Elberton, Georgia

Last updated

Elberton, Georgia
City
Elberton ga heard house.jpg
A home along Elberton's Heard Street
Elberton ga seal.jpg
Seal
Nickname: 
Granite Capital of the World
Elbert County Georgia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Elberton Highlighted.svg
Location in Elbert County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 34°6′35″N82°51′56″W / 34.10972°N 82.86556°W / 34.10972; -82.86556
Country United States
State Georgia
County Elbert
Government
 •  Mayor R. Daniel Graves
 • City ManagerKevin Eavenson (interim)
Area
[1]
 • Total
4.57 sq mi (11.85 km2)
 • Land4.54 sq mi (11.76 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation
702 ft (214 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
4,640
 • Density1,022.03/sq mi (394.64/km2)
Time zone UTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (EDT)
ZIP Code
30635
Area code 706
FIPS code 13-26616 [2]
GNIS feature ID0355658 [3]
Website www.cityofelberton.net

Elberton is the largest city in Elbert County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,653 at the 2010 census. [4] The city is the county seat of Elbert County. [5]

Contents

Elberton is known as the "granite capital of the world". [6]

History

Settled in the 1780s, Elbert was designated seat of the newly formed Elbert County in 1790. It was incorporated as a town in 1803 and as a city in 1896. [7] [8] Like Elbert County, Elberton is named for Samuel Elbert. [9]

Geography

Elberton is located near the center of Elbert County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Elberton has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km2), of which 4.7 square miles (12.3 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.72%, is water. [4]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1810 122—
1840 210—
1880 927—
1890 1,57269.6%
1900 3,834143.9%
1910 6,48369.1%
1920 6,475−0.1%
1930 4,650−28.2%
1940 6,18833.1%
1950 6,7729.4%
1960 7,1074.9%
1970 6,438−9.4%
1980 5,686−11.7%
1990 5,682−0.1%
2000 4,743−16.5%
2010 4,653−1.9%
2020 4,640−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
Elberton racial composition as of 2020 [11]
RaceNum.Perc.
White 2,24448.36%
African American 1,86040.09%
Native American 110.24%
Asian 571.23%
Other/mixed 1483.19%
Hispanic or Latino 3206.9%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,640 people, 1,754 households, and 997 families residing in the city.

Economy

The historic Elbert Theatre Elberton ga night elbert theatre.jpg
The historic Elbert Theatre

Granite

Elberton claims the title "granite capital of the world". The city's post-Civil War history has largely revolved around the industry, following the opening of the first commercial quarry and manufacturing plant by Nathaniel Long in 1889. [12] As the industry grew in the early 1900s, so did Elberton's importance on the passenger and freight railroad lines, bringing many travelers and businessmen to the city and leading to its heyday.[ citation needed ]

Several granite monuments, including the now-destructed Georgia Guidestones, are located in or near Elberton.

Elberton's Granite Bowl seats 20,000 and formerly featured a retired Sanford Stadium (University of Georgia) scoreboard.

The city is home to the Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit, with a notable exhibit being " Dutchy", a Confederate monument made of granite that was removed from the town square due to its appearance. [13]

Southeastern Power

Since 1950, Elberton has served as the headquarters of the Southeastern Power Administration, a division of the United States Department of Energy. The authority markets power generated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers across the southern United States. The authority recently moved from its downtown headquarters in the former Samuel Elbert Hotel to a new building on Athens Tech Drive on the western end of the city.

Government

Elberton operates under a council-manager form of government. In this style of government, the city manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city, the five-person elected council serves as a board of directors, and the mayor performs more ceremonial duties and presides over council.

The City of Elberton operates Elberton Utilities, a comprehensive utility system which includes electric, gas, water, sewer, cable television, and internet services.

The Elbert Theatre reopened in 2001 after extensive renovations.

Education

Elbert County School District

The city is served by the Elbert County School District. One learning center, one primary school, one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school are located within the city. [14] The district has 194 full-time teachers and over 3,079 students. [15] The school system is one of the county's largest employers.

Private education

Elberton Christian School was located on Rhodes Drive in the city, but has closed.

Colleges and universities

Athens Technical College operates a full satellite campus on the western end of the city, near the elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Media

Elberton is currently served by one newspaper, The Elberton Star, though several others (including the Elbert County Examiner and the Elbert Beacon, both of which merged with the Star) have covered the city over the years. The Star has been published since 1887.

The Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail publishes a daily Northeast Georgia edition which covers the Elberton area.

The city is served by four local radio stations. WSGC-AM 1400, which plays an oldies format, is one of Georgia's oldest, having been on the air since 1947. WSGC-FM 92.1 and WXKT-FM 100.1 play country music while WLVX-FM 105.1 specializes in R&B.

Elberton is in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville television market, though local cable and satellite providers also carry stations from the Atlanta market.

Infrastructure

Elberton Depot The Seaboard Airline Depot in Elberton, (Elbert County) Georgia (image 3571).JPG
Elberton Depot

Transportation

Highways

Highways in Elberton include:

Airports

Elberton and Elbert County are served locally by the Elbert County-Patz Field Airport, located just east of the city on State Route 72.

Railroad

For many years, Elberton was an important passenger and freight stop on the main line of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. The line is now operated by CSX Transportation and remains in use for freight transportation. A spur line connects Elberton to a main line of the Norfolk Southern Railway (formerly Southern Railway).

Healthcare

Elbert Memorial Hospital, founded in 1950, [16] is a 25-bed acute care critical access hospital with emergency, surgical, and rehabilitation facilities. [17]

Notable people

Sister cities

Elberton has a sister city, Mure, Kagawa, Japan, as designated by Sister Cities International. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilkes County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Wilkes County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,565. The county seat is the city of Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Madison County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,120. The county seat is Danielsville. The county was created on December 5, 1811. The county's largest city is Comer with a population of 1,200. Madison County was included in the Athens–Clarke County metropolitan area, which is included in the Atlanta–Athens–Clarke County–Sandy Springs CSA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Lincoln County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,690. The county seat is Lincolnton. The county was created on February 20, 1796. Lincoln County is included in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metropolitan statistical area, the Savannah River forming its northeastern border. Located above the fall line, it is part of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) and a member of the CSRA Regional Development Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Franklin County is a county in the Northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,424. The county seat is Carnesville. On February 25, 1784, Franklin and Washington became Georgia's eighth and ninth counties, with Franklin named in honor of patriot Benjamin Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floyd County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Floyd County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 98,584. The county seat is Rome. Floyd County comprises the Rome, Georgia metropolitan statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elbert County, Georgia</span> County in the United States

Elbert County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,637. The county seat is Elberton. The county was established on December 10, 1790, and was named for Samuel Elbert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folkston, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Folkston is a city in and the county seat of Charlton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,464 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newnan, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Newnan is a Metro Atlanta city in and the county seat of Coweta County, Georgia, United States, about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Atlanta. Its population was 42,549 at the 2020 census, up from 33,039 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowman, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Bowman is a city in Elbert County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 872.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkeley Lake, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Berkeley Lake is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. From its 1956 origins as a summer retreat, Berkeley Lake has grown into a thriving community centered on its 88-acre (360,000 m2) namesake lake. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,054. It has been named a Tree City USA for 18 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norcross, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Norcross is a city located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population was 9,116, while in 2020, the population increased to 17,209. Norcross is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metropolitan statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonough, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its population was 29,051 in 2020. The city is the county seat of Henry County. The unincorporated communities of Blacksville, Flippen, Kelleytown, and Ola are located near McDonough, and addresses in those communities have McDonough ZIP codes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincolnton, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Lincolnton is a city and the county seat of Lincoln County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2020 census. It contains numerous houses and historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both the city and the county were named for General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenville, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Greenville is a city and the county seat of Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 794 at the 2020 census, down from 876 in 2010. The city is located 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colquitt, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Colquitt is a city and the county seat of Miller County, in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,001 at the 2020 census. Colquitt has been the county seat of Miller County since Miller County was incorporated by the Georgia Legislature in 1856. The city formally incorporated on December 19, 1860, and is Miller County's only incorporated municipality. Colquitt is named for U.S. Congressman and Senator Walter Terry Colquitt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexington, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

The city of Lexington is the county seat of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, United States. The population was 239 at the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monroe, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Monroe is a city and the county seat of Walton County, Georgia, United States. It is located both one hour east of Atlanta via US 78 and GA 138 to I-20 and east of Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport and is one of the exurban cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The population was 14,928 at the 2020 U.S. census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caldwell, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 59,996 at the time of the 2020 United States census, making it the 5th most populous city in Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Guidestones</span> Former granite monument in Georgia, US

The Georgia Guidestones was a granite monument that stood in Elbert County, Georgia, United States, from 1980 to 2022. It was 19 feet 3 inches (5.87 m) tall and made from six granite slabs weighing a total of 237,746 pounds (107,840 kg). The structure was sometimes referred to as an "American Stonehenge". The monument's creators believed that there was going to be an upcoming social, nuclear, or economic calamity and they wanted the monument to serve as a guide for humanity in the world which would exist after it. Controversial from its time of construction, it ultimately became the subject of conspiracy theories which alleged that it was connected to Satanism.

The Granite Bowl is the off-campus playing venue for the football and soccer sports teams for the Elbert County Blue Devils in Elberton, Georgia, in the United States. It is located between College Avenue and West Church Street and is near the city of Elberton's downtown square. The stadium can hold up to 20,000 people and is made almost entirely out of granite. The Granite Bowl has been listed as an important historic site by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and is considered by many to be the jewel of Elbert County.

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. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Elberton city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Elberton Granite Association". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
  7. ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 229. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 71. ISBN   0-915430-00-2.
  9. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  116.
  10. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  12. ↑ Ouzts, Clay (2002). "'The Man Who Builded on a Rock Was Wise': The Genesis of Elberton's Granite Industry, 1882-1900". Georgia Historical Quarterly. 86 (4): 587. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Elberton Granite Museum & Exhibit". Explore Georgia. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  14. ↑ Georgia Board of Education [ permanent dead link ], Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  15. ↑ Eads, Lena Groeger, Annie Waldman, David (October 16, 2018). "Miseducation". ProPublica. Retrieved July 21, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ History of Elbert Memorial Hospital
  17. ↑ EMH Facilities Proposals
  18. ↑ "Juanita Marsh". Georgia Women of Achievement. Archived from the original on January 31, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Hall of Fame: Arnall Patz, MD". September 6, 2012. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  20. ↑ Elberton's Sister City Program Archived September 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved June 26, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.