McDonough, Georgia

Coordinates	8 °6 ′43.2 ″N79 °1 ′43.68 ″N
Official name	McDonough, Georgia
Native name
Nickname	The Geranium City
Settlement type	City
Image seal	City of Mcdonough
Seal size	jpg
Map caption	Location in Henry County and the state of Georgia
Pushpin map	Metro Atlanta
Pushpin label	McDonough
Pushpin label position
Pushpin map caption	Location of McDonough in Metro Atlanta
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	Georgia
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Henry
Leader title1
Established title
Established title2	1821
Established title3	1821
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total km2	20.2
Area land km2	20.1
Area water km2	0.1
Area total sq mi	7.8
Area land sq mi	7.8
Area water sq mi	0
Population as of	2008
Population total	19,768
Population density km2	420.4
Population density sq mi	1088.8
Timezone	Eastern (EST)
Utc offset	-5
Timezone dst	EDT
Utc offset dst	-4
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates type	region:US_type:city
Elevation footnotes
Elevation m	263
Elevation ft	863
Postal code type	ZIP codes
Postal code	30252-30253
Area code	770470|470678|678
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	13-48624
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	0317901
Website	http://www.mcdonoughga.org

McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 8,493 at the 2000 census. Census estimates of 2008 indicate a population of 19,768, due to growth of the city and extension of the city limits. Inclusion of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding McDonough, which are not part of a town/city, raises the population to approximately 30,000. The city is the county seat of Henry County. It is the home of AM radio station Classic Country 1410 WKKP and SCB-TV cable Channel 15 television station.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.51%) is water.

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

Major highways

Interstate 75 U.S. Highway 23 Georgia State Route 20 Georgia State Route 42 Georgia State Route 81 Georgia State Route 155 Georgia State Route 351 Georgia State Route 401

History

Named for naval officer Commodore Thomas MacDonough 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 1920 prototype. The station also houses the Main Street Program Office and Hospitality and Tourism Office. In the center of the square is a monument to Henry County's Confederate dead. 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" (4½ by 11 feet) by 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.

In 1900, a washout during a thunderstorm caused a train wreck about 1½ miles (2.4 km) north of town. The runoff undermined about of the Southern Railway (Macon division) prior the accident, and the passenger train subsequently caught fire, killing 35.

Notable natives

Darrell Armstrong — former NBA player; lives in McDonough

Erasmus W. Beck — United States Congressman; born in McDonough in 1833.

Herman Cain — businessman and candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination; lives in McDonough

Jason Heyward — Atlanta Braves prospect and first-round selection in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.

James T. Holtzclaw — Confederate general in the American Civil War; born in McDonough in 1833.

Kristal Marshall — former WWE Diva.

Matt Murton — Oakland Athletics outfielder; went to high school in McDonough.

J.R. Pinnock — George Washington Colonials guard; went to high school in McDonough.

Renford Reese, Ph.D. — son of pioneer sports writer Earnest Reese (Atlanta Journal Constitution); professor, author, founder, Colorful Flags program at Cal Poly Pomona University; grew up/went to high school in McDonough (graduated 1985). .

Andrew Sloan — United States Congressman; born in McDonough in 1845.

Steven Sylvester — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Linebacker; went to high school in McDonough

James W. Wise — United States Congressman; born in McDonough in 1868.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,493 people, 3,069 households, and 2,102 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,093.8 people per square mile (422.6/km²). There were 3,234 housing units at an average density of 416.5 per square mile (160.9/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 out 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.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% 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 income for a household in the city was $41,482, and the median income for a family 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.

Events and festivals

Geranium Festival

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.

The city is home to the annual AABC Roberto Clemente World Series for seven and eight year olds.

Movies

Scenes for the 1977 movie "Smokey and the Bandit" were filmed in the town.

Scenes for the 1989 Oscar winning civil war epic, "Glory" were filmed in the town.

A pilot episode for the WB show "Roswell" were filmed on the city square at the old Phillips 66 service station.

A scene from the movie "We Are Marshall" was filmed on Hw. 155 near Miller's Mill.

"The McDonough Road" is mentioned by one of the characters in the 1939 classic, Gone with the Wind.

Music

Members of the Christian Band Casting Crowns are ministers at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church, where the band plays during services.

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. The district has 1,543 full-time teachers and over 27,734 students.

Private schools

Eagle's Landing Christian Academy

Greater Atlanta Christian

Lake Dow Christian Academy

Living Word Christian

McDonough Christian Academy

The Sharon School

Community Christian School

Strong Rock Christian School

New Creation Center Creekside Christian Academy

Higher Education

Mercer University has a Regional Academic Center in McDonough. The center, opened in 2003, offers programs through the university's College of Continuing and Professional Studies.

References

External links

City of McDonough

Henry Herald

Henry County School System

The Henry County Times Newspaper

Geranium Festival

Taste of Henry

Kelleytown, GA

A Friend's House

Community Gardens of Henry County

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Henry County, Georgia Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)