History of Huntsville, Alabama in Timeline
Huntsville, Alabama, is the state's most populous city with an estimated population of 225,564 in 2023, ranking 95th in the U.S. Its metropolitan area, home to approximately 514,465 residents, is the second-largest in Alabama after Birmingham. Huntsville serves as the county seat for Madison County, while also extending into Limestone and Morgan Counties.
7 hours ago : Tornado Warning in Huntsville, AL & NFL Players from Johnson H.S.
Huntsville, Alabama faces a tornado warning for Limestone and Madison counties until 6:45 p.m. while also celebrating NFL players from Johnson High School.
1926: Oldest Diesel Locomotive
The North Alabama Railroad Museum's collection includes one of the oldest diesel locomotives in existence (1926).
1940: Huntsville's Population
In 1940, Huntsville was still a relatively small city with a population of about 13,000 inhabitants.
1941: Army selects land for chemical munition facilities
In early 1941, the U.S. Army selected 35,000 acres of land adjoining the southwest area of Huntsville for building three chemical munitions facilities: the Huntsville Arsenal, the Redstone Ordnance Plant, and the Gulf Chemical Warfare Depot.
1945: Post-War Efforts to Attract New Tenants to Redstone Arsenal
At the end of the war in 1945, the munitions facilities were combined into Redstone Arsenal (RSA), and efforts were made to attract new tenants, including manufacturing the Keller automobile, but this closed after 18 vehicles were built. With encouragement from US Senator John Sparkman, the U.S. Army Air Force considered it for a testing facility. Redstone Arsenal was prepared for disposal, but Sparkman persuaded the Army to choose it as a site for rocket and missile development.
December 1946: First HCCA performance
The Huntsville Community Chorus Association (HCCA) had its first performance in December 1946.
1950: Transfer of Personnel to Redstone Arsenal
In 1950, about 1,000 personnel were transferred from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Redstone Arsenal to form the Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC). This included about 200 German scientists and engineers, led by Wernher von Braun, who had been brought to the United States under Operation Paperclip.
1952: Huntsville Chamber Music Guild Organized
Huntsville Chamber Music Guild was organized in 1952 to promote and present chamber music programs.
1954: Atomic Energy Act
In 2016, TVA withdrew from the deal to sell the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant, stating they could not sell the plant under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
1956: Formation of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA)
In early 1956, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) was formed under Major General John Medaris.
1956: Huntsville Photographic Society Started
The Huntsville Photographic Society started in 1956, dedicated to furthering the art and science of photography in North Alabama.
1957: Huntsville Art League Started
The Huntsville Art League started in 1957, adopting the name "The Huntsville Art League and Museum Association" (HALMA).
January 31, 1958: America's First Satellite Launch
On January 31, 1958, ABMA placed America's first satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit using a Jupiter-C launch vehicle, bringing national attention to Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville.
1959: Broadway Theatre League Founded
Broadway Theatre League was founded in 1959.
July 1, 1960: Formation of NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
On July 1, 1960, 4,670 civilian employees, associated buildings and equipment, and 1,840 acres of land were transferred from ABMA to form NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), with Wernher von Braun as its initial director.
1961: J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College Founded
In 1961, J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College was founded.
1961: Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theatre Founded
In 1961, the Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theatre, Huntsville's oldest children's theater, was founded.
1961: Huntsville Youth Orchestra Founded
The Huntsville Youth Orchestra was founded by Russell Gerhart in 1961.
April 1962: Formation of Committee to Address African American Concerns
In April 1962, a committee was formed by the city to "address the concerns of the African American community."
May 11, 1962: Huntsville Integrates Racially
On May 11, 1962, Huntsville became the first city in Alabama to be racially integrated.
1962: Huntsville Rockets Launched
In 1962, Huntsville's first sports team, the Huntsville Rockets football team, was launched.
August 1963: Court Ruling on School Desegregation
In August 1963, a court ruling determined that Huntsville must desegregate their schools.
1963: New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm
During the New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm, 17 inches of snow fell within 24 hours in Huntsville.
1963: Alabama Hawks Founded
In 1963, the Alabama Hawks football team was founded.
1965: Huntsville Police Academy Established
In 1965, the Huntsville Police Department's academy was established, and has been in operation ever since.
1967: Huntsville Rockets Folded
In 1967, the Huntsville Rockets football team folded due to lack of funding.
1969: Alabama Hawks Discontinued
In 1969, the Alabama Hawks football team was discontinued due to lack of funding.
1970: Huntsville Museum of Art Opens
In 1970, the Huntsville Museum of Art opened.
April 1974: Super Outbreak
In April 1974, the Super Outbreak affected northern Alabama
1975: Von Braun Center Opens
In 1975, the Von Braun Center originally opened as the Von Braun Civic Center, featuring a 10,000-seat arena, a 2,000-seat concert hall, a 500-seat playhouse, and 150,000 square feet of convention space.
1979: Ravagers Filmed
In 1979, Columbia Pictures filmed the movie 'Ravagers' at various locations in Huntsville.
1981: Huntsville Blast Founded
In 1981, the Huntsville Blast minor league ice hockey team was originally founded as the Roanoke Valley Rampage in Vinton, Virginia.
1984: HMCRA Acquires Rail Line
In 1984, the Huntsville and Madison County Railroad Authority (HMCRA) acquired the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) line after L&N abandoned it.
1985: Huntsville Stars Founded
In 1985, the Huntsville Stars, a Minor League Baseball team, were founded after being transferred from Nashville, Tennessee, where they were originally the Nashville Sounds.
November 1989: November 1989 Tornado
In November 1989, a tornado killed 21 people and injured over 460 in Huntsville.
1993: Independent Musical Productions (IMP) Founded
In 1993, Independent Musical Productions (IMP) was founded, staging musical productions performed by community volunteers.
1993: Huntsville Blast Relocated
In 1993, the Huntsville Blast were relocated to Huntsville.
1993: Blizzard of 1993
The Blizzard of 1993 was a substantial winter event for Huntsville.
1995: Apollo 13 Pre-Production in Huntsville
In 1995, during the pre-production of 'Apollo 13', the cast and crew spent time at Space Camp and Marshall Space Flight Center to prepare for their roles.
1995: Anderson Hills Tornado
In 1995, the Anderson Hills tornado killed one person and caused extensive damage in Huntsville.
1995: Huntsville Channel Cats Founded
In 1995, the Huntsville Channel Cats ice hockey team was founded.
February 1996: Groundhog Day snowstorm
The Groundhog Day snowstorm in February 1996 was a substantial winter event for Huntsville.
1996: Huntsville Times Becomes Only Daily Newspaper
In 1996, The Huntsville Times became Huntsville's only daily newspaper after the Huntsville News closed.
1997: Huntsville Fire Founded
In 1997, the Huntsville Fire indoor soccer team was founded.
1998: Huntsville Fire Dissolved
In 1998, the Huntsville Fire dissolved due to lack of funding.
2000: Tennessee Valley Raptors Established
In 2000, the Tennessee Valley Raptors indoor football team was established.
2001: Huntsville Flight Founded
In 2001, the Huntsville Flight basketball team was founded.
2002: Parkway Place Built
In 2002, Parkway Place was built on the site of the former Parkway City Mall.
2004: Huntsville Times Changes Publication
In 2004, The Huntsville Times switched from being an afternoon paper to a morning paper.
2004: Huntsville Channel Cats Renamed
In 2004, the Huntsville Channel Cats were renamed the Huntsville Havoc.
2005: Huntsville Flight Moved
In 2005, the Huntsville Flight were moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and are now the Cleveland Charge.
2005: Constellation Filmed
The feature film 'Constellation' was filmed in Huntsville in 2005.
July 2007: Barack Obama Fundraiser
In July 2007, then Senator Barack Obama held the first fundraiser in Alabama for his presidential campaign in Huntsville.
2007: Bridge Street Town Centre Completion
In 2007, Bridge Street Town Centre was completed in Cummings Research Park.
2008: Tommy Battle First Elected Mayor
In 2008, Tommy Battle was first elected as the mayor of Huntsville.
2008: Navistar Huntsville Powertrain Manufacturing Plant opened
Navistar Huntsville Powertrain Manufacturing Plant opened in 2008 and provides powertrain components to Navistar's vehicle assembly plants.
2008: 20 Years After Released
The film '20 Years After' (originally released as 'Like Moles, Like Rats') was released in 2008 and filmed in Huntsville.
January 21, 2010: EF2 Tornado Strikes Huntsville
On January 21, 2010, an EF2 tornado struck Huntsville, resulting in moderate damage and extensive media coverage.
November 2010: AT&T U-verse service announced
In November 2010, AT&T announced the start of its DSL U-verse service in the Huntsville-Decatur metro area.
2010: Breweries Open in Huntsville
In 2010, Straight to Ale Brewery and Yellowhammer Brewing opened in Huntsville.
2010: Alabama Hammers Established
In 2010, the Alabama Hammers indoor football team was established.
2010: Christmas Day 2010 snow
On Christmas Day 2010, Huntsville recorded over 4 inches of snow.
April 27, 2011: Tornado Outbreak
On April 27, 2011, an EF5 tornado, part of the 2011 Super Outbreak, affected northern Alabama, destroying transmission towers and causing a multi-day power outage. Nine people were killed in Madison County.
2011: Recognition of Historic Importance
In 2011, Lowe Mill Village and Lincoln Mill and Mill Village Historic District, along with Dallas Mill Village, were recognized for their historical importance.
2011: January 9-10, 2011 snow
On January 9–10, 2011, Huntsville received 8.9 inches of snow at the airport and up to 10 inches in the suburbs.
May 2012: Huntsville Times Part of Alabama Media Group
In May 2012, the owner of the Huntsville Times announced that it would become part of the new Alabama Media Group.
2012: Tommy Battle Reelected Mayor
In 2012, Tommy Battle was re-elected as the mayor of Huntsville.
2013: Huntsville Named 'Playful City USA'
In 2013, Huntsville was named a 'Playful City USA' by KaBOOM! for the fifth time in seven years, recognizing its efforts to provide play opportunities for children.
2013: Salty Nut Brewery Opens
In 2013, Salty Nut Brewery opened in North Huntsville.
January 1, 2014: John Hamilton Replaces Rex Reynolds
On January 1, 2014, John Hamilton replaced Rex Reynolds as the City Administrator when Reynolds retired.
2014: Huntsville Airport Fares Highest in US
In 2014, Huntsville International Airport was reported to have the highest fares in the United States.
2014: Huntsville Stars Transferred
In 2014, the Huntsville Stars were transferred to Biloxi, Mississippi, and renamed the Biloxi Shuckers.
2015: Huntsville Police Department Buys Body Cameras
In 2015, Huntsville spent $1.2 million to buy body cameras to be used by the Huntsville Police Department.
2015: Green Bus Brewing Opens
In late 2015, Green Bus Brewing opened in downtown Huntsville.
2016: TVA Withdraws Sale of Bellefonte Plant
In 2016, TVA withdrew from the deal to sell the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant.
2016: Tommy Battle Reelected Mayor
In 2016, Tommy Battle was re-elected as the mayor of Huntsville.
2016: Alabama Hammers Folded
In 2016, the Alabama Hammers folded due to the collapse of the league.
2017: Madison Square Mall Closed
In 2017, Madison Square Mall was closed and the site is being redeveloped into the Mid City lifestyle center.
August 2018: City Council Elections
In August 2018, City Council elections were held for Districts 2, 3, and 4 in Huntsville.
2018: Annexation into Morgan County
In 2018, Huntsville annexed 1.03 square miles south into Morgan County.
2018: Meta Breaks Ground on Data Center
In 2018, Meta broke ground on a $1.5 billion data center in North Huntsville Industrial Park.
2020: 2020 census data
As of the 2020 census, there were 215,006 people residing in Huntsville, with a population density of 985.7 inhabitants per square mile.
2020: City Council Elections and New City Hall
In 2020, Districts 1 and 5 held city council elections simultaneously with mayoral elections, and the city announced plans to build a new $80 million city hall.
2020: Singing River Trail Master Plan Released
In 2020, Huntsville released a master plan for a 70-mile bicycling and walking trail, named the Singing River Trail of North Alabama.
2020: Selection as Home of United States Space Operations Command
In 2020, Huntsville was selected as the permanent home of the United States Space Operations Command.
2020: Tommy Battle Reelected Mayor
In 2020, Tommy Battle was re-elected as the mayor of Huntsville.
2020: Huntsville City Schools Statistics
In the 2020–2021 school year, Huntsville City Schools had 46 schools.
August 2021: Huntsville Changes Police Shooting Review Policy
Following the conviction of a former Huntsville police officer for murder, in August 2021, the City of Huntsville voted to change the way police shootings are reviewed. All shootings that result in death that occur by Huntsville Police are to be investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency instead.
2021: Huntsville Hospital Orthopedic & Spine Tower Opens
In 2021, Huntsville Hospital opened the Orthopedic & Spine Tower, a seven-story building with 24 surgical orthopedic suites, which brings the total bed count to 881 for Huntsville Hospital.
2021: Data Center Opened
In 2021, Meta's data center in North Huntsville Industrial Park opened.
2021: Huntsville City Schools Statistics
In the 2020–2021 school year, Huntsville City Schools had 46 schools.
2021: Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA constructed
The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA was constructed in 2021 with a plan to hire 4,000 employees.
January 2022: First Investigation Under New Policy Starts
In January 2022, the first investigation following the policy change started after an off-duty Huntsville police officer allegedly killed his girlfriend. The officer had initially reported the death as a suicide; however, it was later investigated as a homicide.
June 2022: Meta Announced Expansion of Data Center
In June 2022, Meta announced they would be expanding the data center to seven buildings, but paused construction in December.
2022: J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College Statistics
As of 2022, J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College had 872 students.
2022: Dale Strong wins election
In 2022, former Rep. Mo Brooks announced his retirement to run for Senate. In November, Dale Strong won the election to replace Mo Brooks.
2022: Huntsville City Schools Statistics
In the 2022-2023 school year, 23,939 students attended Huntsville City Schools.
2022: Dark Entities Filmed
The movie 'Dark Entities' was filmed in Huntsville and throughout North Alabama in 2022.
2023: City Area (2023)
As of 2023, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Huntsville has a total area of 225.17 square miles.
2023: Huntsville Times Stops Print Production
As of 2023, the print editions of the Huntsville Times have stopped production.
2023: University of Alabama in Huntsville Statistics
In 2022–2023, The University of Alabama in Huntsville had 9,636 undergraduate students.
2023: Huntsville City FC begins play
In 2023, Huntsville City FC, a reserve team for Nashville SC of Major League Soccer, began playing in MLS Next Pro.
2023: Joe Davis Stadium Converted
In 2023, Joe Davis Stadium, a former baseball park, was converted into a 6,000-seat soccer-specific stadium for Huntsville City FC and named the Wicks Family Field.
2023: Space Operations Command Headquarters Expansion
In 2023, the Pentagon announced that the temporary headquarters for the United States Space Operations Command would be expanded and remain in Colorado.
2023: Huntsville City Schools Statistics
In the 2022-2023 school year 23,939 students attended Huntsville City Schools.
2024: City Area (2024)
According to the City of Huntsville Statistics, the city has a total area of 226.62 square miles as of 2024.
2025: Population Estimate
In 2025, the population of Huntsville is estimated to be 241,114, making it the 102nd-most populous city in the U.S.
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