Dale County
Alabama Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Dale County ALGHN

Welcome to the Dale County Alabama Genealogy & History Network website providing free information to genealogical and historical researchers.

To share your Dale County, Alabama genealogy or history information, send an email to alghn@outlook.com - we will be pleased to include it here. If you have information to share for other Alabama Counties, visit the Alabama Genealogy & History Network state website and choose the appropriate county.

About Dale County, Alabama...

Dale County was created by an act of the Alabama State Legislature on December 22, 1824. The county was named for Georgia native Samuel Dale, an early pioneer who led a group of settlers to Alabama.

In 1841 the county was split in half to create Coffee County and in 1868, Geneva County was formed from southern portions of Dale County. In 1903, Dale County was further reduced when the state legislature carved Houston County out of the southeastern corner.

The county seat was originally located at Daleville, but was removed to Newton in 1843 and finally to Ozark in 1870. The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1884 and replaced by an ornate brick structure in 1901. In 1968 the county erected the current courthouse.

In 1936, the Farm Security Administration, in an effort to increase farm prices, purchased 32,000 acres of land on the western border of Dale County to create a wilderness reservation. Under the Resettlement Administration proposal, farmers were paid by the federal government for their poor lands and then were moved to more profitable ones.

The Works Project Administration reforested the lands and in 1940 built the 800-acre Lake Tholocco. Known as Bear Farm, the lands were transferred to the War Department in January 1942 to train soldiers during World War II. Named Camp Rucker for Confederate Colonel Edmund Rucker, the training base became Fort Rucker in 1955. Fort Rucker became the centerpiece for the U.S. Army's aviation programs when flight training was consolidated at the base in 1973. In addition, the Air Force has trained its helicopter pilots at the base since 1971.

Every year Ozark hosts the Claybank Jamboree, which features antiques, paintings, food, music, and a 5K race. Other attractions include the Dowling Art Museum, which showcases local art.

The county has a total area of 563 square miles, of which 561 square miles is land and 1.6 square miles (0.3%) is water. The population recorded in the 1830 Federal Census was 2,031. The 2010 census recorded 50,251 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Barbour County (north), Henry County (east), Houston County (southeast), Geneva County (southwest), Coffee County (west), and Pike County (northwest).

Communities in the county include Daleville, Dothan (partly in Houston & Henry Counties), Enterprise (partly in Coffee County), Level Plains, Ozark, Ariton, Clayhatchee, Grimes, Midland City, Napier Field, Newton, Pinckard, Fort Rucker (U.S. Army base), Arguta, Asbury, Barefield Crossroads, Barnes, Beamon, Bells Crossroads, Bertha, Bethel, Browns Crossroad, Clopton, Dill, Dillard, Dykes Crossroad, Echo, Ewell, Gerald, Kelly, Mabson, Marley Mill, Plainview, Roberts Crossroads, Rocky Head, Skipperville, Sylvan Grove, Waterford, and Wicksburg.

Dale County, Alabama Records

Alabama Genealogy & History Network has much information on our county websites - cemetery listings, community data, etc. Please visit the county or counties of interest to you.

Birth Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains records of births from 1908 to present. This was the year Alabama began keeping official birth records. You can obtain official copies of birth certificates by visiting the birth record page on their website and following the instructions. Since there are no official birth records before 1908 for births prior to that date you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Death Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains death records after 1908 on file. This was the year Alabama began keeping official death records. You can obtain official copies of death certificates by visiting the death record page on their website and following the instructions. Since there are no official death records before 1908 for deaths prior to that date you will need to determine death information from census records, bible records, funeral home records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Marriage Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health can provide you with information for marriages that took place from 1936 to present by by visiting the marriage record page on their website and following the instructions.

All existing county marriage records for any date not listed above (and for the dates listed above for that matter) may be obtained from the county's Probate Office in which the marriage was held.

Divorce Records - The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains divorce records from 1950 to present. You can obtain official copies of devorce records by visiting the divorce record page on their website and following the instructions. Records for divorces occuring before 1950 may be obtained from the Circuit Clerk in the county where the divorce took place.