2007 Tour Captured Saraland’s Growth and Small-Town Character
At its 50th anniversary, Saraland had 15 parks, new subdivisions on Celeste Road, three annexations underway and plans for its own school system.
SARALAND, Ala. — Saraland marked its 50th anniversary as a city in 2007 with more growth on the way, according to a local television community feature that toured the north Mobile County city that summer.
Saraland was incorporated in 1957. Its population was 12,288 at the 2000 census.
Annexations and a new school system
Mayor Ken Williams said the city was working on three annexations.
The feature also covered plans for a separate Saraland school district, including a new high school near Interstate 65 and Industrial Parkway. In June 2006, Saraland voters approved leaving the Mobile County Public School System to form their own district, with about 70 percent voting in favor.
Parks, subdivisions and the bayou
The report highlighted the city’s 15 parks and new subdivisions along Celeste Road. Residents said the small-town atmosphere was what drew families to Saraland.
It also pointed to a civic center that offers senior services, and to fishing and boating on Bayou Sara, which runs through the city.
How Saraland got its name
The feature also told the local story behind the city’s name. According to that account, C.J. DeWitt, a retired minister and editor who moved south in 1890 and opened the community’s first post office on the Southern Railway in 1895, named the settlement for his wife, Sara. The area had earlier been known as Alvarez Station and later as Cleveland Station.
Later developments: Saraland City Schools went on to run the city’s schools, and the new Saraland High School on Industrial Parkway opened in 2010. The city’s population was 13,405 at the 2010 census.
