Gadsden City, Alabama is located in Etowah County. The population is spread out with 23.0% of the population under the age of eighteen, 9.5% between the ages of 18 and 24, 25.3% between the ages of forty-five and sixty-four, and 20.1% between the ages of 65 and over. The median age of the population was 39, and males outnumbered females by 85.2 to one. Interestingly, only two churches are Jewish in Gadsden, and these are Christ and Episcopalian.
The Gadsden Police Department was established in 1846, and employs 100 full-time officers. These officers are well-trained, and are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Additionally, there are over 20 civilian employees, such as school crossing guards, animal control employees, and more. The police department is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 4:30pm. They accept cash, but you should have photo ID to get records.
Despite the positives, Gadsden City is not without problems. The city won the first place at the 2000 City Livability Awards Program of the US Conference of Mayors. The city also has a Cultural Arts Center and has been working to revitalize its downtown. Despite its successes, underemployment remains a serious issue. And this problem is reflected in the economic data.
After the Civil War, Gadsden became a booming town, with the establishment of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Republic Steel. The National Civic League named Gadsden an All-America City in 1991. The first substantial European-American settlement in Gadsden was located in Double Springs. John Riley, an American Indian and European-American, built a house near two springs. He used the house as a stagecoach stop on the Huntsville-Rome route. It is the oldest building in Gadsden.