Griffin, Georgia

Griffin, Georgia
City
Griffin City Hall
Nickname(s): "The Iris City"
Motto(s): Growing, Together

Location in Spalding County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°14′51″N 84°16′15″W / 33.24750°N 84.27083°W / 33.24750; -84.27083Coordinates: 33°14′51″N 84°16′15″W / 33.24750°N 84.27083°W / 33.24750; -84.27083
Country United States
State Georgia
County Spalding
Government
 • Town Manager Kenny Smith
Area
 • Total 14.6 sq mi (37.8 km2)
 • Land 14.5 sq mi (37.6 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 978 ft (298 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 23,643
 • Estimate (2016)[1] 22,928
 • Density 1,607/sq mi (620.4/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes 30223-30224
Area code(s) 770
FIPS code 13-35324[2]
GNIS feature ID 0356111[3]
Website http://www.cityofgriffin.com/

Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia.[4] It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.[5]

Griffin was founded in 1840 and named for landowner Col. Lewis Lawrence Griffin.[6] Several notable people are from Griffin and the city has been filmed for several notable shows and movies.

Griffin Technical College was located in Griffin from 1963 and a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The Griffin Synodical Female College was established by Presbyterians but closed.[7] The University of Georgia maintains a branch campus in Griffin.[8]

History

The Macon and Western Railroad was extended to a new station in Griffin in 1842.[9]

In 1938, Alma Lovell had been distributing religious Bible tracts as a Jehovah's Witness but was arrested for violating a city ordinance requiring prior permission for distributing literature. In Lovell v. City of Griffin, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the city had violated her First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

Building on East Solomon Street (dated 1894) in Griffin

The Griffin Commercial Historic District (among the National Register of Historic Places listings in Spalding County, Georgia) is generally bounded by Central Alley, Sixth Street, Taylor Street and Eighth Street. The district includes the Griffin Grocery Company Building, now the Griffin Regional Welcome Center.[10]

Spanish–American War

Griffin raised two batteries of Field Artillery for the Spanish–American War, Batteries A and B, Georgia Volunteer Light Artillery, which was organized as follows:

  • Mustered In: May 13–15, 1898 at Griffin, Georgia
  • Mustered Out: October 17, 1898 at Griffin, Georgia
  • Mustered In:
Officers: 8
Enlisted Men: 246
  • Mustered Out:
Officers: 7
Enlisted Men: 308
  • Total Number Accounted for on Muster Out Roll:
Officers: 8
Enlisted Men: 333

One of the officers resigned before the unit was mustered out. Three of the enlisted men transferred to other units, six were discharged for disability, ten were discharged for various reasons, two died of disease, and four deserted. Neither unit actually left Griffin.[11]

Geography

Griffin is located at 33°14′51″N 84°16′15″W / 33.24750°N 84.27083°W / 33.24750; -84.27083 (33.247602, -84.270891).[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.6 square miles (38 km2), of which 14.5 square miles (38 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.55%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18502,320—
18602,85523.1%
18703,42119.8%
18803,6205.8%
18904,50324.4%
19006,85752.3%
19107,4789.1%
19208,24010.2%
193010,32125.3%
194013,22228.1%
195013,9825.7%
196021,73555.4%
197022,7344.6%
198020,728−8.8%
199021,3473.0%
200023,4519.9%
201023,6430.8%
Est. 201622,928[1]−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 23,451 people, 8,876 households, and 5,955 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,615.0 people per square mile (623.6/km²). There were 9,636 housing units at an average density of 663.6 per square mile (256.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.88% African American, 46.98% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.

There were 8,876 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 24.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,088, and the median income for a family was $33,963. Males had a median income of $30,488 versus $21,352 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,563. About 17.7% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those ages of 65 or over.

Education

The Griffin-Spalding County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve and consists of eleven elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools.[14] The district has 661 full-time teachers and over 10,648 students.[15]

Griffin Technical College was located in Griffin from 1963 and, following a merger, a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The Griffin Synodical Female College was established by Presbyterians but closed.[7] The University of Georgia maintains a branch campus in Griffin.[8]

Sports and recreation

The Griffin Warriors, a World Basketball Association team, played at the high school in 2006.

Media

The Griffin Daily News is a local paper, founded in 1872.[16] WMVV is a local Christian station, WHIE AM broadcasts country music, while WKEU (AM) broadcasts oldies. WYFK, a Christian station, has their W290AG translator in Griffin.

Notable people

  • Bill Anderson - country singer who was born in South Carolina and grew up in Griffin
  • Edward Andrews - film and television actor (born in Griffin)
  • Lewis White Beck - philosopher, translator, textbook author, and scholar of German philosophy was born here on September 26, 1913..
  • Tim Beckham - professional baseball player who was first overall pick in 2008 Major League Baseball draft after attending Griffin High School (born in Griffin)
  • James S. Boynton- was an American politician and jurist. Boynton briefly served as the 51st Governor of Georgia from 1883 after the death of governor Alexander Stephens. At the time of Stephens' death, Boynton was serving as the president of the Georgia Senate so he assumed the governorship. His additional political service included the office of Mayor of Griffin, Georgia. Boynton also served as a judge in the Spalding County, Georgia Court, and the Flint Circuit Superior Court. He was born in Henry County, Georgia and moved to Griffin in 1865. Boynton died at his home in Griffin in 1902 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in that same city.
  • Jody Breeze - a rapper who has worked with Gucci Mane, Gorilla Zoe, Boyz N Da Hood.
  • Charlie Clemons- football player who played for several different National Football League teams; member of the St. Louis Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV and is uncle of Nic Clemons and Chris Clemons
  • Chris Clemons - NFL defensive end and brother of Nic Clemons; played college football for University of Georgia and was a member of Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks
  • Nic Clemons - defensive end for the Denver Broncos
  • Elbert Dubenion - football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills
  • Rick Dyer- Bigfoot enthusiast who is known for his high-profile Bigfoot hoaxes. Bigfoot Hunter and Founder of ProjectSasquatch.com 2014
  • John J. Eagan (ACIPCO) - was an American industrialist and co-founder of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO).
  • Jack Flynt - lawyer and U.S. Congressman from Spalding County (born in Griffin)
  • Willie Gault - NFL wide receiver and Olympic athlete; Gault played 11 seasons for the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders
  • Nick Hamilton - pro wrestling referee
  • Darrin Hancock - basketball player who played with the 1993 Final Four University of Kansas, the NBA, and various minor league teams after graduating from Griffin High School
  • Doc Holliday - iconic figure of the American West and friend of Wyatt Earp, was born in Griffin on August 14, 1851. In Griffin, Georgia is a museum dedicated to Holliday.
  • Jan Kemp - an academic who exposed the bias of passing college football players at the University of Georgia
  • Sidney Lanier - poet, lawyer and musician lived in Griffin as a child after his birth in Macon; he wrote the poem, "Corn" in Sunnyside, Georgia, several miles north of Griffin
  • John McIntosh Kell - Executive Officer of the CSS Alabama, and later served as Adjutant General of Georgia, born in Darien, Georgia. Lived in Griffin in his later life until his death in 1900.
  • Lauren-Ashley - country singer
  • Sonia Leigh - country singer-songwriter, signed by Zac Brown's Southern Ground recording label, attended Griffin High School
  • Karen Mathiak - chiropractor and Georgia state legislator
  • Sherrod Martin - NFL defensive back for the Carolina Panthers
  • Josh Pace - Syracuse University basketball guard during the school's first National Championship in 2003; he currently plays professional basketball overseas
  • Bobby Rainey - running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in college for Western Kentucky
  • June Shannon- television reality star and mother of Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson
  • Ben Talley - American football player
  • Dox Thrash - printmaker and painter, helped invent carborundum technique, born in Griffin in 1893
  • Jessie Tuggle - football linebacker who played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons; played in college at Valdosta State after graduating from Griffin High School
  • Wyomia Tyus - athlete, Olympic gold medalist, first woman to retain the Olympic title in the 100m (born in Griffin)
  • Rayfield Wright - Hall of Fame offensive tackle (born in Griffin); played in college at Fort Valley State
  • John P. Yates - Georgia state legislator

Culture

Fiction

Nonfiction

  • Griffin was featured in the 2010 History Channel television show Top Gear. Griffin was also featured in the A&E series Hoarders which featured Phyllis on the season premiere episode that aired on June 20, 2011.

References

  1. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Census.gov. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. ↑ Griffin (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau Archived 2011-12-05 at the Wayback Machine.. Quickfacts.census.gov. Retrieved on 2013-08-09.
  6. ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 232. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  7. 1 2 Florence Fleming Corley, "The Presbyterian Quest: Higher Education for Georgia Women," American Presbyterians, 1991, Vol. 69 Issue 2, pp 83-96
  8. 1 2 "A University of Georgia degree is closer than you think. - University of Georgia Griffin Campus". Uga.edu. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Monroe Railroad (1833)". Railga.com. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  10. ↑ "Griffin Commercial District". Ryan-gluesing.com. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  11. ↑ US Army Center of Military History Historical Resources Branch: Spanish American War Volunteer Forces
  12. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  13. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "Free District Report for Spalding County". School-stats.com. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  16. ↑ "About Us". Griffin Daily News. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
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