Brooks, Georgia

Not to be confused with Brooks County, Georgia.

Brooks, Georgia
Town
Location in Fayette County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°17′46″N84°27′32″W / 33.29611°N 84.45889°W / 33.29611; -84.45889
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Fayette
Area [1]
• Total	4.35 sq mi (11.26 km2)
• Land	4.29 sq mi (11.11 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2)
Elevation	837 ft (255 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	568
• Density	132.40/sq mi (51.12/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30205
Area code	770
FIPS code	13-11056 [2]
GNIS feature ID	0354866 [3]
Website	www.brooksga.com

Brooks is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 568.

History

Before white settlers came to the area, Creek Indians lived in the Brooks area. The first white settlers to reside in the area were the Haisten family. At first the town was called "Haistentown", but after several other names, Brooks became the name of the town in 1905, after a local planter, Hillery Brooks, who contributed greatly to the construction of the railroad and a much needed depot. During the Civil War, the town sent many young men to fight in the Confederate Army. Several of these men were killed during the war.^{[ citation needed ]}

Geography

Brooks is located in southern Fayette County, 13 miles (21 km) south of Fayetteville, the county seat, 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Peachtree City, and 13 miles (21 km) west of Griffin. Brooks is 35 miles (56 km) south of downtown Atlanta. According to the United States Census Bureau, Brooks has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.3 km²), of which 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 1.38%, is water. ^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	256		—
1930	223		−12.9%
1940	134		−39.9%
1950	136		1.5%
1960	158		16.2%
1970	172		8.9%
1980	199		15.7%
1990	328		64.8%
2000	553		68.6%
2010	524		−5.2%
2020	568		8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [5]

In 2020, its population was 568.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $65,000, and the median income for a family was $70,625. Males had a median income of $47,841 versus $22,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,199. About 1.6% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over. ^[2]

Economy

By the 1900s Brooks began to grow due to the railroad. According to Daniel Langford Jr. several stores were built, including a bank, a drugstore, cotton gins, grist mills, and blacksmith shops. Although businesses were on the rise in the small town, the main source of economy for the town was farming.

Cotton was the number one crop for a long time until 1921 when the boll weevil appeared, quickly destroying crops, placing the town into an economic depression, and causing it to lose its charter. By the time the Great Depression struck the country, Brooks had been suffering for eight years. The town began to come out of the depression in 1939 after electricity was installed in the town. Around this time Brooks received its town charter again. Another factor in the growth of the town was due to the rise in the airline industry. Airline employees from Atlanta began to buy large tracts of farmland. Farming also changed as the focus switched from cotton to cattle.

Today Brooks is still considered rural, but agriculture is no longer the main driver of the economy. Much of the town is being divided into 5-to-10-acre (20,000 to 40,000 m²) lots ready for the construction of homes. Brooks is now a residential area that many people are moving to since it is still considered to be rural. Many townspeople commute to work in Fayetteville or even Atlanta. Stores in town now include a women's hair salon and tanning shop, a barber shop, a deer processor, a storage center, and several convenience stores.

Education

Brooks' education falls under the Fayette County Board of Education. Middle school students attend Whitewater Middle, and high school students attend Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, both of which are of recent construction. Liberty Tech Charter school is using the old Brooks Elementary School building; there has been a school at this location since 1909. Brooks Elementary closed in 2013.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Brooks town, Georgia". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.

External links

• Town of Brooks official website