Arab

Arab is a city in Marshall and Cullman counties in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama, located 10mi from Guntersville Lake and Guntersville Dam, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 8,050.EtymologyThe name of the town was an unintentional misspelling by the U.S. Postal Service in 1882 of the city's intended name, taken from Arad Thompson, the son of the town founder and first postmaster Stephen Tuttle Thompson. Two other names for the town were sent to the Postal Service for consideration: "Ink" and "Bird". Arab has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.HistoryArab was incorporated in 1892.GeographyArab is located on top of Brindlee Mountain at (34.327863, -86.498613). The city is primarily in southern Marshall County; a small portion extends south into Cullman County.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.0sqkm, of which 36.3sqkm is land and 0.3sqkm, or 1.02%, is water. The town's elevation is above sea level.InfrastructureElectricity service in Arab is provided through Arab Electric Cooperative, which buys power through the Tennessee Valley Authority. Water service in Arab is provided through Arab Water Works, which gets water from Browns Creek in Guntersville Lake. Natural gas is also provided in Arab through Marshall County Gas District, which is based out of Guntersville.