Fruitdale, AL

Fruitdale is a census-designated place in Washington County, Alabama, counted at 175 residents in the 2020 Census. Fruitdale High School stands on County Road 1 and is part of the Washington County public-school system. On November 30, 2022, a tornado crossed Highway 45 and damaged the school’s windows and roof, along with nearby houses, trees, and power lines. The National Weather Service estimated high-end EF1 damage in Fruitdale before the storm reached EF3 intensity farther northeast. That event places a recent civic institution and a documented weather episode in the community’s record.