Vidalia, Georgia

The town was incorporated on January 1, 1890.[8] It is the largest city in Toombs County, but it is not the county seat.[9] Although a Georgia website suggests the town may have been named "via dalia" ("road of dahlias"),[8] it may have been named — like Vidalia, Louisiana — in honor of Don José Vidal, a Spanish aristocrat.

Like many towns in the region, Vidalia grew up around a rail yard that served farmers in the area who grew such crops as pecans and tobacco. The area's famous onions[10] were not an important crop until much later.

From 1952-1956, Vidalia was home to the Vidalia Indians, a Class D minor league baseball affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Vidalia played in the Georgia State League and won the 1953 League Championship.[11]

In the 1950s, Piggly Wiggly grocery stores opened a distribution center in Vidalia, bringing with it a large influx of jobs as well as railroad business. At that time, Vidalia served as an interchange junction between the Central of Georgia and the Georgia and Florida (later both Southern railroads). For this, a large seven track yard was constructed, as well as a sizable engine servicing facility and interchange yard. The latter, smaller interchange yard is still in use to some degree by the Georgia Central railroad, while the larger yard was removed sometime in the 1970s. Dot Foods currently occupies most of the old Piggly Wiggly distribution center, with smaller companies leasing space.

Vidalia is located at 32°12′55″N 82°24′36″W (32.215305, -82.410086).[12]

The city is located along U.S. Route 280, which runs east-west through the center of town. U.S. 280 leads east 6 mi (10 km) to Lyons, the Toombs County seat, and southwest 12 mi (19 km) to Mount Vernon. Other highways that run through the city include Georgia State Routes 15, 130, 292, and 297.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45 km²), of which 17.3 square miles (45 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.63%) is water.

Vidalia (left) and Vidalia Regional Airport (right).

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,491 people, 4,167 households, and 2,758 families residing in the city; of these, 160 people lived in Montgomery and the rest in Toombs counties. The population density was 605.4 people per square mile (233.7/km²). There were 4,676 housing units at an average density of 269.8 per square mile (104.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.61% White, 36.88% African American, 0.89% Asian, 0.14% Native American, 1.82% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.24% of the population.

There were 4,167 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,365, and the median income for a family was $40,091. Males had a median income of $30,180 versus $18,496 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,369. About 15.4% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.

Vidalia has a mixed economy, but its largest industry is agriculture. Since 1931, Granex onions grown in and near Vidalia have been licensed and sold internationally as Vidalia onions. In 1986, the Vidalia Onion Trademark Act granted a state trademark and protection on the onions of the Vidalia and Toombs County area. The 1989 Federal Marketing Order #955 of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service gave the growers and handlers the legal rights to establish the Vidalia Onion Committee, and it granted U.S. federal protection of the onion's name and production.

• Paul Anderson, Olympic weightlifter and strongman. Founder of Paul Anderson Youth Home in Vidalia.[19]
• Mel Blount, former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back, five-time Pro Bowler and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee; born in Vidalia[20]
• Paul Claxton, professional golfer; born in Vidalia[21]

• Don Harris, NBC News correspondent killed during Jonestown Massacre; born in Vidalia[22]
• Algur H. Meadows, oilman, art collector, benefactor of Southern Methodist University and other institutions; born in Vidalia
• Wallace Moses, Major League Baseball player 1935-51
• Carl Simpson, football player; born in Vidalia[23]
• Fred Stokes, defensive end who played ten seasons in National Football League; born in Vidalia[24]

Although it has never been officially confirmed, it is believed by locals that the 1996 song "Vidalia" sung by Sammy Kershaw alludes to the Vidalia Sweet Onion crop with its lyrics "...sweet Vidalia, You always gotta make me cry!" While uncertainty remains about the song, Vidalia sweet onions have recently made a name for the town through national media and the Onions and Ogres advertisement campaign which features the cartoon ogre Shrek.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vidalia, Georgia.

• Official website Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
• City of Vidalia entry from the State of Georgia government portal
• Official Vidalia Department of Tourism
• The Official Vidalia Onion Website: Recipes, Information & Links
• The Wall Street Journal-The Onion's Best Friend Is an Ogre