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,[4] up from 8,493 in 2000. The city is the county seat of Henry County.[5] The unincorporated communities of Blacksville, Flippen, Kelleytown, and Ola are located near McDonough, and addresses in those communities have McDonough ZIP Codes.

McDonough, Georgia
City
Henry County Courthouse and Confederate monument
Nickname: 
The Geranium City
Location in Henry County and the state of Georgia
Location in Henry County and the state of Georgia
McDonough is located in Georgia
McDonough
McDonough
Location of McDonough in Henry County
McDonough is located in the United States
McDonough
McDonough
McDonough (the United States)
McDonough is located in North America
McDonough
McDonough
McDonough (North America)
Coordinates: 33°26′42″N 84°8′57″W
Country United States
StateGeorgia
CountyHenry
Named forThomas Macdonough
Area
  Total13.01 sq mi (33.71 km2)
  Land12.85 sq mi (33.29 km2)
  Water0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2)
Elevation
863 ft (263 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total29,051
  Density2,260.43/sq mi (872.72/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
30252–30253
Area code(s)770/678/470
FIPS code13-48624[2]
GNIS feature ID0317901[3]
Websitewww.mcdonoughga.org

History

The town was named for naval officer Commodore Thomas Macdonough[6] 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+12 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 City to New Orleans stagecoach line and was connected by other stage lines with Fayetteville and Decatur, and with Macon by way of Jackson.[7]

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.[4]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
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%
202029,05131.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

2000 census

At the 2000 census,[2] 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 residents 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.[9] 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).[10] 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.[9]

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.[9]

2020 census

McDonough racial composition[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 4,998 17.2%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 20,092 69.16%
Native American 55 0.19%
Asian 610 2.1%
Pacific Islander 30 0.1%
Other/Mixed 1,306 4.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1,960 6.75%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29,051 people, 8,543 households, and 5,778 families residing in the city.

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.[12][13]

Arts and culture

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.

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. 2023 marks the 45th 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.

WWE developmental territory Deep South Wrestling was based in McDonough.

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.[14] The district has 1,543 full-time teachers and over 40,000 students.[15]

Elementary schools

  • Cotton Indian Elementary School
  • Dutchtown Elementary School
  • East Lake Elementary School
  • Flippen Elementary School
  • Hickory Flat Elementary School
  • McDonough Elementary School
  • New Hope Elementary School
  • Oakland Elementary School
  • Ola Elementary School
  • Pleasant Grove Elementary School
  • Rock Spring 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

Higher education

  • Gordon State College has a satellite center in McDonough.[20]
  • Mercer University opened a campus in McDonough in 2003, and offers teacher education, criminal justice, and general studies.[21]
  • Grace Biblical Seminary opened in 2004, and offers theological and ministries degrees.{18}
  • Atlanta Bible College is located in McDonough.

Media

WKKP is the local radio station, broadcasting on 100.9 FM and 1410 AM; it has a classic country format.

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

Film

  • The film A Madea Christmas was filmed in the town square and around McDonough.
  • The television show Resurrection was filmed in the town square and around McDonough.
  • Scenes for the 1989 Civil War film, Glory, were filmed in the city.
  • A pilot episode for Roswell was filmed on the city square at the old Phillips 66 service station.
  • The 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit was filmed primarily in Georgia in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro and Lithonia.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Xpress GA provides local bus service.

McDonough is served by the following highways:

Until the mid-1960s the Southern Railway operated the Cincinnati to Miami Ponce de Leon, which made stops in McDonough.[22]

Notable people

"The McDonough Road" is mentioned by Rhett Butler in the 1939 film, Gone with the Wind.

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): McDonough city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  5. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 193.
  7. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gahenry/History/history.htm. Retrieved April 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  10. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  12. "Contact Us." Goya Foods. Retrieved on March 26, 2016. "Goya Atlanta 4005 Haworth Parkway McDonough, GA 30253"
  13. Maps of McDonough." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 19, 2016.
  14. Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  15. School Stats, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  16. Eagle's Landing Christian Academy, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  17. New Creation Center, Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  18. Creekside Christian Academy, Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  19. "Daycare in McDonough, Georgia - Sunbrook Academy at Luella".
  20. "Gordon State College at McDonough". www.gordonstate.edu. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  21. "Mercer University". www.mercer.edu.
  22. Southern Railway timetable, May 1, 1965, Table 3
  23. Reinhard, Beth (May 20, 2011). "Home is Where the Votes Are". National Journal. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  24. "John Lunsford's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
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