ition ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁de cade ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁the ▁county ' s ▁largest ▁communities ▁voted ▁to ▁legal ize ▁alco hol ▁sales : ▁Jackson ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ; ▁Thomas ville ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ; ▁and ▁Gro ve ▁Hill ▁on ▁November ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Geography ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁the ▁county ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁, ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁is ▁land ▁and ▁ ▁( or ▁ 1 . 1 %) ▁is ▁water . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁third - larg est ▁county ▁in ▁Alabama ▁by ▁land ▁area ▁and ▁the ▁fourth - larg est ▁by ▁total ▁area . ▁ ▁Major ▁high ways ▁▁ ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 4 3 ▁ ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 8 4 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 5 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 6 9 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 1 5 4 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 1 7 7 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 1 7 8 ▁ ▁State ▁Route ▁ 2 9 5 ▁ ▁Ad j acent ▁count ies ▁Mar engo ▁County ▁( n orth ) ▁Wil co x ▁County ▁( n ortheast ) ▁Mon roe ▁County ▁( east ) ▁Bald win ▁County ▁( s outh ) ▁Washington ▁County ▁( s outh west ) ▁Cho ct aw ▁County ▁( n orth west ) ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics