Fort Payne, AL
Music connected to Fort Payne
About Fort Payne
- • Randy Owen, lead singer of Alabama, was born in Fort Payne.
- • Canyonland Outfitters, a pioneering outdoor gear company, originated here.
- • Hosiery mills established Fort Payne as the "Sock Capital of the World."
- • A local legend claims that Little River Canyon was carved by Paul Bunyan's axe.
- • The collapse of the hosiery industry in the 1990s deeply impacted the economy.
- • It's named after Captain Payne, established as a fort in 1838, incorporated in 1889.
- • With 14,092 residents, it's larger than many Alabama county seats.
- • At 1,171 feet, it offers cooler temperatures than lower Alabama cities.
- • Manufacturing, including textiles and automotive parts, remains a key sector.
- • A slow-paced, friendly atmosphere pervades this mountain town.
- • The Atlanta Braves, approximately 100 miles away, won the 2021 World Series.
- • Fort Payne High School won the 1992 Class 4A Football State Championship.