Located in the Franklin County, Alabama, Russellville serves as the county seat. The town derived its name from its founder Major William H. Russell. Initially, the town was located further south. It was severely affected by the outbreak of smallpox that also claimed the life of its founder.

Russellville is a small town, developing slowly to improve the poor economy. Since 2004, numerous new businesses have come up or shifted their location to this new business spot, Walt-Mart Supercenter, since the opening. Although Walt-Mart has been the target of a lot of criticism for influencing the downtown business, it has contributed to the economy.

The U.S. Census Bureau confirms the town's area of 34.6 square kilometers, with the combination of land and water. The city possesses a mixed population of Whites and Blacks. However, the predominance of the White population is clearly visible, apart from small proportions of other races that include Asian, Pacific Islanders, Hispanic and Latino. The per capita income ranges upto $14,871. The surveys conducted reveal that 16.7% of the families and 22.2% of the population in the town live below the poverty line.

Russellville celebrates its annual festival in the month of August. It is known as "Watermelon festival." The festival is an attempt to incite an interest in the downtown Russellville and is celebrated along the lines of a carnival. The local people perform in automobile shows that include some of performance-based competitions. Performances by local musical bands form an integral part of the celebration. "The Strip" atmosphere of downtown Russellville, resembling that of the George Lucas film, American Graffiti, is noteworthy. Local teenagers meet and socialize extensively with their friends while communicating and commuting to downtown Russellville. Although the popularity of the "Strip" has declined recently, efforts are being taken to reclaim its success.

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