In the 1950s, the first paved road in the area was called the "Graymont Road" after the city's first conductor, Capt. Joseph Gray. He was the conductor of the first rail line to the city. The name "Graymont" derives from the Spanish word for Monte (overstreet).
In 1963, a desegregation case broke out at the Graymont School. The school was the only local school with black students on the first day. The resulting disturbances forced the Alabama National Guard to intervene, ending segregated public education in Alabama. Today, the Graymont School remains an important landmark in the city. Besides housing the school, it serves as a venue for the JCCEO's preschool Head Start program.
The town of Graymont has a population of around 1742. In the early 1900s, the population was approximately 800. The population increased rapidly over the years, and the town's economy suffered as new laws were passed. The town was losing its population as land was being forfeited for non-use. In the late 1970s, the leaders of Graymont and Summit sought a merger. B. Lewis Brinson, the former mayor of Graymont and Summit, introduced legislation to merge the two communities into one. In that way, the two towns became known as the Twin City.
Census data reveals that the population in Graymont (zip 61743) is largely black. However, in Smithfield / Graymont, the population is relatively white, with only 6.1% of residents of African descent. A low percentage of black residents may reflect an unfavorable character for the area. Another indicator of an underserved neighborhood is its poverty rate. The Smithfield / Graymont neighborhood has a higher poverty rate than 99.4% of other neighborhoods in the U.S.