Douglas, Georgia

Douglas is a city in Coffee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 11,589.[5] Douglas is the county seat of Coffee County[6] and the core city of the Douglas, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 50,731 as of the 2010 census.[7]

Not to be confused with Douglas County, Georgia.

Douglas, Georgia
City
Douglas City Hall
Motto(s): 
Working Together to Serve You Better
Location in Coffee County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 31°30′27″N 82°51′3″W
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyCoffee
Government
 • MayorTony Paulk
 • City ManagerCharles Davis
Area
 • Total14.67 sq mi (38.01 km2)
 • Land14.44 sq mi (37.39 km2)
 • Water0.24 sq mi (0.61 km2)
Elevation
253 ft (77 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total11,589
 • Estimate 
(2019)[2]
11,695
 • Density810.07/sq mi (312.78/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
31533-31535
Area code(s)912
FIPS code13-23872[3]
GNIS feature ID0313591[4]
Websitewww.cityofdouglas.com

History

Douglas was founded in 1855 as the seat of the newly formed Coffee County.[8] It was named for Senator Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois, a renowned stump speaker who was the challenger to Abraham Lincoln in the presidential election of 1860.[9]

Douglas was chartered as a town in 1895 and as a city in 1897. In 1895, the railroad came to Douglas and the community began to boom.[10] In 1909, the Georgia and Florida Railway located its offices in Douglas.

The Eleventh District Agricultural & Mechanical School was established in Douglas in 1906. In 1927, South Georgia College was founded as Georgia's first state-supported junior college.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Douglas was one of the major tobacco markets in the state. Much of this history is depicted in the Heritage Station Museum, located in the former Georgia and Florida Railway train station on Ward Street in downtown Douglas.

Douglas has two areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the downtown and Gaskin Avenue historic districts. They were added to the list in 1989.[11]

Geography

Douglas is located near the center of Coffee County at 31°30′27″N 82°51′3″W (31.507413, −82.850799).[12] It is 59 miles (95 km) driving distance northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, 115 miles (185 km) driving distance northwest of Jacksonville, Florida, and 201 miles (323 km) driving distance southeast of Atlanta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Douglas has a total area of 14.0 square miles (36.2 km2), of which 13.4 square miles (34.7 km2) is land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 4.08%, is water.[13] Major water bodies include Twenty Mile Creek, the Seventeen Mile River (a tributary of the Satilla River), and Hilliard's Pond, which was once the ski show park "Holiday Beach".

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1900617—
19103,550475.4%
19203,401−4.2%
1930426−87.5%
19405,1751,114.8%
19507,42843.5%
19608,73617.6%
197010,19516.7%
198010,9807.7%
199010,464−4.7%
200010,6391.7%
201011,5898.9%
2019 (est.)11,695[2]0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

As of the census of 2000,[3] there were 10,639 people, 3,977 households, and 2,656 families residing in the city. The population density was 825.7 people per square mile (318.9/km2). There were 4,692 housing units at an average density of 364.2 per square mile (140.7/km2). According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Douglas was: 50.78% Black or African American, 42.95% White, 0.27% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.80% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.92% of the population.

There were 3,977 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,946, and the median income for a family was $36,349. Males had a median income of $26,551 versus $20,145 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,652. About 17.9% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.2% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

Douglas Micropolitan Statistical Area
Location of the Douglas Micropolitan Statistical Area in Georgia

Douglas is the principal city of the Douglas Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Atkinson and Coffee counties[15] and had a combined population of 50,731 at the 2010 census.[7]

Infrastructure

Highways

Airport

Utilities
  • The Electric Department, locally owned and a member of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, services Douglas with power.[16]
  • The Natural Gas Department, member of both Georgia & American Public Gas Association and the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia, provides gas to the area.[17]
  • Water and sewer service is conducted by the city's Water Department.[18]
  • The Public Works Department handles yard clippings, junk items, and animal control for the city.[19]

Economy
Confederate soldier memorial

Major employers
  • Wal-Mart is the biggest employer in the area, with a retail store in Douglas and a distribution center which employs over 1,600 people. The distribution center was built in 1987 using $10 million in government funding.
  • Premium Peanut
  • Premium Waters
  • American Insulated Wire
  • Fleetwood Mobile Homes Corporation
  • PCC Airfoils
  • Pilgrim's

Agriculture

Farming plays a large role in the area's economy. Major agricultural products from the town and surrounding county include peanuts, corn, tobacco, and cotton. Chicken is also a major part of the economy.[20]

Tourism

Douglas is home to Heritage Station Museum, which displays artifacts of the city's history. The World War II Flight Training Museum (the old 63rd Army Air Forces Contract Pilot School), Broxton Rocks, and the Ashley-Slater House are also popular tourist attractions in the area. All three were recently named among "Georgia's Hidden Treasures" in a segment on WSB-TV.

Douglas has ten public parks that offer year-round activities for all ages and interest groups. There are four golf courses in and around the city.

Nearby, the 1,490 acres (6.0 km2) General Coffee State Park draws more than 100,000 visitors a year and is the most popular tourist attraction in the area.

Healthcare

Media
  • WOKA Dixie Country 106.7 FM
  • WOKA Radio 1310 AM
  • WOUG Radio Cielo 107.3 FM
  • WULS Radio 103.7 FM
  • WDMG Radio 97.9 FM, 860 AM
  • WPNG Radio Shine 101.9 FM
  • WSIZ Radio MyFM 102.3 @ 99.9 FM
  • The Douglas News
  • The Douglas Enterprise
  • WSWG, CBS TV

Education

Coffee County School District

The Douglas-Coffee County area is served by the Coffee County Board of Education. The Coffee County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of eight elementary schools, a middle school, three high schools, and an alternative education center.[21] The district has 438 full-time teachers and over 8,000 students.[22]

  • Ambrose Elementary School
  • Broxton Mary-Hayes Elementary School
  • Eastside Elementary School
  • Indian Creek Elementary School
  • Nicholls Elementary School
  • Satilla Elementary School
  • West Green Elementary School
  • Westside Elementary School
  • Coffee Middle School
  • George Washington Carver Freshman Campus
  • Coffee County Career Academy
  • Coffee High School
  • Coffee Alternative Education Center

Private schools
  • Citizens Christian Academy and United Christian Academy are both K-12
  • First United Methodist Church provides pre-kindergarten
  • First Baptist Church provides pre-kindergarten
  • Akim Academy provides 1-year-old walking and up. Provides an after-school program for kids up to 15 years of age.

Higher education

Notable people
  • James Brown, singer, lived here for a short time while working at a local saw mill. He was a native of Toccoa, Georgia.
  • Jason Childers, Major League Baseball player for the Tampa Bay Rays, member of the South Georgia College and Kennesaw State Athletic Hall of Fame
  • G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and former president of Georgia Institute of Technology (1994–2008), spent his early years in Douglas. His father served as mayor.
  • Greg Holland, country singer
  • Lance Price, Famous Historian specializing in Coffee County and Douglas. Cousin to Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens. Country music extraordinaire, new LP titled Sweet Georgia Peach released in August 2018. Lead singer in the Trojan's glee club.
  • Justin Lewis, co-founder and CTO of NationalField, a private, enterprise-based social network used by the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns of Barack Obama
  • Jennifer Nettles, one-half of the country music duo Sugarland, is a native of Douglas.
  • Joel Parrish, football player
  • Maureen Tucker, drummer and occasional singer of 1960s and 1970s rock group The Velvet Underground, lives in Douglas.
  • Greg Walker, former first baseman and hitting coach for the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox, is a native of Douglas. He was the hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves 2012–2014.
  • Tyreek Hill, an American football player for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL).
  • Wyatt Miller, an American football player for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).

See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Douglas, GA Micro Area". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  8. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 228. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  9. Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 64. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  10. City of Douglas - A Georgia City of Excellence. Retrieved 13 May 2008. Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  11. georgia.gov – City of Douglas. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  12. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  13. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Douglas city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  14. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, May 11, 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
  16. Public Utilities – Electric Archived February 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, City of Douglas – A Georgia City of Excellence. Copyright 2002-7. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  17. Public Utilities – Natural Gas Archived February 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, City of Douglas – A Georgia City of Excellence. Copyright 2002-7. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  18. Public Utilities – Water Department Archived February 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, City of Douglas – A Georgia City of Excellence. Copyright 2002-7. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  19. Public Utilities – Public Works Department Archived February 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, City of Douglas – A Georgia City of Excellence. Copyright 2002-7. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  21. Georgia Board of Education. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  22. School Stats. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
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