Town file
Gadsden, Alabama
Gadsden, Alabama (Etowah County, Alabama) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 680, "Brutal Idiocy" (7 March 2026).
- Town
- Gadsden
- County
- Etowah County
- State
- Alabama
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 680
- Approximate location
- 34.007, -86.016
Episode 680 / 7 March 2026 / 74 min / express
Brutal Idiocy
"We're going to Gadsden, Alabama... this is Etowah County, Etowah County, ETOWAH." about 0:03:46
The case: Murders of Rebecca Holiday, Larry Thomas Jr and David Robinson (August 24, 1986); Murder of Doyle Embry Wallace (September 6, 1986); Murder of Elton Barksdale (November 1985). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 34,317
- Median household income
- $35,776
- Median home value
- $84,100
History, in brief
- The town originated around 1825. about 0:04:45
- It was originally called Double Springs. about 0:04:48
- It was founded by John Riley near the natural springs on the Coosa River. about 0:04:51
- It was incorporated in 1871, about fifty years after it was founded. about 0:04:51
- It was renamed after Colonel James Gadsden, noted for the 1853 purchase. about 0:04:51
- In the 1800s it became Alabama's second most important commercial and industrial centre after Mobile. about 0:05:11
- It had its highest population in 1960, with 58,000 people, when there was a lot of industry: steel, Goodyear tyres, coal and iron. about 0:05:29
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Born in Gadsden and moved away after high school to Wichita, Atlanta and Tampa; had kids in Tampa and moved back to raise them, the best decision ever made. Says the new mayor is changing Gadsden to draw more people and the river is better than anywhere."about 0:06:01
3 stars
"Likes that everything is in driving distance and that some people are friendly; wishes it could become a better place to live instead of a retirement town."about 0:06:34
1 star
"Gadsden is a terrible city to live, do not move here (all caps). Jobs do not pay much and unless you are in the Gadsden Click or know someone good you cannot prosper; houses are run down and antique and the rent is outrageous; the city looks run down and trashy, advertising downtown, the boat dock and Noccalula Falls while the neighbourhoods are full of abandoned buildings, storm-downed trees and trash. The city pulls in money with nothing to show, so bypass this dump."about 0:06:58
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Jacksonville, Alabama20 miles
- Anniston, Alabama26 miles
- Arab, Alabama36 miles
- Section, Alabama40 miles
- Talladega, Alabama40 miles
- Morris, Alabama48 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.