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Macon, Georgia

Macon, officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in Georgia, United States. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is 85 mi southeast of Atlanta and near the state's geographic center—hence its nickname "The Heart of Georgia".

Macon's population was 157,346 in the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Macon metropolitan statistical area, which had 234,802 people in 2020. It also is the largest city in the Macon–Warner Robins Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which had approximately 420,693 residents in 2017 and abuts the Atlanta metropolitan area to the northwest.

Voters approved the consolidation of the City of Macon and Bibb County governments in a 2012 referendum. Macon became the state's fourth-largest city (after Augusta) when the merger became official on January 1, 2014.

Macon is served by three interstate highways: I-16 (connecting to Savannah and coastal Georgia), I-75 (connecting to Atlanta to the north and Valdosta to the south), and I-475 (a city bypass highway). The area has two small general aviation airports, Middle Georgia Regional Airport and Herbert Smart Downtown Airport. Residents traveling to and from the area mainly use the large commercial airport in Atlanta, approximately 80 miles to the northwest.

The city has several institutions of higher education and numerous museums and tourism sites.

History
Macon was founded on the site of the Ocmulgee Old Fields, where the Creek Indians lived in the 18th century. Their predecessors, the Mississippian culture, built a powerful agriculture-based chiefdom (950–1100 AD). The Mississippian culture constructed earthwork mounds for ceremonial, religious, and burial purposes. Indigenous peoples inhabited the areas along the Southeast's rivers for 13,000 years before Europeans arrived.

Macon was developed at the site of Fort Benjamin Hawkins, built in 1809 at President Thomas Jefferson's direction after he forced the Creek to cede their lands east of the Ocmulgee River. (Archeological excavations in the 21st century found evidence of two separate fortifications.) The fort was named for Benjamin Hawkins, who served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Southeast territory south of the Ohio River for more than 20 years, had lived among the Creek, and was married to a Creek woman. Located at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, the fort established a trading post with Native peoples at the river's most inland point navigable from the Low Country.

Fort Hawkins guarded the Lower Creek Pathway, an extensive and well-traveled American Indian network that the U.S. government later improved as the Federal Road, linking Washington, D.C., to the ports of Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana. Used for trading with the Creek, the fort also was used by state militia and federal troops. It was a major military distribution point during the War of 1812 and the Creek War of 1813. After the wars, it was a trading post and garrisoned troops until 1821. Decommissioned around 1828, it later burned to the ground. A replica of the southeast blockhouse was built in 1938 and stands on an east Macon hill. Fort Hawkins Grammar School occupied part of the site. In the 21st century, archeological excavations have revealed more of the fort, increasing its historical significance, and led to further reconstruction planning for this major historical site.

With the arrival of more settlers, Fort Hawkins was renamed "Newtown". After Bibb County's organization in 1822, the city was chartered as the county seat in 1823 and officially named Macon, in honor of Nathaniel Macon, a statesman from North Carolina, from where many early Georgia residents hailed. City planners envisioned "a city within a park" and created a city of spacious streets and landscapes. Over 250 acre were dedicated for Central City Park, and ordinances required residents to plant shade trees in their front yards.

Because of the beneficial local Black Belt geology and the availability of slave labor, cotton became the mainstay of Macon's early economy. The city's location on the Ocmulgee River aided initial economic expansion, providing shipping access to new markets. Cotton steamboats, stagecoaches, and the 1843 arrival of the railroad increased marketing opportunities and contributed to Macon's economic prosperity.

Macon's growth had other benefits. In 1836, the Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church chose Macon as the location for Wesleyan College, the first U.S. college to grant women college degrees. Nonetheless, Macon came in last in the 1855 referendum voting to be Georgia's capital city with 3,802 votes.

During the American Civil War, Macon served as the official arsenal of the Confederacy manufacturing percussion caps, friction primers, and pressed bullets. Camp Oglethorpe was established as a prison for captured Union officers and enlisted men. Later, it held only officers, at one time numbering 2,300. The camp was evacuated in 1864.

Macon City Hall served as the temporary state capitol in 1864 and was converted to a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers. The Union General William Tecumseh Sherman spared Macon on his march to the sea. His troops sacked the nearby state capital of Milledgeville, and Maconites prepared for an attack. Sherman, however, passed by without entering Macon.

The Macon Telegraph reported the city had furnished 23 companies of men for the Confederacy, but casualties were high. By war end, Maconite survivors fit for duty could fill only five companies.

The city was taken by Union forces during Wilson's Raid on April 20, 1865.

Because of its central location, Macon developed as a state transportation hub. In 1895, the New York Times dubbed Macon "The Central City" because of is emergence as a railroad transportation and textile factory hub. Terminal Station was built in 1916. In the twentieth century, Macon grew into a prospering town in Middle Georgia.

Macon has been impacted by natural catastrophes. In 1994 Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall in Florida and flooded several Georgia cities. Macon, which received 24 in of rain, suffered major flooding.

On May 11, 2008, an EF2 tornado hit Macon. Touching down in nearby Lizella, the tornado moved northeast to the southern shore of Lake Tobesofkee, continued into Macon, and lifted near Dry Branch in Twiggs County. The storm's total path length was 18 miles, and its path width was 100 yards. The tornado produced sporadic areas of major damage, with widespread straight-line wind damage along its southern track. The most significant damage was along Eisenhower Parkway and Pio Nono Avenue in Macon, where two businesses were destroyed and several others were heavily damaged. The tornado also impacted Middle Georgia State College, where almost half of the campus's trees were snapped or uprooted and several buildings were damaged, with the gymnasium suffering the worst. The tornado's intensity varied from EF0 to EF2, with the EF2 damage and winds up to 130 mph occurring near the intersection of Eisenhower Parkway and Pio Nono Avenue.

Consolidation
On July 31, 2012, voters in Macon (57.8 percent approval) and Bibb County (56.7 percent approval) passed a referendum to merge the governments of the city of Macon and most of unincorporated Bibb County. The vote came after the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 1171, authorizing the referendum earlier in the year; Four previous consolidation attempts (in 1933, 1960, 1972, and 1976) failed.

As a result of the referendum, (i) the Macon and Bibb County governments were replaced with a mayor and a nine-member county commission elected by districts and (ii) a portion of Macon extending into nearby Jones County was disincorporated. Robert Reichert was elected the first mayor of Macon-Bibb in the September 2013 election, which required a runoff with C. Jack Ellis in October.

Timeline

 * 1806 – U.S. Fort Hawkins built at the present-day site of Creek Indian Ocmulgee Old Fields (future site of Macon).
 * 1821 – Fort Hawkins settlement renamed "Newtown".
 * 1822 – Bibb County created.
 * 1823 – Town of Macon incorporated; named after North Carolina statesman Nathaniel Macon.
 * 1826
 * Macon Telegraph newspaper begins publication.
 * First Presbyterian Church founded.
 * 1829 – Newtown becomes part of Macon.
 * 1833 – Steamboat in operation.
 * 1834 – City of Macon incorporated.
 * 1835 – Robert Augustus Beall elected mayor.
 * 1836 – Monroe Railroad Bank built.
 * 1838 – Monroe Railroad (Forsyth-Macon) begins operating.
 * 1839 – Georgia Female College opens.
 * 1840
 * Rose Hill Cemetery established.
 * Population: 3,927.
 * 1843 – The Central of Georgia Railway connects Savannah and Macon.
 * 1846 – The Macon and Western Railroad connects Macon and Atlanta; the Small House (residence) built (approximate date).
 * 1848 – Telegraph begins operating.
 * 1851 – Georgia State Fair relocates to Macon.
 * 1860
 * Belgian Fair and Cotton Planters' Exposition held.
 * Population: 8,247.
 * 1862 – "Arsenal of the Confederate Government moved to Macon" during the American Civil War.
 * 1864
 * July 30: Macon besieged by Union forces.
 * "City Hall made temporary State Capitol of Georgia."
 * 1865 – April 20: Macon occupied by Union forces.
 * 1866 – October 29: Equal Rights and Educational Association of Georgia meeting held in Macon.
 * 1871
 * Mercer University relocates to Macon from Penfield.
 * Bibb Manufacturing Company in business.
 * 1874 – Public Library (social library) established.
 * 1876 – Mount de Sales Academy active.
 * 1880
 * Telephone begins operating.
 * Population: 12,749.
 * 1884
 * Macon Daily News begins publication.
 * Academy of Music built.
 * 1887
 * April 6: Riverside Cemetery chartered
 * August 6: Woolfolk family murdered near Macon.
 * 1900 – Price Library (public library) opens.
 * 1906 – Ocmulgee River levee construction begins.
 * 1910 – Population: 40,665.
 * 1917 – Cox Capitol Theatre in business.
 * 1918
 * National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Columbus branch organized (approximate date).
 * Macon Art Association formed.
 * Outbreak of Spanish flu.
 * 1919
 * Washington Memorial Library (public library) established.
 * Paul Jones was lynched on November 2, 1919, after being accused of attacking a fifty-year-old white woman. He was burned alive.
 * 1921 – Douglass Theatre and Rialto Theatre in business.
 * 1922
 * WMAZ radio begins broadcasting.
 * Sherah Israel Synagogue built.
 * 1925 – Macon City Auditorium built.
 * 1929 – Luther Williams Field (stadium) opens.
 * 1929 – Walker Business College, an African American business and vocational school opens a second campus in Macon
 * 1933 – Citizens & Southern National Bank building constructed.
 * 1936
 * Ocmulgee National Monument established.
 * Farmer's Market built.
 * 1938 – Bibb Theatre in business.
 * 1948 – WIBB radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1949 – Middle Georgia Regional Library headquartered in Macon.
 * 1950 – Population: 70,252.
 * 1952 – Georgia Journal newspaper begins publication.
 * 1953 – WMAZ-TV begins broadcasting.
 * 1955 – "Singer James Brown records his first single 'Please Please Please' at the studio of WIBB" radio in Macon.
 * 1960 – "Stratford Academy founded"
 * 1964 – Middle Georgia Historical Society formed.
 * 1965 – Macon Junior College established.
 * 1966 – U.S. Supreme Court decides Evans v. Newton desegregation-related lawsuit.
 * 1967
 * December 18: Funeral of musician Otis Redding.
 * Ronnie Thompson becomes mayor.
 * 1970 – Population: 122,423.
 * 1978 – Middle Georgia Archives organized.
 * 1983
 * Cherry Blossom Festival begins.
 * Richard Ray becomes U.S. representative for Georgia's 3rd congressional district.
 * 1993 – Sanford Bishop becomes U.S. representative for Georgia's 2nd congressional district.
 * 1994
 * July: Flood.
 * Georgia Sports Hall of Fame relocates to Macon.
 * 1999 – C. Jack Ellis becomes mayor.
 * 2000 – Population: 97,255.
 * 2001 – City website online (approximate date).
 * 2003 – Historic Macon Foundation formed.
 * 2007 – Robert Reichert becomes mayor.
 * 2010 – Population: 91,351.
 * 2012 – Governments of Macon city and Bibb County consolidated.
 * 2015 – Middle Georgia State University active.

Geography

The Ocmulgee River is a major river that runs through the city. Macon is one of Georgia's three major Fall Line Cities, along with Augusta and Columbus. The Fall Line is where the hilly lands of the Piedmont plateau meet the flat terrain of the coastal plain. As such, Macon has a varied landscape of rolling hills on the north side and flat plains on the south. The fall line, where the altitude drops noticeably, causes rivers and creeks in the area to flow rapidly toward the ocean. In the past, Macon and other Fall Line cities had many textile mills powered by the rivers.

Macon is located at 32.83484°N, -83.65167°W (32.834839, −83.651672).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.3 sqmi, of which 55.8 sqmi is land and 0.5 sqmi (0.82%) is water.

Macon is approximately 330 ft above sea level.

Climate
Macon has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 46.3 °F in January to 81.8 °F in July. On average, there are 4.8 days with 100 °F+ highs, 83 days with 90 °F+ highs, and 43 days with a low at or below freezing; the average window for freezing temperatures is November 7 thru March 22, allowing a growing season of 228 days.

The city has an average annual precipitation of 45.7 in. The wettest day on record was July 5, 1994, with 10.25 in of rain, and the wettest month on record was July 1994, with 18.16 in of rain. On the other hand, since 1892, when precipitation records for the city began, there have been two months, October 1961 and October 1963, which did not even record a trace of precipitation in the city, and two other months, October 1939 and May 2007, which only recorded a trace. Snow is occasional, with about half of the winters receiving trace amounts or no snowfall, averaging 0.7 in; the snowiest winter was 1972−73 with 16.5 in.

Demographics
Macon is the largest principal city in the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley CSA, a combined statistical area that includes the Macon metropolitan area (Bibb, Crawford, Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs counties) and the Warner Robins metropolitan area (Houston, Peach, and Pulaski counties) with a combined population of 411,898 in the 2010 census.

As of the official 2010 U.S. census, the population of Macon was 91,351. In the last official census, in 2000, there were 97,255 people, 38,444 households, and 24,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,742.8 PD/sqmi. There were 44,341 housing units at an average density of 794.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 67.94% African American, 28.56% White, 0.02% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.48% of the population. By the 2020 census, its population increased to 157,346.

There were 38,444 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.0% were married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.7 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 72.8 males.

Crime
Since 2020, crime has become a higher concern in the city. In 2022, Macon set a homicide record with 70 homicides. In 2023, Macon had the highest crime rate in Georgia. Macon had a crime rate of 52.6 crimes per 1,000 residents. Gang activity is a major reason for the crime problem in Macon. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation expanded its Gang Task Force Office to Macon in 2023. As of 2024, crime has reduced in Macon compared to 2022 and 2023.

Economy
The aerospace, advanced manufacturing, food processing, healthcare, professional services, and warehouse and distribution industries drive the economy in Macon-Bibb County. Long-standing large private employers include Mercer University, GEICO's Southeast Corporate Headquarters, YKK USA, and Norfolk Southern Railway's Brosnan Yard.

The decline of the textile industry in the South, along with the shuttering of other large manufacturing operations, such as the closing of the Brown and Williamson plant in 2006, caused a decline in the city's economy in the 2000s. In recent years, the city has successfully landed numerous new employers to diversify the economy, such as Irving Consumer Products and Kuhmo Tire manufacturing plants, as well as multiple aerospace employers at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport, including an Embraer aircraft maintenance facility.

The health care and social assistance sector is the largest industry in Macon by number of employees, with the Atrium Health Navicent and Piedmont Healthcare Macon hospital systems, two of the city's largest employers, making Macon the healthcare hub for the Middle and South Georgia regions.

Personal income
The 2010 Census listed Macon's median household income as $28,366, below the state average of $49,347. The median family income was $37,268. Full-time working males had a median income of $34,163, higher than the $28,082 for females. The city's per capita income was $17,010. About 24.1% of families and 30.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.6% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those over 65.

Retail
Malls include The Shoppes at River Crossing, Macon Mall, and Eisenhower Crossing. Traditional shopping centers are in the downtown area and Ingleside Village.

Military
Macon is the headquarters of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard.

The largest single-site industrial complex in Georgia, Robins Air Force Base, is 10 miles south of Macon on Highway 247, just east of Warner Robins.

Musical heritage
Macon has been home for numerous musicians and composers, including Emmett Miller, The Allman Brothers Band, Randy Crawford, Mark Heard, Lucille Hegamin, Ben Johnston, Otis Redding, Little Richard, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry of R.E.M., as well as more recent artists like violinist Robert McDuffie and country artist Jason Aldean. Capricorn Records, run by Macon natives Phil Walden and briefly Alan Walden, made the city a Southern rock music production center in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Macon Symphony Orchestra, a youth symphony, and the Middle Georgia Concert Band perform at the Grand Opera House in downtown Macon.

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was located in Macon from 1996 to 2011.

Festivals

 * International Cherry Blossom Festival - a 10-day celebration held every mid-March in Macon.
 * The Mulberry Street Festival - an arts and crafts festival held downtown the last weekend of March.
 * The Juneteenth Freedom Festival - An annual June performing arts and educational celebration of the end of American slavery in 1865, celebrating black freedom and heritage both ancient and contemporary.
 * Pan African Festival - An annual celebration of the African diaspora and culture, held in April
 * Ocmulgee Indigenous Celebration - A celebration of the original residents of the land where Macon now sits, this festival is held every third weekend in September at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Representatives from the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, and other nations come to share stories, exhibit Native art, and perform traditional songs and dance.
 * Skydog is a music festival celebrating the birthday, life, and music of Skydog (Duane Allman) held in November.
 * The Georgia Music Hall of Fame hosts Georgia Music Week in September.
 * Macon's annual Bragg Jam festival features an Art and Kids' Festival along the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and a nighttime Pub Crawl.
 * Macon Film Festival - an annual celebration of independent films, held the third weekend in July

Historical sites

 * Terminal Station, a railroad station built in 1916, is located on 5th St. at the end of Cherry St. Its architect was Alfred Fellheimer, prominent for his 1903 design of Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
 * Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park is located near downtown Macon. It preserves some of Georgia's largest ancient earthwork mounds built by the Mississippian culture a millennium ago, c. 950–1150. It was sacred to the historic Muscogee (Creek Nation) as well. Archeological artifacts reveal 13,000 years of human habitation at the site. The park features a spiral mound, funeral mound, temple mounds, burial mounds, and a reconstructed earth lodge. It is the first Traditional Cultural Property designated by the National Park Service east of the Mississippi River.
 * Fort Benjamin Hawkins, a major military outpost (1806-1821), was a command headquarters for the U.S. Army and Georgia militia on the boundary between U.S.-held and Native land, as well as a trading post or factory for the Creek Nation. It was a supply depot during U.S. campaigns of the War of 1812 and the Creek and Seminole Wars.
 * Cannonball House, a historic home on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * Luther Williams Field
 * Old City Cemetery, one of Macon's oldest cemeteries
 * Rose Hill Cemetery, a cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Places
 * Sidney Lanier Cottage, the poet's historic home.
 * Temple Beth Israel, a domed Neoclassical built in 1902 to house Macon's Jewish congregation, founded in 1859.
 * Wesleyan College, the first chartered women's college in the world

Museums

 * The Allman Brothers Band Museum - the "Big House" used by the Allman Brothers Band in the early 1970s, now a museum of Allman Brothers history and artifacts
 * The Georgia Children's Museum - interactive education, located in the downtown Museum District
 * Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
 * The Little Richard House and Museum - a museum of Little Richard's history and artifacts
 * Museum of Arts and Sciences and Planetarium
 * Tubman Museum of African American Art, History, and Culture - the largest African American museum in the Southeast

Community

 * City Hall, Georgia's capital for part of the Civil War

 * Douglass Theatre, named for its founder Charles Henry Douglass. An entrepreneur from a prominent black family, he was an established theatre developer well versed in the vaudeville and entertainment business. The theatre has undergone modern renovations and hosts numerous theatrical events.
 * The Grand Opera House, where the Macon Symphony Orchestra performs
 * Hay House - also known as the "Johnston-Felton-Hay House," it has been referred to as the "Palace of the South"
 * City Auditorium, the world's largest true copper dome
 * Macon Coliseum
 * Macon Little Theatre, established in 1934, is the area's oldest community theatre, producing seven plays/musicals per season
 * Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens
 * Theatre Macon, in the old Ritz Theatre; they perform around nine shows a year

Sports
Macon is home to the Mercer Bears, with NCAA Division I teams in soccer (men's and women's), football, baseball, basketball (men's and women's), tennis, and lacrosse. Central Georgia Technical College competes in men's and women's basketball. Wesleyan College, a women's school, has basketball, soccer, cross country, tennis, softball, and volleyball teams.

Parks and recreation
The city maintains several parks and community centers.
 * Ocmulgee Heritage Trail - a green way of parks, plazas, and landmarks along the Ocmulgee River in downtown Macon
 * Bloomfield Park
 * East Macon Park
 * Frank Johnson Recreation Center
 * Freedom Park
 * L.H. Williams Community School Center
 * Memorial Park
 * North Macon Park
 * Rosa Jackson
 * Senior Center
 * John Drew Smith Tennis Center
 * Tattnall Square Tennis Center
 * Charles H. Jones Gateway Park
 * Carolyn Crayton Park (formerly Central City Park)
 * Central City Skatepark

Baconsfield Park
U.S. Senator Augustus Bacon, of Georgia, in his 1911 will, devised land in Macon in trust, to be used as a public park for the exclusive benefit of white people. The park, known as Baconsfield, was operated in that manner for many years. In Evans v. Newton, the Supreme Court of the United States held that the park could not continue to be operated on a racially discriminatory basis. The Supreme Court of Georgia thereupon declared "that the sole purpose for which the trust was created has become impossible of accomplishment" and remanded the case to the trial court, which held cy-près doctrine to be inapplicable, since the park's segregated character was an essential and inseparable part of Bacon's plan. The trial court ruled that the trust failed and that the property reverted to Bacon's heirs. The Supreme Court of Georgia and the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed. The 50-acre (20 ha) park was lost and commercially developed.

Government
Prior to 2013, the city government consisted of a mayor and city council. Robert Reichert was elected the first mayor of the consolidated Macon-Bibb County in October 2013. There are also 9 County Commissioners elected from districts within the county.

On March 15, 2019, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged the former County Manager, Dale M. Walker, with fraud.

Public schools
Bibb County Public School District operates district public schools.

Public high schools include:
 * Central High School
 * Howard High School
 * Northeast Health Science Magnet High School
 * Rutland High School
 * Southwest Magnet High School and Law Academy
 * Westside High School

Georgia Academy for the Blind, operated by the state of Georgia, is a statewide school for blind students.

Also operated by Bibb County Public Schools:

 * Elam Alexander Academy
 * Northwoods Academy

Private high schools
Macon is home to several private high schools, many of which were established as segregation academies for parents wishing to avoid the desegration of private schools.
 * Covenant Academy
 * First Presbyterian Day School
 * Mount de Sales Academy
 * Stratford Academy
 * Tattnall Square Academy
 * Windsor Academy

State public charter schools

 * The Academy for Classical Education
 * Cirrus Academy Charter School

Colleges and universities
Approximately 30,000 college students live in the greater Macon area.

 * Central Georgia Technical College
 * Mercer University
 * Middle Georgia State University
 * Miller-Motte Technical College - satellite campus
 * Wesleyan College

Media
Macon has a substantial number of local television and radio stations. It is also served by two local papers.

Newspapers and magazines

 * The 11th Hour
 * Gateway Macon (web portal), The Local's Guide for Things To Do in Macon
 * Macon Business Journal, a journal chronicling the business community in the Middle Georgia region
 * Macon Community News, a monthly positive news print newspaper
 * The Mercer Cluster
 * The Telegraph, a daily newspaper published in Macon

The Simpsons
In "Bart on the Road", the Season 7 episode of The Simpsons, character Nelson Muntz suggests the boys take a road trip to Macon. Later he reminds the group that none of their trouble would have happened had they chosen Macon over Knoxville, Tennessee.

Gone with the Wind
In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind, Aunt Pittypat's coachman, Uncle Peter, protected her when she fled to Macon during Sherman's assault on Atlanta.

Telltale's The Walking Dead
The city of Macon is visited in The Walking Dead episodic adventure game by Telltale Games and its standalone DLC 400 Days.

In Season One, the city is portrayed as a small rural town and is visited by the main characters as they temporarily set up camp in the city. The city is the hometown of the game's main protagonist and the playable character throughout the game, Lee Everett. He and the other survivors barricade themselves inside his family's pharmacy as they are besieged by zombies. After one of the survivors dies, the group heads to a motel on the outskirts of Macon where they set up camp for two more episodes, before eventually deciding to leave the city for Savannah.

In 400 Days, the city is briefly shown in the episode "Vince's Story" as a flashback to when the episode's main character, Vince, fatally shoots an unseen and unnamed resident of the city before fleeing into the night before the apocalypse began. This murder would ultimately lead to Vince's arrest and the events that occurred at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

Hospitals

 * The Medical Center, Navicent Health (a part of Atrium Health)
 * Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital (formerly The Children's Hospital Of Central Georgia)
 * Piedmont Health Macon (formerly Coliseum Medical Centers)
 * Piedmont Macon Medical Center
 * Piedmont Macon North Hospital
 * The American Red Cross of Central Georgia
 * Central Georgia Rehabilitation Hospital

Airports

 * Macon Downtown Airport is located near downtown. It has a large number of corporate and private aviation aircraft.
 * Middle Georgia Regional Airport provides public air service to Macon as well as cargo flights. The airport is situated 9 mi south of downtown.

Highways
Interstates:
 * I-16.svg Interstate 16
 * I-75.svg Interstate 75
 * I-475.svg Interstate 475
 * I-14 (Future).svg Interstate 14 (proposed)

U.S. Routes:
 * US 23.svg U.S. Route 23
 * US 41.svg U.S. Route 41
 * US 80.svg U.S. Route 80
 * US 129.svg U.S. Route 129

State Routes:
 * Georgia 11.svg State Route 11
 * Georgia 19.svg State Route 19
 * Georgia 22.svg State Route 22
 * Georgia 49.svg State Route 49
 * Georgia 74.svg State Route 74
 * Georgia 87.svg State Route 87
 * Georgia 87 Connector.svg State Route 87 Connector
 * Georgia 247.svg State Route 247
 * Georgia 401.svg State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
 * Georgia 404.svg State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)
 * Georgia 408.svg State Route 408 (unsigned designation for I-475)
 * Georgia 540.svg State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway)

Mass transit

The Macon Transit Authority (MTA) is Macon's public-transit system, operating the Public Transit City Bus System throughout Macon-Bibb County. As of 2022, the MTA has a total of 10 city bus routes, operating out of the Terminal Station hub.

Intercity bus and rail
Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service. In 2019, they moved from a stand-alone bus station to the Terminal Station to be in the same hub as the local mass transit busses.

Macon grew as a center of rail transport after the 1846 opening of the Macon and Western Railroad. Two of the most note-worthy train companies operating through the city were the Central of Georgia Railway and the Southern Railway. The city continued to be served by passenger trains at Terminal Station until 1971. The Frisco Railroad's Kansas City–Florida Special served the city until 1964. The Southern's Royal Palm ran from Cincinnati, through Macon, to Miami, Florida until 1966. (A truncated route served to Valdosta, Georgia until 1970.) The Central of Georgia's Nancy Hanks ran through Macon, from Atlanta to Savannah until 1971. Since at least 2006 Macon has been included in the proposed Georgia Rail Passenger Program to restore inter-city rail service but as of 2020, Georgia lacks any inter-city passenger rail service other than the federally funded inter-state Amtrak services. In 2022, Amtrak announced a new fifteen year plan to expand its services, which Macon was included in.

Pedestrians and cycling

 * Heritage Trail
 * Ocmulgee Heritage Trail

Sister cities
Macon has six sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

 * 🇫🇷 Mâcon, France
 * 🇬🇭 Elmina, Ghana
 * 🇯🇵 Kurobe, Toyama, Japan
 * 🇷🇺 Ulyanovsk, Russia
 * Kaohsiung, Taiwan
 * 🇰🇷 Gwacheon, South Korea

title: Macon, Georgia


text:
Payne, Georgia

Payne, more commonly known as Payne City, was a city in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. Payne was an enclave completely surrounded by the city of Macon, and was the only other incorporated area in the county. The population was 218 at the 2010 census.

The community was named after William Sims Payne, proprietor of a local mill. Though the mill is closed today, its former site houses several small businesses. Payne was located near Macon's Vineville neighborhood and business district, and the city was closely associated with Freedom Park, an adjacent county recreation area. Payne was part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The city was originally expected to be dissolved when Macon and Bibb County completed their consolidation on January 1, 2014. However, the dissolution was put on hold by the state legislature in early 2013, due to the 9–7 vote against consolidation within Payne itself. On March 27, 2015, a law passed by the Georgia General Assembly was signed by the governor that abolished the city.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 0.1 km2, all land.

Demographics
Payne last appeared in the 2010 U.S. Census after being dissolved in 2015.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 178 people, 84 households, and 39 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,552.5 PD/sqmi. There were 90 housing units at an average density of 2,301.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 67.3% African American, 28.3% White, 0.56% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races.

There were 84 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.2% were married couples living together, 22.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.4% were non-families. 47.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 14.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,313, and the median income for a family was $28,333. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,109. About 8.8% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 15.4% of those 65 or over.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Payne, Georgia


text:
Allentown, Georgia

Allentown is a city in Bleckley, Laurens, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties in the U.S. state of Georgia, primarily in Wilkinson County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 169, down from 287 at the 2000 census. In 2020, its population was 195. The Twiggs County portion is part of the Macon metropolitan statistical area, while the Laurens County portion is part of the Dublin micropolitan statistical area. The remaining Wilkinson and Bleckley County portions are not part of any metropolitan or micropolitan area.

History
Allentown was named in 1891 when the Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad was extended to that point. John Allen, an early postmaster, gave the town his last name. Allentown was incorporated in 1901.

Geography
The center of Allentown and most of the buildings are in the southern corner of Wilkinson County, but the city limits extend west into Twiggs County, south into Bleckley County, and southeast into Laurens County.

U.S. Route 80 passes through the center of town, leading northwest 10 mi to Jeffersonville and southeast 20 mi to Dublin. Interstate 16 passes through the south end of the city, with access from Exit 32 (State Route 112). I-16 leads northwest 31 mi to Macon and southeast 134 mi to Savannah. State Route 112 passes through the center of Allentown as Balls Ferry Road, leading northeast 10 mi to U.S. Route 441 at Nicklesville and southwest 18 mi to Cochran.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Allentown has a total area of 11.9 km2, of which 0.07 sqkm, or 0.55%, are water.

The north side of Allentown drains to Devils Branch, a tributary of Turkey Creek and part of the Oconee River watershed. The south side drains to Little Rocky Creek, a tributary of Rocky Creek, then Turkey Creek and the Oconee.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 287 people, 121 households, and 72 families residing in the town. In 2020, its population declined to 195.

title: Allentown, Georgia


text:
Cochran, Georgia

Cochran is a city in Bleckley County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 5,026. The city is the county seat of Bleckley County.

Cochran is named for Judge Arthur E. Cochran and was incorporated on March 19, 1869. Judge Cochran was largely instrumental in developing this section of Georgia through his work as president of the Macon and Brunswick Railroad, now the Southern Railway (a component of Norfolk Southern Railway). Once known as Dykesboro, Cochran was settled by B. B. Dykes, who owned the site on which the town is built. The earliest settlers located here to work in the turpentine industry.

Cochran is home to Bleckley County High School and Middle Georgia State University. The city's nickname, Castle City, comes from the similar theme the mascots of each school's athletic program share (Barons, Royals, and Knights).

Three properties in Cochran are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Bleckley County Courthouse in Courthouse Square, the Cochran Municipal Building and School at the junction of Dykes and Second streets, and Hillcrest at 706 Beech Street.

History
Cochran, originally known as Dykesboro, was settled in the 1850s by B. B. Dykes. It was renamed Cochran in 1869 after Arthur Cochran, a railroad official who brought the Macon and Brunswick Railroad to town. In 1912, Cochran was designated seat of the newly formed Bleckley County.

Geography
Cochran is located at 32.38667°N, -83.35056°W (32.386646, -83.350684).

The city is located in the central part of the state along U.S. Route 23, which runs from southeast to northwest to the northeast of downtown, leading northwest 40 mi to Macon and southeast 18 mi to Eastman. Georgia State Route 26 runs from southwest to northeast through the center of the city, leading northeast 21 mi to Dudley (after meeting U.S. Route 80), and southwest 11 mi to Hawkinsville, concurrent with U.S. Route 129 Alternate.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.3 km2, of which 11.9 km2 is land and 0.4 km2, or 3.63%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,026 people, 1,406 households, and 814 families residing in the city.

Bleckley County School District
Bleckley County students in kindergarten to grade twelve are in the Bleckley County School District, which consists of a primary school, an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. The district has 151 full-time teachers and over 2,355 students.
 * Bleckley County Learning Center
 * Bleckley County Primary School
 * Bleckley County Elementary School
 * Bleckley County Middle School
 * Bleckley County Success Academy
 * Bleckley County High School

Middle Georgia State University
Middle Georgia State University is a public university with its main campus in Macon, Georgia. It was founded in 2013 through the merger of Middle Georgia College and Macon State College. Middle Georgia College's campus in Cochran is now one of the multiple campuses of Middle Georgia State University.

Government
Cochran operates under a Mayor-Council system of government, with the day-to-day business being handled by a city manager. The city manager is Richard Newburn. The Mayor is Billy Yeomans. The Police Chief is Jeff Trawick, and the fire chief is Brock Wilcher.

In 2016, at a City Council meeting held on October 11, Mayor Michael Stoy resigned from office, alleging that certain City Council members had participated in an illegal meeting. Since there was more than a year remaining in his term, a special election was held to elect another Mayor.

In 2013, the city manager decided to terminate the employment of the police and fire chief, and replace them with a public safety director in order to save money, but rescinded his decision days later amidst public disapproval, and announced the appointment of a task force to look at the budget and advise him on choices.

In 2011, Mayor Cliff Avant was charged with felony theft for allegedly donating city-owned PVC pipe to a local church. He admitted the donation and the mistake of not having it declared surplus property by the city council. On the day of the trial, as a result of a plea deal, Avant resigned as mayor, and pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal trespass.

In 2008, some of the Cochran Police Force came under scrutiny for various acts of misconduct, which included child molestation charges. One officer was charged and another resigned after being investigated for interference with custody.

Tourist attractions

 * Cochran-Bleckley Cotton & Peanut Museum
 * Terry L. Coleman Museum and Archives
 * Old Bleckley County Jail

Notable people

 * Ronald Gray - convicted spree killer
 * Amberle L. Husbands - writer of pulp-noir and science fiction short stories and novels
 * Danny Mathis - Politician and coroner.
 * Nancye Radmin (1938–2020), American businesswoman, founder of The Forgotten Woman retail chain
 * Clarence Reid, a.k.a. Blowfly - musician and songwriter
 * Ed Roberts - Physician and founder of MITS where he created the Altair 8800 microcomputer, starting the microcomputer revolution. It featured Microsoft's first software, the Altair BASIC and employed Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Monte Davidoff.
 * Obie Walker - claimant of the World Colored Heavyweight Championship boxing title in the 1930s
 * Amarius Mims -- UGA, drafted #19 by Cincinnati Bengals 2024

title: Cochran, Georgia


text:
Hoboken, Georgia

Hoboken is a city in Brantley County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 480.

History
The city's name most likely is a transfer from Hoboken, New Jersey. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the place as the City of Hoboken in 1920. Hoboken served as the first county seat of Brantley County from the county's formation in 1920 until 1923 when the seat was transferred to Nahunta.

Geography
Hoboken is located in western Brantley County at 31.18278°N, -82.13389°W (31.182720, -82.133891). U.S. Route 82 (called Main Street) passes through the city, leading east 9 mi to Nahunta, the county seat, and west 14 mi to Waycross.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Hoboken has a total area of 8.9 km2, of which 0.04 sqkm, or 0.48%, is water.

Demographics
In 2020, the city had a population of 480, down from 528 at the 2010 census.

Cultural events
Hoboken has a continuous tradition of periodic singings from the Sacred Harp that has continued for over 150 years. These currently include monthly singings and an annual convention.

Twin Oaks Park, located 4 mi outside of Hoboken (and with a Hoboken mailing address), hosts two bluegrass conventions every year. It is a privately owned campground, where people from all over can bring their RV's, pop-ups, and listen to the melodic sounds of bluegrass music.

title: Hoboken, Georgia


text:
Nahunta, Georgia

Nahunta is a city and the county seat in Brantley County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Brunswick, Georgia metropolitan statistical area. The population was 1,013 at the 2020 census. The city is an important crossroad which is intersected by U.S. Route 82 and U.S. Route 301 in its downtown area.

History

Nahunta, originally called Victoria, was founded about 1870. It is believed that the town was renamed in 1899 for timber executive N.A. Hunter, but the origin of the name has never been officially verified. In 1923, the seat of Brantley County was transferred to Nahunta from Hoboken.

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Nahunta as a city in 1925.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Nahunta gained national attention for its armadillo festival during the first weekend in May, that included the "Brantley County Armadillo Olympics" and "a cookout with armadillo prominently featured on the menu".

Geography
Nahunta is located at 31.20444°N, -81.98222°W (31.204527, -81.982285).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 sqkm, of which 0.05 sqkm, or 0.65%, is water.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Nahunta has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded there was 104 F on July 7, 1990 and July 21, 2000, while the coldest temperature recorded was 3 F on January 21, 1985.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,013 people, 332 households, and 189 families residing in the city.

Education
Brantley County students in grades kindergarten to grade twelve are in the Brantley County School District, which consists of five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 196 full-time teachers and over 3,332 students.

 * Atkinson Elementary School
 * Hoboken Elementary School
 * Nahunta Elementary School
 * Nahunta Primary School
 * Waynesville Primary School
 * Brantley County Middle School
 * Brantley County High School

title: Nahunta, Georgia


text:
Barwick, Georgia

Barwick is a city divided by the county line between Brooks and Thomas counties, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Valdosta metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 363.

History
Barwick had its start in the early 1890s when the railroad was extended to that point. A post office has been in operation at Barwick since 1894. The community was named after R. H. Barwick, a Primitive Baptist leader. Barwick was incorporated by the Georgia General Assembly as a town in 1903.

Geography
Barwick is located at 30.9°N, -83.73333°W (30.8921, −83.7384). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.9 km2, of which 0.08 km2, or 4.16%, is water.

Demographics
At the census of 2000, there were 444 people, 181 households, and 110 families residing in the town. By 2020, its population declined to 363.

title: Barwick, Georgia


text:
Morven, Georgia

Morven is a city in Brooks County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Valdosta metropolitan statistical area. The city was named after a mountain in Scotland. The population was 565 at the 2010 census, and 506 in 2020. It was formerly known as Sharpe's Store.

History
Morven is the oldest community established by Europeans in Brooks County.

The Coffee Road was opened through Morven circa 1823. Sion Hall, one of the first settlers, saw an opportunity to use his sawmill and to farm. The area was developed for large cotton plantations, based on enslaved African-American field workers.

Circa 1826, Hamilton Sharpe built a store made of logs; he opened a post office in 1828. The community that grew up around the store became known as Sharpe's Store. In the same year a Methodist campground was established named Mount Zion. The post office and community was renamed Morven in 1853. At the end of the century, the South Georgia Railroad was built through Morven in 1897. The community was incorporated by the state legislature in 1900.

Cotton cultivation continued to be important in the early 20th century.

Hampton Smith owned the Old Joyce Place near Morven. Often hiring laborers through convict leasing, by which Smith paid police their high fees for minor infractions, Smith was known to be abusive to his black workers. On 16 May 1918, Smith was shot and killed by Sidney Johnson, a black worker whom he had severely beaten. During the ensuing manhunt in Brooks and Lowndes counties, white mobs captured at least 12 blacks and lynched them during the next few days. All but one were men; the victims included 19-year-old Mary Turner, who had denounced the lynching of her husband, and her eight-month-old fetus, cut from her body and also murdered at the site, on the west bank of the Little River.

A second railroad (Valdosta/Morven & Western RR) was built through Morven in the 1920s. In 1923 the town raised an $8,000 bond to provide a water system. A group of local women organized to gain installation of electric lights in August 1924. After World War II, the first paved road was built in the community in the winter of 1948 to 1949 from Quitman, the county seat of Brooks County.

Geography
Morven is located at 30.94417°N, -83.50083°W (30.944263, -83.500796).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.5 km2, of which 0.04 sqkm, or 0.92%, is water.

Morven is located at the junction of State Highways 76 and 94 and is 8 mi west of Interstate 75.

Coffee Road
Coffee Road was opened up by the state legislature act approved December 23, 1822. $1500 was appropriated for the road, which started near Cunningham Ford on the Alapaha River southwest through districts 10, 12, and 13 of Irwin County continuing through Districts 18 and 23 of Early County to intersect the Florida state line near the Ochlockonee River.

2020 census
In 2000, there were 634 people, 225 households, and 152 families residing in the city. By 2020, its population declined to 506.

Major highways

 * [[Image:Georgia 76.svg|20px]] State Route 76
 * [[Image:Georgia 133.svg|25px]] State Route 133
 * Coffee Road passes through the county.

title: Morven, Georgia


text:
Pavo, Georgia

Pavo is a city that is divided by the county line between Brooks and Thomas counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 622 in 2020.

The city is home to a branch of the Thomas County Public Library System.

Pavo was featured in country music star Alan Jackson's video for his hit song "Little Man", lamenting the decline of small-town America.

History
The community was originally known as McDonald, named after one of two prominent families in the area. However, concerns were raised about misdirected mail, resulting from confusion between McDonald, in the southern part of the state, and McDonough located in the north. The community was then renamed after an early postmaster, Duncan D. Peacock, "Pavo" being the Latin word meaning "peacock".

Geography
Pavo is located at 30.96028°N, -83.73944°W (30.960341, -83.739352). Georgia State Route 122 (Harris Street) passes through the center of town, leading southwest 17 mi to Thomasville and east 21 mi to Interstate 75 at Hahira. Georgia State Route 33 leads north out of town as Robert Street towards Moultrie; southbound it leaves as County Line Road towards Barwick and Boston.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Pavo has a total area of 1.8 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
In 2000, there were 711 people, 301 households, and 191 families residing in the city. By 2020, its population was 622.

Arts and culture
The city celebrates "Peacock Day" on the second Saturday each May.

title: Pavo, Georgia


text:
Quitman, Georgia

Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,064 in 2020. The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Quitman was the home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857), and uncle of American financier J.P. Morgan. Pierpont was an organist for the First Presbyterian Church. James' daughter, Lillie, was Quitman's first librarian in 1880.

A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.

It is called "Camellia City", as the tree grows in profusion around the area.

History
Quitman was designated the county seat of the newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904. As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.

Geography
Quitman is located in southern Georgia at 30.78468°N, -83.56075°W. U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south 24 mi to Greenville, Florida, and 26 mi to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east 15 mi to Interstate 75 and 17 mi to Valdosta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of 10.7 sqkm, of which 0.05 sqkm, or .50%, is water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,064 people, 1,476 households, and 836 families residing in the city.

Industry
The prevalent industries in Quitman are farming and automotive.

Education
Schools for Quitman are Quitman Elementary School, Brooks County Middle School, and Brooks County High School.

Media
Radio station WGOV-FM 96.7 is licensed to broadcast from Quitman. The Quitman Free Press, a weekly newspaper, is the official legal publication for Brooks County. It has been in operation since 1876.

Notable people

 * Nellie Weldon Cocroft - ragtime composer, born in Quitman
 * Edna Cain Daniel, writer, journalist, long-time publisher of the Quitman Free Press
 * Dana A. Dorsey - Banker, realtor, business executive, and philanthropist. Child of freed slaves.
 * Henry L. Reaves - politician, farmer, and cattleman
 * James Lord Pierpont - songwriter of Jingle Bells, church organist, taught at the Quitman Academy. Uncle of J.P. Morgan.

title: Quitman, Georgia


text:
Pembroke, Georgia

Pembroke is a city and county seat in Bryan County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,513. It is located approximately 35 miles west of Savannah, Georgia, and approximately 20 miles south of Statesboro, Georgia. Pembroke is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

History
Pembroke was founded in 1892 as a railroad town and turpentine shipping center. It was named after early resident Pembroke Whitfield Williams. It was incorporated in 1905. The county seat was voted to be moved from Clyde to Pembroke in 1935, with the first County Commissioners session in Pembroke taking place on February 15, 1937.

On April 9, 1998, a F3 tornado damaged the city. It killed two people and injured 17 others along its path.

On April 5, 2022, an EF2 tornado struck the town, causing heavy damage to many structures, trees, and power lines. The tornado would later strengthen to EF4 intensity in Black Creek, causing catastrophic damage, killing one person, and injuring 12 others.

The Pembroke Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Pembroke is located in northern Bryan County at 32.13989°N, -81.62355°W. U.S. Route 280 passes through the center of the city, leading east 10 mi to Interstate 16 and 35 mi to Savannah. Claxton is 16 mi to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Pembroke has a total area of 19.9 km2, of which 19.6 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 1.17%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,513 people, 887 households, and 656 families residing in the city.

Education
The Bryan County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. The district has 328 full-time teachers and over 5,552 students.
 * Bryan County High School
 * Richmond Hill High School
 * Bryan County Middle School
 * Richmond Hill Middle School
 * Bryan County Elementary School
 * George Washington Carver Elementary School
 * Lanier Primary School
 * Richmond Hill Elementary School
 * Richmond Hill Primary School

Notable people
Pembroke was the birthplace of jazz musician Jabbo Smith.

title: Pembroke, Georgia


text:
Richmond Hill, Georgia

Richmond Hill is a city in Bryan County, Georgia, United States. The population was 16,633 at the 2020 U.S. census, an increase of almost 80% from the 2010 population of 9,281. Richmond Hill is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

History
Richmond Hill has a historical connection to industrialist Henry Ford. Ford used the town, formerly known as Ways Station, as a winter home and philanthropic social experiment, building the complex known as the Ford Farms along the Ogeechee River in the 1930s. After just one visit he chose this area as his winter home. Ford's dwelling was built on the site of Richmond Plantation, which was burned by elements of General William T. Sherman's army at the conclusion of the "March to the Sea". Ford's holdings eventually totaled 85000 acre of agricultural and timber lands, most of which is now owned by the State of Georgia or ITT Rayonier, a timber company. Ford was also responsible for the construction of a number of public buildings, including a kindergarten, which now houses the museum of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, and a chapel which now houses St. Anne's Catholic Church. Both are located on Georgia S.R. 144, also known as Ford Avenue within the Richmond Hill city limits. The Ford Plantation has now been redeveloped as a luxury resort, with vacation cottages, a clubhouse, tennis, and golf. When it was suggested that the town be renamed "Ford", he declined, and instead Ways Station was renamed "Richmond Hill" after the site of Ford's home on the banks of the Ogeechee River.

Another plantation, Myrtle Grove, has been used in several movie and television productions. Richmond Hill was incorporated as a city in 1962. The current mayor is Russ Carpenter. The previous mayor, Richard Davis served in that capacity since 1989. The city is governed by a mayor and a four-member city council.

Richmond Hill was the location of the discovery in 2004 of Benjaman Kyle, a man who suffers from retrograde amnesia as a result of a severe beating. In 2015, he was identified as William Burgess Powell.

Development
Real estate development in Richmond Hill has generally followed trends represented in the United States as a whole. Post-Civil War populations remained relatively stable until the arrival of industrialist Henry Ford in the 1930s. In the early 1970s, subdivisions began to spring up, and began a settlement trend that has continued steadily until the present. Subdivisions of varying quality, ranging from starter homes to exclusive, gated golf communities, have emerged. Locals attribute population growth to the nearest military base, Fort Stewart.

Geography
Richmond Hill is located along the eastern border of Bryan County. The Ogeechee River forms the eastern edge of the city (and the county line); an outlying portion of the city of Savannah is on the opposite side of the river.

U.S. Route 17 (Ocean Highway) passes through the city north of the original downtown. Interstate 95 passes through the western edge of the city, with access from Exit 87 (US 17) and Exit 90 (Georgia State Route 144/Ford Avenue). Downtown Savannah is 21 mi to the north, and Brunswick is 58 mi to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Richmond Hill has a total area of 37.9 km2, of which 37.4 km2 is land and 0.5 km2, or 1.42%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,633 people, 4,334 households, and 3,431 families residing in the city.

Economy
Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees make up 93% of the employers.

Education
Bryan County School District serves Richmond Hill. The town has seven public schools for students between the ages of five to 21 (21 in cases of challenged high-school students). They are Richmond Hill Primary School (RHPS), Richmond Hill Elementary School (RHES), George Washington Carver Upper Elementary School (GWCES), McAllister Elementary School (MES), France Meeks Elementary School (FMES) Richmond Hill Middle School (RHMS), and Richmond Hill High School (RHHS). Of the two high schools, Richmond Hill High has the highest scores in Bryan County. The city is currently expanding its schools due to a large spike in the number of people migrating to the city during the last thirty years. Two new elementary and middle schools have been built recently. Richmond Hill is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years based on the trend of the increasing population since the early-1990s.

Healthcare
In 2011, Winn Army Community Hospital opened to serve the large military population in the area. It serves military retirees and their families only. For the general public, the nearest emergency room is located in Savannah at St. Joseph's Hospital, about 15 mi away.

Events
Richmond Hill hosts a number of community events at J.F. Gregory Park. Throughout the year the community comes together for supporting special events and causes, such as:

 * Annual Easter Extravaganza
 * Annual Memorial Day Observance
 * Annual First Day of Summer Prayer Breakfast
 * National Night Out
 * Old Time Family Fourth of July Festival & Fireworks
 * Annual Pumpkin Patch
 * Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival, with c. 35,000 attendees
 * Annual Veterans Day Observance
 * Annual Chili Cook-off

Religion
While a small majority of citizens in Richmond Hill are non-religious, Christianity is the second largest. Christianity denominations include Protestant and Catholic. Richmond Hill is home to over 20 churches of various denominations.

Many church organizations participate cooperatively in outreach programs that benefit the community as a whole. The "Food for the Soul" soup kitchen, staffed by individuals from ten separate churches that rotate on a weekly basis, delivers hot meals to families in need within Richmond Hill. The Way Station, another multiple church outreach program, has been in operation for over twenty years providing food, clothing, and other items that enhance the lives of families in the community.

Community service groups

 * Richmond Hill Rotary Club
 * Richmond Hill Exchange Club
 * Richmond Hill Lions Club
 * Richmond Hill Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7331
 * Richmond Hill Garden Club - Senior's Center
 * Richmond Hill Sons of Confederate Veterans
 * Bryan Lodge #303 F&AM

Notable people

 * Nick Fitzgerald, college football quarterback

title: Richmond Hill, Georgia


text:
Brooklet, Georgia

Brooklet is a city in Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. It is located roughly 9 mi east of Statesboro. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 1,704.

It is the home of the Southeast Bulloch School system. It is located along US Highway 80. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Brooklet as a town in 1906.

Geography
Brooklet is located at 32.38222°N, -81.66472°W (32.382175, -81.664695).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.7 km2, of which 8.5 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 2.26%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,704 people, 699 households, and 492 families residing in the city.

Peanut Festival
The Brooklet Peanut Festival is an annual festival that occurs on the third Saturday of September.

The first festival was held in 1990. It drew about 2,000 people and helped finance a town park lined with benches around a gazebo and fountain. The park was dedicated to the Town of Brooklet at the 6th Annual Peanut Festival in 1995. The Brooklet Peanut Festival consists of an annual parade, a beauty pageant, a Peanut Run, booths, entertainment, and a tractor race. Each year, the festival has grown in attendance.

The parade follows an approximately 2 mi route with participation from local schools, organizations and businesses. The beauty pageant has many age groups, including 0–6 months, 7–18 months, 9–35 months, 3–4 years, 5–6 years, 7–9 years, 10–12 years, 13–15 years, 16 years and over. The contestant who wins in the 16 and over category is crowned Miss Peanut Queen.

The Brooklet Peanut Run is a 5K race that used to be run around 7 am on the day of the Peanut Festival. However, when the festival changed dates to the September, the Peanut Run kept its August Date. The race begins and ends at Brooklet Elementary School. There are approximately 300 participants in the race each year.

The festival has live, free entertainment. Performers have included the Southern Dance Academy, Southeast Bulloch High School band, and many local bands.

The slow tractor race is an annual race where tractors race as slowly as possible. The last tractor to cross the finish line is the winner. The Kiddie Pedal Tractor race is designed for children who race a pint-sized tractor.

Notable people

 * Cecil B. Day, founder of Days Inn hotels.
 * Jan Tankersley, member of the Georgia House of Representatives and former member of the Brooklet City Council.

title: Brooklet, Georgia


text:
Portal, Georgia

Portal is a town in Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. The population was 638 in 2020.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Portal as a town in 1914. It is unknown why the name "Portal" was applied to this place.

Geography
Portal is located at 32.53722°N, -81.93167°W (32.537275, -81.931738). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.6 km2, of which 5.5 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 2.99%, is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 597 people, 232 households, and 167 families residing in the town. By 2020, its population increased to 638, experiencing no population change from 2010.

Notable people

 * Brooks Brown (1985-), American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Brown attended Portal High School and played baseball there. He attended the University of Georgia, playing in college. He played for several minor league teams before being called up to the majors for the first time on July 6, 2014.
 * Dr. Leila Denmark (1898–2012), a pediatrician, author and researcher who blazed trails for women in medicine, and lived to be 114
 * Matthew L. Gibson (1985-), Science instructor emeritus at Portal High School and Curator of Natural History at the Charleston Museum, credited as America's First Museum. Gibson also published a Journal of Paleontology articles which designate a new species of pontoporiid dolphin, Auroracetus bakerae as well as a new species of protocetid whale, Tupelocetus palmeri.  He is a research member of the Don Sundquist Center for Excellence in Paleontology.
 * Sebastian McBride, African-American man who was lynched by whites on August 27, 1904; the fourth lynching victim of white racial violence that month in Bulloch County
 * Cameron Sheffield (1988-), American football defensive end who is a member of the Edmonton Eskimos. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
 * Ruby Stone (1924–2013), born in Portal and later moved to Idaho, where she became a politician and was elected as a state legislator.

title: Portal, Georgia


text:
Register, Georgia

Register is a town in Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. The population was 157 in 2020. The community was named after Frank Register, a pioneer citizen.

Geography
Register is located at 32.36639°N, -81.88361°W (32.366495, -81.883543). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 164 people, 68 households, and 39 families residing in the town. In 2020, its population declined to 157.

title: Register, Georgia


text:
Statesboro, Georgia

Statesboro is the most populous city in and county seat of Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. Located in the southeastern part of the state, its population was 33,438 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Statesboro micropolitan area, which had 81,099 residents, and is part of the Savannah–Hinesville–Statesboro combined statistical area.

The city was chartered in 1803, starting as a small trading community providing basic essentials for surrounding cotton plantations. This drove the economy throughout the 19th century, both before and after the American Civil War. In 1906, Statesboro was selected as the home of the First District A&M School, a land grant college that eventually developed into Georgia Southern University.

Statesboro inspired the blues song "Statesboro Blues", written by Blind Willie McTell in the 1920s, and covered in a well-known version by the Allman Brothers Band. In 2017, Statesboro was selected in the top three of the national America's Best Communities competition and was named one of nine Georgia "live, work, play" cities by the Georgia Municipal Association.

History
In 1801, George Sibbald of Augusta donated a 9301 acre tract for a centrally located county seat for the growing agricultural community of Bulloch County. The area was developed by white planters largely for cotton plantations that were worked by black slave labor. In December 1803, the Georgia legislature created the town of Statesborough. The community most likely was named after the notion of states' rights, an issue central in the 1800 United States presidential election. In 1866 the state legislature granted a permanent charter to the city, changing the spelling of its name to the present "Statesboro."

During the Civil War and General William T. Sherman's famous March to the Sea through Georgia, a Union officer asked a saloon proprietor for directions to Statesboro. The proprietor replied, "You are standing in the middle of town," indicating its small size. The soldiers destroyed the courthouse, a log structure that doubled as a barn when court was not in session. After the Civil War, the small town began to grow, and Statesboro has developed as a major town in southeastern Georgia. Many freedmen stayed in the area, working on plantations as sharecroppers and tenant farmers.

Following the Reconstruction era, racial violence of whites against blacks increased. In the era from 1880 to 1930, Georgia had the highest rate of lynchings of any state in the nation. Among them were three black men who were lynched and burned to death on August 16, 1904, near Statesboro. A fourth man was lynched later in the month in Bulloch County. After a white farm family was killed, the white community spread unfounded rumors of black clergy urging blacks to violence against whites, and more than twelve black men were arrested in this case.

Paul Reed and Will Cato were convicted of the Hodge family murders by an all-white jury and sentenced to death on August 16, 1904, but they were abducted that day from the courthouse by a lynch mob and brutally burned to death. Handy Bell, another suspect, was lynched and burned by a mob that night. White violence against blacks did not end; both men and women were physically attacked on the streets. Area newspaper coverage of the trial and lynching had been sensationalized, arousing anger, and two more black men were lynched in August 1904: Sebastian McBride in Portal, another town in Bulloch County, and A.L. Scott in Wilcox County. To escape oppression and violence, many African Americans left Statesboro and Bulloch County altogether, causing local businessmen to worry about labor shortages in the cotton and turpentine industries. African Americans made a Great Migration from the rural South to northern cities in the first half of the 20th century. Local effects can be seen in the drop in Statesboro population growth from 1910 to 1930 on the census tables below in the "Demographics" section.

Around the turn of the century, new businesses in Statesboro included stores and banks built along North, East, South, and West Main streets. In 1908, Statesboro led the world in sales of long-staple Sea Island Cotton, a specialty of the Low Country. Mechanization of agriculture decreased the need for some farm labor. After the boll weevil destroyed the cotton crop in the 1930s, farmers shifted to tobacco. The insect had invaded the South from the west, disrupting cotton cultivation throughout the region. By 1953, however, more than 20 million pounds of tobacco passed through warehouses in Statesboro, then the largest market of the "Bright Tobacco Belt" spanning Georgia and Florida.

The 1906 First District Agricultural & Mechanical School at Statesboro was developed as a land grant college, initiated by federal legislation to support education. Its mission shifted in the 1920s to teacher training; and in 1924 it was renamed as the Georgia Normal School. With expansion of the curriculum to a 4-year program, it was renamed as the South Georgia Teachers College in 1929. Other name changes were to Georgia Teachers College in 1939, and Georgia Southern College in 1959. After this period, it became racially integrated and with development of graduate programs and research in numerous fields, since 1990 it has had university status as Georgia Southern University.

Geography
Statesboro is located at 32.44528°N, -81.77917°W (32.445147, -81.779234). The city is located in southeastern Georgia along U.S. Routes 80, 25, and 301. US 80 runs northwest to southeast through the city, leading southeast 58 mi to Savannah and west-northwest 37 mi to Swainsboro. US 25 and 301 run concurrently through the center of town and split upon their junction with US 80, leading south 12 mi to Interstate 16 at exit 116. US 25 leads north 29 mi to Millen and US 301 north 24 mi to Sylvania.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.9 km2, of which 35.0 km2 is land and 0.9 km2, or 2.60%, is water. The city is in the coastal plain region, or Low Country, of Georgia, so it is mainly flat with a few small hills. With an elevation of 250 ft, the downtown area is one of the highest places in Bulloch County. Pine, oak, magnolia, dogwood, palm, sweetgum, and a variety of other trees can be found in the area.

Climate
Statesboro has a humid subtropical climate, according to the Köppen classification. The city experiences very hot and humid summers with average July highs of about 91 degrees and lows around 70. Afternoon thunderstorms associated with the summer heat and humidity can spawn from time to time. Winters are mild with average January highs of 58 degrees and lows of 36 degrees. Winter storms are rare, but they happen periodically, the most recent being an ice storm in January 2018. On February 12, 2010, approximately two inches of snow fell on the city.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 33,438 people, 10,214 households, and 4,569 families residing in the city.

Economy
The economy of Statesboro is based on education, manufacturing, and agribusiness sectors. Statesboro serves as a regional economic hub and has more than one billion dollars in annual retail sales. Georgia Southern University is the largest employer in the city, with 6,700 regional jobs tied directly and indirectly to the campus.

Agriculture is responsible for $100 million in annual farm gate revenues.

Statesboro is home to multiple manufacturing facilities. Statesboro Briggs & Stratton Plant is the third-largest employer in the region with 950 employees.

The Development Authority of Bulloch County retains over 100 acres of GRAD (Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development) land at the Gateway Industrial Park. Southern Gateway Park is a newly developed 200-acre tract located at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Interstate 16 in close proximity to the Court of Savannah. Southern Gateway is served by municipal water, sewer and natural gas lines.

GAF, the largest privately owned roofing manufacturer in North America, relocated to Statesboro in the early 21st century.

Arts and culture
The culture of Statesboro reflects a blend of both its southern heritage and college town identity.

The city has developed a unique culture, common in many college towns, that coexists with the university students in creating an art scene, music scene and intellectual environment. Statesboro is home to numerous restaurants, bars, live music venues, bookstores and coffee shops that cater to its creative college town climate. Statesboro's downtown was named one of eight "Renaissance Cities" by Georgia Trend magazine. The downtown area is currently undergoing a revitalization. The Old Bank of Statesboro and Georgia Theater have been adapted with renovation for the David H. Averitt Center for the Arts. It houses the Emma Kelly Theater, named after the local singer, known as the "Lady of 6,000 Songs". The center also contains art studios, conference rooms and an exhibition area. Downtown Statesboro has been featured in several motion pictures including Now and Then (1995) as well as 1969. Georgia Southern offers a variety of cultural options available both for the university and the wider community: the Georgia Southern Symphony, the Georgia Southern Planetarium, Georgia Southern Museum, and the Botanical Gardens at Bland Cottage. Touring groups appear at the Performing Arts Center, and also featured are shows put on by Georgia Southern students and faculty.

Mill Creek Regional Park is a large outdoor recreational facility with athletic fields and a water park, Splash in the Boro.

Georgia Southern Eagles
The Georgia Southern University Eagles field 17 varsity teams in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and are members of the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference.

Prior to joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014, the Eagles were members of the Trans America Athletic Conference (presently known as the ASUN Conference) and the Southern Conference. During their time at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS/I-AA) level, the Eagles football team won an unprecedented six national championships.

Tormenta FC
South Georgia Tormenta FC fields a professional team in USL League One, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club's inaugural season was the 2016 season. Games are played at Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium. The club won the USL League One championship in the 2022 season.

Higher education
Georgia Southern University is the city's principal institution of higher learning. The university, a unit of the University System of Georgia (USG), was founded as the First District Agricultural and Mechanical School in 1906 as a land grant college, open only to white students. On July 1, 1990, it became the fifth university of the University System, and as of 2015 is a comprehensive residential university of nearly 20,000 students. The university's graduate programs are offered on campus, at satellite centers, and by distance and on-line delivery. For the past decade, the university has combined a capital building program with beautification of the nearly 700 acre campus. The university facilities include a museum of cultural and natural history, a botanical garden, and a center for wildlife education located within the campus grounds. The university's Division I athletic teams, the Georgia Southern Eagles, compete in the Sun Belt Conference.

Two community colleges are also located in Statesboro. East Georgia State College (EGSC), a USG institution based in nearby Swainsboro, operates a satellite center within the campus of Georgia Southern. Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) is a part of the Technical College System of Georgia, providing technical and adult education to area students; OTC is located on U.S. Highway 301 South, outside of the city limits and approximately 4 mi southwest of Georgia Southern's campus.

Bulloch County School District
The Bulloch County Board of Education runs the public school district in Statesboro. The largest school in the city is Statesboro High School. Other public schools include Southeast Bulloch High School, William James Middle School, Langston Chapel Middle School, Southeast Bulloch Middle School, Julia P. Bryant Elementary School, Sallie Zetterower Elementary School, Mattie Lively Elementary School, Langston Chapel Elementary School, and Mill Creek Elementary School. Private schools include Bulloch Academy, Trinity Christian School, and Bible Baptist Christian School. The Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Technology, part of the CCAT public school district, is a charter school located within the city limits. In 2016 CCAT was renamed Statesboro STEAM - College, Careers, Arts, & Technology Academy.

Media
Statesboro is served by a variety of media outlets in print, radio, television, and the Internet. Statesboro Magazine is the community's premier quality of life publication. The local newspaper is the Statesboro Herald, a daily with a circulation of about 6,000. Other newspapers include the George-Anne produced by Georgia Southern University students, Connect Statesboro, a weekly entertainment publication, and the E11eventh Hour, a twice-a-month entertainment publication. Radio stations include WHKN, WMCD, WPMX, WPTB, WWNS, and WVGS. Statesboro Business Magazine offers Statesboro and area business news, articles, features, jobs, real estate listings and other area business information and reviews.

StatesboroHerald.com has received numerous state and national awards from the newspaper industry for online innovation.

Hospitals

 * East Georgia Regional Medical Center
 * Willingway Hospital

Airports
Approximately 3 mi outside of Statesboro is the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, which can accommodate private aircraft but does not have a control tower or commercial flights. Most travelers use the nearby Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which is located 45 mi to the east and is served by eight commercial airlines. Statesboro is about three hours by highway from the major Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Highways
Interstate 16 is located 10 mi to the south of Statesboro. Statesboro is also served by three U.S. highways: U.S. Highway 301, which runs north–south through the city, U.S. Highway 25, which runs northwest–south through the city, and U.S. Highway 80, which is the main east–west route through the city. The Veterans Memorial Parkway (Highway 301 Bypass and Highway 25 Bypass) forms a near circle around the city.

U.S. Routes:
 * [[Image:US 25.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 25
 * [[Image:US 80.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 80
 * [[Image:US 301.svg|25px]] U.S. Route 301

State Routes:
 * [[Image:Georgia 24.svg|20px]] State Route 24
 * [[Image:Georgia 26.svg|20px]] State Route 26
 * [[Image:Georgia 67.svg|20px]] State Route 67

Pedestrians and cycling

 * S&S Greenway Trail

Rail
Rail service for freight is provided by Norfolk Southern Railway.

Notable people

 * Jason Childers (born 1975), Major League Baseball relief pitcher
 * Berry Avant Edenfield, United States District Court judge and Georgia State Senator
 * Dale Eggeling (born 1954), golfer, winner of three LPGA Tour events
 * Sutton Foster (born 1975), Broadway star, 2-time Tony Award winner
 * Joey Hamilton (born 1970), retired Major League Baseball player
 * Margie Hendrix (1935-1973), singer of Ray Charles Robinson Raelettes, member of The Cookies girl group, solo recording artist
 * Justin Houston (born 1989), linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs
 * Emma Kelly (1918–2001), pianist
 * Sharma Lewis (born 1963), African American United Methodist bishop
 * Danny McBride (born 1976), actor, Pineapple Express, Eastbound & Down, The Righteous Gemstones
 * Jeremy Mincey (born 1983), defensive end for Dallas Cowboys
 * Blind Willie McTell (1901–1959), blues musician, composed "Statesboro Blues"
 * Adrian Peterson (born 1979), former running back for Chicago Bears, Walter Payton Award winner who earned degree from Georgia Southern University in 2001 and helped win 1999 and 2000 National Championships
 * Marty Pevey (born 1961), current manager of Iowa Cubs, Triple A affiliate of Chicago Cubs
 * Commander William M. Rigdon, USN (1904–1991), assistant Naval Aide in White House, 1942–53; served throughout  Presidency of Harry S. Truman
 * John Rocker, Major League baseball relief pitcher
 * Erk Russell (1926–2006), college football coach
 * Lindsay Thomas, lived in Statesboro while serving in the United States House of Representatives.
 * DeAngelo Tyson (born 1989), defensive end, Baltimore Ravens
 * Rashad Wright (born 1982), basketball point guard

Points of interest

 * Georgia Southern Botanical Garden
 * Georgia Southern University
 * J. I. Clements Stadium
 * Mill Creek Recreational Park
 * Paulson Stadium
 * Splash in the Boro
 * Statesboro Mall

title: Statesboro, Georgia


text:
Blythe, Georgia

Blythe is a city in Richmond County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 744. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

Geography
Blythe is located at 33.29472°N, -82.20056°W (33.294858, -82.200623). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 sqmi, of which, 2.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.35% of it is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 744 people, 224 households, and 160 families residing in the city.

title: Blythe, Georgia


text:
Girard, Georgia

Girard is a town in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 184 in 2020. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

History
Girard was incorporated in 1902.

Geography
Girard is located at 33.04111°N, -81.71111°W (33.040994, -81.711108).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.3 km2, of which 8.2 km2 is land and 0.1 sqkm, or 1.20%, is water.

Girard is located near the South Carolina state line on State Highway 23.

Demographics
At the 2010 census, there were 156 people living in the town. In 2020, its population grew to 184.

title: Girard, Georgia


text:
Keysville, Georgia

Keysville is a town in Burke and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 300.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Keysville as a town in 1890. In 1933, the government was dissolved although its charter was not revoked. In late 1990, the government was reconstituted.

Geography
Keysville is located at 33.23528°N, -82.23167°W (33.235293, -82.231687), 23 mi southwest of downtown Augusta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 km2, of which 0.06 sqkm, or 2.08%, is water.

Demographics
Keysville first appeared in the 1930 U.S. Census. It did not appear in the 1960 U.S. Census, the 1970 U.S. Census, or the 1980 U.S. Census, It reappeared in the 1990 U.S. Census.

In 2020, its population was 300.

title: Keysville, Georgia


text:
Midville, Georgia

Midville is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2010 census, and 385 in 2020. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Midville as a town in 1877. The community was so named on account of its central location between Macon and Savannah.

Geography
Midville is located in the southwest corner of Burke County at 32.82139°N, -82.23667°W (32.821321, -82.236586). The southern border of the city is the Ogeechee River, which is also the county line.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.2 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.34%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 269 people living in the city. By the 2020 census, its population grew to 385.

Notable people

 * Tedi Thurman, model and television personality, was born in Midville.
 * Pat Dye, former football coach at Auburn University.
 * William Pierce (serial killer), serial killer who murdered 9 people across 3 states from June 1970 to January 1971.

title: Midville, Georgia


text:
Sardis, Georgia

Sardis is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population is 995 in 2020. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA).

History
Around the turn of the 20th century, a small crossroads community called Frog Wallow was developing in southeast Burke County. With the construction of the Savannah & Atlanta Railway, the tiny town lay on the new railroad connecting the two large hubs. In 1912, the town was incorporated as Sardis by the Georgia Legislature, named after the Baptist church that had flourished in the town over the past decades. The church's name, in turn, is a transfer from Sardis, an ancient city in present-day Turkey.

Sardis saw several decades of growth including a booming lumber industry. Then, in 1962, the owner of the railroad (Central of Georgia) abandoned the section of tracks between Waynesboro and Sylvania, which negatively affected the local economy. The tracks were subsequently removed in 1964. Sardis still retains its old train station and coal tower.

Geography
Sardis is located in southeastern Burke County at 32.97444°N, -81.75861°W (32.974510, -81.758504). It is 17 mi southeast of Waynesboro, the Burke County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.0 km2, of which 0.04 sqkm, or 0.95%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 995 people, 328 households, and 198 families residing in the city.

title: Sardis, Georgia


text:
Vidette, Georgia

Vidette is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 103 in 2020. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Vidette as a town in 1908. The town has the name of one Dr. Vidette.

Geography
Vidette is located in western Burke County at 33.03694°N, -82.24861°W (33.037027, -82.248589), 14 mi west of Waynesboro, the county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 112 people living in the city. In 2020, its population declined to 103.

title: Vidette, Georgia


text:
Flovilla, Georgia

Flovilla is a city in Butts County, Georgia, United States. The population was 653 at the 2010 census, and 643 in 2020.

Indian Springs State Park is nearby.

History
Flovilla incorporated in 1885. Flovilla is a coined name meaning "village of flowers".

Geography
Flovilla is located in southeastern Butts County at 33.25544°N, -83.89822°W. U.S. Route 23 passes through the center of the city, leading northwest 5 mi to Jackson, the county seat, and southeast 34 mi to Macon. Indian Springs State Park is located 2 mi west of the city along Georgia State Route 42 and contains a lake, a campground, and the springs for which it is named.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 km2, all land.

title: Flovilla, Georgia


text:
Jackson, Georgia

Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Butts County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,045 in 2010, up from 3,934 at the 2000 census. The community was named after governor James Jackson.

History
Founded in 1826, Jackson began as a 303 acre plot purchased for the purpose of starting the town. The plot was divided into squares and each square into lots. The first buyer of a lot in the new town was John D. Swift of Newton County, Georgia. During the Civil War, much of Jackson was razed by the army of General William T. Sherman during his March to the Sea. After the war, Jackson, like much of the South, struggled economically for decades. Jackson remained little more than a small village until the arrival of the railroads in the latter half of the 19th century. On May 5, 1882, the first train arrived in Jackson, heralding a new era in the transportation of people and goods.

During the 20th century, Jackson grew and industrial textile mills became the largest employer of local citizens. The arrival of Interstate 75 just a few miles to the southwest of the city gave citizens quick access to Atlanta and Macon. The numerous schools throughout the county consolidated into one central school system located in Jackson, and the schools desegregated in 1968. In the 1970s, Jackson slowly became a bedroom community. City taxes were also abolished in the 1970s.

Geography
Jackson is located in the center of Butts County at 33.2936°N, -83.96237°W. It is 46 mi southeast of downtown Atlanta. The center of population of Georgia is located 9 mi northeast of Jackson near the Butts County/Newton County line.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.2 km2, of which 16.1 km2 is land and 0.1 km2, or 0.50%, is water.

Government
Jackson is governed by an elected city council of five members, each representing a district of the city. The council is presided over by the mayor, who is elected at-large. All officials serve four year terms. The current mayor of Jackson is Carlos Duffey, who was elected in 2022. The city government is established by means of the City Charter.

Media
Jackson is the home of WJGA-FM 92.1.

Jackson is a frequent backdrop for a number of television shows. Beginning in 2016, Jackson appeared in Stranger Things, representing the show's setting in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the early 1980s. Exterior filming locations included the downtown (with some buildings freshly painted for filming), a furniture store (standing in for a cinema exterior), and the Butts County Probate court.

The popularity of the show has attracted many fans to the town. Other shows which have been filmed in the area include The CW's The Originals.

State prison
The Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison of the Georgia Department of Corrections is a maximum security prison in unincorporated Butts County about 8 mi southwest of Jackson. It is home to Georgia's death row and execution facility. The prison is also home to maximum security general population (non-death row).

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,557 people, 1,799 households, and 1,141 families residing in the city.

Education
The Butts County School District, grades pre-school to twelve, consists of three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 184 full-time teachers and over 3,370 students.
 * Hampton L. Daughtry Elementary School
 * Jackson Elementary School
 * Stark Elementary School
 * Henderson Middle School
 * Jackson High School

Notable people

 * Neiron Ball, former NFL outside linebacker for the Oakland Raiders
 * Mac Collins, former U.S. Congressman
 * Douglass Watson, actor, best known for his portrayal of Mac Cory on the soap opera Another World

title: Jackson, Georgia


text:
Jenkinsburg, Georgia

Jenkinsburg is a city in Butts County, Georgia, United States. The population was 370 at the 2010 census.

History
The community was named after the Jenkins family, original owners of the town site.

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Jenkinsburg as a town in 1889.

The community was heavily damaged by an EF2 tornado on January 12, 2023. The tornado killed two people (one of which was indirect) and injured 10 others (the direct fatality occurred further to the northeast in Jackson Lake area while the indirect fatality occurred in Jasper County).

Geography
Jenkinsburg is located near the northwest border of Butts County at 33.325°N, -84.035°W (33.325081, -84.034922), along U.S. Route 23. It lies 5 mi northwest of Jackson, the Butts County seat, and 5 mi southeast of Locust Grove and access to Interstate 75.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Jenkinsburg has a total area of 3.2 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 203 people, 76 households, and 55 families residing in the town. The population density was 258.4 PD/sqmi. There were 84 housing units at an average density of 106.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 72.41% White, 21.67% African American, 0.49% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, and 4.93% from two or more races.

There were 76 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,417, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $31,786 versus $29,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,437. About 4.3% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.5% of those 65 or over.

title: Jenkinsburg, Georgia


text:
Arlington, Georgia

Arlington is a city in Calhoun and Early counties, Georgia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,209.

History
Arlington was founded in 1873, and was chartered in 1881. Arlington served as county seat from 1923 to 1929. The community was named after the Arlington House, the Virginia home of General Robert E. Lee.

Geography
Arlington is located at 31.43944°N, -84.72472°W (31.439461, -84.724835). It is located 46 miles northeast of Dothan, Alabama and 45 miles southwest of Albany. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.7 km2, of which 0.03 km2, or 0.24%, is water. it is located in Calhoun and Early counties and borders Baker County to the east.

Education
On Calhoun County's side of the Calhoun County School District unit, Calhoun County Elementary School (grades K-5) serves  Calhoun County, including some students from Arlington, Edison, Leary, and Morgan. Calhoun County Middle/High are in Edison. On Early County's side, all schools belong to the Early County School District; elementary, middle, and high schools are in Blakely, including Early County High School.

Notable person

 * James Earl Carter, Sr., farmer, businessman, legislator, father of President Jimmy Carter

title: Arlington, Georgia