History of Phenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city located mostly in Russell County, Alabama, and partly in Lee County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 29,460. Most of Phenix City lies in the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Lee County part is in the Auburn Metropolitan Area. The city is the county seat of Russell County, Alabama. It is also a suburb immediately west of downtown Columbus, Georgia, just across the Chattahoochee River.
Phenix City was notorious during the 1940s and 1950s as being a haven for organized crime, prostitution, and gambling. As a result, the city had a negative reputation, and many people still associate this legacy with Phenix City. The Tragedy and the Triumph of Phenix City, Alabama by Margaret Ann Barnes chronicles these events.
In 1955, it won the All-America City Award from the National Municipal League.
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