International Order of Odd Fellows Building on East Solomon Street (dated 1894) in Griffin
The Griffin Commercial Historic District (among the National Register of Historic Places listings in Spalding County, Georgia) is generally bounded by Central Alley, Sixth Street, Taylor Street and Eighth Street. The district includes the Griffin Grocery Company Building, now the Griffin Regional Welcome Center.[8]
The western part of the city was heavily damaged by an EF3 tornado on January 12, 2023. The tornado was one of four that were on the ground simultaneously in the area. This particular tornado injured 18 people along its path.[9]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 23,478 people, 8,945 households, and 5,347 families residing in the city.
Education
The Griffin-Spalding County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve and consists of eleven elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools.[14] The district has 661 full-time teachers and over 10,648 students.[15]Griffin Technical College was located in Griffin from 1963 and, following a merger, a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The Griffin Synodical Female College was established by Presbyterians, but closed.[5]
Griffin Region College & Career Academy is a public school that is part of the Griffin-Spalding County School District.[16] The University of Georgia maintains a branch campus in Griffin.[6][17] Griffin Region College and Career Academy are located within the city limits.[18] The GRCCA prepares students for college and careers through actual college courses for both high school and college credits. The Civil Air Patrol aerospace education program promotes aerospace, aviation and STEM-related careers with standards-based, hands-on curriculum and activities at Griffin–Spalding County Airport.[19]
Sports and recreation
The Spalding County Pickleball Association (SCPA) is located at Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park. The SCPA operates, develops and manages programs at the Spalding County Pickleball Complex. The courts are open to the public.
Spalding County Special Olympics Bowling Team bowls every Thursday afternoon from September through March at Magnolia Lanes bowling alley.
The Spalding County Leisure Services Department offers youth sports programs including baseball, basketball, fast pitch softball, soccer, and swimming. For adults, Spalding County offers softball, kickball, and Adult Basketball Leagues: Men's Open and Men's Industrial.[20]
There are at least 21 golf courses within 20 miles of the center of Griffin.[21]
Spalding County was named disc golf capital of the southeast, being home to four courses.[22]
WMVV is a local Christian station, while WKEU (AM) broadcasts oldies. WYFK, a Christian station, has their W290AG translator in Griffin. University of Georgia Griffin Campus has a news radio station on 88.9FM or live streaming at wkeuradio.com.
The Griffin Museum is located upstairs in the Welcome Center and contains an array of Griffin artifacts and memorabilia, including some dating from the mid-1800s.
Griffin Choral Arts, founded in 2007, is a 50-voice auditioned regional community chorus that performs four major concerts each season.[27]
The Griffin Area Concert Association was founded in 1969.[29] It presents performances by national and international performing artists featuring dance, musical theater, solo instrumentalists, vocal, string or brass ensembles and other performing arts.
Griffin Spalding Historical Society was founded in 1969.[30] Its headquarter is in the Bailey-Tebault House houses at Meriwether Street, of which it provides tours.
The Griffin-Spalding Athletic Hall of Fame was founded in 1983.
In downtown Griffin there is a haunted house attraction, the Sinister Suites Haunted Hotel. It was built in 1910, and after being closed in the 1970s was re-opened as a haunted attraction during October. It features a five-story, 60,000-square foot walk-through of the hotel.[32] But it is closed.
Griffin has been featured or used as a production site in many films and television shows.[33]
Brian Bohannon - head football coach at Kennesaw State; previously played wide receiver for UGA and held a number of assistant coaching positions
James S. Boynton - politician and jurist; briefly served as the 51st Governor of Georgia from 1883 after the death of governor Alexander Stephens; born in Henry County, Georgia and moved to Griffin in 1865; buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin
Darrin Hancock - basketball player; played with the 1993 Final Four University of Kansas, the NBA, and various minor league teams after graduating from Griffin High School
John McIntosh Kell - Executive Officer of the CSS Alabama; served as Adjutant General of Georgia; born in Darien, Georgia; lived in Griffin in his later life until his death in 1900
Jan Kemp - academic who exposed the allowing of nine college football players to pass a remedial English course at UGA
Sidney Lanier - poet, lawyer and musician; lived in Griffin as a child after his birth in Macon; he wrote the poem "Corn" in Sunnyside, several miles north of Griffin
Karen Mathiak - chiropractor and Georgia state legislator
Josh Pace - Syracuse University basketball guard during the school's first national championship in 2003; currently plays professional basketball overseas
Bobby Rainey - running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in college for Western Kentucky
Jessie Tuggle - football linebacker who played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons; played in college at Valdosta State after graduating from Griffin High School
Wyomia Tyus - athlete, Olympic gold medalist, first woman to retain the Olympic title in the 100; born in Griffin
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