Dothan, Alabama

Dothan is a city located in extreme southeastern Alabama. It is the seat of Houston County, and portions of the city are located in Dale County and Henry County. The city's name derives from a town mentioned in a Bible verse, Genesis 37:17 - "For I heard them say, let us go to Dothan." As of the 2000 census, the city's population was 57,737.

People of Dothan

Due to its relative geographic remoteness from larger Alabama cities like Mobile and Birmingham, Dothan has its own character. Dothan has been called the "Hub of the Wiregrass," meaning it is at the center of the region comprising southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, and the far nothern end of the Florida panhandle. The city's west side is particuarly prosperous, with many large, beautiful homes set on gracefully sloping, meticulously landscaped lawns. Other indicators of this mostly understated affluence include the presence of fine retailers of jewelry, home furnishings, and clothing, and a Mercedes-Benz dealership since the 1960s.

Related Topics:
Mobile - Birmingham - Georgia - Florida - Mercedes-Benz - 1960s

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Dothan continuously has been served by regional airlines and is 25 minutes away from a connecting flight to almost anywhere in the world via six daily flights to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. In preparation for the jet age, the regional airport was relocated to Napier Field in 1965. Jet service began in 1968 with Southern Airways' acquisition of DC-9 aircraft.

Related Topics:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - 1965 - DC-9

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Dothan was racially segregated until the late 1960s. Race relations in Dothan have been generally good, with most whites eager to leave behind the unfortunate circumstances of the past. Some whites are still inclined toward feelings of racial discrimination, but these feelings are largely kept below the surface, especially in schools and workplaces. Progress continues to be made, but social integration is the exception, particularly in regard to entertaining at home and in most churches. Though a few black students attended Dothan High School in the late 1960s, the first serious effort at public school desegregation did not occur until the 1969-70 school year, after a court order. The integration happened without incident.

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