Quitman, Georgia
Quitman, Georgia | |
---|---|
City | |
Quitman City Hall | |
Location in Brooks County and the state of Georgia | |
Coordinates: 30°47′5″N 83°33′39″W / 30.78472°N 83.56083°WCoordinates: 30°47′5″N 83°33′39″W / 30.78472°N 83.56083°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Brooks |
Government | |
• Mayor | James C. Brown III |
Area | |
• Total | 4.15 sq mi (10.74 km2) |
• Land | 4.13 sq mi (10.69 km2) |
• Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
Elevation | 190 ft (58 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 3,850 |
• Density | 933/sq mi (360.2/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 31643 |
Area code(s) | 229 |
FIPS code | 13-63224[1] |
GNIS feature ID | 0321256[2] |
Website |
www |
Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, United States.[3] The population was 3,850 at the 2010 census.[4] The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Quitman was a home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857). He was organist for the First Presbyterian Church.[5]
A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.[6]
It is called the "Camellia City" as the tree grows in profusion around the area.
History
Quitman was designated county seat of newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904. As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.[7]
Geography
Quitman is located in southern Georgia at 30°47′05″N 83°33′39″W / 30.784677°N 83.560747°W.[8] U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south 24 miles (39 km) to Greenville, Florida, and 26 miles (42 km) to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east 15 miles (24 km) to Interstate 75 and 17 miles (27 km) to Valdosta.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.7 km2), of which 0.019 square miles (0.05 km2), or .50%, is water.[4]
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1870 | 784 | — | |
1880 | 1,400 | 78.6% | |
1890 | 1,868 | 33.4% | |
1900 | 2,281 | 22.1% | |
1910 | 3,915 | 71.6% | |
1920 | 4,393 | 12.2% | |
1930 | 4,149 | −5.6% | |
1940 | 4,450 | 7.3% | |
1950 | 4,769 | 7.2% | |
1960 | 5,071 | 6.3% | |
1970 | 4,818 | −5.0% | |
1980 | 5,188 | 7.7% | |
1990 | 5,292 | 2.0% | |
2000 | 4,638 | −12.4% | |
2010 | 3,850 | −17.0% | |
Est. 2015 | 3,871 | [9] | 0.5% |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,638 people, 1,707 households, and 1,131 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,211.1 people per square mile (467.6/km²). There were 2,034 housing units at an average density of 531.1 per square mile (205.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 30.98% White, 66.36% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 1.06% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.
There were 1,707 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.9% were married couples living together, 30.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% 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 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,924, and the median income for a family was $24,154. Males had a median income of $22,727 versus $17,391 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,594. About 31.2% of families and 34.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.7% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
The prevalent industries in Quitman are farming and automotive. Cass Burch Automotive Group is located in downtown Quitman, with both Dodge Chrysler Jeep & Ram and Chevrolet dealerships represented.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[11]
Climate data for Quitman, Georgia | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 18 (64) |
19 (67) |
23 (73) |
27 (80) |
31 (87) |
33 (91) |
33 (92) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
27 (81) |
23 (73) |
18 (65) |
26 (79) |
Average low °C (°F) | 4 (40) |
6 (42) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
16 (61) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
13 (56) |
8 (46) |
4 (40) |
13 (55) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 104 (4.1) |
112 (4.4) |
117 (4.6) |
91 (3.6) |
89 (3.5) |
145 (5.7) |
175 (6.9) |
150 (6) |
117 (4.6) |
64 (2.5) |
64 (2.5) |
94 (3.7) |
1,318 (51.9) |
Source: Weatherbase [12] |
Education
Schools for Quitman are Quitman Elementary School, Brooks County Middle School, and Brooks County High School.
Media
Radio station WGOV-FM 96.7 is licensed to broadcast from Quitman. The Quitman Free Press, a weekly newspaper, is the official legal publication for Brooks County. It has been in operation since 1876.
References
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Quitman city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ↑ Jingle Bell history page
- ↑ Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, Loony Laws & Silly Statutes, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-8069-0472-0
- ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). "Historical Gazetteer of the United States". Routledge. p. 243.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ Climate Summary for Quitman, Georgia
- ↑ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 15, 2013.
External links
Media related to Quitman, Georgia at Wikimedia Commons
- City of Quitman official website
- Civil War Slave Conspiracy historical marker