Town file
Citronelle, Alabama
Citronelle, Alabama (Mobile County, Alabama) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 500, "Episode 500!! Slaughter At The Shack" (8 June 2024).
- Town
- Citronelle
- County
- Mobile County
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 500
- Approximate location
- 31.097, -88.250
Episode 500 / 8 June 2024 / 77 min / express
Episode 500!! Slaughter At The Shack
""We are going to Citronelle, Alabama ... this is in southwestern Alabama ... 40 minutes outside Mobile", and the case is handled by the Mobile County sheriff's captain." about 0:03:42
The case: The Jim Platt Road axe and shotgun murders (August 19th to 20th, 2016). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2024
- Population
- 3,940
- Median household income
- $50,956
- Median home value
- $159,000
History, in brief
- The first Europeans here were the French in the 18th century, who came because they heard the land had healing herbs and mineral springs. about 0:05:15
- The area was settled in about 1811. about 0:05:28
- The name Citronelle is French, derived from the citronella plant, which grows there. about 0:05:31
- The town became a popular resort destination in the late 1800s, and many hotels were built to accommodate visitors taking the healing waters. about 0:05:31
- Oil was discovered here in 1955, and today the town is known as the oil capital of Alabama. about 0:06:08
- James says he believes Jud Clampett was the man who found the oil. about 0:06:19
- The last surrender of the Confederate army east of the Mississippi River took place at Citronelle on May 4th, 1865, when close to 9,000 soldiers surrendered under a large white oak known as the Surrender Oak. about 0:09:09
- The Surrender Oak blew down in a hurricane, in 1902 or 1906 depending on the source. about 0:10:03
- Walking canes, gavels and other souvenirs were made from the fallen tree, and a few of them are in the Smithsonian. about 0:10:12
- A memorial marker was placed on the spot and the city planted a young live oak in the approximate location of the Surrender Oak. about 0:10:21
The reviews read out
5 stars
"A small community town with plenty of good people in the surrounding neighbourhoods, schools that are excellent for such a small town, and plenty to do outdoors such as the golf course or swimming in the lake."about 0:06:23
4 stars
"A reviewer from Citronelle calls it a small town with nothing big, a place they prefer to a big city; the backwoods are peaceful and relaxing, and although things need improvement, overall it is great."about 0:07:07
3 stars
"Someone who has lived there all their life says there is a sense of community but small town life can be stifling: everybody knows everybody, and people do not like their views challenged or disagreed with."about 0:07:50
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Chunchula, Alabama12 miles
- Lucedale, Mississippi23 miles
- Irvington, Alabama41 miles
- Wiggins, Mississippi55 miles
- Petal, Mississippi61 miles
- Biloxi, Mississippi62 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.