text:
Garden City, Georgia

Garden City is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States, located just northwest of Savannah. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,289. Part industrial and part residential, the city is home to much of the heavy industry in Chatham County. It hosts the largest and busiest ocean terminal of the Port of Savannah, the flagship operation of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Garden City was created in 1939 as Industrial City Gardens, a community intended to house the large workforce required by the new factories and chemical plants just west of downtown Savannah. Garden City is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

Geography
Garden City is located northwest of the center of Chatham County at 32.10028°N, -81.165°W (32.100372, −81.164965). It is bordered to the southeast by the city of Savannah, to the west by the city of Pooler, and to the north by the city of Port Wentworth. To the northeast in unincorporated land is the Port of Savannah and the Savannah River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Garden City has a total area of 37.1 km2, of which 35.5 km2 is land and 1.6 sqkm, or 4.35%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,289 people, 3,221 households, and 1,734 families residing in the city.

Agriculture
Located at 701 West U.S. Highway 80, the State Farmers Market is a farmers' market run by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Business
Commercial activities are traditionally concentrated near the junction of U.S. Highway 80, U.S. Highway 17 and State Highway 21 (an area once known as Traffic Circle), as well as along Augusta Road (Highway 21), where several long-term-stay hotels, franchise and independently owned fast food restaurants, financial institutions, pawn shops, strip shopping malls, gas stations, car repair shops and automotive retail stores are located.

Industry
Garden City's industry is located primarily on its waterfront, as is the case for surrounding communities. The Georgia Ports Authority operates a terminal, located at 2 Main Street. Garden City is also home to numerous trucking and railway companies. Other industries are:

Municipal
Garden City operated under a mayor–council form of government until 2009. It has adopted a council-administrator style, and by 2011 it will replace its seven at-large council members by one at-large and five district-elected ones.

For a list of past and present mayors and council members of Garden City, see List of mayors of Garden City, Georgia.

As of 2010, Garden City has never collected property taxes.

Other levels of government
Garden City is represented by:

 * the 7th and the 8th districts on the boards of the Chatham County Commission and the Savannah Chatham County Public School System
 * the 162nd district in the State House
 * the 2nd district in the State Senate
 * the 1st congressional district in Congress

In the last three decades, the area's county commissioners have been:

Color code:

State representation
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Coastal State Prison near Garden City.

Public education
Three public schools can be found within Garden City limits. They are managed by the Savannah Chatham County Public School System.

Groves High School - Long known as "the pride of the Westside", Groves High School has a rich community tradition that dates back to its founding in 1958. Established to serve the young people and families of West Chatham County, the school is named for Robert W. Groves, a prominent business and civic leader in the county. Besides his role in business and his many commercial and community activities, Groves took particular concern for the youth of the area and their educational needs.

Groves High School is home of the Fighting Scottish Rebels football and basketball teams. Campus points of interest include the Woodville-Tompkins Annex, where the automotive and construction programs are offered, and the Cumming Field, named to honor Second Lieutenant Britt C. Cumming, a World War II veteran who was killed in action.

Mercer Middle School serves grades six through eight and is a part of the Savannah Chatham County School System (SCCPSS). Originally called Mercer Junior High School, Mercer Middle School first opened on September 4, 1962, and was the first climate-controlled school in Georgia. Mercer was named for George Anderson Mercer, an attorney who served as the president of the Board of Education from 1883 until his death in 1907.

Garden City Elementary School was built to serve the consolidated student population of the former Benjamin Sprague and Martin G. Haynes elementary schools.

Parks and recreation
Services to the citizens of Garden City include:

Other landmarks
Other landmarks located in Garden City include:

 * The Air National Guard facility at 1401 Robert B. Miller Jr. Road
 * Coastal State Prison, located at 200 Gulfstream Road and dedicated on May 12, 1981; it replaced the Chatham Correctional Institution as the local-based state-run correctional facility
 * The Dotson House (the oldest residence in Garden City), built in 1850 and moved from the surroundings of George A. Mercer School to the site of the current town center
 * Fire Department Station No. 1, 160 Main Street
 * Fire Department Station No. 2, 2406 U.S. Highway 80 West
 * The Order of the Eastern Star's local branch, located at 131 Rommel Avenue
 * Hillcrest Abby West Cemetery, located on Dean Forest Road

title: Garden City, Georgia


text:
Georgetown, Chatham County, Georgia

Georgetown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 11,916 at the 2020 U.S. census. Georgetown lies across the Little Ogeechee River (and city limits) from Savannah, Georgia, and is a suburban "bedroom community" of Savannah, where most of its adult residents work. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Georgetown was constructed mostly in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but new subdivisions have been built recently. Shopping facilities are now more plentiful and continue to be added. Two schools in Georgetown are units of the Savannah-Chatham public school system: Georgetown Elementary and Southwest Middle School. Georgetown's public high school students attend Windsor Forest High School in Savannah.

Geography
Georgetown is located in western Chatham County at 31.97961°N, -81.23212°W. It is bordered to the east, south, and west by portions of the city of Savannah and has lost area since the 2000 census due to annexations by city. To the northwest is the unincorporated community of Henderson. U.S. Route 17 forms the northwestern edge of Georgetown, and leads northeast 11 mi to downtown Savannah and southwest 5 mi to Richmond Hill. Veterans Parkway begins in the eastern part of Georgetown and also leads 11 mi to the center of Savannah.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Georgetown CDP has a total area of 22.7 km2, of which 21.3 km2 is land and 1.4 km2, or 6.30%, is water.

Demographics
Georgetown was first listed as a CDP in the 1980 U.S. Census.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,916 people, 4,971 households, and 3,741 families residing in the CDP.

Education
It is in the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Schools include:
 * Georgetown K-8 School

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

title: Georgetown, Chatham County, Georgia


text:
Isle of Hope, Georgia

Isle of Hope is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area, and at the 2020 U.S. census its population was 2,357. The island is one of the most affluent communities in the state and is well known for its historic plantations and exclusive waterfront properties.

History
Isle of Hope is an island surrounded on all sides by water at high tide. Early maps referred to in French as "L'Isle Desperance" (modern French: L'Île d'Espérance). Legends abound of pirates using the island to hide their booty, and generations of children have gone digging for this treasure. Legend also states that French Huguenots used the island as a place of refuge for fleeing persecution.

In 1733, when General James Oglethorpe founded the Georgia colony, a surveyor named Noble Jones was granted a tract on the island that was eventually named Wormsloe, possibly after an English estate but more probably due to the mulberry trees that were grown there, the worms of which, it was hoped, would form the basis for a silk industry. A Colonial-era fortified home made of tabby was built at the Skidaway Narrows (now Jones' Narrows) and today can be visited as part of Wormsloe Historic Site.

Jones, along with James Fallowfield and Henry Parker, settled permanently on the island. During nearby Savannah's frequent yellow fever epidemics, the island was host to Savannahians fleeing the miasma of the city's fevers. As greater numbers of people discovered the island, the former plantation lands were subdivided and the lots sold, and it became a fashionable summer retreat. Several homes from the antebellum period remain, including the 1820 former caretaker's cottage of Carsten Hall plantation. Although the plantation itself burned in the early 20th century, the family moved into the caretaker's cottage overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

In the early 20th century, with better transportation options, the summer resort became the year-round home of many, and the terrapin farm at Barbee's Pavilion became world-famous for the export of terrapins for stew, including to the major restaurants of New York City and to the Czar of Russia. It was also the destination of race car drivers from around the world for the International Grand Prix races.

The Isle of Hope United Methodist Church is another historic location on the island. Built before the Civil War, the property was used by the Confederates as an encampment and the church building as a hospital. During their recuperation, soldiers carved their initials into the pews, which they used for makeshift beds. When the old church burned down during its 1984 renovation, the pews had been removed and were saved. Thirty-three Confederate soldiers are buried in the churchyard. In 2000, the church finished construction of transepts to the main sanctuary structure.

The island's beauty and history has attracted a number of Hollywood film productions, including the Oscar-winning Glory, the original Cape Fear, The Last of the Belles, Forrest Gump, and The Last Song.

Geography
Isle of Hope is located southeast of Savannah at 31.98333°N, -81.05556°W (31.983380, -81.055686). It consists of the northern half of the physical Isle of Hope, a body of land surrounded by tidal inlets: the Moon River and Herb River to the northwest, Grimball Creek to the northeast, and the Skidaway River and Skidaway Narrows, part of the Intracoastal Waterway, to the southeast. The CDP is bordered by the Dutch Island CDP to the northeast and the Skidaway Island CDP to the southeast. The Isle of Hope CDP includes the communities of Parkersburg and Wymberley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.9 km2, of which 4.7 km2 is land and 1.2 km2, or 20.61%, is water.

Demographics
Isle of Hope first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. Census.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,605 people, 1,001 households, and 783 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,373.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,038 housing units at an average density of 547.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.27% White, 0.84% African American, 0.35% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 1,001 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $75,274, and the median income for a family was $79,586. Males had a median income of $52,175 versus $38,468 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $34,067. None of the families and 0.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education
It is in the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Schools include:
 * Isle of Hope K-8 School

Notable people

 * Anna Davenport Raines, founding vice president of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
 * Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Clarence Thomas attended St. John Vianney's Minor Seminary on the Isle of Hope in the 1960s.
 * Jack Kingston, former congressman from the 1st District of Georgia

title: Isle of Hope, Georgia


text:
Montgomery, Georgia

Montgomery is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,443 at the 2020 United States census, down slightly from 4,523 in 2010. It is a suburb of Savannah and is part of the Savannah metropolitan area.

History
Montgomery is believed to be the location of an early settlement in the Savannah area (prior to General Oglethorpe's land grant in 1733) founded by three brothers who were British baronets: William, James, and Robert Montgomery. They received a land grant in 1677. They failed to maintain a permanent settlement, due to poor location and disease, and therefore lost their grant. The brothers moved to the more established Virginia Colony. The name of the settlement continues in this area of Chatham county, as well as Old Montgomery Road, Montgomery Street, and Montgomery Cross Road.

Geography
Montgomery is located south of the center of Chatham County at 31.94333°N, -81.10667°W (31.943237, -81.106648). It occupies a neck of land bordered on the west by the Vernon River, on the east by the Moon River, and on the south by the Burnside River; all of which are tidal. The northeast border of the CDP is formed by Georgia SR 204 Spur, which leads to Skidaway Island. Downtown Savannah is 13 mi north of the Montgomery town center.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.7 km2, of which 13.5 km2 is land and 2.2 km2, or 13.94%, is water.

Demographics
Montgomery first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. Census.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,443 people, 1,609 households, and 1,161 families residing in the CDP.

Notable people

 * Henry McKenzie (died 1974), newspaper publisher and politician

title: Montgomery, Georgia


text:
Pooler, Georgia

Pooler is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. According to the official 2020 U.S. census, the population was 25,711, up 34.3% from the 2010 population of 19,140. Pooler is located northwest of Savannah along Interstates 95 and 16. It comprises part of the Savannah metropolitan area.

History
The city was named for railroad employee Robert William Pooler.

During the Civil War, Pooler was a railway stop called Pooler's Station—the last stop before Savannah on the Central of Georgia Railway. In December 1864, Pooler was a meeting place for Union officers led by William Tecumseh Sherman, who negotiated with Savannah authorities for the strategic port city's peaceful surrender.

Geography
Pooler is located in northwestern Chatham County at 32.10472°N, -81.25333°W. It is bordered by Port Wentworth to the north, Garden City to the east, Savannah to the north and south, and Bloomingdale to the west. U.S. Route 80 intersects Interstate 95 just east of the city center; US 80 leads 9 mi east to downtown Savannah, while I-95 leads north into South Carolina and south 132 mi to Jacksonville, Florida.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Pooler has a total area of 78.6 sqkm, of which 76.1 sqkm is land and 2.5 sqkm, or 3.18%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,711 people, 8,794 households, and 6,130 families residing in the city.

In the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the city was 65.4% White, 25.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.6% of the population.

There were 7,300 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $71,737, and the median income for a family was $78,419. Males had a median income of $53,854 versus $38,401 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,336. About 5.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those between ages 18 and 15. 26.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Pooler is the center for commercial development in west Chatham County. Godley Station, the center for business development, has been successful in attracting large companies such as construction equipment manufacturer JCB to the area. It is home to the headquarters of tactical gear manufacturer Blue Force Gear. Private jet manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace is located right outside the city limits. It is one of the largest manufacturers of private jets in the United States and provides one of the largest employment numbers in the Savannah and Pooler area. Newer shopping centers such as The Shops at Godley Station are bringing new revenue to the area. Low crime and a small-town community atmosphere have all been factors in its explosive growth. Pooler is now one of Georgia's fastest-growing cities.

Notable people

 * Jared Wade, country music singer-songwriter
 * Buddy Carter, U.S. representative for 1st district of Georgia

title: Pooler, Georgia


text:
Port Wentworth, Georgia

Port Wentworth is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The 2020 population was 10,878, more than double the population of 5,359 at the 2010 census. Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah metropolitan area.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Port Wentworth in 1957.

Dixie Crystals plant explosion
On February 7, 2008, an explosion at the historic Dixie Crystals sugar plant, established in 1916 on Oxnard Drive, killed 14 people and injured at least 40 others. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 56. The blast could be heard as far away as Levy, South Carolina, where it shook house walls. The accident brought Port Wentworth national and international notice; it was widely reported in European and Asian media.

Geography
Port Wentworth is located in the northern corner of Chatham County at 32.16451°N, -81.18009°W. It is bordered by Effingham County to the north, by Garden City to the southeast, and by the Savannah city limits (surrounding Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport) to the southwest. Within the Port Wentworth city limits are the localities of Meinhard and Monteith.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 43.0 km2, of which 0.4 km2, or 0.91%, is covered by water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,878 people, 3,258 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city.

Education
Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.

Law enforcement
The city is served by the Port Wentworth Police Department.

title: Port Wentworth, Georgia


text:
Skidaway Island, Georgia

Skidaway Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia, and lies on a barrier island of the same name. Located south of Savannah, Skidaway Island is known for its waterfront properties and golf courses within The Landings, one of the largest gated communities in the country. The population was 9,310 at the 2020 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Skidaway Island as a census-designated place (CDP). A separate area of the island hosts the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a research institution operated by the University of Georgia. It receives scholars and researchers from several other Georgia universities as well, including Georgia Tech, Savannah State University, and the College of Coastal Georgia. Skidaway Island is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.

It is uncertain why the name "Skidaway" was applied to this island; the name may be derived from a word in Yamacraw or another Native American Creek language. In his 1967 publication How Georgia Got Her Names, Hal E. Brinkley stated that the name might be an Anglicized form of Scenawki, the wife of the Yamacraw chief Tomochichi, for whom Georgia's founder James Oglethorpe named the island.

In a March 2019 referendum, Skidaway Island voters overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would have incorporated their community as the City of Skidaway Island. The island remains unincorporated.

Geography
Skidaway Island is located at 31.9275°N, -81.0425°W (31.927434, -81.042505).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 17.9 sqmi, of which 16.4 sqmi is land and 1.5 sqmi (8.45%) is water.

Demographics
Skidaway Island was first listed as a CDP in 1980 U.S. Census.

2020
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,310 people, 4,272 households, and 3,014 families residing in the CDP.

Notable people

 * Dorothea Orem, nursing theorist, who died at her home on Skidaway Island on June 22, 2007.
 * Ron Senkowski, founder of Farmer's Almanac TV.
 * Bobby Thomson, baseball player, who died at his home there on August 16, 2010.

title: Skidaway Island, Georgia


text:
Thunderbolt, Georgia

Thunderbolt is a town located in Chatham County, Georgia, United States, approximately five miles southeast of downtown Savannah. As of the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 2,556. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thunderbolt runs along the western shore of the Wilmington River (a tidal river that is part of the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway). The town is important to Georgia's shrimping industry, with scores of docks for shrimping trawlers. The town's picturesque atmosphere and seafood restaurants draw many local visitors.

History
An early variant name was "Warsaw". The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the town as "Warsaw" in 1856. Coincidentally, Casimir Pulaski died in Thunderbolt, who was born in Warsaw, Poland. An act of legislature officially changed the town's name to "Thunderbolt" in 1921.

According to tradition, Thunderbolt was named from an incident when lightning strike caused a spring to open up.

Geography
Thunderbolt is located at 32°1'56" North, 81°3'6" West (32.032111, -81.051733).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.8 km$2$), of which 1.3 square miles (3.3 km$2$) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.5 km$2$) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,556 people, 1,091 households, and 516 families residing in the town.

title: Thunderbolt, Georgia


text:
Tybee Island, Georgia

Tybee Island is a state-funded town and a barrier island in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah. The name "Tybee Island" is used for both the island and the city, but geographically they are not identical: only part of the island's territory lies within the city.

The island is Georgia's easternmost point. The phrase "From Rabun Gap to Tybee Light", intended to illustrate Georgia's geographic diversity, contrasts a mountain pass near the state's northernmost point with the coastal island's lighthouse.

As of the 2020 census, the city's population was ! 24,324. The entire island is a part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

Officially renamed Savannah Beach in a publicity move in 1821, the city of Tybee Island reverted to its original name in 1978. The small island, which has long been a quiet beach getaway for Savannah residents, has become a popular vacation spot for tourists from outside the Savannah area. Tybee Island is home to the first of what eventually became the Days Inn chain of hotels, the oft-photographed Tybee Island Light Station, and the Fort Screven Historic District.

The U.S. Air Force accidentally dropped an atomic bomb into the sea off Tybee Island during a botched 1958 military training exercise. Though the "Tybee Bomb" did not detonate (according to some reports, it was never armed with a fuse), there has been ongoing concern because the Bobby 17 nuclear bomb lost during the mishap was never recovered.

History
Native Americans, using dugout canoes to navigate the waterways, hunted and camped in Georgia's coastal islands for thousands of years. The Euchee tribe likely inhabited the island in the years preceding the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the area in the 16th century. Tybee is the Euchee word for "salt".

In 1520, the Spanish laid claim to what is now Tybee Island and named it Los Bajos. It was at the northern end of the Guale missionary province of Spanish Florida. During that time the island was frequented by pirates who used the island to hide from those who pursued them. Pirates later used the island's inland waterways for a fresh water source. After the founding of South Carolina in 1670, warfare increased between the English and their pirate allies and the Spanish and their Native American allies. In 1702, James Moore of South Carolina led an invasion of Spanish Florida with an Indian army and a fleet of militia-manned ships. The invasion failed to take the capital of Florida, St. Augustine, but did destroy the Guale and Mocama missionary provinces. After another invasion of Spanish Florida by South Carolina in 1704, the Spanish retreated to St. Augustine and Pensacola; the Sea Islands were depopulated, allowing the establishment of new English settlements such as the colony of Georgia.

Lighthouse

Tybee Island's strategic position near the mouth of the Savannah River has made the island's northern tip the ideal location for a lighthouse since Georgia's early settlement period. First built in 1736, the lighthouse was made of brick and wood, and stood 90 ft tall, making it the highest structure in America at that time. The original lighthouse has been replaced several times. The second lighthouse was built in 1742 when beach erosion threatened the first. Part of the third lighthouse at the site, built in 1773, still stands as the bottom 60 ft of the present lighthouse. The top 94 ft of the current lighthouse were added in 1867.

Today, the Tybee Lighthouse is a popular tourist destination, having all of its support buildings on the 5 acre site historically preserved. The current black-and-white tower markings are a reversion to its fourth day mark, first used in 1916. The Tybee Island Light Station is one of just a handful of 18th-century lighthouses still in operation in North America.

Civil War

During the Civil War, the Union Army placed siege batteries along the north coast of Tybee Island that aided in their successful bombardment and capture of Fort Pulaski on April 10–11, 1862. This was the first significant use of rifled cannons against masonry fortifications and demonstrated that masonry fortifications were obsolete. Recently, the City of Tybee Island has taken action to commemorate Tybee's historic significance in the Civil War. In 2005, the city obtained a federal grant to acquire two tracts of land where Union soldiers launched their attack against Fort Pulaski.

Fort Screven historic district
Fort Screven was first commissioned in 1898 and named for Brigadier General James Screven, a Revolutionary War hero killed in action near Midway, Georgia, in 1778. The fort served as a valuable part of coastal defense until it was decommissioned in 1947. Fort Screven is most notable for one of its former commanding officers, General of the Army George C. Marshall, later the architect of the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Western Europe after World War II. Approximately 70 fort buildings still remain. The entire Fort Screven district was placed on the National Historic Register in 1982. One of the most important remaining structures is the Tybee Post Theater, constructed in 1930. It was one of Georgia's first theaters to have sound features and was the highlight of the fort's recreational activities. Other remaining buildings include the recently restored guard house, the bakery (now a private home), and barracks (now apartments). The ruins of the beach fortifications are also extant, and of the six original batteries, Battery Garland (built in 1899) is accessible to the public. Battery Garland houses the Tybee Museum. Another remaining area is Officer's Row, a group of original homes with a sweeping ocean view, one of which is now a bed and breakfast.

Resort period
During the late 19th century, at the height of the Industrial Revolution, residents in large, polluted cities frequently sought out remote beaches for summertime getaways. Clear, saltwater breezes were thought to be remedies for numerous ailments, including asthma and certain allergies. Steamships began carrying patients and tourists to Tybee Island just after the Civil War. In 1887, the Central of Georgia Railway completed a line to Tybee Island, opening it to a wave of summer tourists. The railroad built the Tybrisa Pavilion in 1891, and by the end of the decade, several hundred summer cottages dotted the island.

In the 1920s, U.S. Route 80 was completed, connecting Tybee Island via road with the mainland. The Tybrisa Pavilion became a popular stop for big band tours and performers included Bing Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, and Blue Steele. The pavilion also housed a bowling alley and roller skating rink. Development continued to push toward the island's southern tip. By 1940, the island had four hotels, including the Desoto Hotel and Hotel Tybee, and numerous smaller lodges. The Tybrisa Pavilion burned down in 1967, and was replaced by the Tybee Pier and Pavilion in 1996.

Cecil B. Day opened the first Days Inn on Tybee Island in 1970.

Tybee Bomb
On February 5, 1958, a U.S. Air Force B-47 Stratojet from Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, jettisoned a nuclear weapon (specifically, a Mark 15 hydrogen bomb) off the coast of Tybee Island while conducting training exercises with a USAF F-86 Sabrejet. The aircraft collided, with the pilot of the fighter ejecting and the crew of the bomber making an emergency landing at nearby Hunter Air Force Base. The lost weapon, known popularly as the "Tybee Bomb", remained a security concern for several years, although the Air Force claims the bomb lacks a nuclear capsule and poses no serious threat. In 2004, retired United States Air force Lieutenant Colonel Derek Duke took part in a private search for the bomb. According the Savannah Morning News, Duke found that there were "high levels of radiation and unusual magnetometer readings" at a specific point in Wassaw Sound, just off the Tybee coast. He concluded from these readings that the bomb might be present "at a point just off the southern tip of Little Tybee", an undeveloped barrier island near Tybee Island. In response, the Air Force launched a nine-month search for the Tybee bomb in 2004. The search team specifically investigated the area of Wassaw Sound where Duke had found high radiation levels. The Air Force reported to the media in 2005 that the source of the high radiation was likely monazite, a mineral naturally high in radiation. The Savannah Morning News headline ran "Duke Found Dirt".

Shark attacks
On June 15, 2016, the Tybee city council voted 4–1 to withhold shark attack numbers where the attacks did not result in loss of life. According to the Savannah Morning News, the vote was a direct result of pressure from local businesses that had seen a decline in tourism due to recent reported shark activity.

Geography

Tybee Island is located at 32.00667°N, -80.84944°W (32.006672, -80.849374). The island is the north easternmost of Georgia's Sea Islands, which comprise the outer section of the state's Lower Coastal Plain region. Like the other Sea Islands, Tybee consists of a sandy beach on its eastern shore and a tidal salt marsh on its western shore. The interior consists of a maritime forest (the density of which has been reduced by development) and freshwater sloughs.

The Savannah River empties into the Atlantic Ocean just north of Tybee Island, placing the island in a strategic location. To the west, the marsh-lined Lazaretto Creek splits the island off from McQueens Island (the 2 mi stretch between the main western shore of Tybee Island and Lazaretto Creek is mostly marshland). Tybee Creek flows along the south shore of Tybee Island and joins the Atlantic at the island's southeastern tip. Little Tybee Island, which consists mostly of protected wetlands, lies across Tybee Creek to the southwest. The size of the sandy beach at the southern tip of Tybee Island varies considerably in response to tidal changes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 8.3 km, of which 6.0 km is land and 2.3 km, or 27.2%, is water. The entire island (as distinguished from the city of the same name) has a land area of 21.871 mi2.

Climate
Tybee Island has hot weather in summer, while in winter the weather is cool with winds. The temperature typically varies from 45 °F to 88 °F and is rarely below 33 °F or above 93 °F. The below table shows the monthly average temperatures:

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,114 people, 1,305 households, and 831 families residing in the city.

Crime rate
Tybee's violent crime rate is lower than Georgia's but its property crime rate is higher. The table below shows the rate of crime per 100,000 people.

Events
Every year since 1987, Tybee Island has had a Beach Bum parade, traditionally held in May the weekend before Memorial Day weekend. The parade route comes down Tybee's main road, Butler Avenue, and when parade floats come by onlookers have been known to shoot each other with water guns.

Tybee Pirate Fest, which began in 2005, is typically held the weekend before Columbus Day.

Tybee Island was formerly home to "Orange Crush," an annual beach party attracting thousands of students from historically Black colleges and universities. The 2019 event was canceled after an organizer was arrested, and future events were moved to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with organizers citing "lack of resources, limited parking, civil rights violations, and political injustices."

Education
Tybee Island is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. In the 2009-10 school year, there were approximately 34,668 students in the district.

There is also a public charter school on the island.

title: Tybee Island, Georgia


text:
Vernonburg, Georgia

Vernonburg is a town in Chatham County, Georgia, United States, about 10 miles south of downtown Savannah. It is located at a sharp curve along the Vernon River, a tidal creek. The population was 139 at the 2020 census.

Vernonburg is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Vernonburg in 1866. The community was named after James Vernon, who is credited with bringing the Salzburger emigrants to Georgia.

Geography
Vernonburg is located at 31.96722°N, -81.12056°W (31.967361, -81.12073).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 square mile (1.0 km$2$), of which 0.4 square mile (0.9 km$2$) is land and 2.70% is water. Vernonburg consists mainly of a small stretch of riverfront properties along a section of the Vernon River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 122 people, 59 households, and 47 families residing in the town. The population density was. There were 69 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% White, and 1.6% Asian.

There were 52 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.2% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 16.4% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $74,375, and the median income for a family was $158,125. Males had a median income of $161,667 versus $150,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $91,121. 4.6% of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

title: Vernonburg, Georgia


text:
Whitemarsh Island, Georgia

Whitemarsh Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,983 at the 2020 U.S census. It is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area. The communities of Whitemarsh Island are a relatively affluent suburb of Savannah.

Geography
The Whitemarsh Island CDP is located at 32.03944°N, -81.00778°W (32.039482, -81.007850), occupying the island of the same name. It is bordered to the north by Richardson Creek, to the east by Turner Creek, and to the south and west by the Wilmington River, all of which are tidal water bodies. U.S. Route 80 crosses the island, leading west into Savannah and east to Tybee Island on the Atlantic shore. The Islands Expressway runs northwest from Whitemarsh Island 6.5 mi to downtown Savannah.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Whitemarsh Island CDP has a total area of 17.2 km2, of which 14.6 km2 is land and 2.6 km2, or 15.10%, is water.

Demographics
Whitemarsh Island was first listed as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. Census.

2020
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,983 people, 2,752 households, and 1,704 families residing in the CDP.

Education
It is in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Schools include:
 * Islands High School
 * Coastal Middle School
 * Marshpoint Elementary School

Live Oak Public Libraries operates the Islands Library.

title: Whitemarsh Island, Georgia


text:
Wilmington Island, Georgia

Wilmington Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Chatham County, Georgia. The population was 15,129 at the time of the 2020 U.S. census. It is part of the Savannah metropolitan area. The communities of Wilmington Island form a large and affluent suburb of Savannah, where most residents work. The island lies east of Savannah between the town of Thunderbolt and the beach city of Tybee Island.

Geography
Wilmington Island is located at 32.00346°N, -80.97522°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 24.7 km2, of which 21.2 km2 is land and 3.4 km2, or 13.94%, is water.

Demographics
Wilmington Island first appeared as a census designated place in the 1970 U.S. Census.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,129 people, 6,478 households, and 4,322 families residing in the CDP.

Education
The only public school on Wilmington Island is May Howard Elementary School, run by Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Students often attend school on nearby Whitemarsh Island.

The island hosts two private schools, being St. Andrews School, which is an independent college preparatory school and the Catholic Saint Peter the Apostle School, formerly named Nativity of Our Lord School.

title: Wilmington Island, Georgia


text:
Cusseta, Georgia

Cusseta is a city in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama metropolitan statistical area. The population was 9,565 in 2020. The city is the county seat of Chattahoochee County, with which it shares a consolidated city-county government. Despite this, Cusseta is not coterminous with the county; it remains a geographically distinct municipality within the county.

History
Chattahoochee County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on February 13, 1854. It was formed from portions of Muscogee and Marion counties and named for the river that forms its western boundary. The act appointed five commissioners to choose a site for the county seat, which they named Cusseta to commemorate the Creek Indian town that used to exist nearby.

The original courthouse is preserved at the tourist attraction of Westville in Columbus, Georgia.

Cusseta was incorporated as a city on December 22, 1855. It is still the only incorporated city in Chattahoochee County.

Cusseta briefly prided itself on having the world's tallest man-made structure, the WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower, a guyed transmission tower built in 1962 about one mile from the city. However, it was surpassed only one year later by the KVLY-TV mast in Fargo, North Dakota.

In 2003, the city and county formed a consolidated Cusseta-Chattahoochee County government.

Geography
Cusseta is located at 32.30556°N, -84.77694°W (32.305451, -84.776929). The city is located southeast of Columbus, Georgia along U.S. Route 280, Georgia State Route 520 (known as South Georgia Parkway), and U.S. Route 27. The three highways run northwest 18 mi to Columbus. U.S. Route 280 and Georgia 520 separate from U.S. Route 27 in the city, with U.S. 280 and Georgia 520 running south and east 43 mi to Americus and 69 mi to Albany. Other highways such as Georgia State Route 26, Georgia State Route 137, and Georgia State Route 355 pass through or begin in the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 sqmi, of which 1.5 sqmi is land and 0.66% is water.

Demographics
According to the 2000 U.S. census, there were 1,196 people, 436 households, and 316 families residing in the city. By the 2020 census, its population was 9,565, down from 11,267 in 2010.

Chattahoochee County School District
The Chattahoochee County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 85 full-time teachers and over 1000 students.
 * Chattahoochee County Education Center
 * Chattahoochee County Middle School
 * Chattahoochee County High School

title: Cusseta, Georgia


text:
Fort Benning South, Georgia

Fort Benning South is a former census-designated place (CDP) in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama metropolitan statistical area. The population was 11,737 at last official census (2000). The area is now part of consolidated Cusseta–Chattahoochee County.

Geography
Fort Benning South is located at 32.36°N, -84.93444°W (32.359866, -84.934566).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.7 sqmi, of which 8.6 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (1.49%) is water.

Demographics
At the census of 2000, there were 11,737 people, 1,852 households, and 1,816 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,368.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,028 housing units at an average density of 236.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.82% White, 29.17% African American, 0.90% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.46% Pacific Islander, 6.17% from other races, and 4.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were 12.45% of the population.

There were 1,852 households, out of which 81.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 90.3% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.9% were non-families. 1.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.85 and the average family size was 3.88.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 32.0% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 1.7% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 193.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 262.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,483, and the median income for a family was $40,913. Males had a median income of $21,367 versus $20,463 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,789. About 5.0% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

title: Fort Benning South, Georgia


text:
Lyerly, Georgia

Lyerly is a town in Chattooga County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 454.

History
A post office called Lyerly has been in operation since 1889, when a small town began to develop around a depot constructed by the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad. The post office was moved from the nearby town of Melville, which had gone bankrupt that same year. The new town, which incorporated in 1891, may have been named for Charles A. Lyerly, a banker from Tennessee who had made several real estate investments in the area.

Geography
Lyerly is located in southern Chattooga County at 34.40361°N, -85.40639°W (34.403717, -85.406474). The Chattooga River, a tributary of the Coosa River, flows along the southeastern edge of the town. Georgia State Route 114 connects Lyerly with Summerville, the county seat, 6 mi to the northeast, and the Alabama state line (near Gaylesville) 6 mi to the southwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 488 people, 198 households, and 131 families residing in the town. The population density was 651.3 PD/sqmi. There were 221 housing units at an average density of 295.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 92.62% White, 3.28% African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.82% from other races, and 2.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.

There were 198 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,632, and the median income for a family was $34,904. Males had a median income of $24,167 versus $20,179 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,958. About 8.6% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Lyerly, Georgia


text:
Menlo, Georgia

Menlo is a small city in Chattooga County, Georgia, United States. The population was 480 at the 2020 census.

History
Menlo was platted in 1883. A post office called Menlo has been in operation since 1886. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Menlo as a town in 1903. The city's founder, Captain Andrew Lawrence, named it after Menlo Park, New Jersey, in honor of inventor Thomas Edison.

Geography
Menlo is located at the base of the Cumberland Plateau in western Chattooga County. It lies just over a mile east of the Alabama border. Georgia State Route 48 runs through the center of town, leading east 8 mi to Summerville, the Chattooga County seat, and northwest 3 mi to Cloudland atop Lookout Mountain. SR 337 leads northeast through the Broomtown Valley 20 mi to LaFayette.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Menlo has a total area of 2.0 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 485 people, 229 households, and 141 families residing in the city. The population density was 622.5 PD/sqmi. There were 251 housing units at an average density of 322.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.49% White, 3.30% African American, and 0.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.

There were 229 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.7% 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 2.70.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $32,143. Males had a median income of $25,417 versus $19,091 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,994. About 12.5% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.

Commerce
The city lacks any major sources of commerce. The largest business is Best Glove, Inc., a medical and industrial glove supplier.

title: Menlo, Georgia


text:
Summerville, Georgia

Summerville is a city and the county seat of Chattooga County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,534 at the 2010 census.

History
Summerville was founded in 1838 as the seat of the newly formed Chattooga County. It was incorporated as a town in 1839 and as a city in 1909. Summerville was named from the fact it was a popular summer resort. The city thrived in the late 1880s with the construction of the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad (later part of the Central of Georgia system).

The Chattooga County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was completed in 1909. The Summerville Depot, completed by the Central of Georgia in 1918, is also listed on the National Register, and is home to several annual festivals.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.0 sqmi, all of it land. The city lies along the Chattooga River at the western base of the Taylor Ridge. U.S. Route 27 connects Summerville with Chattanooga, Tennessee, to the north, and Rome to the southeast. Georgia State Route 114 connects the city with Lyerly to the south, and Georgia State Route 48 connects the city with Menlo near the Alabama state line to the west.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,435 people, 1,769 households, and 997 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,556 people, 1,823 households, and 1,141 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,144.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,092 housing units at an average density of 525.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 72.06% White, 25.31% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.90% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population.

There were 1,823 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,911, and the median income for a family was $35,579. Males had a median income of $26,707 versus $20,222 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,090. About 18.1% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.5% of those under age 18 and 20.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public education in Summerville is administered by the Chattooga County School District. The district operates four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The district has 184 full-time teachers and over 2,834 students.
 * Leroy Massey Elementary School
 * Lyerly Elementary School
 * Menlo Elementary School
 * Summerville Elementary School
 * Summerville Middle School
 * Chattooga County High School

Notable people

 * Bobby Lee Cook, noted trial attorney
 * Edna Cain Daniel, journalist and publisher
 * Howard Finster, folk artist
 * Brody Malone, artistic gymnast
 * Senorise Perry, NFL player

title: Summerville, Georgia


text:
Ball Ground, Georgia

Ball Ground is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The city was originally Cherokee territory before they were removed from the land and it was given to white settlers. A railroad was built in 1882 and a town was formed around the resulting railroad stop. The town was incorporated on January 1, 1883, and became an industrial-based economy largely centered around its marble industry until around the mid-20th century when the industries began to leave and the city started to decline. From 2000 onwards the city saw rapid growth; as of the 2020 census the city had a population of 2,560, which is over three times the city's population of 730 in 2000.

Early history and settlement
The area that encompasses Ball Ground was originally inhabited by both the Cherokee and the Muscogee Creek, until the Battle of Taliwa, which took place in what later became Ball Ground in 1755, between the Cherokee and the Muscogee Creek, ending with a Cherokee victory and forcing the Creek out of the territory.

Following the passing of the Indian Removal Act in 1830, the Cherokee were slowly relocated out of Cherokee County, including the Ball Ground area. The area of Ball Ground and the surrounding Cherokee County was distributed to European-Americans via the 1832 Georgia Land Lotteries, though the lands were not settled by them until the 1835 Treaty of New Echota caused the Cherokee to fully leave North Georgia and relocate west of the Mississippi River as part of the Cherokee removal out of North Georgia.

The name Ball Ground was initially given by settlers to refer to an area of land, not for the town or community. Native Americans would use the area as a ballground to play a game similar to town ball, and settlers named the town Ball Ground in reference to this. Over time details were added to the story of why the town was named Ball Ground. One such story was that the site was so named because it was the location of a 1532 game of ball between Native Americans playing against Hernando de Soto and his men, in a game umpired by the owner of the Fountain of Youth. When a fight broke out during the game, the umpire was killed, taking the secret of the location of the Fountain of Youth with him. Another story attested as "local folklore" by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce says that the site is named Ball Ground because of a game of stickball played between the Cherokee and Creek "for the prize of a thousand square miles of land".

After acquisition from the Cherokee in the 1830s, Ball Ground was originally settled as farmland and had few people living in the area. By 1847, the Ball Ground area had a post office, which was one of ten post offices within Cherokee County. In 1882, just before the town was established, Ball Ground had six homes and two country stores.

Meetings were held in 1875 in various areas including Ball Ground to discuss the possibility of a railroad being built through Ball Ground and other nearby areas. In 1881 work began on a railroad to Ball Ground using chain gangs for labor and grading on the railroad's path was completed in Ball Ground that same year. The resulting track was part of the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad and was completed in 1882. Upon completion the terminus of the railroad was the newly constructed depot in Ball Ground.

A town was built around the Ball Ground depot using surrounding land that was donated by thirteen nearby landowners for the express purpose of establishing a town. The deed of transfer to the railroad company noted that “The consideration moving each of us in the establishing of this town is the enhanced value to our lands within and adjacent to the said town, and the general benefit to the country, by which we shall be benefited.” The donated land was split into 200 lots and sold via an auction held in Ball Ground on April 18, 1883, along with other additional properties including a 65 acre farm and a nearby mill. The next year in 1884, the town had approximately 300 residents.

Incorporation as a town
Ball Ground was incorporated as a town by town charter on September 27, 1883, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly. The town limits were set as "one half mile in every direction from the present railroad crossing on the Gilmer Ferry road; that it shall be known and distinguished as the town of Ball Ground."

In January 1896 a judge approved the sale of the Marietta and North Georgia railroad to the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern railway due to nonpayment of loans by the former railroad. The property to be sold included the depots along the railroad route which included the Ball Ground depot. The plaintiffs in the case were those owed money by the railroad and gave loans that were taken out to charter the railroad, but the scheduled April 1896 sale of the railroad was subsequently delayed through the courts by order of the same judge that initially approved the sale. That same month the Marietta and North Georgia railroad missed their payment deadline and the sale moved forward. On November 1, 1896, the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad was purchased by and turned over to the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern railway. Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern was sold to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1902.

An amendment to the town's charter was passed in 1903 to change the election times, clarifying the issuance of liquor licenses and set a price for said license at "not less than $500". The amendment also clarified how ad valorem taxes were to be collected. A further amendment in 1905 changed the 1903 amendment's $500 liquor license fee to $5,000. An updated charter passed by an act of the Georgia General Assembly in 1911 greatly expanded the powers of the municipal government, including the ability to pass municipal ordinances, and established a school district within Ball Ground.

In 1961 a Ball Ground Improvement Association was formed to add improvements to the city including new paint, a city park, and street lights.

Revitalization
A television documentary aired in December 1971 on North Georgia's Channel 11 that focused on the city of Ball Ground and described it as a city in decline, and interviewed Ball Grounders about "the slow deterioration of the town." Two weeks after the broadcast of the documentary, the city's merchants announced that they had organized the Ball Ground Merchants Association to promote trade and to function as a Chamber of Commerce for the city.

The Ball Ground Community Association was formed in early 1972 to promote the town and to organize festivals and cultural events. The first event the association organized was the May 1972 spring festival and parade, which included a delegation from the Cherokee Nation. This marked the first time the Cherokee returned to the area in any official capacity since they were removed from the area during the 1830s. As part of the festival, two Cherokee teams played a game of stickball against one another, and then-Lieutenant Governor Lester Maddox served as the parade's grand marshal. Later that year in November 1972, in part because of the festival and other improvements to the city, Ball Ground won the "1972 Stay & See Georgia" contest, which was a program designed to help highlight and expand tourism within the State of Georgia. The spring festival was held annually until 1989.

In 1997 developers began building new homes and communities within Ball Ground. Because of the growth of the city, residents and city officials began discussing the need for an improved sewer system to help modernize the septic systems of older homes and to attract new growth for the city.

In 1998 a plan was put in place to begin work on a $2.8 million sewage system. The sewage system was completed in Fall 2003 amid ongoing development in and around Ball Ground.

Geography
Ball Ground is located at the foothills of the North Georgia mountains in the northeastern portion of Cherokee County. The city is 4.7 mi northeast of the city of Canton and 0.4 mi south of Nelson. It is the northernmost city in Cherokee County that is fully within the county limits, as the city of Nelson is partially within Pickens County. Ball Ground is 37.9 mi north of Georgia's capital city of Atlanta's northernmost city limits and 48.7 mi from downtown Atlanta.

Ball Ground lies within the Upper Piedmont Physiographic Province in a narrow band of land called the Hightower-Jasper Ridge District, which has a different land structure and lithology than the surrounding areas. The bedrock underneath the city consists of igneous and metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and schist. The land in and around Ball Ground is rich in marble deposits as well as talc, pyrite, and gold.

According to the United States Census Bureau as of 2020, Ball Ground has a total area of 6.3 sqmi, of which 0.04 sqmi, or 0.63%, is water. The city's elevation averages around 1100 ft above sea level, ranging from just over 1000 ft in the valleys to around 1200 ft on several hilltops within the city. Unlike most other parts of Cherokee County, Ball Ground is not in a floodplain and has no typically flood prone areas. To protect the water and surrounding lands, the city government has ordinances in place for stream buffer protection, watershed protection, and wetland protection.

Climate
The climate of Ball Ground, as with most of the southeastern United States, is humid subtropical (Cfa) according to the Köppen classification, with four seasons including hot, humid summers and cool winters. July and August are generally the warmest months of the year with an average high of around 85 °F. The coldest month is January which has an average high of around 48 °F.

Ball Ground receives rainfall distributed fairly evenly throughout the year as typical of southeastern U.S. cities, with March on average having the highest average precipitation at 5.15 in, and May typically being the driest month with 3.81 in.

Demographics
The results of the 2000 United States census showed that Ball Ground had shrunk in population in the previous ten years, going from a population of 905 in 1990 to 730 in 2000. After the improvements to the sewage infrastructure and the development of homes and businesses in and around Ball Ground in the 2000s, the city began to see large amounts of growth. During the 2010 census the population had grown 96.3% to 1,433, and in 2020 had grown an additional 78.6% to 2,560.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,560 people, 838 households, and 626 families residing in the city. The population density was 406.3 PD/sqmi.

According to the 2020 American Community Survey, there were 838 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.1% were married couples living together, 1.2% had a male householder with no spouse present, 7% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 24.7% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $81,900, and the median income for a family was $92,690. Males had a median income of $51,393 versus $40,893 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,147. About 4% of the population was below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
When Ball Ground was first established, a large portion of its economy was based on agriculture and the railroad that passed through town, which brought marble from Tate, Georgia to be processed and finished by marble companies in Ball Ground. In the early 1900s the city built up a ginery, saw mill, and a marble mill to mine the marble that was abundant in the area. Beginning in 1898 with the opening of the first marble company in the city, the marble industry became a large part of early Ball Ground's economy and in the 1920s the city had four independent marble finishing mills. The marble industry and other agricultural industrial facilities had largely died down or relocated out of Ball Ground by 1959.

Several companies operated plants in Ball Ground before later relocating. The Coca-Cola Company opened a bottling plant in Ball Ground in 1903 which operated for 30 years, closing in 1933. Tyson Foods operated a feed mill in Ball Ground from 1965 to 1998, when it moved to a larger facility in Bartow County.

The city has an industrial area called the River Mill Industrial Park, which is a 100 acre area with railroad access.

In May 2015, Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC) announced it was building a new factory in Ball Ground to supply Boeing with parts for aircraft wing assemblies. Universal Alloy (UAC) is one of the largest employers in Cherokee County. UAC completed their 110000 sqft Ball Ground facility in 2017. UAC is one of Cherokee County's largest employers, with over 500 employees.

Arts and culture
The Sequoyah Regional Library System has a branch in Ball Ground called the Ball Ground Library, a 9000 sqft facility with approximately 30,000 books in its collection.

In 1985, the Alfred W. Roberts House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only house in Cherokee County that has this recognition. In 2009, the Ball Ground Historic District was listed on the NRHP, for its significance to Native American and early national history. Many homes still present in Ball Ground were built during the 1880s–1920s and are regarded as historic. In 2010, following the State of Georgia passing a law allowing for city governments to establish historic commissions to handle historic preservation efforts within their cities, Ball Ground's city government passed an ordinance establishing an historic preservation commission to encourage historic preservation efforts and to help regulate the status, treatment, and repairs of objects and buildings within the city that are designated as historic.

Annual cultural events
Since 2014 Ball Ground has held an annual Christmas parade called the March of the Toys Parade, which helps benefit the Toys for Tots program. It was estimated that approximately 5,000 people attended the event in 2017, where attendees are asked to bring unwrapped presents to donate to Toys for Tots.

In the summers, Ball Ground's City Park hosts weekly movies and concerts. During Independence Day celebrations, the city hosts annual fireworks shows around the areas of City Park and Calvin Farmer Park in downtown Ball Ground.

Parks and recreation
Ball Ground has several dedicated parks and recreational facilities within the city that are managed by the city's parks and recreation department. These include a 15 acre park, baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, ponds, open fields, and wooded areas. Several of the parks also have walking trails and areas for fishing.

There are two botanical gardens in Ball Ground. Ball Ground Botanical Gardens is a free-admission 0.75 acre botanical garden that includes a butterfly-shaped walking trail. Gibbs Gardens is a property in Ball Ground that spans over 300 acre and includes sixteen individual gardens including several ponds, bridge crossings, and waterfalls. In 2020 Business Jet Traveler ranked Gibbs Gardens #2 on its list of "13 best U.S. botanical gardens". Gibbs Gardens has over 20 million daffodils that bloom in the spring.

1.9 mi outside of Ball Ground's city limits in unincorporated Ball Ground is the McGraw Ford Wildlife Management Area, a 2255 acre wildlife management area along the Etowah River that is managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with various multi-purpose trails along with fishing and hunting areas.

Government
Since the incorporation of the town in 1883, the city has been managed by a mayor and city council consisting of five council-members, which meet on the second Thursday of each month. The city government also consists of a city clerk, city attorney, and a city manager.

The city has a municipal court which is held on the third Friday of each month. With the exception of a small police department managed by the city, most services are provided by Cherokee County, including animal control, building inspections, planning and zoning, parks and recreation, and jail operations. Cherokee County Fire Department is responsible for fire protection in Ball Ground, and Cherokee County Fire Station #2 is located in Ball Ground.

In the United States House of Representatives, Ball Ground is split between Georgia's 9th congressional district and Georgia's 11th congressional district. For representation in the state government, Ball Ground is part of the Georgia State Senate's 21st district, and the 22nd district for the Georgia House of Representatives.

Education
Public education for students in Ball Ground is administrated by the Cherokee County School District and students within the city attend Ball Ground Elementary School, Creekland Middle School, and Creekview High School. High School students in Ball Ground also have the option of attending Mountain Education Charter High School (MECHS), an alternative school program that offers evening classes for obtaining a high school diploma. While MECHS has eighteen campuses throughout the North Georgia area, the Cherokee County classes of MECHS are held at the Etowah High School campus in Woodstock, Georgia.

TLE Christian Academy at Gospel Outreach Inc is the only private school in Ball Ground and is a private K-12 school with a 2021 enrollment of 30 students.

The nearest college or university to Ball Ground is Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia in Cherokee County, 12.1 mi from Ball Ground.

Media
As part of the North Georgia area, Ball Ground's primary network-affiliated television stations are WXIA-TV (NBC), WANF (CBS), WSB-TV (ABC), and WAGA-TV (Fox). WGTV is the local station of the statewide Georgia Public Television network and is a PBS member station.

The city is served by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution which serves the metro-Atlanta area including all of Cherokee County and by the Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News, which serves as Cherokee County's legal organ.

Transportation
Interstate 575 passes through Ball Ground in a southwest-to-northeast direction and the interstate's exit 27, which is also within the city limits, exits onto Howell Bridge Road in Ball Ground. Ball Ground's Exit 27 is the last northbound exit on 575 before the interstate's northern terminus. Portions of Howell Bridge Road are also named State Route 5 Business, which runs through the city in a general west-to-east direction, and intersects with Georgia State Route 5 (also called Ball Ground Highway) within the city. State Route 5 runs parallel to Interstate 575 within the city limits in a similar southwest-to-northeast direction. Georgia State Route 372 (which within the city limits is also named Ball Ground Road, Gilmer Ferry Road, and then A W Roberts Drive) runs through Ball Ground from the southeast, through the center of town before merging with State Route 5/Ball Ground Highway to travel north out of the city.

The nearest airport is the Cherokee County Regional Airport, a small public-use airport with a single asphalt runway located in unincorporated Ball Ground 5.2 mi from downtown Ball Ground, roughly halfway between the cities of Ball Ground and Canton. The closest major airport is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is 58.3 mi from Ball Ground. Georgia Northeastern Railroad is a freight rail that runs through and has a stop in Ball Ground. The Ball Ground rail stop is a dedicated team track within the city.

Utilities
The city's water department manages the water supply via a pumped well system. Sewage treatment within the city is also managed by the city government. Municipal solid waste is handled by Waste Management, a private company under contract with the city government.

Health care
There is a Northside Hospital-affiliated specialty care facility in Ball Ground. Within the city of Ball Ground there is one pharmacy, a drug rehabilitation center, and two veterinarians. The closest hospital is Northside Hospital Cherokee, 9.4 mi from Ball Ground

Notable people

 * Keith R. Blackwell, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia
 * Russ Lyon, professional baseball player
 * Garland F. Pinholster, Oglethorpe University coach and Georgia State legislator

title: Ball Ground, Georgia


text:
Canton, Georgia

Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958, up from 7,709 in 2000.

Geography
Canton is located near the center of Cherokee County at 34.22722°N, -84.49472°W (34.227307, −84.494727). The city lies just north of Holly Springs and south of Ball Ground. Interstate 575 passes through the eastern side of the city, with access from exits 14 through 20. Canton is 40 mi north of downtown Atlanta via I-575 and I-75.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 48.5 km2, of which 48.2 sqkm is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 0.76%, is water. The Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River, flows from east to west through the center of the city.

Demographics
Canton first appeared as a town in the 1870 U.S. Census and as a city in the 1960 U.S. Census. Prior to 1970 U.S. Census, the town absorbed the North Canton unincorporated community.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 32,973 people, 10,233 households, and 7,138 families residing in the city.

Households
As of the 2010 census, there were 22,958 people, 8,204 households, and 5,606 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,234.3 PD/sqmi. There were 9,341 housing units at an average density of 502.2 /sqmi.

There were 8,204 households, out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were headed by married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.30.

Ethnicity, age, and sex
The racial makeup of the city was 75.6% White, 22.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 8.9% African American, 1.3% Asian, 0.8% Native American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 10.2% some other race, 2.9% from two or more races.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

Income
For the period 2010–12, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $46,691, and the median income for a family was $52,432. Male full-time workers had a median income of $36,971 versus $37,092 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,705. About 13.4% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

History
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the site where Canton would be founded lay in the heart of the original Cherokee Nation. During the first 100 years of Georgia's history, Northwest Georgia was generally considered "Indian Country" and was bypassed by settlers going West. Georgia reached an agreement with the federal government in 1802 shortly after the Revolutionary War to relinquish its Western Territory (it claimed the Pacific Ocean as its western boundary) in exchange for the removal of all Indians within its boundaries. Although other tribes had been removed, the Cherokee remained. Since this was the heartland of the Cherokee Nation, the state and nation were reluctant to disturb them. But following the Georgia Gold Rush in 1829, European-American settlers ignored the Indian problems and began to move into the area north of Carrollton and west of the Chattahoochee River and named it Cherokee.

Many members of the Cherokee Nation moved west in 1829, but the majority stayed until removed by federal troops sent into the area during the summer of 1838. The remaining Cherokee were gathered and held in forts until the removal could be completed. Present-day Cherokee County had the largest and most southerly of these forts, Fort Buffington, which stood 6 mi east of Canton. Today nothing stands to identify its timber structure, but the area is marked by a large piece of green Cherokee marble quarried near Holly Springs. By autumn of 1838, the federal troops had accomplished their mission, and the Cherokee at Fort Buffington were marched off to join other groups on the infamous "Trail of Tears," a lengthy march in worsening winter weather to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

The new settlers chose a site for a permanent county seat and courthouse in 1833, naming it "Etowah". The name was changed to "Cherokee Courthouse" in 1833. In 1834 it was changed to "Canton" (pronounced cant'n), after the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which was then known in English as Canton (pronounced can tahn). The name was chosen because a group of citizens had dreams of making the Georgia town a center of the silk industry, which was concentrated in China at the time. Though Canton never became a significant silk center, it did become a successful manufacturing community.

During the American Civil War, Canton, which had a population of about 200, was burned between November 1 and 5, 1864, by the Union Army under the command of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. Canton was destroyed by a foraging party of the Ohio 5th Cavalry under the command of Major Thomas T. Heath. At the time the Ohio 5th Cavalry was headquartered in Cartersville. The written order for destruction was given on October 30, 1864, by Brig. General John E. Smith. Union troops were ordered to burn the town because of Confederate guerrilla attacks coming from Canton and directed against the Western and Atlantic Railroad near the town of Cassville. The railroad was a vital supply line for the Union Army from the captured city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to newly captured Atlanta. The Union troops identified the Canton home of Governor Joseph E. Brown for destruction. The same Union party destroyed Cassville, the county seat of neighboring Bartow County, on November 5, 1864, as it has also been a base of guerrilla actions. Cassville never rebuilt, but Canton survived to prosper, as it was the county seat.

Over the years, Canton evolved from unsettled territory to a prosperous mill town known the world over for its "Canton Denim". The original county of 1831 now includes 24 counties. The city of Canton remains the county seat.

Cherokee Poultry, founded by T.B.Bradshaw was built on Univeter Road in 1955; later sold to Central Soya in 1962. The Canton Cotton Mills, which produced the famous "Canton Denim", closed in 1981. Since then, Canton has grown as the suburbs of Atlanta have expanded northward, and is currently experiencing its period of greatest population growth, which nearly tripled between 2000 and 2010.

City Government Council and Mayor
The city of Canton is governed by a council-mayor form of government. The six council members and mayor are each elected to four-year terms by city residents. The city is divided into three council wards, with two council members serving from each ward. The mayor is elected at-large. The Mayor and Council hold the monthly council meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. All meetings of the City Government Manager and Council are held in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 110 Academy Street.

Administration
The Administration Department of the City Government of Canton consists of the City Government Manager, City Government Council, City Government Administration Manager, City Clerk and Administrative Secretaries. The office is located at Canton City Hall at 110 Academy Street in Canton.

The City Manager is the Administrative Executive of the City of Canton and is responsible for overseeing daily operations of all City departments. The City Manager is appointed by the City Government Manager and The City Government Council, the governing authority of the city.

The City Clerk serves as the Clerk of Council and is responsible for the minutes and records of all meetings. The City Clerk is responsible for serving as custodian of all legal documents for the City.

Infrastructure
Many projects are underway in the city including new construction, renovation, and revitalization. Canton has received millions of dollars in grants for park and sidewalk improvements in the city. The city's public buses have established routes and carry thousands of passengers throughout the city from residential areas to downtown, shopping areas, the medical district, and job sites.

The Historic Canton Theatre on Main Street features plays and other special entertainment events throughout the year, injecting new life into the downtown business district. Streets in the downtown area were recently improved, by the removal of parking spaces, as part of the "Streetscapes" program, bringing brick pavers to sidewalks, lamp posts, lush landscaping and intersection upgrades.

In May 2004, the city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Heritage Park, the first phase of the Etowah River Greenway. The park covers approximately 30 acre and has pedestrian and bike trails and a natural amphitheater. The city used to hold concerts and movies in Heritage Park throughout the summer free of charge to its residents.

The city, in partnership with the Metro Atlanta YMCA, constructed an $8 million community center on Waleska Street contiguous to Heritage Park. Now completed, the community center includes an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, wellness center, aerobics studio, childcare facilities and the Cherokee Sports Hall of Fame. Although construction was approved for the facility by a local referendum authorizing a "free" community center, the city decided to operate it through the YMCA. People must become members, thus paying a fee for use.

Phase two of the Etowah River Greenway north of Heritage Park consists of recreation fields for softball, baseball, tennis, and soccer. This phase involves approximately 60 acre of property.

In June 2004, the Bluffs Parkway opened off Riverstone Boulevard. This parkway, funded by an $8 million grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation, bisects the Bluffs at Technology Park, owned by Technology Park/Atlanta. It will be home to 15,000 high-tech jobs when built out in 10 years. The technology park includes a satellite campus of Chattahoochee Technical College, which opened in the fall of 2011.

The federal Hickory Log Creek Dam project, north of the city center, was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The construction and ownership of the Hickory Log Creek Raw Water Reservoir will be shared by the Cobb County / Marietta Water Authority and the City of Canton on a 75% and 25% respective basis; it was completed in December 2007. This water source will provide 44 e6USgal of water per day and will be bordered by 15 to 25 acre of park land with picnic and other public areas.

In 2009, Canton opened the newly renovated Canton Marketplace. It features both big box retailers and smaller shops. With the rapid increase in population, restaurants and shopping centers have had a rise in business.

Education
Education in Canton is run by the Cherokee County government and the Georgia state government.

Cherokee County School District
The Cherokee County School District serves grades pre-school to grade twelve, with 23 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and six high schools. As of 2010, the district had 1,766 full-time teachers and over 28,434 students. Schools in Cherokee County include:

Elementary schools

 * Arnold Mill Elementary School
 * Avery Elementary School
 * Ball Ground Elementary School
 * Bascomb Elementary School
 * Boston Elementary School
 * Canton Elementary School (Closed May 2018)
 * Carmel Elementary School
 * Clark Creek Elementary School
 * Clayton Elementary School
 * Free Home Elementary School
 * Hasty Elementary School
 * Hickory Flat Elementary School
 * Holly Springs Elementary School
 * Indian Knoll Elementary School
 * Johnston Elementary School
 * Knox Elementary School
 * Liberty Elementary School
 * Little River Elementary School
 * Macedonia Elementary School
 * Mountain Road Elementary School
 * Oak Grove Elementary School
 * R.M. Moore Elementary School
 * Sixes Elementary School
 * Woodstock Elementary School

Middle schools

 * Creekland Middle School
 * Dean Rusk Middle School
 * Freedom Middle School- Next to Liberty Elementary School on Bells Ferry Road
 * Teasley Middle School-
 * Woodstock Middle School
 * Mill Creek Middle School
 * E.T. Booth Middle School

High schools

 * Cherokee High School
 * Etowah High School
 * Creekview High School
 * Sequoyah High School
 * Woodstock High School
 * River Ridge High School

Higher learning

 * Chattahoochee Technical College (Canton Campus)

Transportation
The Cherokee County Airport (FAA LOC ID: 47A) is located adjacent to I-575 7 mi northeast of downtown Canton.

A redevelopment project currently underway includes an already completed 10000 sqft terminal, the ongoing lengthening of the runway from its current 3414 to 5000 ft, a new parallel taxiway, instrument landing equipment, and new hangars. The new facilities will accommodate 200 hangared corporate aircraft and provide 100 tie-downs for smaller aircraft.

Interstate 575 goes through Cobb and Cherokee counties, passing through the east side of Canton (roughly north to south), ending just about 10 miles north of the city. Georgia State Route 20 runs east-to-west right through the city just south of the Etowah River. Georgia State Route 140 also passes close to the center of the city in a northwest to southeast direction.

Notable people

 * David Bottoms, Poet Laureate of Georgia 2000-2012, born in Canton
 * Joseph E. Brown, headmaster, attorney and politician, Governor of Georgia 1857–1865, and US Senator. From 1844 he lived in Canton, where he became devoted to public education. He achieved great wealth in railroads and mining after the Civil War. Brown is the only person ever to have been elected governor of Georgia four times.
 * Bill Byrd, professional pitcher in Negro league baseball
 * Mark Anthony Cooper, entrepreneur, founded the Cooper Ironworks in Etowah in 1847.
 * John Hannah, pro football Hall of Famer
 * Matt Hawkins, racing driver
 * Josh Holloway, who played James "Sawyer" Ford on the television series Lost, attended Cherokee High School in Canton.
 * Sonny Landham, film actor and stunt man. He portrayed tracker Billy Sole in the film Predator.
 * Bruce Miller, former NFL player (San Francisco 49ers)
 * Chase Miller, racing driver

title: Canton, Georgia


text:
Holly Springs, Georgia

Holly Springs is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,189 as of the 2010 census, up from 3,195 in 2000.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the place in 1906 as the Town of Holly Springs. According to tradition, the city was named from a stand of holly trees near a spring at the original town site.

Geography
Holly Springs is located south of the center of Cherokee County at 34.16639°N, -84.50111°W (34.166478, -84.501016). It is bordered by Canton, the county seat, to the north, and by Woodstock to the south. Interstate 575 passes through the city, with access from exits 11 and 14. Downtown Atlanta is 36 mi to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Holly Springs has a total area of 17.3 km2, of which 17.0 sqkm is land and 0.3 sqkm, or 1.57%, is water.

Neighboring unincorporated communities

 * Hickory Flat (east)
 * Toonigh (southeast)
 * Lebanon (south)
 * Sixes (west) - home to Fort Sixes, an 1830s Indian removal fort

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,213 people, 4,145 households, and 3,205 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,195 people, 1,136 households, and 892 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,008.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,173 housing units at an average density of 370.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 1.16% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.82% of the population.

There were 1,136 households, out of which 45.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.9% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 2.16.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 40.8% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $57,019, and the median income for a family was $61,651. Males had a median income of $40,717 versus $26,823 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,992. About 0.8% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

title: Holly Springs, Georgia


text:
Nelson, Georgia

Nelson is a city in Pickens and Cherokee Counties, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,145. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

History
The city is named for John Nelson, an early landowner, farmer, and rifle maker. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Nelson as a town in 1891.

The area possesses substantial deposits of marble. The railway construction in 1883 made the development of large-scale quarries possible. The quality of the marble has made it favored for federal monuments.

On April 1, 2013, the city council unanimously approved the "Family Protection Ordinance". Every head of household must own a gun and ammunition to "provide for the emergency management of the city" and to "provide for and protect the safety, security, and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants." Residents are not required to buy one if they do not have one, and the ordinance does not penalize anyone who does not comply. Convicted felons are exempt.

Geography
Nelson is located on the border of Pickens and Cherokee Counties at 34.38167°N, -84.37139°W (34.381562, -84.371303). The original city center is located in Pickens County, but the city limits have recently expanded southward so that more of the city is now located in Cherokee County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.56%, is covered by water.

Nelson is served through its downtown by the Georgia Northeastern Railroad, and by Canton Road, the town's main street and the former route of Georgia State Route 5. South on old 5 is Ball Ground, and north is Tate. The north end of Interstate 575 and south end of State Route 515 are at the county line just to the west of Nelson. I-575 leads south 52 mi to Atlanta, and SR 515 leads north 26 mi to Ellijay.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,145 people, 523 households, and 383 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, 626 people, 254 households, and 188 families resided in the city. The population density was 695.0 PD/sqmi. The 275 housing units averaged 305.3 per square mile (118.0/km$2$). The racial makeup of the city was 89.94% White, 9.42% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16% Asian, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.16% of the population.

Of the 254 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were not families. About 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was distributed as 19.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,250, and for a family was $51,806. Males had a median income of $35,066 versus $30,450 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,604. About 1.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

The estimated median household income in 2008 was $56,361, compared to $50,861 for the state of Georgia. The estimated per capita income in 2008 was $26,140.

The estimated median house or condominium value in 2008 was $208,186, compared to $169,100 for the state of Georgia. The estimated median home value in Nelson was $110,800 in 2000. In 2008, the mean price for all housing units was $204,682, for detached houses $212,211, for townhouses or other attached units $147,212, and for mobile homes $54,519.

Notable person

 * Claude Akins, actor

title: Nelson, Georgia