sixteen schools: eight elementary schools, three middle schools, three high schools, and two specialty schools (one alternative center and one technical center). Among high schools, Gadsden City Schools ranks among the top in the state for number of National Merit Scholars and students in Gadsden City Schools constantly rank above the state and national average on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The school system has approximately 5,600 students including full-day kindergarten programs.

A new high school, Gadsden City High School, is set to replace the three current city high schools (Gadsden High School, Emma Sansom High School, and Litchfield High School) via merger, with a projected 2006-07 total of 1,400 students. This new school is expected to provide a wide variety of new courses currently not offered anywhere in the region and will compete with other high schools on a national level.

Gadsden is also home to one institution of higher learning, Gadsden State Community College. The community college is the second largest among the 27 two-year institutions comprising the Alabama College System.

. Illustrated by Brock Cole. Arcadia, 2002; ISBN 0738523755. Part of the "Making of America" series.