McDonough, Georgia

McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its population was 22,084 at the 2010 census,[5] up from 8,493 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Henry County.[6]

McDonough, Georgia
City
Nickname(s): 
The Geranium City
Location in Henry County and the state of Georgia
McDonough
Location of McDonough in Metro Atlanta
McDonough
McDonough (Georgia (U.S. state))
McDonough
McDonough (the United States)
McDonough
McDonough (North America)
Coordinates: 33°26′42″N 84°8′57″W
Country United States
StateGeorgia
CountyHenry
Named forThomas Macdonough
Area
 • Total12.78 sq mi (33.11 km2)
 • Land12.62 sq mi (32.68 km2)
 • Water0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2)
Elevation
863 ft (263 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total22,084
 • Estimate 
(2019)[2]
26,768
 • Density2,121.08/sq mi (818.97/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
30252-30253
Area code(s)770/678/470
FIPS code13-48624[3]
GNIS feature ID0317901[4]
Websitewww.mcdonoughga.org

The unincorporated communities of Blacksville, Flippen, Kelleytown, and Ola are located near McDonough, and addresses in those communities have McDonough postal addresses.

History

The town was named for naval officer Commodore Thomas Macdonough[7] and founded in 1823 around a traditional town square design. The buildings surrounding the square are intact, although there are some vacancies. The county courthouse and historic jail building are on the north side near the Welcome Center in a historically maintained Standard Oil service station, built in 1920. The station also houses the Main Street Program Office and Hospitality and Tourism Office.

One block east of the square, the town's original cotton warehouse has been replaced with the Henry County Judicial Center. In the same area the Henry County Courthouse Annex has an original oil on canvas "Cotton Gin" (​4 1⁄2 by 11 feet) by artist Jean Charlot. He painted this oil in 1942 for the town post office. His works can be found all over the world in everything from children's books to large murals.

The town was a relay station on the New York to New Orleans stagecoach line and was connected by other stage lines with Fayetteville and Decatur, and with Macon by way of Jackson.[8]

On June 23, 1900, a washout during a thunderstorm caused a train wreck about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of town on the Camp Creek Bridge. The runoff undermined about 100 feet (30 m) of the Georgia Southern Railroad (Macon division) prior to the accident, and the passenger train subsequently caught fire, killing 39.[9] This was one of the worst train crashes in American history and is known as the Camp Creek train wreck. It was featured on an episode of the paranormal TV series Haunted Towns in 2017.

Several individual buildings and two historic districts in the city are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the downtown McDonough Historic District.

Geography

McDonough is in central Henry County, 28 miles (45 km) southeast of downtown Atlanta. U.S. Route 23 passes through the center of the city, leading northwest 9 miles (14 km) to Stockbridge and south 7 miles (11 km) to Locust Grove. Interstate 75 passes through the southwestern arm of the city, with access from Exits 216, 218, and 221. I-75 leads northwest to Atlanta and southeast 56 miles (90 km) to Macon.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.4 km2), of which 12.7 square miles (32.9 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.50%, are water.[5]

Transportation

McDonough is served by the following highways:

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1870320—
18803200.0%
189051560.9%
190068332.6%
191088229.1%
19201,26343.2%
19301,068−15.4%
19401,23215.4%
19501,63532.7%
19602,22436.0%
19702,67520.3%
19802,7783.9%
19902,9295.4%
20008,493190.0%
201022,084160.0%
2019 (est.)26,768[2]21.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[3] there were 8,493 people, 3,069 households and 2,102 families living in the city. The population density was 1,093.8 inhabitants per square mile (422.3/km2). There were 3,234 housing units at an average density of 416.5/sq mi (160.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 61.4% white, 34.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 3,069 households, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.14.

26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median household income was $40,482 and the median family income was $46,818. Males had a median income of $34,669 versus $28,318 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,029. About 9.6% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.

Although it is considered to be located in Stockbridge many of the Eagle's Landing Country Club's homes are within McDonough's 30253 zip code.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,084 people, 8,053 households, and 5,404 families living in the city.[11] The population density was 1,737.4 inhabitants per square mile (670.8/km2). There were 9,063 housing units at an average density of 713.6 per square mile (275.5/km2).[12] The racial makeup of the city was 34.8% white, 58.2% black or African American, 1.8% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.1% of the population.[11]

Of the 8,053 households, 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.9% were non-families, and 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.25. The median age was 33.1 years.[11]

Media

WKKP is the local radio media outlet. It broadcasts 24 hours a day on 100.9 FM and 1410 AM, and has a classic country format. It also broadcasts AP network news at the top of each hour, during the week.

The Henry Herald and the Henry County Times are the local county news print media.

Economy

Snapper Inc. manufacturing residential and professional lawn care and snow removal equipment, was based in McDonough. The company began in 1894 as Southern Saw Works, and claims to have invented the first self-propelled rotary lawn mower. The company was sold to Briggs and Stratton, which operated the plant until its closure in 2015.

Goya Foods has its Atlanta offices in an unincorporated area near McDonough.[13][14]

Events

The city hosts a Geranium Festival each springtime on the third Saturday in May, celebrating the locally grown flowers and community. The one-day festival serves as a showcase of local artistry and talent through the open-air craft markets and live musical performances. The festival is sponsored by the McDonough Lions Club, and held on the McDonough Square. 2009 marks the 32nd anniversary of the festival.

Sports

The city's semi-professional soccer team Georgia Revolution FC plays in the National Premier Soccer League at the Warhawk Stadium.

Film
  • The film A Madea Christmas by Tyler Perry was filmed in the town square and all around McDonough.
  • The television show, Resurrection was filmed in the town square and all around McDonough and was aired March 2014.[15]
  • Scenes for the 1989 Oscar-winning Civil War epic, Glory were filmed in the town.
  • A pilot episode for the WB show Roswell was filmed on the city square at the old Phillips 66 service station.
  • A scene from the movie We Are Marshall was filmed on Hwy. 155 near Miller's Mill.
  • "The McDonough Road" is mentioned by Rhett Butler in the 1939 classic, Gone with the Wind.
  • The 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit was filmed primarily in Georgia in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia.

Education

Henry County School District

The Henry County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve. The district has twenty eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and ten high schools.[16] The district has 1,543 full-time teachers and over 40,000 students.[17]

Elementary schools
  • Cotton Indian Elementary School
  • Dutchtown Elementary School
  • East Lake Elementary School
  • Flippen Elementary School
  • Hickory Flat Charter Elementary School
  • McDonough Elementary School
  • New Hope Elementary School
  • Oakland Elementary School
  • Ola Elementary School
  • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
  • Rock Spring Elementary School
  • Union Grove Elementary School
  • Timber Ridge Elementary School
  • Tussahaw Elementary School
  • Unity Grove Elementary School
  • Walnut Creek Elementary School
  • Wesley Lakes Elementary School

Middle schools
  • Eagle's Landing Middle School
  • Henry County Middle School
  • Ola Middle School
  • Woodland Middle School
  • Union Grove Middle School

High schools

Private schools

Online schools

Higher education
  • Gordon State College has a satellite center in McDonough and has been a partner with the Academy for Advanced Studies since 2009. Gordon State at McDonough offers day and evening classes and has a weekend college program dedicated to Human Services baccalaureate degree.[23]
  • Mercer University has a Regional Academic Center in McDonough. The center, opened in 2003, offers Teacher Education programs through the university's Tift College of Education as well as programs in Criminal Justice and General Studies in[24] the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. Additionally, Atlanta Bible College is located in McDonough.

Notable people

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 2008-01-31.
  4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): McDonough city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 193.
  8. , Accessed 24 April 2009
  9. "McDonough, GA Train Wreck, Jun 1900 - GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods". www3.gendisasters.com.
  10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  12. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  13. "Contact Us." Goya Foods. Retrieved on March 26, 2016. "Goya Atlanta 4005 Haworth Parkway McDonough, GA 30253"
  14. Maps of McDonough." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 19, 2016.
  15. Resurrection (U.S. TV series)
  16. Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  17. School Stats, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  18. Eagle's Landing Christian Academy, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  19. Community Christian School, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  20. New Creation Center, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  21. Creekside Christian Academy, Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  22. "Daycare in McDonough, Georgia - Sunbrook Academy at Luella".
  23. "Gordon State College at McDonough". www.gordonstate.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  24. "Mercer University". www.mercer.edu.
  25. Reinhard, Beth (2011-05-20). "Home is Where the Votes Are". National Journal. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
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