Stone Mountain, Georgia

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Stone Mountain, Georgia
City
Stone Mountain, Georgia downtown.JPG
Main Street in Stone Mountain Village
Flag of Stone Mountain, Georgia.png
Seal of Stone Mountain, Georgia.png
Motto: 
"A City of Vision" [1]
DeKalb County Georgia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Stone Mountain Highlighted 1373816.svg
Location in DeKalb County and the state of Georgia
Metro atlanta.jpg
Red pog.svg
Stone Mountain
Location of Stone Mountain in Metro Atlanta
Coordinates: 33°48′29″N84°10′13″W / 33.80806°N 84.17028°W / 33.80806; -84.17028 [2]
CountryUnited States
State Georgia
County DeKalb
Establishedas New Gibraltar c.1839
Renamedas Stone Mountain c. 1847
Government
   Mayor Dr. Beverly Jones [1]
Area
[3]
  Total1.66 sq mi (4.29 km2)
  Land1.65 sq mi (4.28 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
[2]
1,043 ft (318 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total6,703
  Density4,059.96/sq mi (1,567.38/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code 770
FIPS code 13-73816 [4]
GNIS feature ID0326087 [2]
Website stonemountaincity.org

Stone Mountain is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,703 according to the 2020 US Census. Stone Mountain is in the eastern part of DeKalb County and is a suburb of Atlanta that encompasses nearly 1.7 square miles. It lies near and touches the western base of the geological formation of the same name. Locals often call the city "Stone Mountain Village" to distinguish it from the larger unincorporated area traditionally considered Stone Mountain and Stone Mountain Park.

Contents

History

Railroad depot Stone Mountain, Georgia City Hall and Police Station.JPG
Railroad depot

Stone Mountain's history began long before European settlers and the Creek Indians before them. Evidence of numerous earlier Native American tribes, including mound builders, has been found in the area. [5]

The Treaty of Indian Springs in 1821 opened a large swath of Georgia for settlement by non-Native Americans on former Creek Indian land, including present-day Stone Mountain Village. In 1822, the area that now makes up the city was made a part of the newly formed DeKalb County.

Settlement

By the 1820s, Rock Mountain, as it was then called, was "a major travel center", with an inn for travelers. A stagecoach line linking the village with Georgia's capital, Milledgeville, began in 1825. Another stage line ran to Winder and Athens. In 1828 another stage line began trips to Dahlonega, and a fourth connected the community with Macon. [6] :27 "Hundreds of people visited Rock Mountain in the summer [of 1828] and...a house of entertainment was nearby." [6] :28 Rail service did not reach the town, by then New Gibraltar, until 1845. [6] :33

A post office was created in 1834 on the old Augusta Road, and Andrew Johnson, called the founder of New Gibraltar and first mayor, [7] around whose house the city limits were drawn, [6] :32 built a hotel along the road in 1836. ("An 1843 amendment to the act of incorporation extended the town limits to 600 yards (550 m) in every direction from the house of Andrew Johnson." [6] :31) About 1839 Aaron Cloud, who also had a hotel, [6] :33 built a wooden observation tower, octagonal like a lighthouse and 150 feet (46 m) high, along with a restaurant and club, at the mountain's summit. A storm destroyed the tower in 1849; in 1851, Thomas Henry built a smaller, 80 feet (24 m) tower, with telescopes so it could serve as an observatory. [6] :29 Visitors to the mountain traveled by rail and road, then hiked up the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) mountaintop trail to the top. By 1850, Stone Mountain had become a popular destination for Atlanta urbanites who endured the four-hour round trip by rail just to experience its natural beauty, lodging, and attractions. [8] [5]

Industry

Granite quarrying at the mountain was the area's lifeblood for decades, employing many thousands. The excellent grade of building stone from the mountain was used in many notable structures, including the locks of the Panama Canal, the roof of the bullion depository at Fort Knox, Philadelphia's Liberty National Building, and the steps in the east wing of the U.S. Capitol. [9]

In August 1846, New Gibraltar hosted Georgia's first state fair, then known as the Agriculture Fair and Internal Improvement Jubilee. The fair had just one exhibit—three horses and two cows, both belonging to the event's organizer, John Graves. The next year, the village again hosted the event, which featured caskets, marble, embroidery, brooms, bedspreads, vegetables, blooded stock, wheat, farm tools, and a magnetic telegraph. Stone Mountain hosted the event until 1850, when it moved to Macon. [7]

Stone Mountain in 1908 Detail, Stone Mountain. 1908. Photo by Huron H. Smith. (4987035218) (cropped).jpg
Stone Mountain in 1908

Civil War

Though DeKalb County voted against secession from the United States, it was not spared the devastation of the Civil War. Stone Mountain Village went unscathed until the Battle of Atlanta, [10] when it was destroyed by men under the command of General James B. McPherson on July 19, 1864. Several antebellum homes were spared as they were used as hospitals. The railroad depot's roof burned, but the building stood, owing to its 2-foot-thick granite walls. [11]

From the village’s destruction in July 1864 until November, Union forces scavenged Stone Mountain and the surrounding area, taking corn, wheat, cotton, cattle, and other goods. On November 15, 1864, between 12,000 and 15,000 Union troops marched through Stone Mountain and further destroyed the rail lines. The rails were rendered useless by heating them over burning railroad ties, then twisting them around trees. The term Sherman’s neckties was coined for this form of destruction. [11]

Birth of Shermantown

Advertisement for Stone Mountain from 'The Dixie Highway Magazine', circa 1925. Dixie Highway - DPLA - 37f7121a8dc91efc783acd7664a1b6dd.pdf
Advertisement for Stone Mountain from 'The Dixie Highway Magazine', circa 1925.

After the Civil War ended, housing in the area was rebuilt as Stone Mountain granite was again in demand for construction across the nation. A significant portion of the quarry's work force were African Americans, but they were generally excluded from areas where white families lived, so a shantytown, Shermantown, came into being at the southeast side of the village; its name was a reference to Union General William T. Sherman.

In 1868, Reverend R. M. Burson organized Bethsaida Baptist Church to serve Shermantown. A church building was then built under Reverend F. M. Simons at what is now 853 Fourth Street. Simons was among a delegation of southern African American pastors to meet with Sherman in Washington, D.C. after the war to discuss the treatment of the freedmen. Bethsaida Baptist is still an active part of the Stone Mountain Village. [11]

By the 20th century, much of Shermantown’s original structures had been replaced. Bethsaida’s original wooden structure was replaced by stone in 1920. Though Shermantown has mostly integrated into the growing Stone Mountain Village, it retains its own distinct community.

Rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan

1915 was the year of the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist organization. Members assembled at Stone Mountain with permission of quarry owner Samuel Venable, an active member. Their activities, including annual cross-burnings, continued for over 40 years, but Stone Mountain’s association with the Klan began to erode when the State of Georgia began to acquire the mountain and surrounding property in 1958. In 1960, Governor Ernest Vandiver condemned the property the state had purchased in order to void the perpetual easements Venable had granted the Klan. This ended any official link between Stone Mountain and the Klan. [12] [13] [14]

Freedom Bell on Main Street Freedom Bell, Stone Mountain, Georgia.jpg
Freedom Bell on Main Street

Civil Rights Movement

During the Civil Rights Movement's March on Washington, on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. referred to Stone Mountain in his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech when he proclaimed, "let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!" [15] Charles Burris, the Village's first African-American mayor, dedicated the Freedom Bell on Main Street in King's honor on February 26, 2000. At an annual ceremony held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the bell is rung to commemorate King's legacy.

Many names

The mountain has been known by countless names throughout the centuries. It was called Crystal Mountain by 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Pardo when he visited in 1567. The Creek Indians who inhabited the area at that time used a name translating to "Lone Mountain". Around the turn of the 19th century, settlers called it Rock Mountain or Rock Fort Mountain. [5] By the end of the 1830s, Stone Mountain had become the generally accepted name. Like the mountain, the village formed at its base was initially known as Rock Mountain but was incorporated as New Gibraltar in 1839 by an act of the General Assembly. In 1847 the Georgia legislature changed the name to Stone Mountain. [10]

Cemetery

The Stone Mountain Cemetery, established around 1850, is a microcosm of the village’s past. It is the final resting place for roughly 200 unknown Confederate soldiers. 71 known Confederate soldiers are buried there, along with James Sprayberry, a Union soldier. Another notable site is the grave of George Pressley Trout, who is buried there with his wife and his horse. [7] James B. Rivers, the village’s first African American police chief, is at rest there on a hillside facing the mountain. The cemetery is still in use.

Government

Stone Mountain is governed by a council-manager form of government. Citizens elect a mayor and six council members who are all elected at-large. The terms of office are four years, with elections staggered every two years. Daily city operations are managed by an appointed professional city manager. Services provided by the city include police, public works, code enforcement, and municipal court.

The city also has standing commissions for historic preservation, downtown development, and planning & zoning. The city holds a City of Ethics designation from the Georgia Municipal Association [16] and is a member of Main Street America.

Geography

Stone Mountain is at the western base of the quartz monzonite dome monadnock of the same name. While Stone Mountain city proper is completely within DeKalb County, the postal regions designated and traditionally considered as Stone Mountain include portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties.

According to the State of Georgia, [17] the city has an area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2), of which 0.62% is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1870 690
1880 79915.8%
1890 92916.3%
1900 835−10.1%
1910 1,06227.2%
1920 1,26619.2%
1930 1,3355.5%
1940 1,4085.5%
1950 1,89934.9%
1960 1,9764.1%
1970 1,899−3.9%
1980 4,867156.3%
1990 6,49433.4%
2000 7,14510.0%
2010 5,802−18.8%
2020 6,70315.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [18]

2020 census

Stone Mountain racial composition [19]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)84712.64%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)4,84772.31%
Native American 220.33%
Asian 2063.07%
Pacific Islander 20.03%
Other/Mixed 2513.74%
Hispanic or Latino 5287.88%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,703 people, 2,351 households, and 1,578 families residing in the city.

2017

According to 2017 US Census Bureau estimates, [20] Stone Mountain has 6,368 residents, a 9.0% increase since 2010. There are 2,519 households, with an average of 2.42 persons per household. 8.9% of Stone Mountain residents are foreign-born. Estimates of the racial makeup of the city are 73% African-American/Black, 22.1% White, 1% Asian, 0.9% Native American/Alaskan, and 1.1% of two or more races.

Of persons 25 years or older, 87.3% are high school graduates or higher, while 30.8% have attained a bachelor's degree or higher. The median income is $35,964, with a per capita income of $21,134.

Arts, culture and leisure

In film

Ghost sign of a fictional company left from a previous film production. Star Biscuit Sign Stone Mountain.jpg
Ghost sign of a fictional company left from a previous film production.

The Stone Mountain area has been a beneficiary of Georgia's flourishing film industry. Film crews and production personnel have become common sights in Stone Mountain Village. Due to the demand for filming in the historic downtown area, requests for filming in the village are handled by the downtown development authority. [23] The proceeds help fund festivals and other public events for the community.

Most of the shops and buildings on Main Street were built right after the turn of the 20th century and maintain many of the original facades. This has provided an appropriate backdrop for a number of filming projects, ranging from period pieces to those requiring a quaint village setting.

Parts of motion pictures like Footloose (2011) and Need for Speed (2014) were filmed in the village. The growing number of television show credits include The Vampire Diaries , Kevin (Probably) Saves the World , MacGyver , and the Netflix science fiction/horror series Stranger Things .

Organizations

Stone Mountain Village is home to a number of community, civic, and outreach organizations:

Education

Stone Mountain High School is the zoned public high school with Stone Mountain in its attendance boundary; it is not in the city limits of Stone Mountain Stone Mountain High School (Georgia).JPG
Stone Mountain High School is the zoned public high school with Stone Mountain in its attendance boundary; it is not in the city limits of Stone Mountain

The children of Stone Mountain are served by the DeKalb County Public Schools. [24] [25] Stone Mountain Elementary School and Champion Theme Middle School are within the city limits.

Most residents in the city limits are zoned to Stone Mountain Elementary School. Some areas are zoned to Rockbridge Elementary School, outside of the city limits. [26] All residents of Stone Mountain are zoned to: Stone Mountain Middle School, [27] and Stone Mountain High School; [28] the middle school and the high school are outside the city limits.

Georgia Military College (GMC) has a satellite campus in Stone Mountain Village at 5325 Manor Drive.

DeKalb County Public Library operates the Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library (952 Leon Street). [29]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venable Brothers</span>

The Venable Brothers was a business venture formed by brothers William Hoyt Venable (1852–1905) and Samuel Hoyt Venable (1856–1939) in DeKalb County, Georgia. The brothers owned rock quarries. Sam Venable was involved in the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and in the creation of the Confederate memorial on Stone Mountain, Georgia. He owned Stone Mountain, where a cross burning was held in 1915, and granted the Klan an easement to the mountain in 1923. The Venable brothers granted a 12-year lease to Stone Mountain for the carving of the Confederate memorial carving started by Gutzon Borglum.

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References

  1. 1 2 "City of Stone Mountain Georgia" . Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stone Mountain, Georgia
  3. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 "Stone Mountain". About North Georgia. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Freeman, David B. (1997). Carved in Stone. The History of Stone Mountain. Mercer University Press. ISBN   0865545472.
  7. 1 2 3 Delaney, Kim (February 17, 2011). "A Look at Stone Mountain's Rich History". Patch Media. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  8. Stewart, Bruce E. (2004). "Stone Mountain". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities.
  9. "Big market supplied by local granite". The DeKalb New Era. Decatur, GA. December 21, 1939.
  10. 1 2 "About our Village". Stone Mountain Historical Society. 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 Civil War Sesquicentennial 1861-1865. City of Stone Mountain. 2011.
  12. Stokes, Stephannie (November 25, 2015). "Stone Mountain And The Rebirth Of The KKK, One Century Ago". WABE. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  13. Powers, Benjamin (May 4, 2018). "In the Shadow of Stone Mountain". Smithsonian Magazine .
  14. Golden, Randy. "Stone Mountain Carving". About North Georgia. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  15. King, Martin Luther Jr. (August 28, 1963). "I have a Dream". Lillian Goldman Law Library. Retrieved October 8, 2011. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
  16. "Cities of Ethics". Georgia Municipal Association. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  17. "Stone Mountain". State of Georgia. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  18. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  19. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  20. "US Census QuickFacts Stone Mountain city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau. 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  21. "About Us". ART Station. 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  22. "PATH Trails". Path Foundation. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  23. "Economic Development-Downtown Development Authority". City of Stone Mountain. 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  24. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: DeKalb County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  25. "Zoning Map" (PDF). Stone Mountain. Retrieved February 18, 2023. - Compare to county school zoning maps.
  26. "DeKalb County School District Elementary School Attendance Zones 2018-2019 School Year" (PDF). DeKalb County Public Schools . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  27. "DeKalb County School District Middle School Attendance Zones 2018-2019 School Year" (PDF). DeKalb County Public Schools . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  28. "High School Attendance Areas 2016 - 2017 School Year." DeKalb County School System. Retrieved on June 1, 2017.
  29. "Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library". DeKalb County Public Library . Retrieved November 22, 2018.

Further reading